Fat Joe Opens Up About His INCREDIBLE 200 Pounds Weight Loss Journey: 'I Really Want To Be Healthy' 

Fat Joe is getting candid about his health journey and shedding over 200 pounds to save his life. He battled depression, describing it as an intricate Rubik's Cube, but reshaped his habits to embrace happiness. 

However, his weight loss left some fans feeling abandoned, as he was once a source of inspiration for bigger individuals. Joe realized he had inadvertently affected their confidence. Despite the emotional conflict, he remains determined to prioritize his health and be there for his loved ones.

Keep on reading to learn more.

Fat Joe recently opened up about his remarkable journey towards health and fitness in an interview with Men's Health as part of their "Hip Hop Health" series, which pays tribute to hip-hop's 50th anniversary by exploring the health transformations of Black and Brown men.

Sharing his deeply personal story, the 52-year-old artist revealed how shedding over 200 pounds not only saved his life but also introduced him to an entirely new version of himself.

The "Lean Back" hitmaker said that the catalyst for his transformation came during a period of profound depression following the untimely deaths of several dear friends due to heart conditions. Among them was his best friend and mentee, Big Pun. The loss hit him hard and forced him to confront the harsh reality of his own health.

Reflecting on the experience, Fat Joe recalls attending Big Pun's funeral and feeling an overwhelming self-awareness. "I went to his funeral and I felt like Ebenezer Scrooge. Like, I seen me," he shared. "And I'm looking at his little daughter. She was the same age as my daughter. I said, 'You gotta lose weight; otherwise, you outta here.'"

In a candid revelation, Fat Joe vividly described the depth of his depression, comparing it to "the most complex Rubik's Cube" imaginable. He also drew a parallel to a scene from "Matrix Resurrections," where Keanu Reeves, portraying Neo, finds himself sitting in a bathtub with a rubber duck on his head.

"That's what depression was like to me," Joe explained. "When you're fighting yourself, there isn't a wall high enough that you can build. There isn't an island you can go to. There isn't a place you can go to where you get away from it, because you're fighting your mind."

He continued, "You wake up, and then the minute you think about it, your brain sends you a message to say, 'We're not supposed to be happy.' And then you fall right back into depression. I lost a lot of people, and unfortunately, I can't sit there and dwell because I know that's something that takes me down that path. So I gotta push forward."

Despite the daily battle he faced with depression, Fat Joe shared that he has actively worked on reshaping his habits and mindset to pave the way for a brighter future. He shared invaluable wisdom about knowing your triggers, saying, "You should know what brings you there and to run the other way. The minute I feel unhappy, I go toward happy."

Reflecting on one of his sources of joy, he continued, "When I pull up to my mother's home that I bought for her, that's a modest home, it puts the biggest smile on my face. And when I go inside, she's happy and my father's happy and everybody's happy. I never told my daughter 'no' one time in her life for anything. It's always been 'yes. That makes me happy."

The Grammy nominee also added that he is "a big movie guy." "John Wick 4. Air. That makes me happy. CNN makes me happy. When you're on the road so much, you feel so happy to sleep in your bed," he added.

The rapper shared an eye-opening conversation he had with one of his drivers, Steve, which made him realize the deeper significance of his "Fat" moniker.

Steve, a fellow big guy, expressed his admiration for Fat Joe's always stylish and confident demeanor. He explained how Fat Joe's presence had given other individuals, including himself, a sense of confidence and pride in their bodies. "Man, you always fly, Joe. All the big boys, you gave us confidence and made us think that big was fly. You Fat Joe," Steve said appreciatively.

However, Joe's recent weight loss journey surprised Steve and others. They felt mixed emotions when they saw their role model shed pounds. Joe had become an inspiration for body positivity, and his transformation left them feeling somewhat abandoned. His driver Steve added, "Nah, man, we feel like you left us. For years, you've been telling us being a fat guy is cool. We got upset with you, the big boys."

This heartfelt conversation left Fat Joe torn between pride in his newfound health and confusion about the impact his weight loss had on those who looked up to him. "Here I was, giving confidence to oversized people, and they felt like I flat left them," he said. "They didn't realize I was just thinking about, yo, I really wanna be here for a long time. I really want to work out. I really want to be healthy. I wanna be here."