Fat Joe

Joseph Antonio Cartagena was born on August 19, 1970, in New York City and was raised in the South Bronx. His father was Cuban and his mother was Puerto Rican. He grew up in the Forest Houses public housing project in Morrisania and has described stealing during his youth to support his family, as well as bullying other children.

His older brother Angel introduced him to hip-hop music. Cartagena was influenced by New York artists and groups including Theodore, Funky 4+1 and the Furious Five, and later identified with the effort to create greater visibility for Latino artists in hip-hop.

Cartagena began performing as Fat Joe da Gangsta and joined Diggin' in the Crates Crew, also known as D.I.T.C., a group formed by producer Diamond D. After appearing at the Apollo Theater's Amateur Night in 1991, he signed with Relativity Records. His debut album, Represent, was released in 1993 and produced the single "Flow Joe", which reached number one on Billboard's Hot Rap Songs chart. He followed it with Jealous One's Envy in 1995.

Cartagena signed with Atlantic Records in the late 1990s and created Terror Squad Entertainment. His 1998 album Don Cartagena introduced the Terror Squad group, whose members included Big Pun, Cuban Link, Triple Seis, Prospect, Armageddon, Tony Sunshine and, later, Remy Ma. Cartagena executive produced and appeared on Big Pun's 1998 debut album Capital Punishment.

His 2001 album Jealous Ones Still Envy became his best-selling album and was certified platinum by the RIAA. Its single "What's Luv?", featuring Ja Rule and Ashanti, reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2004, Terror Squad released True Story, led by "Lean Back", a collaboration with Remy Ma that topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks. Other major singles include "Make It Rain" with Lil Wayne and "All the Way Up" with Remy Ma, French Montana and Infared.

Cartagena reunited with D.I.T.C. for the 2016 album Sessions and with Remy Ma for the 2017 collaborative album Plata O Plomo. He also released Family Ties with producer Dre in 2019 and The World Changed on Me in 2024. The latter included appearances by Remy Ma, Chris Rock, Dre, DJ Khaled, Anitta and Babyface and was dedicated to his late brother Angel.

Cartagena's collaborations with Ja Rule, including "What's Luv?" and the 2004 single "New York" with Jadakiss, contributed to a highly publicized feud with 50 Cent. 50 Cent responded with the diss track "Piggy Bank", while Cartagena answered with "My Fofo" on his 2005 album All or Nothing. The dispute also surfaced during the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards.

The feud was publicly ended when Cartagena and 50 Cent performed together at the 2012 BET Hip Hop Awards tribute to their mutual manager Chris Lighty. DJ Kay Slay later brought them together on the 2014 track "Free Again".

Cartagena has acted in films including Thicker Than Water, Empire, Scary Movie 3, Happy Feet, Night School and Hustle. He provided the voice and likeness of his character, Crack, for the Def Jam: Fight for NY video game series and appeared as Winny Win Winford in Spike Lee's Netflix series She's Gotta Have It.

In 2018, he created and hosted Coca Vision, a Tidal podcast focused on music, friendships and popular culture. He later hosted The Fat Joe Show on Revolt and the interview series Fat Joe Talks on Starz. In 2021, he and Ja Rule participated in an online Verzuz battle, and in 2025 Cartagena reunited with Jadakiss to launch the podcast Joe and Jada, covering music, entrepreneurship and sports.

Cartagena launched the urban clothing line FJ560 in 1995, although the company was dissolved by the end of the decade. In 2016, he opened the sneaker store Up NYC in Harlem, which later expanded to three locations.

He also launched a men's beard and hair-coloring collection with It's a 10 Haircare in 2023. His business activities have accompanied his work as a rapper, record executive, media host and performer.

Cartagena has been married to Lorena Cartagena since 1995. They met in 1993 at a Miami nightclub after music executive Steve Lobel introduced them. Lorena later worked as his stylist during the period surrounding the success of "What's Luv?".

The couple have a daughter named Azariah. Cartagena also has two sons from previous relationships, Joey and Ryan. He has discussed raising Joey, who has autism and Down syndrome, and appeared with his son Ryan on Growing Up Hip Hop: New York.

Cartagena has supported educational and youth initiatives in New York and New Jersey. In 2009, he spoke at a "School is Cool" assembly at a public school in Jersey City. In 2011, he joined Newark mayor Cory Booker and fitness expert Jeff Halevy at an event promoting Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative.

In 2016, Cartagena returned to his former Bronx elementary school and donated 20 computers and a media lab with support from Microsoft. He also attended the opening of the Hip Hop Soda Shop in Miami, a youth outreach project that provided space for music recording, computer use and recreation.

Cartagena pleaded guilty in December 2012 to tax evasion involving unpaid income tax on more than $3 million earned between 2007 and 2010. He was sentenced to four months in federal prison in June 2013, began serving the sentence in August and was released in November of that year.