Joe and Jada "BEST OF Fat Joe & Jadakiss 2025: Clipse, Cardi B, 85 South, Nelly & Ashanti, Aries Spears & MORE"
Podcast: Joe and Jada
Hosts: Fat Joe & Jadakiss
Release Date: December 25, 2025
Duration: ~2.5 hours (excluding ads, intros, outros)
Overview
This standout "Best Of" episode from Joe and Jada brings together hip-hop legends Fat Joe and Jadakiss for a celebratory and revealing trip through hip-hop nostalgia, real talk on the music business, discussions about relationships and family, and hilarious, jaw-dropping stories from their storied careers. Featuring appearances and segments with Clipse, Cardi B, the 85 South crew, Nelly & Ashanti, Aries Spears, and more, the episode is packed with raw honesty, humor, and insight into hip-hop culture's past, present, and future.
Major Discussion Themes
1. Hip-Hop Legends: Stories, Competition & Legacy
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On Biggie, Bone Thugs, and Real-Time Collaboration
- Fat Joe recounts helping set up the legendary "Bone and Biggie" track, highlighting how groundbreaking Biggie's flow was for its time.
- “Biggie was like you, Jada; every time he spit a verse, it was something new we’d be analyzing.” — Fat Joe (06:30)
- Discussion on the effort and challenge of memorizing others’ versus one's own rhymes and stories from the era.
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The Lasting Importance of Lyricism and Flow
- Fat Joe and Jadakiss discuss how in their circle, every Biggie or Jada verse was dissected line by line, noting “it’s not easy to body every single verse” (08:50).
- Reflection on why the standards for verses, especially among legends, have always been so high.
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Role Model Status & Physical Longevity
- They touch on their (sometimes reluctant) status as role models for a younger generation that prizes “integrity of the music” and staying healthy amidst the temptations of the industry (1:04:00).
- “There’s a young kid right now popping something, looking at this like, ‘My OGs look good, maybe I can look good in the future, too.’” — Malice, Clipse (1:08:30)
2. Industry Politics & Artistic Freedom
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Business Moves and Industry Frustrations
- Clipse share the saga of getting out from under Def Jam and label politics, speaking about the headaches of releasing music in the lawsuit era, ultimately landing at Roc Nation (58:30).
- “The business never stops... No matter how much you love the game, the politics will make you want to do other things.” — Pusha T (1:01:20)
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Creative Integrity
- Pusha T on dealing with criticism for rapping about street life: “23 years in, I ain’t trying to please nobody but myself. My taste resonates with a certain kind of person.” (1:12:20)
3. Perspectives on Relationships & Modern Family
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Polyamory, Honesty, and Family Structure
- Candid discussions with guests (including Neo) about having multiple partners, polygamy, and how these relationships work in practice.
- “If you got four women wanting Birkin bags — you got the wrong four.” (12:45)
- Joe and Jada probe the dynamics, logistics, and social expectations, diving into family, community, and raising kids collectively.
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Cardi B Speaks on Realities for Women
- Cardi B brings humor and a woman’s perspective: “If you got four bitches... you better not try that ‘I’m tired’ shit with me, I don’t want to hear it.” (25:00)
4. Classic Behind-the-Scenes Stories
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Life on Tour: Aging in the Game
- Fat Joe and Jadakiss compare their willingness (or lack thereof) to continue lengthy tours, noting how physical tolls change one’s priorities (1:06:00).
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DMX: Wild Stories and Impact
- Several memorable stories about DMX’s wild moments, generosity, and unpredictable genius — from on-stage antics to personal favors and legendary sessions.
- “DMX stuck a guy up right in front of me — he was a star, doing star shit, and wilding!” (1:33:30)
- Stories about recording the iconic “Stop, Drop, Shut 'Em Down” and the Bronx erupting when the record dropped (2:04:50).
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Prison Stories: Fat Joe’s Life in the Feds
- Fat Joe offers a gritty, humorous look at prison hierarchy, commissary flexing (with real eggs vs. pizza), and how small social rules translate into survival or status in lockup.
- “First meal in there, they all lookin’ to see how Crack gonna react to the food. That shit tasted like pure dog…” (1:40:00)
5. Hip-Hop Debates & Mount Rushmore Moments
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Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time
- Joe and Jada trade off picks for the top-five hip-hop songs ever, debating classics like “Hip Hop Hooray,” “Still D.R.E.,” “New York,” “Biggie's Hypnotize,” “Dear Mama,” and more, all while ribbing each other for their choices (2:25:00).
- “In the Club, 50 Cent — there’s people in the world who can’t talk but know that hook.” — Jadakiss (2:32:10)
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MC vs. Rapper – The Biggie and Jay-Z Debate
- Anecdotes about being present in studios with Biggie and Jay-Z, the difference between an MC and a rapper, and how “emcees control the crowd, deliver diversity, and write their own stories.” (2:10:00)
6. Relationship and Cultural Flashpoints
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Ashanti and Nelly on Competitive Love
- The couple banter good-naturedly about debut numbers, awards, and who outshines whom; Ashanti recalls being the “studio body,” Fat Joe puts her early struggles (like the stolen Benzi Box radio) into context (1:56:00).
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Iconic Industry Moments
- Nelly and Ashanti relive MTV Awards drama, highlight loyalty during the Fat Joe—50 Cent feud, and reflect on what it means to defend and uplift each other.
- Nelly: “You know how many meetings I had with him over her?” (2:02:00)
7. Comedy, Oddities, and Legendary Foolishness
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Stories You Can’t Make Up
- A running joke about “the little man from Morocco” and the late "Nelson" from the Bronx, with Fat Joe hilariously insisting on the truth of his wildest tales, backed up by obscure photos (2:55:00).
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Mike Tyson Anecdotes
- Tales of Mike Tyson's eccentricities—from naked door-opening to candid, often surreal, conversations—showing nobody in hip-hop is safe from an unpredictable Tyson moment.
- “You gotta have heart to tell Mike Tyson, ‘Yo, my man, throw a towel on, man!’” — Fat Joe (2:50:10)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On Lyric Analysis:
“Every verse Biggie ever spit, we would analyze it immediately and be like, ‘Yo, he did a song with Total, and bodied that shit again!’”
— Fat Joe (07:25) -
On Creative Survival:
“We rolled with the punches, bro. That’s what we do, always got the faith in the music.”
— Pusha T, Clipse (1:05:10) -
On Polygamy and Family:
“There’s a mindset that the woman has to have in order to be able to share men. If you got four women that want Birkin bags, you got the wrong four.”
— Neo (12:45) -
On Getting Out-Rapped by Lil Wayne:
“I walked outta that studio dizzy. I thought I had everybody—then Wayne destroyed my joint on ‘We Taking Over’.”
— Fat Joe (2:15:30) -
On Legendary Studio Sessions:
“I was in the studio with Biggie when he did Hypnotize. He was always writing on paper.”
— Jadakiss (2:48:20) -
On Industry Loyalty:
“Out of all the rappers I knew, you were the only one who had my back when me and 50 got into it.”
— Fat Joe to Nelly (2:01:50) -
On the Burden of Legend Status:
“We love the beef! Let’s not act like in the rap game, we don’t like beef. It’s been since the beginning of time.”
— Fat Joe (2:40:20) -
On the Comedy Front:
“Look at my man! He’s not bigger than the watermelon. I told you!”
— Fat Joe, showing a photo of the legendary little man (2:57:40)
Key Timestamps
- On Biggie & Bone Thugs: 04:00 – 10:00
- Military precision: Polygamy & Relationships: 10:30 – 25:50
- Clipse Industry Story / Roc Nation Move: 58:00 – 1:06:00
- Role Modeling / Staying Healthy: 1:05:50 – 1:09:00
- DMX Tour & Stories: 1:33:00 – 1:40:00
- Jailhouse Flexing (Egg Hustle): 1:40:00 – 1:52:00
- Ashanti & Nelly Banter: 1:55:00 – 2:04:00
- Debating the Greatest Hip-Hop Songs: 2:25:00 – 2:37:00
- Mike Tyson Naked Antics: 2:50:00 – 2:53:00
- Moroccan Little Man Story & Visuals: 2:55:00 – end
Summary Table – Guests & Highlights
| Guest(s) / Segment | Key Content / Stories | Timestamps | |-------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------| | Clipse (Pusha T & Malice) | Label/Def Jam drama, Roc Nation freedom, “faith in the music” | 58:00–1:09:00 | | Neo | Polyamory, honesty, raising kids, family dynamics | 10:30–25:00 | | Cardi B | Real talk on women in multi-partner dynamics, comic relief | 25:00–27:00 | | Ashanti & Nelly | Competitive love, music stats, early studio days, loyalty stories | 1:55:00–2:04:00 | | DMX | Woodstock performances, wild stories, drugs and genius-level work | 1:33:00–1:40:00 | | Common | Stories of Fat Joe saving his life, Chicago/NY kinship | 2:12:00–2:17:00 | | Mike Tyson (stories) | Reminiscing about over-the-top Tyson antics | 2:50:00–2:53:00 | | Little Man from Morocco/Nelson| The legendary “is he capping?” stories, navigated with photos | 2:55:00–end |
The Authentic Joe & Jada Flavor
True to the “Joe and Jada” style, the conversation flows easily between hilarity, hard-won wisdom, and occasional outright chaos. The duo’s chemistry is evident as they rib each other, debate (loudly!), and invite guests to drop their guard and speak freely—producing candor on the creative mind’s anxieties, family complexity, the grind and pain of the music business, and the ongoing love of hip-hop that unites their listeners across generations.
If you want hip-hop’s best stories, a peek behind the curtain on music’s biggest moments, and endless quotables—this is an essential listen.
