Fat Joe Came Out of Rap Retirement for This One Reason — to Win a Grammy

In an interview with ‘Billboard’, the rapper revealed how Killer Mike inspired him to reinvigorate his career

In this image released on December 31, 2024, Fat Joe backstage at Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2025; Rapper Killer Mike attends the game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Charlotte Hornets at State Farm Arena on March 23, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia

Fat Joe in December 2024; Killer Mike in March 2024. Photo: Gilbert Flores/Penske Media via Getty; Paras Griffin/Getty There’s one reason why Fat Joe would come out of retirement.

In an interview with Billboard on Tuesday, Jan. 7, the “Lean Back” musician, 49, revealed how Killer Mike inspired him to return to his music career — and the one goal that lured him back.

According to Fat Joe, it was the Run The Jewels performer’s three Grammy wins that helped him realize he wasn’t quite done with rapping.

“He’s the guy who inspired,” he told the publication, of Mike’s impact. “I retired. I was gone. I had an infamous phone call with Eminem, where he was trying to talk me into not retiring. ‘Joe, we need you. You’re one of us.’ I was super done, but I got back outside because of Killer Mike. The man won that Grammy.”

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 12: Fat Joe attends the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards at the Prudential Center on September 12, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey.

Fat Joe in September 2023.Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

Now, getting a Grammy is Fat Joe’s main goal.

“When I seen [Killer Mike win], I called [Dr.] Dre, I was like, ‘Yo. It’s possible. Let’s get back in the kitchen and cook.’ So, he inspired me to come out of retirement,” he said.

In December, Fat Joe dropped his first solo album in 15 years with The World Changed on Me, an 11-track project, which features artists like Babyface, Ty Dolla $ign and Anitta.

“I don’t want to go get U2, Bono or The Rolling Stones and when I get the album it sounds like one of these young kids rapping, he said, adding, “so when you get a Joe LP, it’s gangsta hip-hop, it’s hit records, it’s lyrics.”

He added, “You know, my daughter’s 18 and she heard the album, and she was like, ‘Yo, dad, what you doin’? You talkin’ crazy.’ I’m like, ‘I don’t wanna buy an Ice Cube album and he’s talkin’ nice. I want to hear him say f— tha police.'”

“And that’s what I love about this album. I kept it really consistent with all my music in the past. Just 2024, different flow patterns…I just wanted to show my growth,” Fat Joe concluded.