Joe and Jada – "Best Of August" | Aries Spears, Ghostface Killah & Joe and Jada's Most Hilarious Moments

Episode Date: September 3, 2025
Podcast: Joe and Jada (iHeartPodcasts and The Volume)

Episode Overview

This "Best Of August" episode is a vibrant highlight reel featuring hip-hop legends Fat Joe and Jadakiss sharing stories, riffing on pop culture, and trading wild anecdotes with guests like Aries Spears, Ghostface Killah, and Stove God Cooks. The episode delivers a blend of behind-the-scenes insights from legendary careers, comedic skits, conversations on music industry realities, and plenty of unfiltered back-and-forth that showcases the chemistry and humor between the hosts and their friends.

Main Discussion Themes

1. SummerSlam & Celebrity Encounters (05:00–10:00)

• Fat Joe recounts attending WWE SummerSlam to support Jelly Roll, diving into a play-by-play of the physical toll and spectacle of wrestling entertainment.
  • "They are beating the brakes off of Jelly Roll... I know every bone, the vertebrae. I know his is up, B." [07:30]
  • Cardi B and Michael Herman (Fanatics President) make cameo appearances.
  • Jelly Roll, after a staged beatdown, emotionally breaks character for Joe:
    • "Turns around, says 'I'm sorry, Joe. I can't fight no more. I can't make it. Thank you for supporting me, Joe.'" [10:40]
  • Hilarious recognition of being "suckered" by pro wrestling's theatrics.

2. Wild Pop Culture Tangents: WNBA, Bets, and "Jointskis" (11:00–18:00)

• Fat Joe and Jadakiss riff on the phenomenon of fans throwing lime green dildos (“jointskis”) at WNBA games.
  • “They throwing dildos on the court in the WNBA—that's a joint ski.” – Fat Joe [13:00]
  • Jadakiss cracks up: “Joint skis on the court, that's the funniest shit I ever heard in my life.” [13:50]
• Stories of losing big money betting on games and lessons about not being “bigger than the program.”
  • “Nobody bigger than the program. When people start thinking they bigger than the program, that's when they disappear, you know?” – Fat Joe [17:30]

3. Industry Real Talk: The Toll of Fame & Social Media (22:00–34:00)

• Music Industry Setbacks:
  • Guest discusses being caught between label disputes, feeling "deflated" after major career disappointments.
  • “This is one of the most discouraging businesses by far you could ever be.” [26:10]
  • Jadakiss reflects on how social media changed artist privacy and pressure.
• Celebrity Meetings:
  • Stories about encounters (or missed chances) with Prince, Michael Jackson, and Luther Vandross.
    • “I never met Luther… I parked outside the joint, and I was just like. I was scared to go upstairs.” – Fat Joe [34:10]
• DMX Memories:
  • Reminiscing about wild DMX stories, including his unique, reckless energy.
    • “Hanging out of windows, hanging out of cars… Speeding crazy. But somehow, you always believed you was gonna be okay.” [36:45]

4. Comedian Aries Spears on Voice Impressions and Originality (40:00–48:00)

• Spears discusses doing impressions (Tony Soprano, Shaq, Denzel), giving love to other impressionists.
  • “C. King is so cold with it. I stopped doing [Denzel] because I felt foolish. He's dead the fuck on.” – Aries Spears [42:10]
• On originality in hip-hop:
  • Fat Joe rails against “jacking” another artist’s style:
    • “Don't jack nobody. Their style, their voice, their swag… If you want to learn something right now in hip hop, be yourself.” [46:20]
  • Debate over whether today’s rap generation values originality.

5. Biggie, Hip-Hop Legends, and Shifting Standards (50:00–1:05:00)

• The genius of Biggie:
  • Fat Joe, Jadakiss, and guest relive Biggie’s evolution, storytelling, and enduring influence despite a small catalog.
    • “How much evidence do you need to see to tell that somebody is special?” [1:00:40]
• Artists they never connected with (missed meetings with legends).
• Influence of 90s rappers, wrestling with changing standards in new-generation hip-hop.

6. Survival & Clowning in Jail Stories (1:10:00–1:30:00)

• Fat Joe shares detailed tales from his four months in federal prison:
  • Taking over a table day one, learning to stunt with dozens of scrambled eggs to flex on fellow inmates.
    • “They had never seen a real egg… I bust open so many eggs, the scrambled eggs were so big.” [1:22:30]
  • “Jordans in the fed—a Maybach in there… Next day they rushed my cell!” [1:27:40]
  • Life in jail called a third-world experience: “I don't advise nobody to go there. It's a third-world country.”

7. Harlem Roots, Food Obsessions, and NYC Lore (1:32:00–1:40:00)

• Reminiscences about growing up in Harlem, legendary characters, and shared pride in community survival.
• Hilarious confusion and banter about the elusive "turkey chops," Harlem cuisine, and favorite local spots.
  • “The moral of the story is there's no turkey shop. They are, he just don't know where they at.” [1:39:00]

8. Behind the Scenes of 'Juice' & Early Hip-Hop Cinema (1:45:00–1:53:00)

• Guest discusses helping with the script and casting of Juice, and confirming Tupac’s fashion trailblazer legacy.
  • “Pac was in the Versace show, walking the runway—earlier than anybody.” [1:50:00]
• Recollection of sharing the stage with Biggie and Tupac at Madison Square Garden:
  • “The Garden is losing their mind… Tupac walking through with Biggie Smalls.” [1:52:30]
  • Big Daddy Kane verifies Fat Joe’s story years later.

9. Wu-Tang Beginnings & The Value of the Grind (1:54:00–2:05:00)

• Ghostface Killah talks Wu-Tang’s humble beginnings: splitting $500 among 13 members, grinding across the country.
  • “We had to grind that out to get to where we is… you had to walk your dog back in those days.” [1:55:30]
• Discussion on clout-chasing and clout corny behavior today as opposed to the effort needed "back in the day."
  • “So if you're gonna start doing corny shit now, you was always corny.” – Ghostface [1:59:15]

10. Comedic Skits and the "Pause" Culture (2:09:00–2:15:00)

• Ghostface explains the inspiration for a "pause" skit on his new album; the generational gap in language and humor.
  • “We finally fixed it for the young dudes with the pause… When we grew up, there was no pause.” [2:12:00]
• Quick-witted skit: Ghostface, Joe, and Jada improvise imagining a "Joe & Jada Podcast" Ghostface skit full of Staten Island/Puerto Rican/Dominican comedy.

11. Live Performances & New Music Showcases (2:15:00–2:38:00)

• Ghostface performs new tracks off "Supreme Clientele 2."
  • “That is like six… bad ma. That's crazy. Gotta play that in the gym.” – Fat Joe [2:22:00]
• Stove God Cooks Interview & Freestyle
  • Joe and Jada heap praise on Stove God’s lyricism and originality. He tells his story, details his influences (Jadakiss, Hov, Andre 3000), and performs his acclaimed chorus and a new freestyle.
  • “When Gun reached out… we just never stopped. Shit just went to the moon.” – Stove God Cooks [2:40:15]
  • “You're like my favorite rapper right now.” – Fat Joe [2:42:30]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Fat Joe’s wrestling fan-out:
  “They are beating the brakes off of Jelly Roll...I’m thinking he’s really hurt, because I’m a fat guy. I know what just happened.” [07:30]

• Jadakiss on WNBA madness:
  “Joint skis on the court—that's the funniest shit I ever heard in my life.” [13:50]

• On the perils of ego:
  “Nobody bigger than the program. When people start thinking they bigger than the program, that's when they disappear, you know?” – Fat Joe [17:30]

• On “copycat” rappers:
  “Don’t jack nobody. Their style, their voice, their swag…If you want to learn something right now in hip hop, be yourself.” – Fat Joe [46:20]

• On Biggie’s legacy:
  “How much evidence do you need to see to tell that somebody is special?” [1:00:40]

• On getting played in the industry:
  “I said, my man, suck my dick. The whole office looked at me like, huh?” – Fat Joe [2:50:20]
  (On music execs trying to steal his ringtone rights)

• On surviving prison:
  “Jordans in the fed—a Maybach in there… Next day they rushed my cell!” [1:27:40]

• On comedy and skits:
  “We take over this, man. Anybody say something, we go inside their head…word to mother, smack them with the Pepsi.” – Ghostface Killah (improv) [2:15:00]

• Stove God Cooks, on his moment: “God always got his hand on me. This get different for real. That's why I don't be worried… it’s going to be whatever God wanted to be.” [2:43:15]

Notable Segments and Timestamps

• SummerSlam Wrestling Story: 05:00–10:00
• WNBA “Jointskis” & Betting Talk: 11:00–18:00
• Discouragement in the Music Industry: 22:00–26:00
• Originality in Hip-Hop, Impressions: 40:00–48:00
• Biggie & Hip-Hop Evolution: 50:00–1:05:00
• Jailhouse Survival Guide: 1:10:00–1:30:00
• NYC Food and Upbringing: 1:32:00–1:40:00
• Behind ‘Juice’ & Tupac Stories: 1:45:00–1:53:00
• Wu-Tang’s Early Struggles: 1:54:00–2:05:00
• Ghostface “Pause” Skit Discussion: 2:09:00–2:15:00
• Live Performances/New Music: 2:15:00–2:38:00
• Stove God Cooks Interview & Freestyle: 2:40:00–end

Episode Tone & Atmosphere

• Language Unfiltered: Raw, NYC street humor; energetic; full of fast-paced, nostalgic, comedic storytelling.
• Vibe: Part barbershop, part locker room, and part hip-hop oral history document, always punctuated by ribbing, one-upmanship, and real moments of vulnerability.

For New Listeners

This episode is a patchwork of hilarious anecdotes, hip-hop wisdom, and intimate glimpses into the real lives and unfiltered opinions of rap royalty. First-time listeners will be treated to never-heard stories, rapid-fire inside jokes, irreverent social commentary, and the kind of authenticity in dialogue that only comes from real friendship and decades in the spotlight—and on the block.

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