Artists like Fat Joe need no introduction, as the CEO of Terror Squad has made a substantial impact on the game since his breakthrough in the mid 90’s, having released close to a dozen albums as well as having been featured on numerous other artist’s major hits. From his early days when he was an understudy of Big Pun and was rapping mainly for the streets (the Represent, Jealous One’s Envy, & Don Cartagena days) to his transition into the mainstream when he was doing major numbers on the radio (the Jealous One’s Still Envy, Loyalty, All or Nothing days), Joe has mainly always been able to find a balance and sustain himself throughout the years as a respected MC.
Furthermore one of Joe’s greatest hits has to be signing Remy Ma to the Terror Squad, who was originally an understudy of Pun as well thus it only made sense. Remy’s first appearances were actually on Pun’s Yeeeah Baby album, and during her come-up she gained notoriety for her role in a classic battle with Lady Luck, a legendary Hip Hop moment in which the verdict is still debated to this day. Along with Joe and the rest of the Terror Squad, Remy would also transition to the mainstream and she did it well, releasing her debut album There’s Something About Remy to great success in 2006.
Yet it was perhaps together when Joe and Remy have reached their greatest heights in the music industry, as their 2004 record Lean Back was indisputably the smash hit of that summer (and year), highlighted by a SummerJam moment that hasn’t been surpassed by any artists since.
Years later Joe & Remy have maintained their relevance in Hip Hop, and decided that 2017 was the perfect time for their first collaborative project (other than TS projects), and for the most part their timing couldn’t have been better.
Plata O Plomo is critiqued track by track below:
Warning ft Kat Dahlia
“So much coke you young boys won't believe it, hopping off J E T S I'm Revis, Island, stylin, minks to the floor… My West coast shorty throw DUB with four fingers, ma you a pleasant surprise like Porzingis…” 😒😒😒 Produced by Cool & Dre this is officially a lackluster effort from everyone… this is not good at all, the lyrics are trash, the hook is average, and overall this is as bad of an introduction as I can think of. SKIP this and don’t look back.
Swear to God ft Kent Jones
“I ain't talkin 'bout cash, I put a check on it, you thought we was alright, I went left on it, in that number one spot, bitch, you dead on it, baby when you say my name, put some respek on it, yeah, you had a nice run but now, the question is , Y'all finished or y'all done?” 😒😒😒 More lukewarm production from Cool & Dre and another trash hook (this time provided by Florida rapper Kent Jones), but far more disappointing is the lyrics from both Joe & Remy… let’s just say the first two records are not a good reflection of their skill level… SKIP
Spaghetti ft Kent Jones
“Y'all bitches got fat while we starved, shots in your ass, pads in your bras, y'all some liars it ain't no facts in your songs, and yeah that crown is coming back to the Bronx” Nicki jabs on this one and Kent Jones has a decent verse, yet once again the hook needs work and overall it’s arguable filler - in spite of the fact that it’s the best of the first three records.
All The Way Up ft French Montana & Infrared
“P.O.s say I can't get high, hopped in the helicopter Uber and said, go all the way up, go all the way up… I'm all the way up, I'm all the way up, nothin can stop me, I'm all the way up” Perhaps the undisputed smash hit of 2016, this one was released in March and left Earth by Summer, and although neither Joe or Remy’s verses are as good as their previous smash hit Lean Back more than ten year prior, it ultimately felt good to see the Bronx back doing it’s numbers. Shoutout Remy for bouncing back and once again tearing down that Summer Jam stage [which as of 2017 is officially dead as an event, but that’s another story for another day]
How Can I Forget ft Kent Jones
“I bought my first MAC-11 in a church basement, and that's facts, if Bob shot the sheriff then I shot Satan, and sent him right back” Kent Jones is all over this album, and this time it sounds like they definitely wanted Future… either way Kent Jones probably came through with the songwriting thus that’s why he’s in 3 of the first 5 records, yet even still… all these rappers tweaking their style to sound like Future need to relax (you too CyHi the Prynce), even though I’m more befuddled as to how influential Future became in the first place. Nonetheless this is a solid album cut and good production by Illa Sound.
How Long
“Even with that work, work, work your bitch washed, had me like what the bludclot, Chris Bosh, she told him that they better off being just friends, and I be like, ‘bitch just bring some slut friends’” Now this is really 🚮🚮🚮 like really really 🚮🚮🚮 SKIP this...
Go Crazy ft Sevyn Streeter & BJ the Chicago Kid
“I'll go crazy (I know, I know).. I'll go insaaane” Sampling Blackstreet’s classic 'Don’t Leave Me' record, this is one of the more memorable records off the project. Joe & Remy coast on this and this was solid production from 808-Ray & Cool & Dre.
Heartbreak ft The Dream & Vindata
“Now I can't prove my love, Heartbreak 101…” The Dream laces the hook and the energy is right on this thanks to stellar production by Vindata, truth be told this is a radio record that I’d actually like to hear more… less mumble rap more of this…
Cookin ft French Montana & Ry SO Valid
“Summer's gone and we still doin' Lebron numbers, make Rihanna want the Don on her, bag alert, Goyard on the duffle, so much beige up on the plate niggas swear I'm shavin truffle, han” The second single didn’t quite take off like the first single but French did his numbers and Remy actually murdered this instrumental ferociously, her verse legitimately fucked up my rewind button, talkin bout "Mami you're like average, I'm in the white palace, I'm out in Dubai, everybody lookin' like Khaled, the match chinchilla, my pets been killa, I'm cookin like it's the last Thursday in November, that means it's Thanksgiving, I'm making baked chicken, I'm on my second plate, and your pieces ain't hittin, what it look like, bitch?” 😂😂😂🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Money Showers ft Ty Dolla $ign
“Front of my pussy on the back of his tongue, I ain't had love for a ***** since what happened to Pun, so if he fuck around and I don't happen to cum, ***** you can be my ex, that's where I'm from, man these funny style bitches, I be laughing at them” Cool & Dre samples Ralph Tresvant’s classic ‘Do What I Gotta Do’ for their best production on the tape and this one is nothing short of legendary. This one didn’t get a quarter of the attention it should have, as even on top of the classic sample Joe, Remy & Ty Dolla all do their numbers in their own right, particularly Ty Dolla who definitely knows how to flex on hooks in general. Furthermore the video is 🔥🔥🔥 and The Playas Club theme is a good look as well. Don’t miss out on this great record and entertainment.
Too Quick ft Kingston
“Fuck a glass slipper, I ain't making sure no shoe fit, you be Cinderella, I'm Snow White, move bricks, 8-balls remind me the dick longer than pool sticks, thicker than a Snicker, now eat the pussy with Cool Whip” Not mad at this… solid album cut
Dreamin ft Stephanie Mills
“I kick back, put the key in ignition, cause niggas wasn't seeing my vision, got a whole trunk full of white, on my feet is the Pippens, and the loud make it easy to listen” Niiiiiiice outro and easily the best Joe verse on the tape, I’d say the hook can be tweaked but overall it’s a nice way to close out the album.
Ultimately this album has both highs and lows yet unfortunately in 12 records it has way too much filler. It’s unfortunate because the highs are really high, as nevermind the commercial blockbusters in All The Way Up (and in theory Cookin), but there’s also real good genuine music on here in Heartbreak and most notably Money Showers, yet unfortunately on the other half of the record the Terror Squad really bottoms out.
Truthfully I’m not sure why there’s so much lackluster material on here, as they had ample time to come out with 10 decent records since All The Way Up took off in early 16, and throughout the years both Remy and Joe have proven that they aren’t any slouch MCs [although with Joe there’s always been ghostwriting rumors, and ultimately that would explain a lot.] Either way I like to focus on the positives of everything, and with that being said the highlights on this tape are definitely worth the downloads and the purchase (as long as you buy the 99 cent singles like back in the day)