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Fat Joe

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Fat Joe
File:FatJoeAllOrNothing.jpg
Fat Joe, All or Nothing album cover
Background information
OriginThe Bronx, New York
Years active1993— (solo)

Jose Antonio Cartagena (born August 19, 1970), better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper of Puerto Rican and Cuban heritage. He has also been known as Fat Joe da Gangsta and Joey Crack.

History

Born in The Bronx, Joe was popular in the New York-underground hip hop scene during the early and mid-1990s. He was also a member of the D.I.T.C. Crew ("Diggin' in the Crates"), along with well-respected rappers Showbiz and A.G., Buckwild, O.C., Diamond D, Big L and Lord Finesse.

With 2001's release of Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.), Joe scored two back-to-back hits with "We Thuggin'", which featured R&B superstar R. Kelly singing the chorus and "What's Luv?", which featured up-and-coming R&B/pop star Ashanti on its chorus and went on to become one of 2002's biggest pop hits.

In late 2002, Joe released the album Loyalty and had a couple of small hits with "Crush Tonite" (featuring Ginuwine) and "All I Need". The rapper also has appeared in several films, including the 2002 film Empire with John Leguizamo and Peter Sarsgaard.

Fat Joe also released a Terror Squad self-titled album in September 1999. After several roster changes (including Big Pun's sudden death and Cuban Link's expulsion), the clique released a second album, True Story, in July 2004. The single "Lean Back", which featured only Fat Joe and new member Remy Ma (formerly known as Remy Martin), was an enormous smash hit, reaching #1 on Billboard Singles Chart. The song was later remixed by Lil' Jon, with a new verse from Joe and featuring Eminem, Ma$e, and Lil Jon.

In September 2004, a former bodyguard for Fat Joe was arrested and charged with a 1994 murder which the rapper had allegedly witnessed. According to the New York Times, Jose Mulero, thirty-eight, was charged with murder, tampering with evidence, and weapons charges, after being accused of shooting Ernesto Rivera, sixteen, on April 15 1994. Joe was investigated for ties to the shooting,

In late 2004, Fat Joe scored another radio hit with his verse on Ja Rule's "New York", also featuring Jadakiss and a chorus taken from KRS-One's "100 Guns". In his verse, Ja Rule takes thinly-veiled potshots at 50 Cent, adding another chapter to their well-publicized feud. However, this led to further controversy as 50 Cent assumed that by collaborating with Ja Rule, his enemy, Joe and Jada were now aligning themselves against him and included them both in his new diss track, "Piggy Bank" (See Conflict with 50 Cent for further details).

Fat Joe's new solo album, All or Nothing, [1]. The first single was "So Much More". The music video features an appearance by DJ Kay Slay, who has also called himself the "black Fat Joe". The second single, the Scott Storch-produced "Get It Poppin'", features Nelly. It was used as the theme song for WWE 2005 SummerSlam.

Conflict with 50 Cent

50 Cent attacked Fat Joe in his 2005 song "Piggy Bank", from The Massacre. Angered by Joe's collaboration with Ja Rule, 50 said "that fat nigga thought 'Lean Back' was "In Da Club"/My shit sold 11 mil, his shit was a dud". (Ironically, 50's mentor Eminem performed on a remix of "Lean Back" before the feud between Joe and 50 came along.)

Fat Joe went on record as being confused by 50's anger towards him, but also stated that he would not stand by idly while being slandered. He also suggested that he and 50 Cent meet in New York and have a fistfight. Most interestingly, he attacked 50's street credibility, claiming that 50 had never literally appeared "in the club", while Fat Joe has built his reputation on live club performances. He offered one thousand dollars to anybody who would come forward with a picture of 50 Cent in a nightclub. No attempts have been publicly made towards taking the $1,000 prize. Within days of "Piggy Bank" leaking, an untitled response from Fat Joe had appeared online with the chorus being sung to the tune of The Flintstones's theme song. Mp3 versions were variously titled "Fake Gangsta", "Fuck 50", and simply "Fat Joe 50 Dis Track". It was finally officially released as "My Fofo" (referring to a .44 Magnum) as a bonus track on All or Nothing, along with the "Lean Back" remix featuring Eminem and Lil Jon.

Personal information

It is believed that Fat Joe shaves his head bald as a hairstyle. He can been seen sporting a very short Caesar cut in his earlier music videos.

He was best friends with Big Pun, who he always referred to as "Twinsito" or simply "Twin". Fat Joe paid for the funeral of Big Pun. He stated that Jennifer Lopez was the first one to call him, after the tragic death of his close friend. He has said of Pun, "I'm used to young people dying by gettin' shot. Ya know, a lot of my friends have died by gettin' shot, killed, or an accident. But I've never seen a young nigga die 'cause he was fat."

In 2005, he overcame his fear of flying when he traveled by plane for the first time,[2] a move that may have been prompted by taunting from G-Unit founding member Tony Yayo ("Fat Joe ain't a gangsta, he scared to fly"). Also in 2005, he donated 20 computers and a media lab to the elementary school he attended in the Bronx.[3]

On October 24, 2006, he decided to visit the students of University High School in Orlando, Florida, because of the murder of Michael Nieves, a student from this high school. In his speech he cheered all to keep studying, to be united and to learn that the lyrics of the music are for entertainment, not to make them reality. Many teachers were surprised with the students behavior because they listened to Fat Joe.

Discography

Albums

Singles

See also

Notes

  1. ^ http://www.nobodysmiling.com/hiphop/news/86671.php
  2. ^ "Fat Joe Visits 'Last Call'", June 23, 2005; includes unofficial transcript of Fat Joe's interview on Last Call with Carson Daly (June 22, 2005)
  3. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0196117/bio
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