Rapper Fat Joe may not even live up to his name now, as he’s lost most of his weight over the years. Known for his all-time hits like Represent and Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.), Fat Joe used to be a Hip-Hop favorite back when the genre was still in its infancy.
Born and raised in NYC, the Puerto Rican and Cuban descent rapper started exploring music in his teens after his brother introduced it to him. Despite going through a childhood that was filled with struggle, Fat Joe kept his determination strong and brought his family out of poverty by making hit music that is still just as good as it was back in the day.
Aside from music, Fat Joe has also played characters like Winny from She’s Gotta Have It, Seymour in Happy Feet, and even was a part of Scary Movie 3. Other examples of Joe’s movie work include Supermodel, Fearless, Thicker Than Water, and Urban Menace.
Even though his rap songs have remained fire, Fat Joe is no longer the same 300-pound guy from before. Joe revealed more about the stress and issues he was facing because of his weight in recent interviews.
Fat Joe: Before And After The Weight Loss
While Fat Joe may look fitter now, this was not always the case. When looking at the times of his debut and his old music videos, it’s apparent that the rapper weighed more than 300 pounds. The year 1996 was a time when Fat Joe was able to use his weight as an advantage, but it was going to have grim consequences if he kept going this way.
After witnessing his close friends like Big Pun pass away due to their excessive weight causing heart attacks, Fat Joe knew he had to change things if he wanted to keep making hip-hop music, and that’s when he decided to start his weight loss journey.
By 2005, it was publicly revealed through Stuff Magazine that Fat Joe was on a quest to lose pounds off of himself. Aside from making good music, Fat Joe spent the next few years working out and eating healthy.
It was the slow and steady way of losing weight that seemed to do the trick for Joe. Along with regular exercise, Joe adopted a diet that removed all carbs like White bread and pasta. By cutting out all of the carbs from his diet, Fat Joe was able to make his body healthier inside and out.
In the year 2011, Fat Joe came out with the song named Drop A Body, which revolved around him losing weight and dropping almost a hundred pounds. Earlier the same year, Joe joined Michelle Obama’s initiative against childhood obesity.
Since then, the What’s Luv? and Lean Back singer has maintained a healthy weight through conscious eating and frequent exercise. Even though Fat Joe faced a bit of a backlash from communities for no longer being a representation, Joe revealed that he was happy that he made the change as his health seemed much better now.
Fat Joe: About The Rapper
Originally given the name Joseph Antonio Cartagena and raised in The Bronx, Fat Joe would live with his Puerto Rican and Cuban parents. Fat Joe recalls stealing to make ends meet at his home in Morrisania.
Joe began rapping after being introduced into the world of music through his brother, and by 1992, he was already a part of D.I.T.C., a Hip-Hop group. A year later, Fat Joe released Represent, which eventually became the reason for his number-one place on Billboard Hot Rap Singles.
Big Pun, who was also another popular rapper at that time, was a huge influence on Fat Joe. Once he saw his Latino brother Pun facing death due to excessive weight, Joe started to shift his priorities towards good health.
Coming from a poor background, Fat Joe knows the importance of giving back, so he has done a lot of community work over the years. At present, Fat Joe’s busy working on exciting new projects that we might see more of soon.
Also Read: Randy Jackson Before And After: The American Idol Judge’s Weight Loss Journey
