[Review] Fat Joe - J.O.S.E. 2 (Jealous Ones Still Envy)

Artist: Fat Joe
Album: J.O.S.E. (Jealous Ones Still Envy)
Release Date: 6th October 2009
Guests: Lil' Wayne, Ron Browz, Akon, Pleasure P, T-Pain, Lil' Kim, Rico Love, T.A, Raekwon, Rob Cash, Swizz Beatz, Benisour & Cherlise.
Producers: Swizz Beatz, Ron Browz, DJ Infamous, The Inkredibles, Rico Love, Jim Jonsin, Eric Hudson, Shief, Raw Uncut, & E-Hood & E2

Fat Joe has always been a rapper that has been there for years, made hits, collaborated on other records and remixes, but for some reason, never gets listed as one of the best rappers. In fact, I have never heard any rap fan say their favourite rapper is Fat Joe. Yet, with an 8th album ready to drop in October, I was wondering whether Joe was ready to start gaining more respect.

It is exactly a year and half since Joe's last album came, 'The Elephant In The Room', and I think even Joe himself, will admit that the album did terrible, despite good/average reviews by several media sources. Whether a recent feud with 50 Cent was to blame at the time, I doubt it. The album had a lead single with J.Holiday, a banger with Swizz Beatz, and a street single with Lil' Wayne that even appeared on the Grand Theft Auto IV game. But anyway, that is all old, and the game has changed.

For instance, there has been a row over the use of Auto-tune on songs - and track 5 on the new CD features T-Pain, in what I can only say is one of Pain's dullest hooks he has written. I mean, who doesn't skim through a new album until they get the usual T-Pain collaboration, expecting a catchy hook that will feature much attention from the likes of Tim Westwood?

OK, so now I decided to listen to the album properly. The album begins with the Ron Browz produced track 'Windin' On Me' with Lil' Wayne. Despite being quite a successful hit with radio stations in the US, I thought it was a rather unusual way to begin an album. I mean, the number 1 rule when recording a Hip Hop album, is to have a powerful intro that draws the listener in, and not the secret weapon that is the lead single. 50 Cent used the famous coin flip and lighter sparking up sound effects, leading into 'What Up Gangsta' on Get Rich Or Die Tryin', Cassidy cleverly constructs battle raps between his current style, and the old Cassidy from the previous album, and Eminem uses an interlude. Although it is a good song, and I sound picky, but it just didn't seem the right way to go in, and perhaps Track 2, 'Joey Don;t Do It' would have been a better intro.

I have worked out, tht over the years, Fat Joe has worked with some of the most respected producers in the game, from Ron Browz, Swizz Beatz, Cool & Dre, Jim Jonsin and Danja, but I often feel that he doesn't get their best work from them. A track called 'Drop' was produced by my favourite producer, Swizzy, but it didn't have the usual punch from back in the 'DMX days' and the same is with The Inkredibles - I was left wondering whether they had left their cheapest beats for poor Joey? 'Ice Cream' is a track with a 'mixtape beat' and certainly should not be on an album with so much anticipation. Another track produced by The Inkredibles follows, 'Okay Okay', which is a bit better, but not a classic. The track 'One' with Akon was however a better track, although I have heard better Akon hooks.

But just when you think this album is going to be trash, it was Swizz Beatz to the rescue, almost at the end of the CD! 'Blackout', an obvious album track due to its lyrical content, but Swizzy's hook is great, an Fat Joe kills it for once. The beat is is pure grime and the trademark up tempo double claps guarentee this a place on my iPod.

Another track I was suprised with, was 'Porn Star' with Lil' Kim - once again, Joe owns the Jim Jonsin beat. The track, which is full of moisture due to Kim's lyrics - although I wonder if Joey really needed the Auto-tune on his verses. I mean he would have killed it without it, and Auto-tune is fine on hooks no matter what the 'for attention' comments by 'should get with the times' Jay-Z says.

And another Fat Joe tradition is to keep albums short - only 12 tracks left me feeling the CD was a little shortI felt Joe could have at least extended it since it was pushed back so many times. I was also wondering where the presence of DJ Khalid was. There had been rumours on internet sites that there was a dispute going on behind the scenes, and although the guy annoys the hell out of me when he shouts over songs he hasn't even produced or rapped on, and then puts them on an album, I was still wondering where he was. His lack of presence wwill not exactly lower my overall rating by all means.

Overall, I was quite pleased with this attempt. Joe is obviously still a rapping legend due to his early affiliations with Big Pun and the old Terror Squad days, but the fans need to realise that those days are over. I to was a fan of the old freestyles the he and Pun were putting out, but Joe has moved on and is completely different, afterall, Joe hasn't worn his 'TS chain' on an album cover since 2002.

The album has more depth than the previous few attempts, and Hip Hop in the media for all of the right reasons (Jay-Z album hype, and Ja Rule & DMX squashing their beef), this is a good time to release some fresh material. I think Joe just needs a big hype track to propell him back into the mainstream attention - something like 'Lean Back' or 'What's Luv'. I also think there is a lack of an opportunity for various artists to jump on a remix, which would again add hype to the album.

7/10