Hey, I'm Brian Hyatt, and this is Rolling Stone, music now.

Today, my guest is the legendary rapper Fat Joe, whose career spans decades.

Has a young, was too much to cope.

Why you think,

motherfucker's nickname to cook the cook shit.

Should have been called on robbery.

That's him on the great Scott Storch production

Leen Back, one of his biggest hits in a career full of them.

Fat Joe can never be counted out.

He released his first album way back in 1993,

and he's had more comeback hits since then

than anyone you can name.

He has a great new autobiography out called The Book of Jose, co-written

with veteran journalist Shaheheim Reed. In addition to his music career, the book is full of

jaw-dropping street stories from his days as a teenage hustler in the Bronx.

The night before we talked, Joe had a book event at the Apollo Theater with hip-hop royalty

from Doug E. Fresh to Busta Rhyms performing, which says a lot about his status.

And he even brought Shaheme his co-writer on stage which is a rare

gesture from a celebrity. Here's my conversation with Fat Joe. When you think about,

think about all you've been through and also how many people,

unfortunately you've lost in your life and how many people hip-hop has lost.

Does it seem like a miracle to you that you're even just alive?

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