Just as Ice Cube was in Game 2 for the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees fans hoped Fat Joe would serve as a good luck charm for the team ahead of Game 3 of the 2024 World Series on Monday (October 28).

Joey Crack took the field in a pair of signature brown Timberland boots to warm up the over 40,000 fans at Yankee Stadium. Wearing a Yankees letterman jacket and matching NYY x Terror Squad cap, the Bronx native has adapted some lyrics from his hits to fit the baseball theme and represent his hometown team. Joe opened the set with his anthem “Lean Back” before segueing into “New York” by Ja Rule and closing with “All the Way Up.”

During his performance, Fat Joe made his way to the pitcher’s mound – which must have given the members of the fielding team a collective heart attack – where he named several Yankee legends after Derek Jeter threw out the honorable first pitch to get the fans cheering for the third game to prepare.

“Even when Fat Joe came out, the fans’ body language was like, ‘Damn!’ I thought, ‘What’s going on here?’ “Are we in a funeral yet?” said David Ortiz, an analyst at MLB Fox Sports and a former Boston Red Sox player.

Many fans seemed taken aback by the performance as many remained seated. Others roasted Joe and the Yankees on social media. “Fat Joe opening for the Yankees might be one of the worst things I’ve ever seen,” one person tweeted.

Another agreed: “I’m not a hater BUT Fat Joe playing for the Yankees might be one of the worst things I’ve ever seen. “I think they got him 50% OFF in the SALE.”

Even die-hard Yankees fan Desus Nice was dissatisfied, tweeting, “Good morning to everyone except Fat Joe and his Trump sneakers!”

Some wondered why they couldn’t get fellow New York rappers like Jay-Z or 50 Cent to come over. Hov previously performed “Empire State of Mind” at Yankee Stadium before Game 2 of the 2009 World Series, marking NYY’s last appearance in the Fall Classic.

But it wasn’t all bad news for the rapper. Some fans chimed in to show their support on social media. “For me, no matter the result, we won @fatjoe,” one fan wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of the player on the field.

“BIG Bronx showed up!” another captioned a snap of Big Joe’s performance, adding a “100” and fist bump emojis.

Unfortunately, Joe’s performance couldn’t help the Yankees win, as the team now faces a 3-0 deficit against the Dodgers. The Yankees’ hitters remained largely quiet late into the night and suffered a 4-2 loss on Monday night.

Fat Joe and the NYY will try to avoid a win against the Dodgers in Game 4 on Tuesday night (October 29). No performances are planned before the game.

Watch Fat Joe’s performance below.