Fat Joe

For many years now, the media, it seems, has imposed a narrow, black-or-white, racial categorization system on Hip Hop artists, denying those with multiracial and multicultural roots the opportunity to celebrate all aspects of their heritage. As a result, unless artists have waved the flag corresponding to the Latin American country from which their families hailed or rhymed at length using Spanglish lingo, their Latino roots remained hidden to mass audiences, furthering the notion that Latino rappers are somehow a novelty. Perhaps the most vocal representative of the Latino community has been Joseph "Fat Joe" Cartagena, who is of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent. Through his 1993 album, "Represent," and his sophomore platter, "Jealous One's Envy," were dubbed cult classics by underground Hip Hop enthusiasts, he didn't truly cross over to the mainstream until 2001, when his forth studio album, 'Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.), attained platinum status thanks to radio-friendly R&B-infused cuts like the Ashanti-assisted "What's luv?" and "We Thuggin'," a collaboration with R. Kelly. Fat Joe has built a loyal fan base that respects him as both a lyricist and a symbol of cultural pride for the Latino community.