The Darkside III

Darkside III
Mixtape by
Fat Joe
ReleasedAugust 26, 2013
Recorded2012–2013
GenreHip hop, hardcore hip hop
Length26:42
LabelTerror Squad
Producer9th Wonder, Cool and Dre, Diamond D, DJ Premier, iLLA, Streetrunner, Sap
Fat Joe chronology
The Darkside Vol. 2
(2011) 		Darkside III
(2013) 		Plata O Plomo
(2017)

Darkside III is the third volume in the Darkside series by rapper Fat Joe. The mixtape was released August 26, 2013 via DatPiff.

Background

On December 3, 2012 the sequel to The Darkside Vol. 2 track Angel Sings was released with Fat Joe announcing Darkside III was in the works at the end of the song.[1]

On December 20, 2012 he pleaded guilty to tax evasion and was released on bail.[2]

The video for Angels Say 2 produced by Eif Rivera was released on January 7, 2013.[3] On February 21, 2013 a new track with accompanying video directed by Mind Muscle CX was released titled Ceilings 2 The Sky.[4]

On June 24, 2013 Joe was sentenced to 4 months in prison to begin on August 26, 2013 for tax evasion.[5]

After a tweet from a fan on July 9, 2013 he confirmed the Darkside III release date. On July 4, 2013 he revealed on Twitter that he had been given a beat by 9th Wonder[6] then on July 29, 2013 he further revealed on Twitter that Darkside Vol. 3 would also have beats by Cool and Dre, Diamond D, Illa Da Producer and Streetrunner.[7]

Promotion

Interviews

On August 3, 2013 Fat Joe appeared on the Power 105 Breakfast Club and spoke about ending the beef with 50 Cent amongst other things.[8] He also appeared on 106 & Park on August 6, 2013 mainly to promote his Love Me Long time single but also spoke briefly about Darkside III.[9] On August 9, 2013 he was interviewed on MTV News and spoke exclusively about Darkside Vol. 3 and reuniting with old friend Diamond D who was responsible for Joe joining the 1990s hip hop group Diggin' in the Crates.[10]

Singles

"Angel Sings 2" was the first song released off the mixtape on December 20, 2012

The first official single from Darkside III, "Your Honor" featuring Action Bronson and produced by DJ Premier, was premiered on SiriusXM's Hip-Hop Nation on August 23, 2013 and released shortly after.[11]

Videos

On the day of the mixtape release a video for the first song Darkside III was released on World Star Hip Hop[12]

Critical reception

Darkside III was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. HipHopDX called it "EP-worthy" saying, "As legendary and respected as Fat Joe has become as an emcee through years of gaining stock in the game, he also attempts mightily to paint an environment that darts and dashes between decadence and sophistication. At times he succeeds, and at others he unwittingly falters, but the beats never let him down."[13]

Track listing

# Title Featured guest(s) Producer Length
1 "Darkside III" Cool And Dre Streetrunner 2:31
2 "Madison Squares" Sap and Cool And Dre 2:32
3 "MGM Grand" Streetrunner 2:56
4 "Pain" iLLA 1:59
5 "Your Honor" Action Bronson DJ Premier 3:23
6 "9th Wonder" 9th Wonder 2:24
7 "Cypher" Nick Shades Diamond D 2:40
8 "Grimy in The Early 90s" Illa Da Producer 2:08
9 "Bass" Nick Shades Cool and Dre 2:41
10 "Angel Sings 2" Young Hype 3:28

References

  1. ^ "Fat Joe – "Angels Sing 2" [LISTEN]". Hiphopwired.com. 3 December 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  2. ^ "Fat Joe pleads guilty to tax evasion on nearly $3 million in income, faces up to two years in jail". New York Daily News. 20 December 2012.
  3. ^ "Video: Fat Joe "Angels Say 2"". Complex Networks.
  4. ^ "New Video: Fat Joe "Ceilings To The Sky"". Rapradar.com. 21 February 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Fat Joe 'Goin' Down' for Tax Evasion with Four Months in Jail". MTV. Archived from the original on June 27, 2013.
  6. ^ FAT JOE [@fatjoe] (24 July 2013). "DARKSIDE 3 s/o ninth wonder this beat classic" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  7. ^ FAT JOE [@fatjoe] (29 July 2013). "on my to put the finishing touches on DARKSIDE 3 s/o street runner cool n dre ills da producer 9th wonder diamond d" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  8. ^ "Watch Fat Joe on the Breakfast Club". Xxlmag.com. 5 August 2013.
  9. ^ "Celebrities, Music, News, Entertainment, TV Shows & Videos". BET. Archived from the original on August 10, 2013.
  10. ^ "Fat Joe Returns to the Darkside with a Few Old Friends". MTV. Archived from the original on August 13, 2013.
  11. ^ "Listen: Fat Joe f/ Action Bronson "Your Honor" (Prod. DJ Premier)". Complex Networks.
  12. ^ "Fat Joe - Darkside 3 "The Intro" | Video". Worldstarhiphop.com.
  13. ^ "Fat Joe - Darkside III (Mixtape Review) | Read Hip Hop Reviews, Rap Reviews & Hip Hop Album Reviews | HipHop DX". Archived from the original on 2013-09-22. Retrieved 2013-09-22.