After a troubled background growing up in the tough South Bronx neighborhood of
New York, the larger-than-life musician Fat Joe made a unique niche for himself
as one of the few successful Latino rappers. Born as Joe Cartagena on August 19,
1970, he was raised by Puerto Rican/Cuban parents in the Bronx, where he learned
the ways of the street at a young age. He also learned the ways of rap,
listening to artists like Furious Five, Theodore, and fellow Latino rapper Big
Pun. After performing with the group D.I.T.C., he signed to the Relativity
label, adopted his street name "Fat Jo...