How Fat Joe Achieved a Net Worth of $5 Million
Joseph Antonio Cartagena, better known by the name Fat Joe is a successful actor and rapper based in the US. His success is reflected in his work and what he has managed to do for himself through it. Apart from being famous and producing great content Fat Joe boasts of a $5 million net worth. However, this is not surprising if you look at the commitment and hard work Fat Joe puts into his work. To have a better grasp of how exactly his wealth comes to this figure let’s have a closer at his life.
Fat Joe’s Background…
He was born on 19th August, 1970, in the South Bronx area of New York. Reportedly, his family was not well up and his parents often struggled to put food on the table. According to Gossip Gist, at just a young age, Fat Joe started stealing to fend for his family. That sort of life also made him be quite the bully. His journey into the music world began when his brother introduced him to hip hop music. Fat Joe was soon hooked and decided to start making music and adopted the name Fat Joe Da Gangsta as part of his brand. In 1990 he became part of the hip-hop group Diggin’ in the crates crew (D.I.T.C) then later decided to go Solo and created his label Terror Squad. The label became a success as he managed to sign up artistes including Tony Sunshine, Cuban Link, Armageddon, Dj Khaled, Rummy Ma, Big Pun, and Triple Seis among others. Under his name he has released several albums including Represent, Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E), Don Cartagena, Loyalty, All or Nothing, Me, Myself & I, The Elephant in the Room, and The Darkside Vol 1.
1. Music
Undeniably, Fat Joe is gifted in music as most of his songs have attained worldwide recognition earning him many fans. Among his most notable creations include songs such as Flow Joe, Lean Back with Terror Squad, Make it Rain featuring Lil Wayne, All the Way Up featuring French Montana and Dre, and What’s Luv featuring Ashanti and Ja Rule. All these songs have performed incredibly well and appeared among the top songs on Billboard Hot Rap Songs. Fat Joe has also been featured in popular songs Welcome to my hood, We taking over, and I’m so Hood. Income earned from the sale and performance of his songs have all contributed to his current wealth.
2. Talent Management
Record labels have seen many artists prosper. In cases where a record label lands popular and outstanding artistes, it is bound to acquire impressive returns. Fat Joe has been lucky enough to run a successful music label – Terror Squad Entertainment. Many artists’ career has been shaped via this label, just to mention a few, Big Pun, DJ Khaled, Tony Sunshine, and Remi Ma. Their music has raked in lots of money and brought in good business for the label. Fat Joe, being at the helm of the label has sure benefited financially from all contracts made. The label has had distribution deals with Imperial, E1, and EMI. Fat Joe recently acquired the distribution rights for Terror Squad Entertainment through EMPIRE.
3. Awards and Recognitions
Fat Joe’s work and influence in music have earned him several awards and nominations. In 2005 the song What’s Luv won the soundtrack of the year. In 2006 the song I Don’t care won the Latin Dance Club Play Track of the Year. He has also been nominated for some prestigious nominations including the Grammy Awards, BET Awards, MTV Music Video Awards, and iHeartRadio Music Awards.
4. Films
As mentioned above Fat Joe is also into making films. Just like in music, he has had a successful career as an actor. According to Wikipedia, he has been featured in films including; Thicker than Water (1999), Prison Song (2001), Empire (2002), Scary Movie 3 (2003), Happy Feet (2006), Super Model (2015) She Gotta Have It Tv Series (2017-Now), and Night School (2018). Though it is not known how much exactly he has made from these films, it must be a good amount considering his talent and status quo.
5. Endorsements Deals
It is common for famous people to be approached by individuals and corporations to help endorse their products. In the past, Fat Joe has been approached to help market Beats By Dre, Boost Mobile, Bacardi, and Latino Film Festival. These deals have significantly boosted his income.
6. Podcast
In 2018, Fat Joe began hosting a podcast Coca Vision on Tidal. He uses it to share his journey in the music world, friendships and pop culture. He often invites influential people in the industry to share important insights about the industry. The podcast has a decent following, with active fans, who show their love and support through likes and comments.
7. Sneaker Store Business
According to Sole Collector, Fat Joe learned how to be an entrepreneur at quite a tender age. He and his brother would buy little cop motorcycles and resell them for a higher price. This equipped him with the basics of business which inspired him to start a larger one later on in life – his sneaker store business. Named UP NYC, his sneaker store business offers customers a unique, rare and organic collection. It carries brands including Jordan, ASICS, Nike, and Timberland.
Conclusion;
Fat Joe is a multi-talented man, as he is not only gifted in music but also in acting and business. Also, it is impressive how he has managed to bring other important and celebrated names to the rap scene. His 28-year stay in the entertainment industry has helped him gain ground, experience and create connections that have been vital in building his wealth. According to him, he is not done yet as he still plans to release more albums and grow his businesses. This only means that his current net worth is destined to grow. Peruse his vast discography to have a taste of his talent.
