Every so often, a story from hip-hop history surfaces that reminds us just how real things used to get beyond the music. Common recently opened up about one such moment, a time when his feud with Ice Cube and Mack 10 almost turned deadly, and Fat Joe literally saved his life.
This story isn’t about bragging rights or chart battles. It’s about loyalty, timing, and what happens when egos and reputations clash in the middle of hip-hop’s most intense era. Common’s reflections shine a light on how quickly a lyrical beef can spill into the streets, and how one act of intervention can change everything.
If you love real rap stories and want to understand the true meaning of brotherhood in hip-hop, this is one you’ll want to read through, because Fat Joe didn’t just talk about peace; he made it happen.
Common recalls the day Fat Joe saved his life during his beef with Ice Cube and Mack 10
In a new episode of Joe and Jada, Common revisited one of the most dangerous moments of his career. During the mid-’90s, his beef with Ice Cube and Mack 10 was a headline topic in hip-hop. It all started after Common dropped “I Used to Love H.E.R.,” a track that many on the West Coast took as a jab. Ice Cube and Mack 10 fired back, and Common answered with his now-legendary diss track “The B*tch in Yoo.”
Years later, while filming a commercial in Los Angeles, Common found himself back in the crossfire. He explained that one of his Chicago friends reignited the old tensions that were supposed to be buried.
"“I was out on the West Coast with my guy… but he was my guy and he just wasn't happy with the whole situation, the whole Ice Cube, Mack 10 beef that we had.” "Common
Despite Common’s insistence that the beef was over, his friend “started ruffling shit,” and the atmosphere quickly turned tense. That’s when Fat Joe stepped in.
"“It's not 'cause Fat Joe is tougher than anybody, I literally begged for your life. I literally got in the middle, and was like, 'He's my friend. He's my brother.'”"Fat Joe
Joe’s intervention calmed things down, and Common says that moment likely saved his life. He later reflected: “That brother kinda saved my life. Fat Joe saved my life.”
This story goes beyond music; it’s a real reminder of how fragile peace in hip-hop can be, and how acts of loyalty can still define its legacy.