Don Cartagena
Don Cartagena is the third studio album by American rapper Fat Joe. It was released on September 1, 1998 through Atlantic Records, Big Beat, Mystic Entertainment Group and Fat Joe's Terror Squad Productions. Production was handled by Armageddon, Baby Paul, Buckwild, Curt Gowdy, Dame Grease, DJ Premier, JAO, L.E.S., Mack 10, Marley Marl, Rashad Smith, Ski Beatz, Spunk Bigga, V.I.C. and Younglord, with Craig Kallman, Fat Joe and Greg Angelides serving as executive producers. It features guest appearances from fellow Terror Squad members Big Punisher, Armageddon, Prospect, Cuban Link and Triple Seis, as well as Charli Baltimore, Jadakiss, Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone, Nas, Noreaga, Puff Daddy, Raekwon and Rell.
The album debuted at number seven on the US Billboard 200, selling 106,000 copies in its first week. On October 28, 1998, it was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of over 500,000 units in the United States.
It was supported with two singles: "Don Cartagena" and "Bet Ya Man Can't ". Its lead single, "Don Cartagena", peaked at number 2 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 and number 40 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in the US. The second single from the album, "Bet Ya Man Can't ", made it to number 54 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and also marked Fat Joe's first entry on the UK singles chart, reaching number 97. Both singles featured accompanying music videos. Though not released as a single, a music video for John Blaze was made.
Critical reception
Don Cartagena received generally favourable reviews from music critics. Matt Diehl of Entertainment Weekly praised the album, writing that Fat Joe's "blunt lyrical flow, infectious Latino pride, and appropriately ominous grooves make these gangsta tales explode like a sonic Scarface". Soren Baker of Los Angeles Times called it "Joe's triumphant return project", adding "Joe largely sticks to ultra-violent lyrics and gangster story lines. The album's appeal rests largely on his ability to effortlessly mix gangsterism and braggadocio. Joe's menacing voice and thunderous production create a masterful musical atmosphere that thrills and intimidates", and resumed: "a superb blend of hard-core sounds and sensibilities, Don Cartagena places Fat Joe among rap's elite".Track listing
;Notes- Track 11 is produced by Victor "V.I.C." Padilla, who is a member of Ghetto Professionals and The Beatnuts. The production credits are shared between the two production teams in the liner notes.
- Track 6 contains elements from "Don't You Know That?" written and performed by Luther Vandross.
- Track 7 contains a sample from "How High" by Method Man & Redman.
- Track 10 contains samples from "Got to Be Real" performed by Cheryl Lynn and an interpolation of "No Time" written by Kimberly Jones, Sean Combs and Steven Jordan.
Personnel
- Joseph "Fat Joe" Cartagena — vocals, executive producer
- Christopher "Big Pun" Rios — vocals
- Richard "Prospect" Perez — vocals
- John "Armageddon" Eaddy — vocals, producer & mixing
- Sean "Puffy" Combs — vocals
- Nasir "Nas" Jones — vocals
- Jason "Jadakiss" Phillips — vocals
- Corey "Raekwon" Woods — vocals
- Tiffany "Charli Baltimore" Lane — vocals
- Gerrell "Rell" Gaddis — vocals
- David Anthony "Kid Capri" Love Jr. — voice
- Felix "Cuban Link" Delgado — vocals
- Sammy "Triple Seis" Garcia — vocals
- Lo-Key — additional vocals
- Victor "Noreaga" Santiago — vocals
- Steven "Layzie Bone" Howse — vocals
- Anthony "Krayzie Bone" Henderson — vocals
- Rodolfo "DJ Clark Kent" Franklin — scratches
- Gerald Flowers — guitar
- Martha Mooke — viola
- Chris "DJ Spinbad" Sullivan — scratches
- Larry Devore — strings arrangement
- Barry Salter — guitar
- Dinky Bingham — keyboards
- Rob "Reef" Tewlow — keyboards and additional programming, co-executive producer, A&R
- Darryl McClary — keyboards and additional programming
- Dedrick "Mack 10" Rolison — producer
- Leshan "L.E.S." Lewis — producer & mixing
- Damon "Dame Grease" Blackmon — producer & mixing
- Marlon "Marley Marl" Williams — producer & engineering
- Richard "Younglord" Frierson — producer & mixing
- Paul Anthony "Baby Paul" Hendricks — producer & mixing
- David "Ski" Willis — producer & mixing
- Anthony "Buckwild" Best — producer & mixing
- Christopher "DJ Premier" Martin — producer
- J. "JAO" Ortiz — producer
- Victor "V.I.C." Padilla — producer & mixing
- Anthony "Spunk Bigga" Blagmon — producer & mixing
- Rashad Smith — producer & mixing
- Richard "Curt Gowdy" Pimentel — producer
- Christian "Soundboy" Delatour — recording, mixing, mixing assistant
- Paul Gregory — recording, recording assistant
- Ken "Duro" Ifill — recording, mixing
- Dexter Thibou — recording & mixing assistant
- Gustavo Garces — recording
- Rich Keller — recording, mixing
- Rich Travali — mixing
- Eddie Sancho — mixing
- Phil Pagano — mixing
- Romeo Antonio — mixing
- Gregory "Gold" Wilson — recording assistant, mixing assistant
- Nikos Teneketzis — recording assistant, mixing assistant
- Tom Hughes — recording assistant
- Carlisle Young — mixing assistant
- Leon Zervos — mastering
- Gregory J. Angelides — executive producer
- Craig Kallman — executive producer
- Eric Altenburger — art direction, design
- Michael Lavine — photography