Fat Joe 

Puerto Rican and Cuban rap star Fat Joe has found incredible success both as a hip hop artist and an entrepreneur. He is known for his single “Lean Back” as well as his numerous and impressive musical collaborations.

Joseph Antonio Cartagena, known popularly as Fat Joe, was born August 19, 1970 in the Bronx, New York. As a child growing up in an economically depressed area, he was within proximity and even in direct contact with future stars such as Big Pun and Jennifer Lopez. From an early age, Cartagena expressed an interest in rapping. Unfortunately, he also expressed an interest in the gang lifestyle. He sold drugs, for which he was arrested several times, before realizing hip hop was the real direction he wanted to take his life.

Founding Terror Squad Entertainment, Cartagena is one of the forerunners of rap stars starting their own record label. He entered the music business as Fat Joe Da Gangsta. Eventually signing to Relativity Records, Cartagena began with DITC crew before pursuing a solo career.

He did begin the composite group Terror Squad specifically for his label, however, consisting of Big Pun, Triple Seis, Prospect, Armageddon, Remy Ma, and Cuban Link. Tensions within the band, and rumors of Cartagena’s controlling nature, eventually split the band apart.

Cartagena’s first album hit the shelves in 1993. Represent contained the single “Flow Joe,” and while it holds a special hip hop status, sales floundered. His follow up album Jealous One’s Envy came two years later. It did even worse in the charts and in the sale numbers. Its greatest claim to fame was the single “Envy,” which peaked at number eight on the charts.

1998, however, would prove to be his breakout year. Releasing an album under Atlantic Records, Don Cartagena was a huge success. This was aided by notable guest appearances on the album such as Nas, Raekwon, Puff Daddy, and Bone Thugs N Harmony. Despite more impressive sales, major critical backing still eluded Cartagena.

1999’s album Terror Squad finally earned that praise. Urged by the single “Whatcha Gon Do,” the album went gold. Widely considered a comeback album, Jealous Ones Still Envy came out in 2001 with vocal appearances by Ashanti, Ja Rule, Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, R Kelly, and others. The major airtime of “What’s Luv” propelled the album into platinum status.

Loyalty followed in 2002 as well as True Story in 2004, which contained his most popular single to date, “Lean Back.” He quickly released All or Nothing in 2005, where his noted feud with fellow rapper 50 Cent was said to originate.

2006 brought a major stumbling block with the album Me Myself & I, which was so poorly received, it did not even certify. Never slowing, he has two albums in the work, both due for a 2008 release.

Branching out into other venues, Cartagena is also the spokesperson for Pepsi. In the film arena, he appeared opposite Ice Cube in Thicker Than Water (1999) as well as Prison Song with Mary J Blige. In a surprise move, he even lent his voice the family oriented animated film Happy Feet with other voice talents Robin Williams, Elijah Wood, Brittany Murphy, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Hugo Weaving, and others.

In his personal life, he and his wife Lorena have two children together. He also has a son, Ryan, from a former relationship.