Fat Joe and his daughter Azariah Cartagena attend the 2024 US Open. ; Fat Joe with his son Joey Cartagena.Photo:Fat Joe/ Instagram (2)
Fat Joe/ Instagram (2)
The rapper became a father for the first time in 1990 with the birth of his son,Joey. After he was born with Down syndrome and diagnosed with autism, Joey’sbiological mother left the familyand Fat Joe raised his son with the help of his own parents.
A few years later, he welcomed a second son, Ryan, in 1995 from a past relationship. The same year, Fat Joe married his wife,Lorena Cartagena, and they later announced the birth of their daughter,Azariah, in 2006.
Over the years, Fat Joe has spoken about his fatherhood journey and expressed his gratitude for his sons and daughter.
“I’m so blessed to be a father to three amazing children,” he wrote in a Father’s Day messageon Instagramin 2021. “Every man has a different circumstance, but the most important part of fatherhood is showing up.”
Here’s everything to know about Fat Joe’s kids: Joey, Ryan and Azariah.
Joey Cartagena, 34
Fat Joe with his son Joey Cartagena.Fat Joe/Instagram
Fat Joe/Instagram
Fat Joe welcomed his oldest child, son Joey Cartagena, on Dec. 15, 1990, when he was just 19 years old.
“That was the scariest moment of my life,” he toldHipHopDXin 2022 about becoming a dad. “It was scary. I was just a kid myself. I had just got my record deal. I didn’t even have a song out. It was just really, really scary to be so young and have so much responsibility, so that was my initial response.”
His own youth wasn’t the only challenge, though. Joey was diagnosed with Down syndrome at birth, and because of that, his biological mother wanted to “give him up for adoption.” Fat Joe’s mom, however, didn’t want to lose her grandson, so Fat Joe raised his son alone with the help of his parents.
During an October 2024 interview on theClub Shay Shaypodcast, the “All the Way Up” artist shared that Joey, who is alsodiagnosed with autism, is his “biggest blessing” despite the difficulties that have come with raising a special needs child.
“This guy is happy. I swear to God, he’s always happy. He’s never sad,” Fat Joe said. “He’s happy and he does what he wants. He gets what he wants. He’s the Don.”
The rapper also referred to his older son as “the Don of the family” during an appearance onThe Viewin November 2022.
“He inspires me. He’s such a blessing in our life, he’s almost like an angel,” he explained. “It’s the gift that keeps giving, little Joey, and I’m so proud of him.”
Ryan Cartagena, 30
Fat Joe with his son Ryan Cartagena.Fat Joe/Instagram
Fat Joe’s second son, Ryan Cartagena, was born onJan. 19, 1995.
While Fat Joe hasn’t revealed the identity of Ryan’s mom, the rapper mentioned her in his 2022 memoir,The Book of Jose,writing, “Ryan’s mom has been active in his life, and me and her remain cool.” Over the years, Ryan has posted a few photos and tributes to heron Instagram.
In his early life, Ryan primarily lived with his mom, but eventually he came to live with his dad instead. “When Ryan was around ten years old, I moved him down to Miami with me and my wife, Lorena. We’ve raised him since then,” Fat Joe shared.
The rapper described his younger son as being “a good kid with a 97 average in school” in a June 2010 interview withXappeal.However, he also referred to Ryan as somewhat rebellious at times, saying, “But I have to stay strict with him.”
Despite his career in the music industry, Fat Joe admitted that he didn’t want his kids to follow in his footsteps, emphasizing the importance of college.
Fat Joe’s son Ryan Cartagena.Ryan Cartagena/Instagram
Ryan Cartagena/Instagram
“I want them to go to school to get a great education and be a doctor, lawyer or whatever the biggest, most positive dream for a parent is, that’s what I want,” he said. “I technically don’t want my son to be a rapper. He wants to rap but I would like it better if he did something else.”
Since then, the “Lean Back” singer has touched on how challenging the entertainment industry can be. While it might seem like Fat Joe’s successful rap career could help pave the way for his son, he told HipHopDXthat he sees it as more of an obstacle than anything else, explaining that the public would undoubtedly compare Ryan with his famous father.
“I don’t like [my kids] to have that type of pressure on them,” he said.
Referring to his dad as “old-school,” Ryan noted that he went to college to make him happy. According tohis LinkedIn, he graduated from Full Sail University in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in entertainment business management.
Azariah Cartagena, 18
Fat Joe with his daughter Azariah Cartagena.Fat Joe/Instagram
On May 4, 2006, Fat Joe welcomed his youngest child and his only daughter, Azariah Cartagena, with his wife, Lorena.
In his 2022 memoir,The Book of Jose,Fat Joe revealed that Azariah, whom he affectionately calls “Azzy,” was conceived while he and Lorena were on vacation in Jamaica. “To this day, she loves reggae music,” he wrote.
Fat Joe and Lorena tied the knot 10 years earlier, in 1995, but Azzy was still a “surprise” for the couple. In fact, the rapper shared that he “was nervous” when he found out they were expecting, writing, “I hadn’t had a kid in years.”
Having a girl turned out to be a different experience for Fat Joe. “It’s the greatest, there’s nothing better than having a daughter,” he told Xappealin 2010. “She’s just the cutest thing, she runs me and the whole house. She orders her older brothers around and it’s crazy!”
In 2020, Fat Joe began to transition from rapper to media personality when he launchedThe Fat Joe Show,a nightly Instagram Live talk show where he interviewed high-profile guests in entertainment, politics and more, includingDr. Anthony Fauci,Jamie Foxxand Rep.Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. That led to even more opportunities for the “What’s Luv?” rapper, such as hosting the 2024 BET Hip Hop Awards and his weekly interview series,Fat Joe Talks.
Speaking toThe Washington Postin November 2022, Fat Joe explained that Azariah was behind his pivot to talk show host.
Fat Joe’s daughter Azariah Cartagena.azaryah milan/Instagram
azaryah milan/Instagram
“Covid came. I was terrified. I’m prediabetic so I was scared to catch it. I stayed at home for a year and four months, just me, my wife and my daughter. And my daughter one day said, ‘Hey Dad, you should go on [Instagram] Live.’ I didn’t even know what it was,” he recalled.
Although doing a nightly social media talk show takes a lot of work, unlike his rap career, it’s something he can do while still spending time with his family.
“My daughter’s the executive producer,” he toldBusiness Insiderin March 2021. “She’s 14. She’s excited about it … and it gives me a sense of pride. And I like that she inspires … young kids … and [lets] them know they could be bosses."
Azariah turned 18 in May 2024, and Fat Joe celebrated the milestone with a sweetInstagrampost.
source: people.com
