I started out in the Apollo Theater. That's where I got my start. I won Amateur Night four weeks in a row.

We were motivated by the fact that (North Carolina) had won four in a row. We know all about the reputation they have as a basketball state, but we just said they weren't going win this year.

When I first started, I thought I was wack. Lyrically, I thought I was wack. The thing I had over everybody was that I was the realest rapper.

Fat Joe ain't out here trying to battle-rap everybody in the world. That's not what I'm about.

Sooner or later, Zimmerman's going to start three or four ballgames in a row, and Short may start two or three, Watson one or two, ... But basically, you're going to see the same guys that have been here finish out the season.

I never lose touch. If you let me tell it, I'll tell you I never got my just due and my respect for being one of the greats in hip-hop, and because of that, the fire never burned out. There's more and more of a need for me to succeed or take the legacy a step further, and that's what it is.