Fat Joe has been around long enough to rub shoulders with almost all of hip-hop’s elite. As a result, he’s not letting social media backlash sway his thoughts about DaBaby and Tupac.
During Rap City ’21, Fat Joe compared DaBaby to 2Pac, calling the North Carolina native the newer version of Shakur. As expected, this set his social media on fire. However, Joe didn’t shy away from his comparisons. Instead, he reminded fans and social media users he actually knew ’Pac so he can see the parallels in their personalities.
“By the way, I knew Tupac Shakur in real life,” Fat Joe said during one of his now-famous Instagram Live sessions. “Not as a mythical person. I knew the man in real life. He was the realest rapper ever. So now when I think ’Pac—not just musically or whatever the case may be—I’m thinking DaBaby a real one. Certified real one, whether you like him or you don’t like him or whatever, I believe he lives what he raps. And that’s very much like Tupac.”
It should be noted the conversation wasn’t just a cheap way to get views by throwing ’Pac’s name around. Tigger asked Joe about several legends—including himself. And when Joe was asked if there was a newer version of himself, Crack gave Brooklyn’s Nems the crown.
Although he stood by his opinion on Rap City ’21, Joe did entertain some of the IG Live comments from fans proposing their favorite rappers as the modern version of Shakur. He mildly entertained YoungBoy Never Broke Again claiming the spot by saying NBA makes “incredible music.”
When someone suggested J. Cole, Joe quickly responded, “J. Cole is 2Pac?” He then whistled—very pointedly—three times.
Ultimately Joey Crack made it clear there will never be another rapper like ’Pac.
