Before Eminem was a global icon, Fat Joe and Big Pun watched him spit raw verses on a New York stage — and knew they were witnessing something big.

Fat Joe and Jadakiss recently talked on The Herd with Colin Cowherd to reminisce about the New York rap scene, early come-ups, and unforgettable moments, including the very first time Joe saw Eminem perform live.

“I first saw Eminem in New York City when he opened for me and Big Pun”, Joe recalled. “At the Lyricist Lounge, with Outsidaz, the group out of New Jersey, they brought him out. And this man… you knew he was special”.

Em had not even dropped an album yet, but he was already standing out. “He was so skinny, he had a hole in the bottom of his t-shirt so he doesn’t fly off the stage”, Joe said, laughing. “He was just spitting, so crazy! Me and Pun were looking at each other like, ‘Oh my god, who’s this white boy?’”

Later in the conversation, Joe got serious about what is driving rap beef in 2025. Having lived through high-profile clashes himself, including one with 50 Cent, he now sees the game differently.

“I had beef with 50 Cent. I had all that history with him. You have to respect people when you go to war with them”, he said. “But Fifty told me just one day ago, ‘The beef was never with you. You’re just too loyal’”.

Joe also revealed how he tried to mediate between two unnamed high-profile rappers. One was willing to squash the feud. The other was not interested for a simple reason:

“He told me, ‘Joe, why would I squash this? Every time I say their name or diss them, I go viral. There’s no way I’m gonna squash it’”.

Who were those two? We know Fat Joe tried to mediate between Nick Cannon and Eminem, and Cannon has openly admitted using that beef to stir attention. Joe also stepped in when Eminem and Melle Mel exchanged jabs, though Melle Mel seemed more genuinely upset, even if his diss track left most listeners cringing.

Whoever it was, Joe makes a bigger point. In a culture where disses can double as marketing, it is no longer always about real issues. As Joe puts it bluntly: “The game is fucked up”.