Fat Joe

Fat Joe, also known as Fat Joe da Gangsta, Cook Coke, Joey Crack, or Crack, was born Joseph Cartagena on August 19, 1970 into Puerto Rican and Cuban heritage. However he was born and brought up in the Bronx. Joe was popular in the underground hip hop scene during the early and mid-1990s. During this period, Joe was affiliated with KRS-One — there are pictures online at KRS-One's Temple of Hiphop site showing them drawing graffiti together.

The title of the group refers to DJs who "dig in the crates" of used record stores to find rare or novel records with "breaks" that they could use for production or in performances. Big Pun, broke into the mainstream with his duet with the O'Jays, "I'm Not a Player" and its more popular remix, "Still Not a Player", featuring R&B singer Joe, Fat Joe began to follow suit. His 1998 single, "Bet Ya Man Can't", which featured Big Pun as well as other members of their Terror Squad clique, such as Cuban Link and Triple Seis, was a small hit. Shortly before Big Pun's death, Pun and Joe had a hit with Jennifer Lopez on a track from her first album, On the 6, called "Feelin' So Good".

In late 2002, Joe released the album Loyalty and enjoyed a couple of minor hits with "Crush Tonite" (featuring Ginuwine) and "All I Need". Fat Joe has also appeared in several films, including the 2002 film Empire with John Leguizamo and Peter Sarsgaard. In late 2004, Fat Joe scored another radio hit with his verse on Ja Rule's "New York", also featuring Jadakiss and a hook taken from KRS-One's "100 Guns". This, however, led to awkwardness after 50 Cent decided that all emcees who collaborated with his nemesis, Ja Rule, were setting themselves against him.

Fat Joe is a member of Terror Squad, which released their first, self-titled, album on September 21, 1999. After several roster changes (including original members Triple Seis's departure and Cuban Link's expulsion), the clique released a second album, True Story, in July 2004, with the summer hit "Lean Back", which was also later remixed by Lil' Jon, with a new verse from Fat Joe, and featuring Eminem and Ma$e.

Fat Joe went on record as being confused by 50's antagonism towards him, but also stated that he wouldn't stand by idly while being slandered; he also suggested that he and 50 Cent meet in New York and have a fistfight. Most interestingly, he attacked 50's street credibility, claiming that Curtis Jackson had never appeared "in the club", juxtaposed with Fat Joe's well-known record of live performances, and offered one million dollars to anybody who would come forward with a picture of 50 Cent in a nightclub.

No attempts have been publicly made towards taking the $1,000,000 prize. Within days of "Piggy Bank" leaking, a response from Fat Joe had appeared online, a song with the hook being sung to the tune of The Flintstones's theme song. Original reports were confused as to the title of the track (mp3 versions were variously titled "Fake Gangsta", "Fuck 50", and simply "Fat Joe 50 Dis track"). It was finally officially released as "My Fofo" (referring to a .44 Magnum) on Fat Joe's All or Nothing albim, along with the "Lean Back" remix featuring Eminem.

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