The Herd with Colin Cowherd: Joe and Jada – YFN Lucci on Squashing Young Thug Beef, Five Years in Prison & ‘Already Legend’
Date: December 10, 2025
Host: Fat Joe and Jadakiss
Guest: YFN Lucci
Podcast Theme: Deep-dive conversation with Atlanta rapper YFN Lucci about his upbringing, prison experience, squashing of his beef with Young Thug, comeback, and community impact, all blended with nostalgia and raw humor from Fat Joe and Jadakiss.
Episode Overview
This episode of "The Herd" spins off into Fat Joe and Jadakiss’ “Joe and Jada Show,” for a vibrant, real, and insightful sit-down with YFN Lucci. The Atlanta star opens up about life on the come-up, hard lessons learned behind bars, reconciliation in rap beefs, the reality of fame, and the journey to his new album, Already Legend. The hosts skillfully blend hard-hitting questions with playful storytelling, turning the spotlight on survival, growth, and the power of second chances.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Growing Up in Summerhill, Atlanta
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YFN Lucci reflects on his neighborhood:
"Like in other hood, you got the good and the bad. Got your hustlers, got your robbers, you got your killers. Shit, you got your ball players. And we all just trying to find a way out." (04:16) -
On inspiration and musical roots:
Lucci shouts out major influences: "Got down nobody. Jay Wayne, of course, y'll. All... Well, Jeezy, no doubt. Um, 50." (05:07)
Jadakiss jokes about YFN's unique vocal style coming from his Jamaican roots—a "cheat code." (04:52)
2. The Path to Rap Stardom
- First break and affirmation:
- Witnessing Atlanta friends make it big—“Like, seeing all these boys started making it and like, damn, these nigga from where I'm from … I know I can do this. I just gotta keep grinding.” (06:51)
- Fat Joe reminisces about seeing Lucci "performing on top of a car outside of a club in Atlanta" as a sign of his grind. (05:29)
3. Prison Life as a Public Figure
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On being a celebrity behind bars:
Fat Joe: "People don't know how real that shit is. Being locked up, being famous … They put you in the jail famous." (09:17) -
YFN details solitary resilience:
“I was in my room by myself. I had to figure out a routine. So, shit, I started reading. I was working out at first…” (12:01)
“You gotta be strong. You feel me? Gotta be a strong nigga. Cause that shit will tear your ass down just sitting in that room all day.” (12:01) -
Surviving mentally & spiritually:
"I always knew I was gonna be all right. I know God got me. I don’t know when, but I know he got me... I had to be strong for everybody out there." (18:21)
On faith in God when facing 200 years: “Pray that, you know, he let me out of my situation... I only did that one time. And every other night, I just... thanked him.” (16:07)
4. After Prison: Second Chances and Comebacks
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Comeback Motivation:
Fat Joe on using the jail experience for vision: “That put me really, you know, you can't sit a nigga like me down. So that put me in perspective. I said, oh, shit, the window really closing, Joe.” (14:47) -
On first post-release music:
"I just wanted to hear my voice again…. Once I did that, I'm like, oh, I still sound good. Went back the next day, started smoking shit." (37:47) -
Performing at State Farm after release:
“Come home and goddamn sell out State Farm… we did like 23 songs, the whole stadium, word for word. Every one of them. That just feelin' good.” (47:12)
5. Squashing the Beef with Young Thug
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The turning point:
On reconciliation, Lucci says: “Just sitting in jail, bro, just thinking like, bro, is all this shit worth it? … you realize like, yeah, bro, my family needs me… nigga can come together, make some money and change the narrative and help the youth look at this shit. Like, man, if they can do this shit, bro, we can do this shit…” (24:19) -
Jadakiss on seeing the truce's value:
"For me, I was happy when he fixed it with Doug because I fuck with both of y' all. I'm glad that I wasn't from Atlanta, so I can just mind my fucking business." (22:19)
6. Fame, Entitlement, and Reality Checks
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Entourage and "survivor’s guilt":
Fat Joe: “I think I invented the entourage…I would walk around with 45 niggas, two tour buses…One day, God told me, yo, call all these niggas up... I said, that's it. I'm broke. I can't afford this no more. You know… Out of the 45, only five of them said, yo, Joe, if you dead broke, I'm with you every day, my brother.” (31:17) -
Lucci on giving back to his people:
"I just got a big heart…If I fuck with you, I felt like, shit, I'm getting to see the world. I want to take y' all to see the world. Come on, like, shit, we from Summerhill…But some people, you know, they don't get it." (33:06) -
Business lessons: "When you walk in them offices where you trying to pull off that bag, you look better by yourself, I'm sure, because these niggas are scared to death." (35:20)
7. Deeper into Jail: The Madness and Survival
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Crazy jail stories (see also section of Memorable Moments):
- “Niggas thought Martin Luther King was the first black president.” (63:53)
- “The dumbest and the worst niggas on earth go to jail.” (64:09)
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Confrontation realities:
Lucci: “I got into it and he tried to stab me, but he stabbed me. A little cut, a little cut. We were fine and shit.” (67:33)
Fat Joe: “They put me in the building where get a hundred years in jail … Nigga might want to stab Me in my neck just cause to add on to the 240.” (65:51)
8. The Power of Community and Giving Back
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Lucci on community service:
"Dude, you know, we do give backs. We do back to school drives, we do Easter drives, we do... Christmas drives, Thanksgiving. Goodbye turkeys." (42:15) -
Fat Joe’s reality check:
"When I grew up, they didn't give me a lollipop. My...You know...Now you got artists they always want to point the finger at...but yet you the first to...give turkeys and everything..." (42:45)
9. The Return: Music and Touring
- On new music:
YFN Lucci previewed tracks from Already Legend, sharing raw, pain-soaked bars:
“I took every loss and then I turned that to a profit / I can’t reach my goals with everybody in my pocket...” (74:05–75:52) - On hitting the road:
“Yeah, we. We going on tour. Top of the year. Like 15, 20 cities.” (53:14)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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Faith under fire:
"I always knew I was gonna be all right. He said I know God got me. I don’t know when but I know he got me and I couldn’t just let it scrape me out. I had to be strong for everybody out there."
— YFN Lucci (18:21) -
On prison’s impact:
“You got to be a strong nigga. Cause that shit will tear your ass down just sitting in that room all day.”
— YFN Lucci (12:01) -
Rap beef revelations:
“When you get took away from your family, you realize like, yeah, bro, my family needs me … nigga can come together, make some money and change the narrative and help the youth look at this shit. Like, man, if they can do this shit, bro, we can do this shit…”
— YFN Lucci (24:19) -
Fat Joe on entourage reality:
“Out of the 45, only five of them said, yo, Joe, if you dead broke, I’m with you every day, my brother ... The other 40 got the hell on. And it was the best thing that ever happened to me in my life.” (31:17) -
Words on giving back:
“When I grew up, they didn’t give me a lollipop ... Now you got artists they always want to point the finger at ... but yet you the first to ... give turkeys and everything…”
— Fat Joe (42:45) -
On comeback concerts:
“Come home and goddamn sell out State Farm...we did like 23 songs, the whole stadium, word for word...That's just feelin' good.”
— YFN Lucci (47:12)
Engaging & Funny Moments
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Trump’s Fulton County stint:
“You was in there when Trump came through there?”
— Fat Joe (10:37)
Lucci: “Yeah, they shit everything down. But he was in and out, though.” (10:43) -
Jail arguments over ridiculousness:
“I asked them who the first black president. One of y' all niggas said, Martin Luther King.”
— YFN Lucci (63:53) -
On sketchy promoters:
Fat Joe tells a hilarious story about flying in for a #1 hit, private jet, duffel bag money, and performing for virtually nobody because of poor promotion. (49:47–52:49) -
Hotel and tour realities:
“You ever been in La Quinta, Motel 6. They ain’t...You could do about it. I’ve been on all the people up to be like, yo, what the...We was just at the Waldorf in LA. Yeah, well, today is La Quinta.”
— Fat Joe (55:36) -
On returning to rap after jail:
“I just wanted to hear my voice again....Once I did that, I’m like, oh, I still sound good.”
— YFN Lucci (37:47)
Timestamps For Key Segments
- YFN Lucci’s up-and-coming grind & inspirations: 04:16–06:51
- Famous in prison, resilience, and faith: 09:17–18:21
- Squashing beef with Young Thug: 22:19–25:20
- On the pitfalls of fame and entourages: 31:11–33:37
- Business meetings and impressions: 35:20–37:41
- Coming back: First song post-prison: 37:41–38:43
- Giving back and community impact: 42:15–45:36
- Jail stories and survival: 63:02–67:28
- Touring, hotel, and comeback grind: 53:01–55:36
- Live performance from Already Legend: 71:10–75:52
Conclusion
This episode is a raw, entertaining, and inspiring listen, blending real talk about climbing out of tough circumstances with sharp, lived-in wisdom from three hip-hop veterans. Lucci’s story is one of hard-won maturity, proving that even amid setbacks, it’s possible to grow, make amends, and keep building for the future. Listeners walk away with laughter, motivation, and a renewed appreciation for artistry forged through pain and perseverance.
"Already Legend" out now; tour coming top of the year.
“Every show legendary, every show iconic.” — Jada Kiss (03:14)
