In an interview with Billboard, legendary rapper Fat Joe opened up about his return to the rap game and credited one artist for motivating him to get back into the studio: Killer Mike.

Fat Joe, who had been contemplating retirement, revealed that it was an unforgettable moment involving the Grammy-winning rapper that pulled him back into the game.

“I told him: he’s the guy who inspired me,” Joe shared, acknowledging Killer Mike’s influence on his decision.

Joe had been ready to step away from the industry, feeling like his time had passed. However, when he witnessed Killer Mike’s monumental achievement, winning a Grammy, it sparked something in him that made him reconsider his stance.

READ ALSO: Fat Joe Names Nas, JAY-Z, and Eminem as His Benchmarks for Musical Success

“I retired. I was gone. I had an infamous phone call with Eminem, where he was trying to talk me into not retiring: ‘Joe, we need you. You’re one of us,’” Fat Joe recalled, referring to the powerful conversation he had with Eminem.

Despite the call from his peer, Joe was still resolute in his decision to retire. But Killer Mike’s Grammy win changed everything.

“When I seen it, I called Dre. I was like, ‘Yo, it’s possible. Let’s get back in the kitchen. Let’s cook.’”

Fat Joe admitted that seeing Mike’s success made him realize that he still had more to offer the game.

The idea of winning a Grammy—a recognition he had never received—motivated him to pick up the microphone once again.

As Joe re-enters the music scene with his new album The World Changed on Me, it’s clear that Killer Mike’s triumph not only served as a source of inspiration but also reignited a fire within Joe to continue shaping the hip-hop world.

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