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| Birth Name(s) : Joseph Cartagena |
Date of Birth: N/A |
| Status:
Single
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Partner:
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| Profession:
Rapping |
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Full Fat Joe Biography
Fat Joe was born named Joseph Antonio Cartagena. He grew up in a poor section of Bronx, New York. As a youngster he began rapping and came into frequent contact with future stars Big Pun and Jennifer Lopez.
Joe founded his own label Terror Squad Entertainment. He was one of the first rappers to come out with his own record label. He would sign the himself and the label to Relativity Records. Fat Joe originally called himself Fat Joe Da Gangsta. Soon after signing to Relativity Records, he began recording material and working with many artists in which he would sign to his label. Fat Joe was first a part of the D.I.T.C. crew. He then left to officially start on his solo career, and form his own group to be on his label, Terror Squad. Terror Squad consisted of the late Joe Protzman, Big Pun, Cuban Link, Triple Seis, Prospect, Armageddon and later Remy Ma.
Triple Seis,Cuban Link, and Remy Ma disputed Fat Joe and leave the Terror Squadgroup and label. All three cite their reason as not releasing a solo album, not being promoted as individuals artists, and due to Joe's controlling nature. For example, Joe forbade Remy Ma from hanging around his arch-nemises50 Cent.
While rapping under the Fat Joe Da Gangsta moniker, he released his debut album Represent on Relativity and his Terror Squad label. Represent was released on July 27, 1993. The album featured production from The Beatnuts, most notably Diamond D, Lord Finesse, Showbiz and Chilly Dee. The album featured only a few guest appearances from the likes of Diamond D, Grand Puba, Apache, Gismo, Keith Keith, King Sun, and a notable appearance from rap legend Kool G Rap. There were also DJ scratches from Roc Raida and Rob Swift. The album did not sell very well, but was considered a hip hop classic as it was recorded during the golden era. It featured the #1 hit single "Flow Joe", which was the only major single. Represent also featured minor hits "Watch The Sound" and its remix, along with the single "This Shit Is Real". It remains the lowest selling album by Fat Joe.
In an effort to further showcase the artists on his Terror Squad label he released their self-titled debut album Terror Squad. Although listed as his fourth album, the album featured less of Fat Joe and more of the artists on his Terror Squad artists. It was released on September 21, 1999. The Terror Squad album was considered a critical success. It featured an overall notable performance from Big Pun as the album went gold behind the success of its first and only single "Whatcha Gon Do". Terror Squad is considered a group success as it is a very personal album with no guest appearances outside of the Terror Squad label.
This album will be the first Terror Squad compilation album to not be released on SRC Records, (the label that Joe went to after he felt his label's compilations under Atlantic Records were mishandled). This is all apart of his new exclusive distribution deal with Imperial Records and Virgin Records.
Fat Joe is currently married to Lorena and they have two kids. The family currently resides mainly in Florida and own a home in New Jersey as well. He also has a son named Ryan from a past relationship.
In 1992, Fat Joe created his own record label, Terror Squad Entertainment. At this point in hip hop it was unusual for a rapper to come with his own record label in which Joe was one of the first to do so. In 1993, he got the label signed to a distribution deal with Relativity Records. He would keep the label under Relativity until 1996, when he would move the label to Atlantic Records, where he would sign local rappers Prospect and Armageddon. He would also sign hip hop phenom Big Pun with whom he would become very close to as he would release albums by Pun. In 1999, in an attempt to further market the label and create hype for the artists he released a compilation album by the label. From this label he has released albums by Remy Ma, DJ Khaled, himself, and Big Pun. From the revenue off of the success of this label, Fat Joe has made himself a multi-millionaire. In order to save money, he moved his label over to EMI where he funds all album expenses and they just distribute it.
Fat Joe is also one of the spokespeople for the popular cell phones Boost Mobile and a spokesman for Pepsi Cola.
KRS-One | Brand Nubian | DJ Premier | Milano | Terror Squad | The Ghetto Dwellaz |
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