Fat Joe is grieving the loss of his father Ernesto Cartagena, who pᴀssed away on Wednesday.

The 54-year-old Grammy-nominated rapper, who recently shed over 200 pounds with the help of Ozempic, took to Instagram to share a heartfelt tribute to his late father.

‘Sad to announce the pᴀssing of my Father ‘ERNESTO AKA CUBA’ papi te quiero para siempre,’ he wrote, alongside a touching carousel of family pH๏τos.

‘This has been tough, I’m not looking for sympathy, just honoring my Dad,’ Fat Joe continued. ‘He’s a Legend in my eyes. To my Mom, Wife, Brothers and Sisters, I love you and we’ll always be united. 9/15/1935 – 2/12/2025.’

In the first pH๏τo, the Lean Back hitmaker is seen standing behind his father, arms wrapped around him, both sharing broad smiles. 

Another image captures the father-son duo in an embrace, posing proudly in front of a baby blue Rolls-Royce. 

Fat Joe is grieving the loss of his father Ernesto Cartagena, who pᴀssed away on Wednesday

The 54-year-old Grammy-nominated rapper, who recently shed over 200 pounds with the help of Ozempic , took to Instagram to share a heartfelt tribute to his late father

In his biography, Joe reflected on his stubborn childhood, but praised his father for teaching him the true value of hard work. per TMZ.

The heartfelt tribute comes after the All The Way Up star, who first revealed his shock transformation in July 2023, said a combination of the celebrity-favorite weight loss drug and cutting carbohydrates from his diet enabled him to drop the weight. 

He told US Weekly in October: ‘Ozempic says you may only have two pieces of your favorite stuff.’

Read More Fat Joe reveals devastating reason his son’s mother abandoned their baby at birth

The star did not reveal how long he had been taking the drug for.

He added: ‘We just try to eat everything with the least carbs as possible. So we try to stay away from the bread, the pasta, the rice. That’s the smartest way to eat. 

Joe also shared that his wife of 29 years, Lorena Cartagena, misses his former larger frame, admitting, ‘She likes me being a big boy.’

Last year, the star opened up about how his weight loss not only helped him manage his diabetes but also gave him a fresh perspective on life.

His path to a healthier weight and mindset began over two decades ago, following the tragic death of his close friend and fellow rapper Big Pun, who pᴀssed away from a heart attack in 2000 at just 29. 

‘Sad to announce the pᴀssing of my Father ‘ERNESTO AKA CUBA ’ papi te quiero para siempre,’ he wrote, alongside a touching carousel of family pH๏τos

‘This has been tough, I’m not looking for sympathy, just honoring my Dad,’ Fat Joe continued. ‘He’s a Legend in my eyes. To my Mom, Wife, Brothers and Sisters, I love you and we’ll always be united. 9/15/1935 – 2/12/2025’

Fat Joe’s dad and son Joey

In his biography, Joe reflected on his stubborn childhood, but praised his father for teaching him the true value of hard work

However, it wasn’t until recently that Joe saw significant progress in his weight loss journey.

‘I went to his funeral and I felt like Ebenezer Scrooge. Like, I saw me. And I’m looking at his little daughter. She was the same age as my daughter. I said, “You gotta lose weight; otherwise you’re outta here,”‘ the rapper told Men’s Health.

When asked if he’d consider changing his stage name now that the term ‘fat’ no longer suits him, Joe admitted he briefly toyed with the idea of calling himself ‘Slim Joe’ or something similar.

But ultimately, he decided against it.

‘Although I’ve become health-conscious on another level, it wouldn’t make sense to change it. Now it’s my brand. It’s what I built,’ he explained.