Fat Joe (born Joseph Cartagena on August 19, 1970) is a American rapper of Puerto Rican and Cuban heritage. Born and brought up in the Bronx, Joe was popular in the large underground hip hop scene during the early and mid-1990s. During this period, Joe was affiliated with KRS-One — there are pictures online at KRS-One's Temple of Hiphop site showing the pair drawing graffiti ("bombing") together. He is also the most widely known member of the D.