To be a veteran in the rap game is a tough task, especially in an industry where most careers are short-lived. It’s funny because when you look at the majority of hip-hop artists, it sometimes seem as though they worked their entire lives to just drop one album. Many things happen as to why short-lived careers happen. Label disputes, bad-contracts, artists get black-balled or even laziness. Whatever the case maybe simply said for every Nas, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, and Fat Joe, many emcees come and go with the snap of a finger.

Taking all into consideration of what was just mentioned is a valid reason why you have to respect Fat Joe. Joseph Cartagena is on his 10th studio album, been in the game for over 15th years, drops a smash record every year, the list goes on. Not only that he puts people on which you can't argue and a fact you can never deny. From Remy Ma, Cool & Dre, Scott Storch, and yes DJ Khaled as well! When it’s all said and done looking at Joe Crack's catalogue it now can be understand why he deserves credit as a hip-hop legend.

The new album " The Darkside" is one where Fat Joe goes hard for the streets. Keeping it hardcore the intro to the album is a street certified banger produced by Scram Jones. Joe goes in providing a slew of catchy street lines over a darkish sound in which he provides the great voice and cadence he's known for. Yes he spits for about two minutes but that's just enough for a great intro telling his street tales to suck in your ears as a listener as it instantly grabs your attention.

Following up Fat Joe keeps it street on "Valley of Death". One thing that is a talent itself for any artist is beat selection which has always been one of Joe's strengths his entire career. Cool and Dre dishes Joe an ill beat lacing a dope sample over The Montclairs classic record "Do I Stand a Chance". Lyrically the song is great and you have to love Joe's boasting about his respect in the streets as he rhymes in the first verse, "I call my crew the darkside, we all ride, keep them other crews runnin, runnin', like the Pharcyde."

Continuing into the album many street-tale loving hip-hop heads would love to find out that Fat Joe, Cam'ron, and the Clipse are on the same track. The record titled "Kilo" falls into the coke-rap fad on pushing and selling that hard white. While the record gave you solid verses from each artist, it still seemed something was missing from the record to make it great and not just average. "Kilo" didn't live up to its full potential.

Don't get it twisted though one record does not ruin the whole album and soon right after that album explodes. The radio hit "Haha (Slow Down) featuring Young Jeezy is definitely for the summer. As proven over and over again Fat Joe once again provides us with his hit record something he's done for the last decade. Produced by up and coming beat-maker Scoop DeVille, Joe and Jeezy's chemistry was a perfect connection. The clubs love this banger and it always feels good to go for a cruise blasting this hit as well because it just makes you feel good.

The album title definitely lived up to its dark street anthem filled material on the project. Listening to the album you can understand why Joe named it "The Darkside".  Receiving a crafty beat from Just Blaze, Fat Joe offers a self-narrative story speaking as if he was a living crack cap on "Crack". Joe breaks down the infamous drug terror in the urban community, ruthless history, and all the damage down since its existence. Take for instance when he spits "In the 80's I made so many premature babies, put n**** in Mercedes, strapped with 380's."

Of course we have to respect Joe Crack's run in the game as well all know consistence is very difficult in a business where most careers are gone like the wind. The cut "How Did We Get Here" features R. Kelly is where Joe gets personal on his life experience. It was great to see Joe reflect back on all the ups and downs through the years. R. Kelly indeed provides good vocals on the hook which brings out the essence of Joes's blood, sweat, and tears on the way to the top.

 Listening to the DJ Premier cut "I'm Gone" is one of the albums best records. The rhyme patterns on each verse are just phenomenal and the gritty sound goes hard over another Premier classic. To sum it all up in retrospect, "The Darkside" is one project that only adds to the great catalogue that Fat Joe has gave hip-hop through the years.