Fat Joe

by Ran

Big L and Fat Joe

Big L, Diamond D, Lord Finesse and Fat Joe

O.C., Lord Finesse, Fat Joe, Diamond D and Showbiz & AG

Lord Finesse and Fat Joe

Fat Joe and Big Pun

Terror Squad

Canibus, Big L and Fat Joe

Fat Joe and KRS-One

Fat Joe, DJ Khaled and Big Pun

Doug E. Fresh, Kid Capri and Fat Joe

JuJu, Kid, Greg Nice, Smooth B, Q-Tip and Fat Joe

Guru, Big Pun and Fat Joe

Big Pun, Nas, Fat Joe, Raekwon, Mack 10 and Jadakiss

Nas, Steve Lobel, Fat Joe, L.E.S. and Common

Nas, Shaq and Fat Joe in 1995

Fat Joe and Ice-T

Pete Rock, Raekwon (bottom step)  

Fat Joe, Funkmaster Flex and Big Pun (top step)

Fat Joe and Kanye West

Fat Joe and Anthony Mason

Fat Joe and Stephon Marbury

Fat Joe and Jay-Z

Represent

Jealous One's Envy

Don Cartegena

Terror Squad: The Album

Jealous One's Still Envy

Joseph Antonio Cartegena was born on August 19, 1970 in the South Bronx, New York. The youngest of four children, Cartegena was raised in a housing project by a baker father and a mother who worked several low-paying jobs. 

Cartegena transitioned from a target for bullies while in junior high, getting jumped repeatedly, to a high school bully leading a gang of teenagers known as the Terror Squad. TS indulged in petty crimes as well, including selling drugs and committing robberies. Cartegena's interest turned from crime to rap music when his old friend, Joseph "Diamond D" Kirkland, whom he met at a local block party, convinced him to join his hip hop collective, Diggin' in the Crates. 

In 1991, Cartegena won a talent competition held at the Apollo Theater for four consecutive weeks, which brought him to the attention of  influential New York radio station 98.7 Kiss-FM on-air personality Frederick "Kool DJ Red Alert" Crute. Crute played Cartegena's demo tapes during his radio show, which in turn attracted the attention of his former protege-turned-executive Chris Lighty. Before long, Lighty secured Cartegena a recording contract with now-defunct indi label Relativity Records, which he signed "in the middle of the street" and without consulting an attorney. 

Cartegena's debut single, "Flow Joe", was released on May 20, 1993 and was followed two months later by his debut album Represent, which was heavily produced by D.I.T.C. members Kirkland, Robert "Lord Finesse" Hall and Showbiz. Production group The Beatnuts handled production on the track "The Shit is Real".

After meeting fellow Bronx-native Christopher "Big Moon Dawg" Rios in a local bodega in 1995, Cartegena listened to Rios rap for him right there in the store and impressed by what he heard, recruited him to his inner circle. 

Cartegena's sophomore album, Jealous One's Envy, was released on October 3, 1995. JOE features guest appearances by Wu-Tang Clan's Corey "Raekwon the Chef" Woods and Lawrence "KRS-One" Parker, as well as Rios', now known as Big Pun, debut record appearance. Cartegena's old friend Kirkland once again contributed production. That same year, Cartegena appeared alongside rappers Albert "Prodigy" Johnson, Keith Murray and Inga "Foxy Brown" Marchand on rapper James "LL Cool J" Smith's song "I Shot Ya".

In 1996, Cartegena opened Fat Joe's Halftime, a clothing store, and Fat Joe's Hip Hop Barbershop  in the Bronx. 

Following JOE's release, Cartegena formed the rap collective Terror Squad, featuring Rios and his friends Felix "Cuban Link" Delgado, Triple Seis and Prospect; and Cartegena's discovery Armageddon. Rios' debut album, Capital Punishment, featuring numerous appearances by Cartegena, was released on April 28, 1998 and went on to sell over 1 million copies. The members of Terror Squad would appear on Cartegena's third -- and first gold --  album, Don Cartegena, released on September 1, 1998. (1) The album's standout track, "John Blaze", features guest verses from Rios, Nasir "Nas" Jones, Woods and Jason "Jadakiss" Phillips. On September 8, Cartegena and Rios were arrested at an in-store appearance at the HMV store in Manhattan and charged with assault and robbery for attacking a man with a baseball bat and stealing his gold chain on June 14. Cartegena performed at his album release party on September 11 in front of 3,000 fans at Carbon nightclub. 

In 1999, both Cartegena and Rios appeared on Jennifer Lopez's song "Feelin' So Good", from her debut album On the 6. Terror Squad's debut, The Album, was released on September 21, 1999 but failed to live up to the success of Capital Punishment and Don Cartegena. Rios recruited his proteges rapper Reminisce "Remy Ma" Mackie and singer Antonio "Tony Sunshine" Cruz to strengthen the group's roster. Following Rios' death from heart and respiratory failure in February of 2000, Cartegena fell into a deep depression and moved to Miami, Florida with wife Lorena. 

Cartegena's fourth solo album, Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.), was released on December 1, 2001 and went on to become his first platinum-seller. The album's biggest hit, "What's Luv?", features production by rapper Jeffrey "Ja Rule" Atkins, who was engaged in a bitter feud with rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson. Jackson, who opposed the idea of other rappers collaborating with Atkins, consequently initiated a war of words with Cartegena. (1) Meanwhile, Cartegena wasted little time releasing his follow-up, Loyalty, which hit stores November 12, 2002.

Terror Squad's biggest hit, "Lean Back", a collaboration between Cartegena and new member Reminisce "Remy Ma" Smith, produced by Sott Storch, was released on June 8, 2004. (1) The accompanying music video features cameos by Khaled "DJ Khaled" Khaled, N.O.R.E., Jonathan "Lil Jon" Smith, production team Cool & Dre and comedian Kevin Hart. The remix features rappers Mason "Mase" Betha and Marshall "Eminem" Mathers. The song appears on Terror Squad's second album True Story, released the following month. Cartegena appeared alongside Phillips on Atkin's song "New York", released on October 27. Atkin's verse is filled with insults directed at Jackson, who attacked all three in numerous songs released subsequently.

In 2006, Cartegena appeared on Smith's debut solo album There's Something About Remy: Based on a True Story, which he also helped to oversee. The album's failure to catch on, however, caused a rift between Smith and Cartegena. Conversely, Cartegena's 2006 album, Me, Myself & I, features the hit "Make It Rain", a collaboration between the former and New Orleans rapper Dwayne "Lil' Wayne" Carter. The song's remix also features Khaled, singer Robert "R. Kelly" Kelly; and rappers Clifford "T.I." Smith, William "Rick Ross" Roberts, Bryan "Birdman" Williams and Ace Mac. 

On November 8, 2007, Cartegena released the Nahum "J. Holiday" Grymes collaboration "I Won't Tell" on his MySpace page. The song would prove to be the standout on his 2008 album, The Elephant in the Room. 

Cartegena released his ninth solo album, Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.) 2 on October 6, 2009, followed up by The Darkside Vol. 1 on July 27, 2010. 

On October 12, 2011, Cartegena released the single "Another Round", a collaboration with singer Chris Brown, which samples Troop's 1989 song "I Will Always Love You".

In 2012, Cartegena and Jackson settled their differences and performed together at a tribute to memorialize Lighty, who served as manager for both. In December, Cartegena pleaded guilty to tax evasion for failing to pay taxes on more than $3 million from 2007-2010. On June 24, 2013, he was sentenced to four months in federal prison. He was released on November 28, 2013.

Following Smith's 2014 release from prison for assault and weapons convictions, she reunited with Cartegena and the two resumed recording together.

On March 2, 2016, Cartegena released "All the Way Up", a collaboration with Smith and Karim "French Montana" Kharbouch. On November 11, he released the song "Money Showers", featuring Smith and Tyrone "Ty Dolla Sign" Griffin. The song heavily samples New Edition-frontman Ralph Tresvant's song "Do What I Gotta Do". Both songs appear on Cartegena and Smith's joint-album Plata O Plomo, released on February 17, 2017.

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The Immortals: Big L





The Immortals: Big Pun

The Sugarhill Gang

Master Gee and Big Bank Hank

Big Bank Hank, Wonder Mike, Joey Robinson 
Jr. and Melle Mel

Sugarhill Gang

8th Wonder

Rappin' Down Town

Livin' in the Fast Lane

Henry Lee Jackson was born on January 11, 1956 in the Bronx, New York. By his early twenties, Jackson had worked as a manager for rap group The Mighty Force MC's, which included rap pioneer  and then teenager Curtis "Grandmaster Caz" Fisher. While working in Englewood, New Jersey's Crispy Crust Pizza, Jackson met Joey Robinson, son of All Platinum Records owners Joe and Sylvia Robinson. 

After seeing Kevin "Lovebug Starski" Smith rap and DJ at New York's Harlem World nightclub one night in 1979, R&B singer-turned-record company owner Sylvia Robinson got the idea to record the burgeoning art form. Robinson, who lived in Englewood with husband Joe, encouraged Joey Jr., the oldest of the couple's three children, to find local rappers. Joey discovered Jackson in Crispy Crust that July. Jackson subsequently auditioned for mother and son, still wearing his pizza apron, in the backseat of Robinson's car, during which, New Jersey- native Guy "Master Gee" O'Brien walked by with a friend. After overhearing the discussion revolving around rap, O'Brien's friend, Mark Green, suggested to the Robinsons that O'Brien should audition as well. After O'Brien joined Jackson in the car and delivered his own impromptu raps, the group relocated to the Robinson's home, where Englewood rapper Michael "Wonder Mike" Wright offered to audition as well. When Sylvia, who was interested in signing a solo performer, found that she was unable to choose between the three, she decided to make them a trio. 

Joe Robinson borrowed money from music executive Morris Levy, who was also reputed to be working under the auspices of Genovese crime family head Vincent Gigante (3), to finance Sugar Hill Records, which released the newly-formed Sugarhill Gang's first song, "Rapper's Delight".  Recorded on August 2, the September 16 (2) release went on to sell 14 million copies. The single's success led to the group serving as the opening act for Parliament Funkadelic within weeks of its hitting record stores. 

However, "Rapper's Delight" faced heavy criticism due to its lack of originality. Jackson's verses were taken from Fisher's rhyme book and the music was sampled from disco group Chic's hit "Good Times -- without permission. O'Brien and Wright, however, did write their verses. Chic members Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, who composed "Good Times", filed a copyright infringement suit against Sugar Hill Records and were subsequently confronted at a recording studio by four armed men. The two eventually reached a settlement with the label which gave them all of the writers' credits and royalties for "Rapper's Delight". 

The record company capitalized on the song's popularity by releasing The Sugarhill Gang's self-titled debut album on February 7, 1980. O'Brien and Wright would write Jackson's lyrics. The group's continued success prompted several other rap groups to sign with Sugar Hill Records, including: Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five; Funky Four Plus One; Treacherous Three, which included Kool Moe Dee; Crash Crew; The Sequence, which included future R&B star Angie Stone; and the West Street Mob. 

The Sugarhill Gang's sophomore album, 8th Wonder, was released on November 24, 1982, following a European tour. 8th Wonder features the hit "Apache", which would be sampled two decades later on rapper Nasir "Nas" Jones' song "Made You Look".

Despite phenomenal sales, the members of The Sugarhill Gang received a very small fraction of the proceeds. The majority of the profits went to Joe Robinson, who co-owned Sugar Hill Records with Morris Levy, and to Sylvia Robinson, who acted as manager and owned the group's publishing company, Sugar Hill Music Publishing, Ltd. 

The group's third and fourth albums, Rappin' Down Town and Livin' in the Fast Lane, were released in 1983 and 1984, respectively.

O'Brien fathered a son, Guy O'Brien Jr. with Sylvia Robinson's niece, but bristling over low financial compensation, he refused to renew his contract with Sugar Hill in 1984. Needing income, he took a job as a door-to-door magazine salesman, eventually working his way up to owning his own sales group. 

Wright followed O'Brien's lead in 1985 and refused to resign his contract as well. He eventually provided for his five children with a house painting business that he founded. 

Meanwhile, looking to make up for Sugar Hill Records' waning prosperity, Joe Robinson secured a distribution deal for the label with MCA Records through Gambino crime family associate Salvatore "Sal the Baker" Pisello. The deal, however, bankrupted Sugar Hill, which folded in 1986. Following a Justice Department investigation into shady music business practices, Pisello was eventually sentenced to four years in prison for tax evasion. In 1990, Levy died of cancer before he could begin a 10-year sentence for extortion conspiracy. Robinson, who died in 2000, was introduced to Pisello by Rocco "The Butcher" Musacchia, an alleged lieutenant of Genovese crime family capo Frederick "Fritzy" Giovanelli. 

All three members of The Sugarhill Gang reunited in the mid-1990s at the urging of Joey Robinson Jr. However, after two live performances, O'Brien quit again citing an unfavorable contract. Following O'Brien's departure, Joey Robinson joined the group and began calling himself "Master Gee". 

Wright quit the group again in 2005 and resumed recording music and performing with O'Brien. That same year, Joey Robinson Jr. trademarked the names "The Sugarhill Gang", "Master Gee" and "Wonder Mike". In 2009, O'Brien and Wright successfully sued for the right to use their respective stage names but were unable to reclaim the name "The Sugarhill Gang", prompting them to begin using the group name "Rapper's Delight". 

Jackson died from cancer on November 11, 2014. Joey Robinson Jr. died the following year.

The Sugarhill Gang - Apache

The Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight

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The Immortals: Big Bank Hank