Fat Joe Reflects on Grammy Snubs and Their Impact on His Career
Fat Joe isn’t holding back when it comes to his frustrations over past Grammy losses. The Bronx rapper recently revisited the sting of losing the prestigious awards during a preview of his latest album, The World Changed on Me, and didn’t shy away from sharing his raw feelings.
In a video shared by XXL, Fat Joe reflected on moments when he considered retiring from music, only to be inspired by Killer Mike’s success at the Grammys. “So, I’m busy trying to get these businesses going and get real money,” Joe explained. “Then Killer Mike wins three Grammys, right? And I call Dre [of Cool & Dre] up, and was like, ‘F—k that, they givin’ real n—as Grammys?’ I said, ‘Let’s go back in, let’s lock in.’ If it wasn’t for [Killer Mike], I was retired.”
Remy Ma and Fat Joe Recall Grammy Disappointments
Seated alongside Remy Ma, Fat Joe addressed their history of Grammy nominations with an emphatic declaration: “We got robbed.” The rapper specifically called out two losses that still sting: “Lean Back” losing to the Black Eyed Peas’ “Let’s Get It Started” in 2004, and “All the Way Up” losing to Chance the Rapper’s “No Problem” in 2017.
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“‘Lean Back’ lost to the Black Eyed Peas — I don’t know if you know — without Fergie. And then we lost ‘All the Way Up’ to Chance the Rapper,” Joe exclaimed, as the crowd rallied behind him.
He added, “That’s the biggest disrespect. Let me tell you something, I’ma keep it real with you. You know how Jay-Z used to say, ‘Gotta learn to live with regrets?’ I can’t live with that one. Losing to Chance the Rapper. ‘All the Way Up’ or whatever his s–t was, it was just not that, a’ight. So, Remy comes outta jail, I come outta jail, we throw a f—king miracle frisbee out there, s–t No. 1 in America and you gonna give it to, you know? It’s crazy. Grammys been playing with us for a long time.”
The History Behind the Snubs
The Black Eyed Peas secured a Grammy in 2004 for “Let’s Get It Started” as Best Rap Group Performance. More than a decade later, the 2017 Grammy for Best Rap Performance went to Chance the Rapper, Lil Wayne, and 2 Chainz for “No Problem,” while Drake’s “Hotline Bling” edged out Fat Joe and Remy Ma’s “All the Way Up” for Best Rap Song.
Despite the setbacks, Fat Joe remains a resilient figure in hip-hop, turning disappointment into fuel for his music and business ventures.
