Artists / Boom-Bap

Fat Joe

Fat Joe is a boom-bap and hip-pop artist from South Bronx, New York.

South Bronx rapper of D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad, behind "Lean Back" and one of the first Latino stars in hip-hop.

Key albums
RepresentJealous One's EnvyDon CartagenaJealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.)True Story (Terror Squad)
Key tracks
Flow JoeWhat's Luv? (with Ashanti and Ja Rule)Lean Back (Terror Squad)Make It Rain (with Lil Wayne)All the Way Up (with Remy Ma)

Who is Fat Joe?

Fat Joe (Joseph Cartagena) is a rapper from the South Bronx, New York, of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent. He is part of the crew Diggin' in the Crates (D.I.T.C.) and founded Terror Squad.

Known for

His debut Represent (1993), with "Flow Joe", and his later hits "What's Luv?" (2001), "Lean Back" with Terror Squad (2004), which went to number one, and "All the Way Up" (2016). He also gave Big Pun his big break.

Style

A heavy, commanding voice and tough Bronx attitude, moving from raw boom-bap in the '90s to club and radio hits in the 2000s.

Impact

Fat Joe is one of the first Latino rappers to reach the mainstream and has stayed relevant for over three decades.

Fat Joe: quick answers

What genre is Fat Joe?

Fat Joe’s music falls under Boom-Bap and Hip-Pop. Fat Joe is part of East Coast hip-hop, with the most important work in the 1990s and 2000s.

Where is Fat Joe from?

Fat Joe is from South Bronx, New York.

What is Fat Joe’s real name?

Fat Joe’s real name is Joseph Cartagena.

When did Fat Joe start?

Fat Joe has been active since 1993.

Which artists are similar to Fat Joe?

If you like Fat Joe, listen to Busta Rhymes, Naughty by Nature and Remy Ma.