Fat Joe Talks About The Time Big L Said He Was Going To Steal All Joe’s Fans (Video)

In 1997, Diggin’ In The Crates was in strong stride. The New York City MC and producer collective saw albums by O.C., and Diamond D. Fat Joe was one of the members of the crew that was on the rise. The following year, Joe earned a gold plaque through third album Don Cartagena. The Bronx, New Yorker had signed Terror Squad protege to Loud Records and made a high-profile appearance on LL Cool J’s “I Shot Ya (Remix).”

With his crew, Joe was not above being humbled. In his Coca Vision series, Joe and DJ Premier remember D.I.T.C. star Big L. In 1997, the collective independently released “Da Enemy,” featuring Joe, L, and produced by Preemo. The song would later appear on D.I.T.C.’s 2000 eponymous album and L’s gold-certified sophomore The Big Picture, one year after Big L was tragically killed in Harlem.

DJ Premier Speaks About How Real Moment Of Truth Was For Hip-Hop & Gang Starr (Video)

At 36 minutes into the episode, DJ Premier brings up some of the pair’s recording history. “Doin’ ‘Da Enemy’ with you and Big L, that session was funny,” recalls Preem’. Fat Joe smiles. “Do you know this guy, Big L, threatened me? He’s the only rapper that ever threatened me. Rest in peace to my brother Big L. I got a picture I got, for ‘#throwback Thursday,’ where I got like a baby Lil Wayne—he was about 14, and he had a Big L CD in his hand, and he threw up the ‘L.’ I been holdin’ that.  I’ma put it up, on Instagram.”

Returning to his D&D memory, Joe continues, “So Big L sits me down, he’s my little brother. We’re in D&D [Studios]. He threatens me; he says, ‘You went gold, you got half a million fans, B. I gotta take all your fans from you.’ I’m like, ‘L, what’s up?’ So he’s threatening me. He’s the only one, not even [Big] Pun. Nobody ever threatened me. That’s why [‘Da Enemy’] is probably my favorite rhyme, ever, that I ever spit. Because Big L made me go all out. Like, he was like, ‘Yo B, I’m tellin’ you right now: I’m gonna rip you down and I’m gonna do take all your fans.’ I had to go all out.”

Fat Joe Airs Out Terror Squad’s Dirty Laundry & Defends His Name (Video)

Fat Joe and Premier discuss the producer’s move from Texas, the early days of Biggie, and Jeru The Damaja approving the “Ten Crack Commandments” song going to Biggie, despite tensions surrounding “One Day” at the time.

Last month, Ambrosia For Heads celebrated the 20th anniversary of Gang Starr’s Moment Of Truth with a hard to earn in-studio video interview with DJ Premier. The producer released PRhyme 2 in March as well.