EXCLUSIVEHow Fat Joe Became a Successful Entrepreneur After Coming From 'Nothing': 'You Gotta Fight for It'
Fat Joe worked his way to the top, here's how!
Fat Joe started from the bottom — now he's here.
The famed rapper, whose real name is Joseph Cartagena, reveals his secrets to entrepreneurial success during an exclusive chat with OK! about his involvement as the President of Urban and Latino Development at Market America following the organization's Leadership School conference last weekend.
Fat Joe is the President of Urban and Latino Development at Market America.
"I come from nothing, but when you come for nothing, man, the world is yours," Joe admits after being born and raised in the Bronx by parents of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent. "You gotta fight for it, you know, and never give up. I don't believe the hustle ever stops no matter how well off you are, how good you are doing. A true entrepreneur will keep pushing and pushing toward success."
"It's all about how hard you want to work, how aggressive you want to push," the "All the Way Up" rapper declares while encouraging aspiring businessmen and women to strive for greatness.
Pictured: Rapper Fat Joe and author Loren Ridinger at the Market America conference.
While Joe might have "made it" as a multi-talented star, he doesn't take anything for granted, either.
He mentions: "I enjoy the biggest wins, I enjoy the smallest wins. I enjoy family. I enjoy success. I'm just happy to be here every day. We get up, you know, one of my best friends is here, we call each other and we're like, 'Yo, God gave us another day. God gave us another day.'"
Pictured: Loren Ridinger, Fat Joe, Angie Martinez and his wife, Lorena Cartagena, at Market America's Leadership School weekend in Miami.
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Starting a business from scratch might seem hard and intimidating, but Joe says there are plenty of resources to get you going — thanks to Market America's globally-recognized Leadership School, offering actionable insights from industry experts, product launches, electrifying speakers and networking opportunities that drive growth and success.
"In a world where it seems to be just wealthy people and poor people and there's no middle class, Market America gives you an even playing field, [as well as] the opportunity to make your dreams come true and seek financial freedom," he explains.
"When I saw Market America and I saw how people could generate residual income and they could get paid and the crew could get paid for what everybody's doing, I was like, this a no brainer," Joe shares of why he feels so passionate about working with the organization.
The "Lean Back" rapper goes on to provide a few pieces of advice for those who may have missed the conference in Miami, as he suggests people "educate" themselves by learning "on the job."
Fat Joe came from 'nothing,' he admits.
"Keep going to these events, learning and picking up more. If you talk to people, if you let people talk to you, they'll tell you what they need. It's about being a people's person. Get the word out there as much as possible."
Additionally, Joe advises eager fans to "keep pushing" because "believing in yourself as an entrepreneur is almost like believing in God."
"You gotta have faith, you gotta trust yourself that you're gonna fight. You're gonna do whatever it takes when you hit a roadblock. You gotta believe in yourself in order to become successful," he notes. "Tell yourself, 'I'm a winner. I'm a success.'"
"Some people are cool with having a regular mediocre life, and that's not what I'm about. That's not what Market America is about. It's about giving you the opportunity to give financial freedom and live your biggest dreams," Joe concludes.
