Fat Joe Says He's Lied in '95 Percent' of His Songs: 'I'm a Family Man'

"You couldn't build a jail high enough for the lyrics I've said on songs which are all untrue," the rapper told Gayle King during an appearance on 'CNN'

Fat Joe
Fat Joe. Photo:

Johnny Nunez/Getty

Fat Joe is coming clean about his song lyrics.

While speaking with Gayle King and Charles Barkley on the premiere of CNN's King Charles on Thursday about Young Thug's current RICO trial, the "What's Luv?" musician, 53, came his defense as he called the use of the musician's lyrics against him in his trial "horrible" and "a travesty."

“I’ve been rapping professionally for 30 years — I’ve lied in almost 95 percent of my songs," Joe (whose real name is Joseph Cartagena) told King and Barkley.

He added: "I’m being honest. I write like I feel that day. I’m just being creative. You couldn’t build a jail high enough for the lyrics I’ve said on songs which are all untrue."

Joe further explained that the lyrics aren't representative of who he is as a person.

“What I am is I’m a family man, someone who gives back to his community all the time. I opened businesses in my community so the music would never amount to the actual person Joseph Cartegena. What’s even more horrible is the District Attorneys. They know those lyrics ain’t real. They know that’s creativity, but if it helps their case, they’ll use it to put these guys in jail," he said.

Last week, the high-profile trial involving rapper Young Thug — commonly known as the “YSL RICO trial” — began in Atlanta.

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Young Thug attends a dinner celebrating Young Thug's album "Punk"
Young Thug. Prince Williams/Wireimage

The Grammy winner (whose real name Jeffrey Lamar Williams), 32, is facing charges of racketeering and gang conspiracy and has been in jail since his May 2022 arrest.

The Fulton District Attorney alleged that Young Thug, who was denied bond in June 2022 following his May 2022 arrest, is the co-founder of a dangerous criminal street gang and used his music to promote it. Prosecutors claim the rapper's label Young Stoner Life Records also stands for Young Slime Life — the name of an Atlanta-based gang — and are accusing him of conspiracy to violate the racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations act, or RICO, among other charges. 

The case indicted over two dozen other names, including five who are also confirmed to stand trial. Because of the "Go Crazy" artist's level of fame and the possibility of testimonies from well-known figures in the music industry, the case will likely gain national attention for the coming months.

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