Roots of Fat Joe

Artis Leon Ivey Jr., known by his stage name Coolio, was an American rapper, songwriter and record producer. He was best known for his single "Gangsta's Paradise" (1995), which won a Grammy Award, and was credited for changing the course of hip-hop by bringing it to a wider audience. Other singles included "Fantastic Voyage" (1994), "1, 2, 3, 4 " (1996), and "C U When U Get There" (1997). He released nine albums, the first three of which achieved mainstream success: It Takes a Thief (1994), Gangsta's Paradise (1995), and My Soul (1997). Coolio first achieved recognition as a member of the gangsta rap group WC and the Maad Circle. Coolio sold 4.8 million albums in the U.S.

Héctor Luis Delgado Román, also known by his stage name Héctor el Father, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and pastor. He rose to fame as a member of the duo Héctor & Tito Los Bambinos. As a producer, he is credited with discovering several major artists such as Tempo, Don Omar and Wisin & Yandel.

Héctor Luis Delgado Román, also known by his stage name Héctor el Father, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and pastor. He rose to fame as a member of the duo Héctor & Tito Los Bambinos. As a producer, he is credited with discovering several major artists such as Tempo, Don Omar and Wisin & Yandel.

Organized Konfusion (OK) is an alternative hip hop duo from Queens, New York, composed of Prince Po and Pharoahe Monch. They have released the albums Organized Konfusion (1991), Stress: The Extinction Agenda (1994), and The Equinox (1997).

Nathaniel Thomas Wilson, better known by his stage name Kool G Rap, is an American rapper. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as a member of the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MCs of all time, and a pioneer of mafioso rap/street/hardcore content and multisyllabic rhyming. On his album The Giancana Story, he stated that the "G" in his name stands for "Giancana", but on other occasions he has stated that it stands for "Genius".

Lost Boyz are an American hip hop group from Queens, New York, consisting of MC Mr. Cheeks, DJ Spigg Nice, Pretty Lou, and Freaky Tah,. The original line-up released two albums: Legal Drug Money (1996) and Love, Peace & Nappiness (1997). The third album, LB IV Life (1999), was finished by the three remaining group members. In the following years, Mr. Cheeks focused on his solo career, reuniting with the rest of the group for their fourth album, Grand Scheme 12:26 (2020).

Richard Anthony Simpson, also known as Chubb Rock, is a Jamaican-American rapper who released several successful hip hop albums in the late 1980s and early 1990s. A National Merit Scholar, Chubb Rock dropped out of Brown University to pursue his musical career.

Moses Michael Levi Barrow, best known by his stage name Shyne, is a Belizean politician and former rapper. He served as Leader of the Opposition in the House of Representatives, and the leader of the Belize United Democratic Party.

David Arnold Augustine Jr., known professionally as Dee-1, is an American rapper, author, educator, and activist from New Orleans, Louisiana. The success of his 2010 single, "Jay, 50, and Weezy", led him to sign a recording contract with RCA Inspiration three years later. In 2019, he parted ways with the label in favor of an independent career.

Christopher Francis Ries, known professionally as Young Chris, is an American rapper. He was one-half of the Philadelphia-based hip hop duo Young Gunz, which he formed with fellow rapper Neef Buck in 2001. That same year, the duo joined the larger Philadelphia-based hip hop group State Property; both acts were signed to Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records by the same time.