Failed to file his taxes: Fat Joe pleaded guilty to the tax charges in 2012, and on Monday was sentenced to four months in prison, starting August 26
Fat Joe, who topped hip hop charts with singles such as What's Luv (with Ashanti and Ja Rule), had failed to file income taxes for two years.
Federal prosecutors said that the government's total tax loss from the rapper over the period was $718,038.
The Lean Back star is CEO of Terror Squad which is the company via which he earned much of the $3million he made from 2007-2010.
'I worked so hard to not end up in court': the rapper apologized to his friends, family and supporters who filled the courtroom and talked about his upbringing in a rough neighborhood
The courtroom was filled with family and friends and Fat Joe took the opportunity to speak out after his sentence was delivered.
He spoke about growing up in a housing project in the Bronx in NYC where he was surrounded by drugs, guns and 'violence all around.'
'I did everything I could to achieve what I could, to move my family; I tried to stay positive, focus on the positive, and get myself out,' the rapper said.
Happier days: the rapper was performing in France just days before the hearing in the New Jersey courtroom on Monday
He is known for speaking out publicly about his efforts to lose weight and speaking in schools about to children about obesity-related issues and the importance of health and fitness.
As the hip hop icon continued his apology to his supporters, he said: 'I guess I'm surprised, caused I worked so hard to not end up in court, that I'm here,' and that "This is the last place I thought I would be.'
Fat Joe is set to go to prison by August 26, and he has also been fined $15,000.
A spokesperson for obesity-related issues: Fat Joe, pictured here in June 2012, has been very public about trying to lose weight, even speaking to schools about the importance of health and fitness
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