Fat Joe
Bronx rapper and Terror Squad founder behind “Lean Back,” “What’s Luv?” and “All the Way Up,” now sharing music and stories as co-host of Joe and Jada.
At 100 nudges, fangea sends Joe’s team an official invite.
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Latest
Joe’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus his backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
- Lean Back2004 · Terror Squad with Fat Joe and Remy Ma
YouTube - What’s Luv?2002 · Rapper, featuring Ashanti
YouTube - All the Way Up2016 · With Remy Ma, French Montana and Infared
YouTube - The Book of Jose2022 · Memoir with Shaheem Reid
Roc Lit 101 - Joe and Jada2025–present · Co-host with Jadakiss
Netflix - Organized Rhyme2026 · Solo album
EMPIRE
Overview
- Name
- Joseph Antonio Cartagena
- Born
- August 19, 1970
- From
- The Bronx, New York City
- Work
- Rapper, songwriter, label founder, author and podcast host
- First solo album
- Represent (1993)
- Early breakout
- “Flow Joe,” a Billboard Hot Rap Singles No. 1 in 1993
Mini bio
From the Bronx.
Joseph Antonio Cartagena grew up in the South Bronx, with Puerto Rican and Cuban roots. He came into rap with Diggin’ in the Crates and released his first solo album, Represent, in 1993. Its single “Flow Joe” reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Singles chart that year.
Building Terror Squad.
Joe founded Terror Squad as a label and helped develop artists including Big Pun and Remy Ma. “What’s Luv?” brought his voice to a broad audience, while Terror Squad’s “Lean Back” and his later collaboration with Remy Ma, “All the Way Up,” became lasting parts of his catalog.
Stories beyond the records.
His 2022 memoir, The Book of Jose, written with Shaheem Reid, tells the story of his Bronx upbringing and music career. Joe and Jadakiss took their friendship to podcast microphones in 2025 with Joe and Jada, now also available on Netflix. Joe has kept making records alongside that work, releasing Organized Rhyme in August 2026.
Creditschronological, newest first
Music
- 2026Organized RhymeLead artist
- 2024The World Changed On MeLead artist
- 2016All the Way UpCo-lead artist with Remy Ma
- 2004Lean BackTerror Squad rapper alongside Remy Ma
- 2002What’s Luv?Lead artist, featuring Ashanti
Books and broadcasting
- 2025–presentJoe and JadaCo-host with Jadakiss
- 2022The Book of JoseCo-author with Shaheem Reid
Awards
- Honorary Doctor of Humane LettersLehman College, 2024.
- Five Grammy nominationsNominations for “What’s Luv?,” “Lean Back,” “Make It Rain” and “All the Way Up,” which earned two nominations in 2017. The Recording Academy lists no wins.
- BET Hip Hop Awards, 2016“All the Way Up” won Best Collabo, Duo or Group and Track of the Year. The track award credits producers Cool & Dre and Edsclusive.
Quotes
I’m just making music for my fans, for our era, our culture, hip hop culture.Fat Joe, Bronx Times
Speaking at a Roc Nation listening party for Organized Rhyme in August 2026.
Trivia
- He told Bullseye that he was always at the front of KRS-One shows as a young fan, and credits him with shaping his rap style and performance energy.
- He owns the UP NYC sneaker and apparel stores in New York City.
- His memoir was published by Roc Lit 101 and co-written with hip-hop journalist Shaheem Reid.
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