Fat Joe Thrilled to Host the BET Hip Hop Awards 2024: 'One Big Epicenter of Anthems' (Exclusive)
The New York rapper tells PEOPLE what fans can expect ahead of this year's show
Fat Joe is back for the BET Hip Hop Awards 2024!
PEOPLE recently spoke to the “Paradise” rapper, 54, ahead of the annual award show — which was pre-taped on Oct. 8 at Drai’s Beachclub & Nightclub in Las Vegas — and is airing Tuesday, Oct. 15.
With performances by 310babii, 2 Chainz, Big Boogie featuring GloRilla, Bossman DLow, E-40 and Juicy J, plus Soulja Boy featuring Roscoe Dash, and Trina featuring Yung Miami, Fat Joe tells PEOPLE exclusively that this year’s show has something for everyone.
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“It's just one big epicenter of anthems,” the “Lean Back” rapper says. “And so all the anthems that ever got you from when you was young to now, it's all spread out in there. And your favorites — Soulja Boy, Roscoe Dash. They up in there.”
The Bronx-born rapper tells PEOPLE he considers himself to be “from the E-40 era,” name-dropping the West Coast rapper that rose to prominence in the mid-'90s.
“It was a legendary night, yeah, a lot of new acts,” he adds.
When asked about Trina and Yung Miami, both female rappers from the same Florida city, but different times, hitting the stage together, Fat Joe tells PEOPLE, “They killed it.”
Another big name that fans can expect to see this year is Travis Scott.
The “Sicko Mode” rapper, 33, received the BET Hip Hop Awards 2024 prestigious "I Am Hip Hop Award," presented to him by Teyana Taylor and Tyla.
According to a press release, “Scott was celebrated for his creative genius, cultural contributions, and incredible talent, which have catapulted him to the top of the game as one of the most innovative forces in music and popular culture.”
Fat Joe tells PEOPLE, “He deserves it.”
“He brought a whole new style to the game. A lot of people don't know he was behind many hits from Kanye West, you know. So this guy paid a lot of dues, and he deserves it. And I love his speech. When you see his speech, you're going to love it, too,” the “What’s Luv” artist adds.
Related: Fat Joe Says He ‘Cut Carbs’ and Uses Ozempic to Maintain 200-Lb. Weight Loss
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The BET Hip Hop Awards 2024 marks Fat Joe’s third time hosting the event.
“It's a lot of hard work,” he tells PEOPLE of his career’s longevity. “I'm saying so this is years and years of always working and staying focused and keeping relationships and being out there and making music and being part of the culture, whether it's a Verzuz, whether it's a coaching basketball in the street parks, it's, just being out there, being relevant with the people, or where people know your name.”
“Since 1993 it's not an easy thing. But, you know, I just had breakfast with Too Short’s manager, and I'm like, ‘Damn, when I was a kid, I looked up to Too Short,’ so look at somebody like Too Short to E-40. They were here before me. So, to see them perform and get their flowers in 2024 is amazing to me.”
BET Hip Hop Awards 2024 will be simulcast on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET, BET HER, VH1 and MTV2.
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