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The Book of Jose

A Memoir

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The Book of Jose

Written by: Fat Joe, Shaheem Reid
Narrated by: Fat Joe
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About this listen

Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum–selling artist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Fat Joe pulls back the curtain on his larger-than-life persona in this gritty, intimate memoir about growing up in the South Bronx and finding his voice through music.

“An adrenaline rush . . . buckle up and lean back.”—
Spin

Fat Joe is a hip-hop legend, but this is not a tale of celebrity; it is the story of Joseph Cartagena, a kid who came of age in the South Bronx during its darkest years of drugs, violence, and abandonment, and how he navigated that traumatizing landscape until he found—through art, friendship, luck, and will—a rocky path to a different life.

Joe is born into a sprawling Puerto Rican and Cuban family in the projects of the South Bronx. From infancy his life is threatened by violence, and by the time he starts middle school, he is faced with the grim choice that defined a generation: to become predator or prey. Soon Joe and his crew dominate the streets, but he finds his true love among the park jams where the Bronx’s wild energy takes musical form. His identity splits in two: a hustler roaming record stores, looking for beats; and a budding rapper whose violent rep rings in the streets. As Joe’s day-to-day life becomes more fraught with betrayal, addiction, and death, until he himself is shot and almost killed, he gravitates toward the music that gives him both a voice to tell the stories of his young life and the tools he needs to create a new one. The challenges never stop—but neither does Joe.

This memoir, written in Joe’s own intensely compelling voice, moves with the momentum of pulp fiction, but underneath the tragicomedy and riveting tales of the streets and the industry is a thought-provoking story about a generation of survivors raised in warlike conditions—the life-and-death choices they had to make, the friends they lost and mourned, and the glittering lives they created from the ruins.

©2022 Fat Joe and Shaheem Reid (P)2022 Random House Audio
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What listeners say about The Book of Jose

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AMAZING

Really can relate to Joe and who he portrays in his book with loyalty people breaking his trust and coming down to bouncing back fact it was his voice telling his story made it that much better !!!

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This book is unreal, check it out now!!

I absolutely loved this book. I’m not the biggest fat Joe fan, but I am a fan. I know his music. I followed his career and he’s got some good hits but for me, this book is probably the greatest thing he’s ever done. Beginning to end I found it mesmerizing. The story he tells, the honesty of it all and the ups and downs that he has experienced in his life is wild. This book is the truth and the way fat Joe tells the story is the icing on the cake long live Joey crack. I am definitely a bigger fan than I was before reading this book.

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best book in along time

best book I've heard in a long time narrated by the author Joey Crack worth it

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Phenomenal

Wow. Listening to Joe narrate his memoir is equivalent to watching 3 astounding movies. I was intrigued from the beginning to end. I also can't help to think how much of his life story was toned down to stay out of the courts. What a life. This audio book set the bar. I'll be listening again and again.

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Best Storyteller

If you ever want to hear a great story, have Fat Joe tell it. I absolutely loved this book. Thank you Don for sharing your trauma and triumph.

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Hip hop book of the year

Hearing Fat Joe tell his story in this audio book is crazy inspiring and it’s amazing seeing how even the biggest stars still have to go through their fair share of adversity to get to where they are. A story of trials and tribulations and how he always stayed true to what he knew was right. I’m amazed right now

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Exciting, Emotional, And deep. 10/10

I never knew anything much about Fat joe, but I've always loved his music. And as a father with a son who has downsyndrome, I really t
related to that situation.

Also, I laughed alot during listening to this.

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CLASSIC...We need VOLUME 2

You don't have to be a fan of Hip Hop to enjoy this book. It's truly an incredible story.

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Joey’s Home!

Good audiobook, since Joe always been a great story teller! Instant classic from the BX

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amazing book!!!

Joe you killed it!!! this is a must listen. from start to finish always interesting and inspiring

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