2Pac aside, Fat Joe considers himself the “realest rapper” in history.
The declaration came early into Joey Crack and Jadakiss’ recent interview with Ghostface Killah on the Joe and Jada podcast, which comes in the wake of Wu-Tang Clan alum’s Supreme Clientele sequel. While introducing Killah on the episode, Joe likened their guest to “a superhero” and argued Killah's work has placed him among the greats alongside Joe and Jada themselves.
“Imma admit something,” Joe said. “I think I’m the realest rapper [who] ever lived if I keep it a buck with you, besides 2Pac. I really believe that. But I want no beef with Wu-Tang Clan. Wu Tang’s for the children.”
Joe went on to reiterate his respect for the Clan at large, and Killah’s work specifically.
“I don’t want no smoke with the Clan,” he said, as seen below. “I mean, you guys, what you mean to hip-hop, man. There’s just no way to really explain your presence, from you and the Clan. And this new song, bro. This new song was so flagrant.”
This isn’t the first time Joe has invoked 2Pac’s name in such discussions. Back in 2021, Joe took some heat after comparing DaBaby to Makaveli, though he notably did not back down from the remarks when criticized. He later made a similar comparison in connection with Kendrick Lamar’s 2024-dominating Drake beef.
Joe’s latest self-declaration comes after Mariah Carey made headlines for Pac-focused remarks of a very different kind. In a Brown Bag Mornings interview for Power 106, Carey, whose new album Here for It All is out next month, recalled a chance encounter with the late rap icon that left her with “more than butterflies.”
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