Fat Joe Says Eminem is “Back to Where He Once Was” on “Recovery”

 •  XXL Magazine  •  by XXL Staff  •  78 Comments

After just hearing Eminem’s leaked Recovery, Fat Joe spoke with XXLMag.com to sing the album’s praises.

“That shit’s crazy,” said the Bronx rapper. “That shit with him and Wayne, [track] number two [“Talkin’ 2 Myself”]. All that shit, man. That nigga spittin’. Hard.”

Joe went on to say that, although it was a different sound than he was anticipating from the album, it did not disappoint. “I thought I wasn’t gonna like it, cause niggas was sayin’, Yo, it’s rock, and this and that,” he continued. “But that shit was hard. I was expecting just more regular hip-hop type shit. You know what I’m sayin’? It was more like Just Blaze-[produced] rock shit…I like that shit. A lot. I can’t lie to you.”

As for whether or not Em has returned to his level as one of, if not the, most revered lyricist in the game, Joe pulled no punches. “I think he’s back to where he once was,” he shared. “For real. I think lyrically, he’s back to where he was. That’s what I got from the album.”

Fat Joe’s The Darkside: Volume 1 is scheduled for a July 27 release. —Adam Fleischer


[Now that you read Fat Joe's review of Recovery, check out what the staff at XXL think of Em's latest album here.]

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  • Wallman

    Can’t do nothing but agree.

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      ? wow! world!

  • That Dude

    Yes I took the leak in and didn’t even think of pressing skip once. I was more in shock with my jaw dropped like “shit this dude went haaaaard”. Honestly this is a breath of fresh air..real talk

  • http://www.bboycult.com $yk

    Joey Crack! What’s good!

    But this is XXL fam, if it ain’t Drake, Wayne or Jay co-signing, it’s not official yet…

    • these posts are racist

      Peep Chomsky’s “Manufactured Consent”…

      $yk, they told him Wheel chair Aubrey is the Emcee of the decade, and they listened.

  • caino

    l’m trying hard not to listen to the leaked version, l wanna get my new hard copy instead of DL it.

    • http://www.jamal7mile.blogspot.com Jamal7Mile

      Same here, Caino. But I did listen to the track with Lil Wayne. I wonder if Wayne knows that he actually got his ASS HANDED TO HIM! I bet Em did that on purpose, too. Hmmm…

      Anyway, I’m copping mines on 6/22. Gotta support my Detroit brethrens.

      • jburg

        I haven’t downloaded it either. As much has I wanna hear it NOW i want to be original and just wait like the old days. He is still gonna sell half a million first week.

      • sleaziest

        EM MADE SURE HE MURDERED WEEZY

  • smokey berra

    I downloaded it but Ima still go buy the shit.endless punchlines.to many to even try to quote.

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  • http://hiphopfiend.wordpress.com/ grant

    I reviewed the album on my site…I thought it was dope!! hiphopfiend.wordpress.com/2010/06/09/eminem-recovery-review/

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  • http://eminemgod.proboards.com ASID

    The album’s some classic s**t right there

  • ? [[the real one]]

    But Eminem never fell off though…

  • http://FuriousExcite White rapper NY

    look at all you muthafuckas kissing Eminems ass “Recovery” was the worse one yet ! Its all southern a few hard tracks “Cold wind blows “was hot and a few thts it for me Im more inot the Fat Joe CD to tell you the truth Eminem has to realize he aint east coast dope beats though if it was the real Eminem wheres the main hit like “With out me” or “Real slim shady” Dre is a ass really screwing Em & 50 has beef with all them mutherfuckas cause of his bull shit I say leave Aftermath Em come to NY now I listen to real shit on the low XXL knows whats real I hope like Wu’s new shit!

    • Lilly Russell

      A FEW HARD TRACKS??? SOUTHERN? LMAO!! You are effin insane! Get your head out your ass and open your ears and get some hip hop education while ur at it! HE’s busts out like hes on a freekin murder spree, Killing every single track, raping them, resuscitating them, then killing them again! (except WTP) STFU you ain’t listened to it!

      Fat Joe is a freekin Smart Joe. He knows that, just like your about to be, he’d have been laughed right out of the industry, had he said it was anything less than stellar work! Slim is focused, clever, hard, deep, real, raw, and hungry as hell!… I was totally selling myself short wanting some old slim shady, Cuz he delivered all 3! It’s the first album where we get a whole person, Em, Shady, and Marshall and their all so hungry! Actually this is Proofs Album and I think Proof might actually have possessed him. The beats are more like modernized Detroit Rock Rap, with some West Coast & East Coast flavor infused for some spice.. They are all badass, every one of those producers did kick ass jobs!

      Sorry your smoking crack dude, This is the best Album is not only Slims best Album, it’s the best think to happen to hip hop in a long while! Learn to write too!

  • http://FuriousExcite White rapper NY

    look at all you muthafuckas kissing Eminems ass “Recovery” was the worse one yet ! Its all southern a few hard tracks “Cold wind blows “was hot and a few thts it for me Im more inot the Fat Joe CD to tell you the truth Eminem has to realize he aint east coast dope beats though if it was the real Eminem wheres the main hit like “With out me” or “Real slim shady” Dre is a ass really screwing Em & 50 has beef with all them mutherfuckas cause of his bull shit I say leave Aftermath Em come to NY now I listen to real shit on the low XXL knows whats real I hope like Wu’s new shit! Most burn it then buy it Em so dont sweat it your rich anyway!

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  • Cre-Z

    I’m 100 % sure that it will win a grammy…
    TALKING TO MYSELF,
    LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE,
    CINDERELLA MAN, ALMOST FAMOUS,
    SO BAD,
    YOURE NEVER OVER,
    AND Rest all his songs From the album Recovery…. In his tracks he said that he had almost made a diss track against Lil-Wayne when he was on drugs because he was jealous of his popularity…. And he also said that last 2albums (ENCORE,RELAPSE) are crap he said at the time of Encore he was on drugs and at time of Relapse he was Flushing it out….

  • valerie

    word to fat joe!

  • http://yahoo.com Gary Pressley

    So its ok for Fat joe to use the n word. when did this become acceptable?

    • Worldizmine

      He made all P/R loose with that word world wide!

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  • Lloyd Sprayweather

    Like Em really needs a cosign from fat joe. FOH

  • SutterKane

    @ White Rapper NY

    You buggin, the new Em album is his best one in a decade(Yeah, I said it, Better then The Eminem Show too)….No cornball Without Me shit, Bangin versitile selection of beats, and Eminem ATE the Microphone alive the whole damn cd

    Props to Fat Joe too, you would think with the Fat Joe vs 50 Beef being so bitter, cause them dudes really come off like they hate each other for real now, its good to see he doesnt take that out on 50′s boys and gave the album an honest review, thats definatly respectable, even if you dont like Joe gotta salute him for that

  • newyawka631

    Betta then The Eminem Show???Get da fuck adda hea B…Some shit can’t be topped….

    • Anonymous

      Yep! DEFINITELY Better than the Eminem show! AND even better than SSLP, and my fav MMLP. All of those albums are missing something that another has. TES has the passion, but lacks the verbal agility and depth, Of Recovery. MMLP and SSLP have a fun spirit and creative verbal agility, but lack the Depth, realness, and the raw hunger/ passion of Recovery. This album is some of all 3 of those albums put together!

      In fact after hearing these tracks, past Shady feels immature in comparison. If this Shady and past Shady were alone in a room together, This Shady would beat immature Shady to a bloody pulp, then grab him by the back of his neck and make him his B–ch, before he could even think about crackin a smile and lighting up a purp! He’s a BEAST!!

    • SutterKane

      @newyawka631

      I say its better, because TES while great still has a lot of stuff on it I skip, Without Me, Buisness, Drips, and Dadz gone Krazy, I never listen to those tracks, just dont like that side of Em, I always liked his realistic, down to earth material, and thats pretty much all this album is so to me, for what I’m looking for outta Em, I got more of it on this one……

  • Brahsef

    You all really need to jump off of Ems nuts. He is plain pathetic now. He lyrically is still pretty nice, I don’t think you lose that, but sonically the album is garbage. He’s singing falsetto on the hooks and it sounds fucking awful. The beats are eh, and he’s fucking 40 plus rapping about emo ass shit. Grow the fuck up man, teenage angst don’t last forever. Ya’ll were all about Relapse though too, so I guess it doesn’t surprise me because this album is better than that.

    Oh, and one of the songs features Pink! Smh

    • TerrellP

      You need to jump off the dyck of which ever one those producers tryin to convince everyone he needs to retire’s.. They only saying that shyt cause they think he’s takin dollars from their new artist! When the truth is he making them BETTER artist! Em’s 37! And he didn’t start his career as young as artist do today! He was 27/28 when SSLP came out! He only active 5 years, before he disappeared for 5 yrs after proof died! And guess what hoes, he’s back! HAHAHA! And things just got allot mo interesting! Oh no we still got some mo to see from Slim!

      Emo ass shit? Domestic violence is emo ass shit? Sex is emo ass shit? “I’ll kick a bitch in her cunt, til it queefs, and she sounds like a whoopie cushion” That shyt is halirious! That’s emo to you??

      “yesterday my dog died, i hog tied a ho, tied her in a bow.
      said next time you blow up try to spit a flow
      you wanna criticize dog, try a little mo
      im so tired of this i could blow, fire in the hole
      im fired up, so fire up the lighter and the dro
      better hold on a little tighter here i go
      flows tighter, hot headed as ghostrider,
      cold hearted as spiderman throwin a spider in the snow.
      so ya better get to blowin in flow rider inside of a lowrider with no tires in the hole.
      why am i like this? why is winter cold
      why is it when i talk im so biased to the hoe’s
      listen dog christmas is off, this is as soft as it gets
      this isnt ??, this is a blisterin assalt
      those are your wounds, this is the salt
      so get lost” – On Fire

      THAT IS SIKKKK! But Yeah I totally see the emo! Hoe STFU! Go listen to your Gucci Lame, and ross’s bitch ass

  • B-Money

    I heard Em’s got a joint with Justin Beiber that didn’t even make the cut so you know this album is dope! Straight fire! Release that yo!

  • Ryan

    This album went hard, the beats might of not been amazing but they were still good. Em might of fell of for a little bit but hes making his way back, you guys cant expect him to hop back on immediately, hes got his bullshit albums out of the way, it happens. but recovery is definitely hope that he will come back! dont say this album sucked cause it didnt. fuck outta here!

  • swype-matic

    I haven’t listened to the album yet, plan and gettin’ it at the store when it comes out like people should, but if that’s true, It’s probably the smartest thing fat joe has ever said since before Pun died.

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  • Pete Rock

    Joe’s speakin the realness, Em’s new shit is fire, Best in a long time.

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  • Mitch 3k

    People are gonna hate on em for some reason or another no matter what, Everyone told him to make a crazy record after his hiatus, so he made relapse…….Then they shitted on it and told him to make a serious album, so he did it and people are complaining because he’s not ‘Slim Shady” anymore

    Must feel like a cat chasing its tail for Em, knowing no matter what you do your never gonna shut the Naysayers up……Everybody talks about the MMLP/TES/SSLP as if they were the holy grail but when I was in High school mad people hated on those to…….

    I guess thats the price tag on having the biggest audience, the more fans you have the harder it is to please them all

  • Letsema Pitso

    I havent yet listened to the album yet but i think the shit rocks

  • Infamous

    @ B-Money
    Shits hilarious!
    album is fire though

  • Indian Stan

    Eminem proved it that he’s the king of the rap… if i have to rate top 3 songs in his new album it would be…
    1. Talkin 2 myself
    2. Almost famous
    3. Love the way u lie
    but it will be unfair to all his other songs because they all are awesome tracks like So bad, white trash party, cinderella man, no love, 25 to life, youre never over and all other songs… I agree to CreZ that it will easily win a grammy…. BEST RAPPER ALIVE
    LONG LIVE EMINEM
    i had listened to all his tracks but i would definitely buy an Original Cd… Because i’m a die heart fan of Eminem…

    • Notorious AGC

      damn are you 13 ? cause i know NO adult would be dickridin´ THAT hard, no matter if 2pac or biggie were still alive

      PS- Fat Joe go back to that bridge you livin under man no one gives a fuck about your co-signs.

  • Vikram

    It’s the best album of eminem

  • Chris

    This Shit rocks man… Awesome tracks… BEST ALBUM MADE BY EMINEM

  • Punjabi boy

    Em you are best man no one can compete with you… You did it you’re finally famous

  • Clever

    He’s Ice, he will always be Ice, Hater’s hate what they can’t do. So hate on hater, hate on.

    • Clever

      Yeah its the best Album for now, but he’s just warming up, an Artist work is never done.

  • rachwel

    are we listening too the same album>>>>that shit fucking sucks….that shit is no where near marshall mathers,eminem show,he has the same problem 50 CENT HAS…..he cant sell without beef neither

  • CreZ

    You have to buy his new album and that’s an order ha ha motherfucker you don’t know anything about rap music…. Fuck off….

  • Notorious AGC

    havent heard ems album, but i like seein him dust drake,and waynes ass off his shoulders on his feat. LOL

  • Shawn

    Rachwel, who d fuck are you, to say album sucks… The shit is got man you don’t know anything about rap music you sucking pop lover

  • Shorty

    Want to listen to eminem’s new album Go to http://WWW.VITALIK.BIZ but please buy eminem’s new cd

  • ratchwel

    What’s wrong in that if i like pop music i know everything about rap music i love ludacris

  • rachwel

    What’s wrong in that if i like pop music i know everything about rap music i love ludacris

    • Shawn

      First pronounce your name right and listen to pac or eminem not to ludacris shit

  • Rachwel

    You also can’t even write a hot right you have written it got… Sucker and by the way who is Pac fucker… I don’t listen to the new rappers

    • Jon Dog

      ARE YOU FUCKIN’ RETARDED??? SERIOUSLY?!?! U dumb shit.

    • Notorious AGC

      woo, you straight up callin 2pac a new rapper? THATS A VIOLATION right there!, they should BAN YOU from XXL posts and blogs and columns EVERYWHERE, They shouldnt let you buy any rap albums EVER!. Your one big dumbass person.

      ps- I KNOW you from the south and prob round 14 13 years old, cause only you dumbfuck soulja boy tell em´ Drake lovin fans are THAT fucking ignorant about hip-hop, not knowing one of the 3 kings of hip hop is bad enough, but calling a legend A NEW ARTIST,..ugh.forget it..Don´t ever come to L.A. and say something like that.

  • Nigga

    Aye man… You don’t know Pac… u make me laugh dude by saying that you know everything about rap music… If you haven’t heard about the king than how the fuck can u comment about the Prince… You may be a gay that’s why you hate eminem… Get the fuck out of here

  • Vincent

    I had listen to the two tracks takin 2 myself and almost famous they both are smokin hot

  • CHANDIGARHIYA

    It’s better than eminen show

  • Lucy

    I agreed to you it’s better than eminem show

  • Mark

    You did it marshal it’s the awesome cd it will get 5 stars in xxl

  • Tony

    Old eminem is back

  • Bryan

    King is back where’s his crown at, gave it to him back, relapse refill is also good only problem with relapse album is his accent but his lyrics are good i wish that he could do 3am song again in his normal voice i love the lyrics of his song

  • 50 Cent

    Yo man you are my fav. White boy it feels good that people likes your shit . Hey everybody i’m also coming in july with a new album Black magic

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  • http://xxlmag.com the brown

    Yo, who gives a FUCK what Fat Joe thinks?!

  • raze

    i have to admit,after being a fan of eminem for a long time,since slim shady lp even till relapse,his album recovery is really bad,i mean really really bad.he keeps shouting on da record and he sings way 2 much,it becomes really annoyin,i dunno whether im losin my mind but am i da only one who finds him annoyin now wit dis new flow?his voice just sounds annoyin wit da shoutin,props on da lyrics,he rhymed things rappers wouldnt even dream bout rhymin,but dat shouting doesnt do it 4 me,he did it on another albums,but he didnt do it on da whole album!

    talkin 2 myself is my fav track

    but apart from dat,relapse is a classic record compared 2 dis,i mean eminem is good on simple production,he basically stooped 2 da south influence n started makin music like lil wayne,and sampled faggoty haddaway,and just blaze,seriously i wanna kill da dude,wat has he done wit himself,da beats r horrible,he used 2 make real new york beats!!!

    eminem,if ure readin dis,uve disappointed me,i actually thought relapse was a great record,obv. take out dat weird accent and its a mega album but plz go bak 2 ur old formula coz dis one sux,ure stoopin 2 smt ure not used to,i mean cmon,how do u wanna be remembered?sum1 who goes 2 rihanna for a chorus,how is dat original,every raper went 2 rihanna,ure da one who stayed tru n original,ure not anymore…..

  • Mitch 3K

    @ Raze

    Just stating that you liked “Relapse” Dis-credits your opinion, I been an Em fan from the begining and I aint even buy that garbage album, only Em CD I dont own…… Artists who try and trap themselves in a box like you want him to do (“Go back to your old formula) they all wind up irrelevant

    Like Snoop Dogg, who never evolved his style and nobody cares about anymore, thats the road Em was on with Encore and Relapse…….Thank God he “Recovered” because this was gonna be his last chance with me, If this album would have been as bad as Relapse I woulda stopped Checkin for him

  • Ruc

    All I gotta say is “Seduction” is highly up there with his best songs ever……It jus sounds so different….I like the lyrical serious Em most. Quite frankly that the only Em I really listen to…

  • Ruc

    [SN] On Fire is too…..Those two beat out every song on Relapse. Only one that’s competing is “Beautiful”…

  • http://xxl Tone

    Recovery is one of the hardest hip-hop albums listen to the word play and lyrics his mother fucker could be the greatest of all time lyrically he has nevr been out rapped on a track everybody he gets on a track with he murked when he is on a track together with i heard him on 2 tracks with wayne he killed wayne made him look like he was still a hot boy listen to the album with out a bias opinion and yall will will see what im talking about greatest lyricist of all time and the best delivery nobody’s touching em right now

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  • Anonymous

    fat joe needs to be back where he once was before 50 got in his ass…..

  • Pistolbangya

    I wonder who is part of team ghost writer for lil wayne. Let’s keep it a g, and go back in time when weezy was spittin his own spit. Nigga I’ve heard deeper nursery rhymes my nigga. Even Juvenile burnt that nigga. Go back to the block is hot days listen to that bowlshit, and listen to his new shit and tell a nigga that’s him. Nigga be like fuck that, ghost writer foooo showe..

  • Anonymous

    lol yea lil wayne dont sound like himself from back when he was a HB nigga