Fat Joe is heading to the UK for first ever London show (Picture: Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
Despite being in the industry for over three decades, rapper Fat Joe has never performed in London – until now.
The 90s icon rose to fame with tracks like What’s Luv? and Lean Back, having made his music debut with group Diggin’ in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.).
He has worked with the likes of DJ Khaled, French Montana, Remy Ma, and even appeared as a therapist in Jennifer Lopez’s bizarre biopic.
Fat Joe, real name Joseph Antonio Cartagena, resurfaced last year after a huge 14-stone weight loss and now he’s announced a London show.
On October 23, the star will head to the Copper Box Arena in Stratford, London, along with The Lox.
Sharing the good news, he said: ‘London are you ready for me? I can’t wait to finally perform my first big UK headline show, it’s gonna be huge!’
His last full studio album was in 2010 (Picture: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET)
Fat Joe founded his own record label in 1997 (Picture: Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
Joe first hit the charts in 1992 with D.I.T.C. before going solo the following year with his debut album Represent.
Since the 90s he has gone on to release nine further albums, with the last full studio album — The Darkside Vol. 1 — coming in 2010.
Along with his own releases, Joe founded his own record label Terror Squad Entertainment in 1997, which has signed artists like DJ Khaled.
He has been involved in films and TV shows too, including Happy Feet, Scary Movie 3, and the infamous JLo film This Is Me…Now.
While Joe has stepped back from the studio, the star does still perform and is touring the US before heading to London for the one-off gig.
Fat Joe has worked with the likes of DJ Khaled and Remy Ma (Picture: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for We The Best Foundation )
Last year, he revealed he had lost over 14 stone after struggling with depression and the loss of close friend Big Pun, who died from a heart attack.
Speaking to Men’s Health, he frankly described his headspace when he was going through depression and how ‘baby steps’ pulled him out of it.
‘I went to his funeral […] I’m looking at his little daughter. She was the same age as my daughter. I said, “You gotta lose weight; otherwise you outta here”,’ Joe recalled.
‘When you’re fighting yourself, there isn’t a wall high enough that you can build,’ he added.
‘There isn’t an island you can go to. There isn’t a place you can go to where you get away from it, because you’re fighting your mind.’
Tickets for Fat Joe’s gig with The Lox go on sale Friday, August 9, at 9am through Ticketmaster.
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