Since 1993 Fat Joe has been rapping on tracks with the likes of Diddy, Big Pun and R Kelly, but Terror Squad’s 2004 anthem Lean Back ft. Fat Joe, Remy Ma put these two on the map, cementing them as a household name for fans of urban music.
Over a decade has passed and Fat Joe has maintained a steady output since this peak, working alongside chart topping artists such as Nelly, Lil Wayne Akon and more recently Chris Brown, Kanye West, A$AP Rocky, Wiz Khalifa and many more. Remy Ma has also been busy in the studio with the legendary Rick Ross, Ty Dolla Sign and Swizz Beats to name a few, but even with such an impressive list of collaborators, none have managed to have the same impact as in 2004. That was until the Grammy Nominated All The Way Up feat. French Montana & Infrared hit the airwaves in 2017, boasting one of the best hooks of the year so far. It features on his and Remy Ma’s latest album Plata O Plomo alongside 11 brand new cuts, showcasing talent from New York and beyond.
“You ain’t had no major New York album come out like this in years, bro, with the quality and the hits that’s on this, and we got the mud. And we got the dirtiest rhymes, lyrics, hardcore stuff too. This album is complete from A-Z. It’s crazy, bro.”
You would be forgiven for thinking that the opener Warning was featuring Rihanna, a seriously catchy chorus instead comes from Kat Dahlia, her Caribbean accent contrasting well with a modern 808-filled hip hop beat. Executive producers Cool & Dre show off their flexibility when Swear To God feat. Kent Jones crashes out of the speakers on a completely different tip. Horns, organs, bold backing singers and live drum sounds all add to the nostalgia. Kent Jones features heavily on this project and he pops up on the less impressive Spaghetti, the smooth production however manages to paint over the cracks. With rhymes such as “who’ ‘da thought we’d make it, when the cops used to strip us naked” it is apparent that Joe is proud of what he has achieved over the past two decades, a theme continues on to the next track that needs no introduction.
Plata O Plomo is the collaborative studio album by American hip hop recording artists Fat Joe and Remy Ma
The instrumental of this track would easily stand up by itself, from the haunting lead melody that slides around the sharp beats, to the simplistic but hugely satisfying drum work, switching from half time sections to some dancehall inspired energy. Fat Joe, Remy Ma, French Montana and Infrared are “all the way up” showing off their lavish lifestyles on the video. Ice-skating Japanese strippers, an aeroplane hangar full of super cars, wads of cash, ridiculously priced vodka and more fur hoods than you can count. It is clear why this track in particular has gained so much attention, Grammy Nominations, consistent radio support around the world and almost 100 million views on YouTube alone do not happen by accident, it is a perfect snapshot of where urban music is right now.
Unfortunately the next track is somewhat tainted by another uniquely odd performance from Kent Jones, but How Long and Go Crazy feat. Sevyn Streeter & BJ The Chicago Kid are both much stronger. The vocal sample on Go Crazy is the icing on another great beat, even when Joe joins in and sings it too… This is the first track that channels some romantic R&B vibes, it comes at just the right point in the album and sets the tone for the even softer Heartbreak feat. The Dream & Vindata. Hip hop purists may struggle to stomach this one as it resembles Drake’s 2016 smash One Dance, or even Justin Bieber’s more recent output, but with so many traditional rap sounds on the album so far it is a welcome change. Production wise it isn’t particularly ground breaking, with deep UK funky / dancehall dominating many of last year’s biggest releases. However it is a delightful arrangement that drifts as much as it bounces, each vocalist adds something unique to the mix and the blend of tones is nothing short of genius. This tempo suits Fat Joe so well that it is surprising to hear Cookin feat. French Montana & RySoValid up next, with its midi horns, trap drums and repetitive chorus it feels a little soulless in comparison.
Ty Dolla $ign pours a little more soul into the mix on Money Showers though, Too Quick feat. Kingston is another one for the ladies, sounding a touch too much like Drake; motown inspired Dreamin feat. Stephanie Mills wraps things up brilliantly.
A surprisingly impressive listen from start to finish from two artists that have proved their relevance, representing a range of current styles without losing a touch of the old-school. Even if the lyricism is not always of the highest calibre, that was never exactly Fat Joe’s selling point, he knows how to make a hit and this album has plenty. Why not come and test out some of our sub woofers with some of these bass heavy tracks at your local Richer Sounds demo room today?
