Down in Miami, at this year’s Art Basel, Earn Your Leisure’s Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings hosted a fireside chat with Hip Hop star, Fat Joe. Dubbed the “Earn Your Masters’ Art Basel Edition,” presented by Ally Bank and Bulleit Whiskey, the exclusive sit-down shed light on various aspects of Fat Joe’s career and life.
Getting vulnerable in front of fans is never easy but Fat opened up about the unexpected twists and turns in his life. He also expressed his strong views on the music industry.
During the conversation with Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings of Earn Your Leisure, Fat Joe delved into personal anecdotes, sharing a shocking revelation about his best friend robbing him of money while he was in jail. To support his friend, Joe’s wife gave him ten thousand dollars a month, only to discover later that the friend had been stealing from his account for years.
The rapper also spoke candidly about his experiences in the music business, expressing his disbelief that the first person to rob him wore a suit during his initial publishing deal. And in another experience, despite providing evidence of payments to his accountant, Joe found himself in trouble with unpaid taxes.
Fat Joe’s concerns about his children entering the music industry were evident, particularly with his son aspiring to be a rapper. He emphasized the importance of financial literacy and discouraged his son from pursuing a career in music. Joe even stated that if his uncles attempt to use any inheritance for his son’s rap career, they are “bullshit.”
Taking his personal views even further, Fat Joe spent a significant portion of the conversation discussion his opposition of using song lyrics in court cases. He highlighted the unfair treatment of Young Thug in his Rico trial, arguing that many rappers, including Thug, incorporate fiction into their lyrics. Fat Joe called for greater education on the music business and financial literacy, advocating for the establishment of a union for insurance and retirement funds within the hip-hop community.
The Fireside Chat provided a rare glimpse into the challenges and complexities of Fat Joe’s life, leaving the audience with much to reflect on regarding the intersection of art, business, and personal relationships in the music industry.
