Quotes by Joe Cartagena

“I think it can be very hard for some artists to maintain their relevance. Ive been very lucky in the fact that Ive been doing this for over 13 years. And as the years go by, I get more and more love from the fans. As long as you make great music and have hits, which Ive been able to do, you will get the record label and promotion support that you need. I know that I continue to grow musically and lyrically with each album that I release.”

“I had a few artists that I really looked up to when I was starting out, like Slick Rick, KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane and others. But my all-time favorite was LL Cool J. When I heard his first songs on the radio, I stopped my car and pulled over to the side so I could really focus and hear what he was saying. He really made me want to do music full-time. Even today when I make a song, I wonder what LL would think of it.”

“Obviously, Miami is a different way of life than New York. My grittier street songs are definitely influenced by New York. Just driving down the Bronx in my old neighborhood can inspire me every day. You never know what you are going to see or hear. I cant really say there is one thing that most inspires me from New York. But the city as a whole always gives me material to write about.”