Rapper Fat Joe on Going Public With Autistic Son’s Diagnosis: ‘We’re so Proud of Him’

During Autism Acceptance month, the Grammy-nominated artist talked about the blessings and challenges of autism.

Fat Joe visits "U&A" at Music Choice on August 2, 2013 in New York City. Rob Kim/Getty Images

Grammy-nominated rapper, Fat Joe, is using his platform to spread awareness about raising children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as April marks Autism Acceptance month.

On April 9, the 54-year-old appeared on the TODAY show, explaining why his family decided to go public with their experience of autism. The rapper’s 34-year-old son, Joey, has a dual diagnosis of autism and Down syndrome.

“We’re so proud of him, and he’s in a state of happiness. Euphoria of happiness. He’s never not happy, this guy,” he said.

“It’s hard. It’s not easy,” he said of raising an autistic child. He added that “if it’s not easy for me, just imagine the regular, average person who has to deal with autistic kids.”

The rapper—whose real name is Joseph Cartagena—is also father to son Ryan, 30, and daughter Azariah, 18.

He had Joey and Ryan from a previous relationship and shares Azariah with his wife of 30 years, Lorena Cartagena.

He emphasized the importance of speaking openly about the challenges the family faces, while highlighting the love the blended family has to offer, in hopes of resonating with others in similar circumstances.

“And so they see somebody like Fat Joe—we more than embrace and love our kid. It gives them every reason to know they’re doing the right thing, showing their kids love. So that’s why it’s so important to us,” he said on TODAY.

During an episode of the “Club Shay Shay” podcast last year, Fat Joe further elaborated on Joey’s diagnoses, noting he was diagnosed with Down syndrome at birth and autism later in life.

“When he’s born, the doctor tells us, ‘Hey I got bad news to tell you,‘ shows us his hands, his feet, [said] ’he’s got Down syndrome,' he’s going to be a big challenge,” he recalled.

“I’m there with my mother, my father, and [Joey’s] mother, and his mother was like, ‘Yo, I can’t do this. I’m going to have to give him up for adoption.’”

Fat Joe went on to raise Joey on his own with the help of his parents. Despite the hardship that may have caused, he said that he never considered any other option.

“I don’t know how to be a fake father,” he said on the podcast.

“So I got to take care of my kids regardless and do everything I can for them. I don’t know how to give up on my kids. I don’t know how to not love on my kids. That’s impossible.”

Known for his hits “What’s Luv?,” “Lean Back” and “All The Way Up,” the musician rose to fame in the early 1990s, releasing 11 studio albums, 22 singles, and is a five-time Grammy-nominated artist.

With every obstacle, Fat Joe continues to reaffirm the blessings life has brought him. Aside from his success, he wants the world to know Joey is his biggest blessing of all.

“Everyone’s got challenges, it’s hard, but you can’t give up on your kids. I believe—we believe—he’s our biggest blessing. Because we treat him the way we do, we never gave up on him, this is why we get blessed,” he said.

ASD in children is a developmental condition that affects communication and social interactions, and can impact how they play, behave, or think.

As of 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately one in every 36 children in the United States is autistic. Around four percent of boys have the condition, compared to one percent of girls.