Fat Joe Draws the Line Between Music and Street Code in Gunna Debate

When it comes to his view on Gunna, Fat Joe isn't holding back.

The Bronx icon said on a recent Joe & Jada Podcast episode that he will not stand by anyone involved in snitching claims, regardless of how good the music is.

Joe acknowledged that he listened to and even enjoyed Gunna's most recent record, but that doesn't alter his opinion.

"Now that you have some of the sexiest guys in the game, that's my thing. Rats. Like when someone calls me on the phone. "You really should listen to this album," he continues. Listen, your folks have stopped fucking with you because I thought you were a rat. Whatever you do, I'm off you.

Fat Joe  reaffirmed that he has never been able to stand by Gunna since those accusations were made public.

"This guy broke the code and ratted, so I never went to see him again in my life. This is something I have experienced throughout my life. Seeing how everyone is acting like, "Yo, it's okay, it's no problem, it's good music," is also quite acceptable. Let's distinguish the art form from its actual nature.

Gunna has been plagued by accusations of snitching ever since agreeing to a plea bargain in YSL's drawn-out and controversial RICO trial. Steve Sadow, his previous lawyer, has defended him on numerous occasions, emphasizing that Gunna never collaborated against anyone and still denies being an informant.

The topic hasn't gone away, though, and there is still disagreement among hip-hop artists and fans about whether or not to disentangle his music from the charges.

This instance demonstrates the continuous rift in hip-hop: are fans able to disentangle the musician from the accusations? For Fat Joe, the solution is obvious: the music is irrelevant once the code is cracked.

On the left is Fat Joe, dressed in a blue-and-white striped button-up shirt with a white undershirt and chain necklace. On the right is Gunna, wearing sunglasses, layered chains, and a black distressed graphic tee while performing on stage under green lighting.