Fat Joe

Born Joseph Cartagena to Puerto Rican and Cuban parents in the South Bronx, Fat Joe came of age in the same neighborhoods that birthed hip-hop, finding his way out of street life through the burgeoning rap scene and aligning with the legendary Diggin' in the Crates crew.

He led the Terror Squad collective — launching Big Pun and Remy Ma — and scored enduring hits across three decades, from "Lean Back" to "All the Way Up," while building a parallel career as a media personality, podcaster, and entrepreneur.

He has charted numerous hits over more than thirty years and is widely credited with elevating Latino representation in hip-hop, mentoring the genre's first platinum-selling Latino solo star in Big Pun.

Fat Joe is a Bronx institution and a connective figure across hip-hop's eras and communities, bridging street rap, pop crossover, and Latino culture.