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Success
FAT JOE
Released October 3, 1995 Album Jealous One’s Envy Genere Rap Label Jerror Squad, Relativity This is the first single from Fat Joe’s LP “Jealous One’s Envy”, the second studio album of Puerto-Rican/Cuban rapper Joseph Cartagena. The track “Success” presents the greatest generalization of what it means to be successful, summarized by the hook of the song: “Hustlin is the key to success Money is the key to sex The life is gettin cash, drinkin Mo’, gettin blessed The games people play The names people slay It’s just another ordinary day” In Fat Joe’s view, hustling is the path to success, and that life is all about “getting cash, drinkin Mo’ and getting blessed”. The track takes it’s materialistic theme further with Fat Joe rapping about his crew “rockin gold collars”, as well as their overstocked supply of weapons and drugs. The cherry on top can be seen in the references in the song to the Wu Tang Clan joint “C.R.E.A.M”, with Fat Joe’s drop of the phrases “CREAM” and “Dolla dolla bill” in various parts of the song. Unlike Fat Joe’s pigeon holed view of success, Wu Tang’s classic is an introspective look to the struggles of the street, and the allusion to such classic tracks only makes Fat Joe’s track seem even weaker in its lyrical content.
KING of NY
Released October 3, 1995 Album Jealous One’s Envy Writer(s)/Composer(s) Joseph Cartagena Record Label Jerror Squad, Relativity Another track of Fat Joe’s second album, the song “King of NY” makes this category along with the previous track “Success”, its lyrical content once again dealing with the fast cars, boat loads of money and big houses. The title of the song itself a brag, Fat Joe wastes no time on this track in explaining why “Don Cartagena” is the so called “King of New York”: “Aiyyo, who can test I, the true King of N.Y. Well ever since Big Boy died from Bed-Stuy I’ve been, controllin the street, holdin the heat Shit I only want what’s stolen from me (Nah you ain’t fuckin wit us) Rollin with me, could only get you fast cars and Fuck mad bitches and, dine amongst the stars, But we gettin mad chave in the life we live MTV’s comin over just to feel my “Crib”” In only 8 bars, Fat Joe mentions MTV Cribs, fast cars, sexual intercourse with fine women, and eating out with celebrities. Further down the line, Fat Joe even makes reference to the other offender by him in this category, confirming that hustling is indeed the key to success. “Man I’m feelin great (Whoo!) Pushin mad units Hustlin is the key to success but could you do it I been layin it down, the spray and the town It’s about time the rightful owner claimed his crown” The brag rap nature of the song along with the many outlandish claims of success makes this track a major contender for the worst offender of this category.
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creative review