Fat Joe is a legend of the South Bronx. Raised in hip-hop's birthplace, the rugged rapper was introduced as part of the influential Diggin' In The Crates crew. '93 debut album Represent was powered by hardcore soul and funk-sampling beats from Diamond D and Lord Finesse, topped with Joey Crack's own weighty verbals and street-rooted boasts. Despite unimpeachable ties to the underground, collaborations with R&B singers like R. Kelly and Ashanti on '01's Jealous Ones Still Envy have also taken the big man into crossover territory.