Rapper Joseph Cartagena officially changed his name to Fat Joe when he started his rapping career with the hip hop group Diggin In The Crates in the 90s. In a clip given to People from the A&E show “Origins of Hip Hop,” he opened up about his childhood experience.
The star noted that he used to get bullied a lot and eventually stood up for himself. “When I was in junior high they would bully me every day,” the rapper said in a clip. He also explained that the experience changed him forever and made him a different person. Keep reading to find out how.
Fat Joe Was Bullied
The star first told fans how he accepted who he was at a very young age. “Since 2 years old, he’s fat Joey forever,” he said. The 51-year-old rapper also remembered being bullied for this reason for many years.
At the beginning of the clip, he says, “When I was in junior high, they would bully me every day. You know, I’m not gonna lie, it’s scary looking out the classroom window knowing that there are 20 guys waiting to beat my ass.” He added that the bullies “never fought [him] fair.” “They would always jump me.”
The worst part of being bullied was when his best friend joined them. His best friend, Leonard, would play games and eat with him. One day he betrayed him when the bully asked, “Yo, why you be with this guy?” He felt confident when Leonard responded, “He’s my friend.” However, after a while, his supposed best friend left him.
He Was Betrayed
He explained that the bullies told Leonard, “‘Well if you don’t jump him with us, we’re gonna beat you up every day too.” Then he added, “and my friend Leonard jumped me with them.” He recalled being sad and crying for a while. “I went home, and I cried for so many hours,” he said.
“had a black hoodie on, black jeans and black Timberland chukkas.” This changed his view on life. “I’m tying my chukkas over and over again and I was like, ‘I don’t give a f— I swear to God, giving it to everybody. That was the birth of Joey Crack.”
Joe explained that he stopped caring or “giving a f— about nobody” or “care about nobody.” “I am giving it to everybody. My heart turned black that day; I just lost it.”
Fat Joe Became Very Successful
After recalling his bad times, the “All the Way Up” rapper told People that he surprisingly became a judge on “Pepsi Wild Cherry Your Wildest Dreams,” a virtual competition about hip hop. He also noted how excited he was about the opportunity. “Always rewarding when you’re able to help someone and have fun while you’re doing it,” he said about the job.
He didn’t stop at being a judge. After his journey in the Bronx, he “came in the first place [at the Apollo Theater] four weeks in a row.” Joe believed in himself as he “always knew [he] was gonna try to make it.” Despite the challenges, he was sure that “the fans and the grace of God” would “catapult you to the top.”
Fat Joe And His Wife Lorena
Fat Joe and his wife, Lorena Cartagena, have been together for over 26 years. In the clip, he also spoke about his marriage as something he has been dedicated to since 1995 and plans to keep.
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Despite their challenges, the rapper said they “made an oath” and didn’t plan to break it. “We said, ‘matter what comes our way, we’re gonna always be together.’ We live by that rule. We want to show our people that you can be a family man. You can be with your wife, still be successful, and show people a great example.”
Fans could watch the complete episode of the show’s premiere on Monday. The series will feature several Hip-hop stars as they share their experiences from childhood until their time as successful rappers.
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