Fat Joe is one of New York City’s most prominent rappers and producers. He maintained a rewarding solo career after making a reputation for himself with the D.I.T.C group in the early 1990s. He later started acting and founded Terror Squad, his own record label. As of 2023, Fat Joe has a net worth of $4 million.
Early Life
Joseph Antonio Cartagena is Fat Joe’s legal identity. Born on August 19, 1970, Cartagena was raised in the South Bronx area of New York City. His parents, Ernesto and Marie, have Puerto Rican and Cuban origins.
He was lured to a criminal lifestyle at a young age as a result of his upbringing in a harsh, underprivileged community. He started stealing at an early age to help his family.
They were residing in the Forest Houses, a public housing program in South Bronx. Joe has an elder brother named Andre, who is said to be the one who originally introduced him to hip-hop.
Rap Career
Cartagena had his first deal with Relativity Records in the 90s under the moniker Fat Joe da Gangsta. He was signed as a part of the rap collective called the Diggin’ in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.).
In 1993, Joe’s debut solo album, Represent, featured the song Flow Joe. The song debuted at number one on the Rap Charts, and it helped the aspiring artist expand his career in music to the mainstream media.
He continued his run by creating more albums and working with big-name rappers to release hits. His fourth project, Jealous Ones Still Envy, is his highest-earning pursuit which sold more than 1.5 million copies in the USA.
Acting Career
He has experimented with acting alongside his hip-hop career, appearing in films such as Happy Feet, Scary Movie 3, and the Netflix comedy-drama series, She’s Gotta Have It.
Around the time Joseph started dabbling in movie projects, he got the funds to start his own rap group and record label Terror Squad in 2006. Joe got to make more hits with his own brand.
As for his other media appearances, Joe showed up in Wild ‘n Out. The program is a comedy and improv show that features some of the most charismatic rap personalities.
Net Worth
On Spotify alone, Fat Joe currently has 7.2 million listeners every month. Apart from his hometown, Latin America is home to a sizable portion of the rapper’s fan base. He uses his fame to endorse brands, such as New Era, Boost Mobile, and Bacardi.
Unfortunately, he was charged with tax evasion in 2012 and pleaded guilty. He didn’t pay any taxes on $3 million in earnings between 2007 and 2010. He received a four-month sentence. Now, he is out and back in the game with $4 million as his net worth.
Personal Life
After losing 88 pounds from his prior weight of 350 pounds, Joe revealed his weight reduction achievements in the video for his track Drop a Body in 2011. This wouldn’t have been possible without the help of his wife, Lorena, who’s been with him for over 26 years.
