NEW YORK (Atlantic Records) -
Fat Joe will be donating 20 computers to his Bronx Grammar School, PS 146, as a holiday gift next Tuesday, December 21st. This was Joe's idea and came out of conversations that he had with Assemblyman Rubin Diaz, who will also be at the assembly and multimedia room unveiling. In addition to the computers, Joe has also agreed to donate money to the school to repaint and buy new furniture for the multimedia room. Darlene Stokes-McWhales, the principal of PS 146, has also agreed to rename the room after Joe's late sister, Lisa Cartagena, who passed away during childbirth. It's an amazing gesture on behalf of Joe and Hip-e computer - the computer company Joe has teamed up with for this donation.
It has always been important for Joe to use his celebrity for a good cause. "Each year, I make sure to give back to my community and to the children of New York City in some way, by giving toys at Christmas to children in hospitals to serving as Principal for the Day at schools in the Bronx and more. I don't know if anything else I do charity-wise will top what I'm doing for my old grammar school. This was a school that had no computers for their children, so to be able to come in & give them 20 along with a new multimedia room that will be named after & dedicated to my sister is phenomenal and makes me feel so grateful that I'm in a position to give back to the community that helped make me who I am today."
2004 has been a huge year for
Fat Joe professionally. He recorded and released the biggest hit of his career, "Lean Back," for which he, along with Terror Squad, received a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. The video was No 1 on BET and MTV and received over 13,000 spins at its height.
Joe is currently in the studio putting his finishing touches on his 6th solo album, "Things Of That Nature," which will be released in March of 2005. He also recorded, "
Hold You Down" with
Jennifer Lopez for her upcoming album "Rebirth," and they will be shooting a video for it in Los Angeles next month.
WHO: Fat Joe
WHAT: Donation of 20 Hip-e Computers
WHERE: PS 146 in the Bronx
WHEN: Tuesday, December 21st
