Philadelphia, PA--

Our staff caught up with Fat Joe in Philadelphia at a Fusion Flash Concert sponsored by Ford Motor Company in collaboration with Sony Pictures Digital.

PM: First of all I want to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to do this interview.

FJ: No problems, no problem, have a seat.

PM: First of all, I know you’re from the Bronx but where?

FJ: South Bronx, Forest Projects to be exact.

PM: How old are you?

FJ: I will be thirty-four on August 6th.

PM: Happy early birthday.

FJ: Thanks

PM: Joe you are always on the road a lot, how has this affected your marriage and family?

FJ: Wow! Being married is really hard when you’re on the road. Being on the road as much as I am is not really fair to my family. It’s really hard on my wife and son, but I do what I do for them because I want them to have the better things in life so sometimes you have to make that sacrifice. My family and I were poor people, my parents came to this country as immigrants so I had to make that money, but now my Mom and Pop have their own home. But it’s not really fair for my wife because I am away so much but I am trying my best. My family came from nothing and to be able to give back to my family the benefits from this business and to help other people along the way makes it all worthwhile. I miss my family tremendously when I am on the road but it’s just one of the things I just have to do to provide a better life for my family. I love helping my family.

PM: That’s tight. By any chance are you going to be in a movie again?

FJ: Right now we’re in the process of doing a sitcom. As far as a movie, you know you got to get with those Hollywood folks and trying to pull that off would be great. It would be nice to do a movie.

PM: What have you done to give back to your community?

FJ: Oh man, we've done several things. We donated computers to an elementary school. CS 146 is the school. We also give to charity. We donated twenty-five thousand dollars to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. We also worked with several NBA players, who work with kids in basketball programs; we are always willing to work with the kids.

PM: How have you managed to stay away from the violence that is associated with hip-hop?

FJ: One thing everyone needs to understand this music thing is just a business. I try to stay low and work hard my job is on the road performing and writing in the studio. I do this music because I love it, I sing about gangster rap and some hard-core stuff but it’s not what I do. When I am done for the day I put the mike down and leave the stage and go home and just become Joseph Carter Jr. I’m not leaving a concert to go and stick up a bodega; I go home to my wife and family as often as I can and just do regular everyday things.

PM: What positive message would you like to send out to the young kids?

FJ: The kids need to understand this music is just business, don’t let this music make you become something your not. Becoming a gangster is not the thing to do. Education is the most important thing for the kids; they must get their education. Kids today need to respect their parents, because their Mom and Dad are the ones who pay the bills and provide for them. Don’t live life behind this rap music they have to understand it’s just a business.