From prison tales to beating depression, rapper Fat Joe shares his life in a new memoir

Record ID: 1697077

  • Title: From prison tales to beating depression, rapper Fat Joe shares his life in a new memoir
  • Date: 10th November 2022
  • Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FILE-SEPTEMBER 12, 2021) (MTV UNRESTRICTED POOL) FAT JOE POSING FOR PICTURES AT MTV VMA AWARDS
  • Embargoed: 24th November 2022 18:17
  • Keywords: author book bronx fat joe jail music new york rapper
  • Location: VARIOUS
  • City: VARIOUS
  • Country: US
  • Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Music,United States
  • Reuters ID: LVA002833210112022RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Recording artist Fat Joe is sharing the highs and lows of his life in his new book “The Book of Jose: A Memoir” and the New York City native isn't pulling any punches.
    Born Joseph Cartagena, the rapper started his career in the early 1990s and achieved success with numerous hit songs including “Lean Back,” “What’s Luv?” and “All The Way Up."
    However, Joe reveals he made his life look easy although he was going through a lot behind the scenes.
    “My son being born autistic, and his mother wanted to give him up for adoption, or my mother catching cancer, or my brother's drug addiction or going through depression when (Big) Pun died.”
    Rapper Big Pun died in 2000 after suffering a heart attack and respiratory failure. Joe said his death sent him into a tailspin: “Anybody having a good time - if my wife came downstairs smelling good, was going to eat lunch with her friends, I would like - I just couldn't feel good…Pun’s death was just too public,” he said.
    After contemplating suicide he got help from a therapist, which he said helped him a lot.
    The Bronx native said he packed all he could in the book, but left his story about a deal with Harvey Weinstein out.
    “(It) was confirmed to be the biggest deal of my life…When I started hearing the numbers I was going to make I sunk underneath the table and started grabbing the bottom of the table - I just couldn't take it…And the next day I turn on the news and he's on the news and he's all over the news. And I call my people and say, this is the guy?” said Joe.
    “They was like, yeah, this is the guy. I was like, well, does he has a cousin we can do the deal with? They're like, nawh, it's over, bro.”
    Over the past few years Joe has been committed to reinventing himself. He recently co-hosted two daytime talk shows and he’s preparing to host his own late-night show.
    In addition, Showtime will be turning his book into a television series.
    However, one of the most important things for Joe is giving back to his community and their needs.
    “Fat Joe, he obviously don't live in the South Bronx no more. But my, my stores are like a safe haven, a hub for the community,” said Joe who owns 3 “Up NYC” stores in New York.
    “We constantly are mindful of our community and their needs. And, and we love them and we're not abandoning them,” he added.
    His Bronx store features a classroom where both after-school and adult programs are held for people in the community.
    After three decades in the hip-hop industry Joe felt safe sharing his picks for the top five rapper dead of alive.
    “You got Big Pun. You got Biggie (Notorious B.I.G.). You got Tupac with the, with the most…Tupac is like a Bible, spiritual rapper. You got Rakim…Females…Lauryn Hill, probably the greatest female rapper of all time. Remy (Ma) don't kill me.”
    The book will be released on November 15.
    (Production: Andrew Hofstetter, Alicia Powell)
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