Fat Joe/ Da Fat Gangsta/ Don Cartagena/ Joey Crack
Real Name:
Joseph Antonio Cartagena
Occupation:
Rapper, Songwriter, Actor, Record Executive, Producer, and Businessman
Date Of Birth/Age:
19 August 1970 (53 Years Old)
Place of Birth:
The Bronx, New York City
Gender:
Male
Nationality:
American
Marital Status:
Divorced
Education:
Morris High School
Height:
5Ft 11In
Net Worth:
$6M
Fat Joe Biography
Joseph Antonio Cartagena, better known as Fat Joe, was born on August 19, 1970, and raised in the Bronx, New York City. With a Puerto Rican and Cuban heritage, he grew up in the Forest Houses, a public housing project in Morrisania. Unfortunately, due to financial struggles, Fat Joe stole at a young age to support his family. He also admitted to being a bully in his childhood and attended Morris High School. Thankfully, his older brother introduced him to music, and he was exposed to Latin and Zulu music. Fat Joe was heavily influenced by the music of ‘Furious Five,’ ‘Funky 4 + 1,’ and ‘Theodore’ during his early years. He found inspiration in his surroundings, which helped him to write lyrics.
The rapper’s parents’ names are Ernesto Delgado and Marie Cartagena. They take pride in their Puerto Rican-American and Cuban American heritage.
Siblings
No comprehensive information about his siblings is available, but it is known that he has an older brother named Andre, who introduced him to the world of music.
Children
The couple has three lovely children named Ryan, Joey, and Azariah.
Wife
According to reports, he and Lorena Cartagena were married, but it’s believed that they separated in 2012.
Lifestyle
During the early 1990s, he became a part of the D.I.T.C. (Diggin In The Crates crew) and signed a contract with Relativity Records. Using the stage name “Fat Joe da Gangsta,” he released his debut album, “Represent,” in 1993. The album featured works from artists like Diamond D., Lord Finesse, and The Beatnuts. “Flow Joe,” the lead single from the album, climbed to the top spot on the “Billboard Hop Rap Singles” chart. Other popular singles from the same album included “Watch the Sound” and “This Shit is Real.”
In 1995, Fat Joe released his second album, “Jealous One’s Envy,” which featured collaborations with Diamond D. and the highly acclaimed artist KRS-One. The album’s single, “Envy,” climbed to number 8 on the “Hot Rap Tracks” chart. Additionally, the album featured “Watch Out,” a track with Latino rapper Big Pun, whose music had significantly influenced Fat Joe since his teenage years. Fat Joe also contributed to other artists’ recordings, such as LL Cool J.
In 1998, he joined ‘Atlantic Records’ and released his third album, ‘Don Cartagena.’ This album peaked at number 7 on the ‘Billboard 200,’ earning a gold certification from the RIAA. Notable features on the album included Big Pun, Diddy, Raekwon, Jadakiss, and the debut of Joe’s group, ‘Terror Squad,’ consisting of Carbon Link, Triple Seis, Prospect, Late Big Pun, Armageddon, and Remy Ma (who joined later). The album’s most popular singles were ‘Don Cartagena’ and ‘Bet Ya Man Can’t Triz.’ In 1999, Joe collaborated with Jennifer Lopez on her single ‘Feelin’ So Good.’
In 2001, Fat Joe released his fourth album titled “Jealous Ones Still Envy” (J.O.S.E.), which featured an impressive lineup of artists, including Irv Gotti, Ja Rule, Ludacris, Ashanti, R. Kelly, Busta Rhymes, Buju Banton, and others. This album was his most successful one to date and was certified platinum. One of the most popular singles from the album was R. Kelly’s “We Thuggin,” while Irv Gotti’s “What’s Luv?” featuring Ja Rule and Ashanti was also a significant hit. Unfortunately, Fat Joe’s fifth album, “Loyalty,” released in 2002, did not perform as well commercially as his previous one. However, in 2004, he collaborated with the “Terror Squad” for their second album titled “True Story,” and the song “Lean Back,” featuring Joe and Remy Ma, became a massive hit.
In 2005, Joe released his sixth album, ‘All or Nothing,’ featuring Eminem, Nelly, R. Kelly, and Mase guest appearances. The album also included the track ‘My Fofo,’ which criticized fellow New York rapper 50 Cent. This resulted in a feud between the two, with 50 Cent responding with his song ‘Piggy Bank.’ In 2006, Joe released his seventh album, ‘Me, Myself & I,’ which marked his first release under a new label, Virgin Records. The album boasted the hit single ‘Make It Rain’ featuring Lil Wayne. Joe’s eighth solo album, ‘The Elephant In The Room,’ distributed by Imperial Records, debuted at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Fat Joe’s ninth album, “J.O.S.E.2”, debuted on the “Billboard 200” at number 73. The album showcased collaborations with artists such as Fabolous, Ron Browz, Lil’ Kim, and T-Rain, featuring Akon’s “One” as its first single. In July 2010, Fat Joe released his next album, “The Darkside Vol. 1” under his label “E1,” which reached number 27 on the “Billboard 200.” The album included hit singles like “(Ha Ha) Slow Down” and “If It Ain’t About Money.” Besides his work, he contributed to other artists’ projects and appeared on a remix of DJ Khaled’s “Welcome To My Hood.” In 2011, Fat Joe released his first mixtape, “The Darkside Vol. 2.”
Joe released two singles, “Another Round” and “Yellow Tape,” from his eleventh studio album in the same year. It had been nearly a decade since he had a “Top 40” hit, but he achieved this with his single “All the Way Up,” which reached number 27 on the “Hot 100” chart. The song was part of the album “Plato O Plomo” (2017) and featured Fat Joe and Remy Ma. In 2018, he released his eleventh solo album, “Family Ties,” which included the single “Pick It Up” with Dre.
In addition to a few films, such as “Empire,” “Happy Feet,” and “Thicker than Water,” Fat Joe has also made appearances in the Netflix series “She’s Gotta Have It” (2017–present). Along with his singing career, he has also experimented in businesses like a barbershop, a clothes store called “Fat Joe’s Halftime,” and a fashion line called “FJ560.” Joe was astonished and devastated when rapper Big Pun,’ whose music he adored, passed away at 28 due to being overweight, and he decided to lose weight. Later, he worked hard and dropped 88 pounds.
In 1998, He was arrested for stealing a gold chain, and later that year, in September, they and Big Pun were arrested on assault charges. Additionally, they have acted as a witness in murder cases. Subsequently, between August and November of 2013, Fat Joe served a four-month prison sentence for tax evasion. He admitted to neglecting to pay income tax on over $3 million from 2007 to 2010.
In 2018, he took on the role of hosting a podcast called Coca Vision on Tidal. In this podcast, he engages with some of the most entertaining voices in the music industry and shares his thoughts on music, friendships, and pop culture. In late 2019, he plans to release his upcoming Family Ties album. Fat Joe has been nominated four times for ‘Grammy Awards’ and once for ‘MTV Video Music Awards.’ In 2005, he won an ‘ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Award’ for his hit song ‘What’s Luv?’; in 2006, he earned a ‘Billboard Latin Music Award’ for ‘I Don’t Care/Que Mas Da (Dance Remixes).’
Net Worth
The American rapper and singer has an estimated net worth of $6 million.
Cars
Fat Joe has a collection of high-end vehicles, including a Range Rover, a Toyota Corolla, and a Chevrolet that he mainly prefers.
House
Fat Joe is primarily based in New York, where he conducts his business and owns multiple real estate assets, including his New York City residence. He also holds properties in Los Angeles and Chicago.
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