Joseph Antonio Cartagena, who is known to rap fans under the creative pseudonym Fat Joe, began his musical career as a member of the Diggin' in the Crates Crew (DITC).
He began his stellar journey in the early 1990s. Today Fat Joe is known as a solo artist. Joseph has his own recording studio. In addition, he proved himself to be an excellent entrepreneur.
Childhood and youth of Fat Joe
Joseph Antonio Cartagena, despite his publicity, is a very secretive person. Almost nothing is known about his childhood and youth. However, the rapper failed to hide an indisputable fact - he was born on August 19, 1970 in New York.
The rapper did not hide the fact that his childhood can hardly be called happy. He was brought up in one of the most criminal areas of his city. There was poverty, crime and absolute anarchy.
To help his family, Joseph began to steal from adolescence. In his biography there is a place for a "dirty" story. He dealt in illegal drugs. At that time it was the only chance to earn big money.
Passion for music began in adolescence. Joseph was introduced to hip-hop by his brother. Interestingly, it was he who contributed to the emergence of the creative pseudonym Fat Joe da Gangsta, and later attached him to the DITC team
Thanks to the work in the team, Joseph had a wealth of experience in the musical field. Touring activities, days on end in a recording studio, the "concept" of hip-hop culture - all this contributed to the fact that the rapper began to dream of a solo career.
The creative path of the rapper
In the early 1990s, the performer had already made several attempts to build a solo career. Soon he signed a lucrative recording contract with Relativity Records.
Joseph was a very hardworking rapper. In 1993, he expanded his discography with his debut album. We are talking about the collection Represent. The "pearl" of the LP was the composition Flow Joe. The track reached the top of the Billboard Hot Rap Singles.
On the wave of popularity, he began work on his second studio album. The album was only released in 1995. The second album in a row was called Jealous One's Envy. It hit the top 10 in the R&B and hip hop charts. The rapper's creativity was noted at the highest level.
After the work done, the authority of Fat Joe has been significantly strengthened. In the same period of time, Joseph and several other rappers took part in the remix of the track LL Cool JI Shot Ya. The musicians got acquainted with the work of a colleague, who is known to the public under the creative pseudonym Big Pun. In the late 1990s, it was this rapper who helped Joseph record a new LP. This is the third studio album by Don Cartagena.
Collaboration and close friendship resulted in the fact that colleagues created a creative association. The brainchild of rappers was called Terror Squad. In addition to musicians, the team included: Prospect, Armageddon, Remy Ma and Triple Seis.
In the early 2000s, another novelty “cheered up” Joseph's discography. The new album is called Jealous Ones Still Envy (JOSE). It was a hit in the "top ten". Interestingly, this particular disc eventually became the most commercial album in Fat Joe's discography. The rapper became more successful, and his possibilities practically knew no bounds.
Signing with Virgin Records
Collaborations, shooting clips, large-scale tours, recording singles and albums. It was at this pace that Joseph spent more than 10 years. He slowed down a bit and announced that fans would see the new LP no earlier than 2006.
In the same 2006, the performer signed a contract with the record label Virgin Records. Soon he released an interesting work. We are talking about the disc Me, Myself & I.
The new LP The Elephant in the Room, distributed by Terror Squad Entertainment, is the first album to reach #1 on the Billboard 200.
Soon the rapper presented the second part of the collection to the fans. The record was called Jealous Ones Still Envy. She also took a ranking position in the prestigious chart.
The personal life of a rapper
The personal life of the star has developed more than successfully. The performer has repeatedly said that in childhood he was deprived of parental care and guardianship. When Joseph met his wife Lauren, and later proposed to her, he finally understood what a real family is.
Lauren gave birth to the rapper two wonderful children. In the artist's social networks, joint photos with his wife and children often appear. The couple loves restaurants and cafes. Joseph is not indifferent to delicious food and quality alcohol.
The singer did not follow the diet for a long time. He suffered from obesity and never thought it was a problem. However, after his close friend and colleague Big Pun passed away from a heart attack, which was caused by obesity, he began to think about his own health.
Today, Joseph is watching the diet. Photos of delicious and healthy dishes often appear in his accounts. The performer noticeably lost weight, adding sports and proper nutrition to his life.
Fat Joe is currently
In 2019, he added another “delicious” musical novelty to his discography. The rapper's album was called Family Ties. The record was very warmly received by both fans and music critics.
The rapper lost weight and announced that it was finally time to actively tour the country. In 2020, he failed to complete his plans due to the coronavirus pandemic. Most of Joseph's concerts will take place in 2021.
