What was Joe C.'s net worth?
Joe C. was an American rapper and musician who had a net worth of $1 million at the time of his death. Joe C. was best known for being the hype man and providing comic relief for Kid Rock. Joe C. had an autoimmune disease called coeliac disease which causes stunting and dwarfism. Joe C. was 3'9″ as an adult and suffered from multiple medical issues.
Early Life
Joe C. was born Joseph Michael Calleja in Taylor Michigan on November, 9 1974. He died on November 16, 2000 at the age of 26.
As stated earlier, Joe C. had autoimmune disease called coeliac disease which caused stunting and dwarfism. His disease also required him to take dozens of pills and undergo dialysis treatment daily.
(Photo by D. Kambouris/WireImage)
Kid Rock & Rap Career
Joe C. started off as a Kid Rock fan, attending many of the rapper's concerts. He met Kid Rock for the first time at a concert in Roseville, Michigan in 1994. Kid Rock mistook Joe for a child… as he would later recall:
"He used to come to all my shows. He'd be standing on tables in the front row singing the lyrics… He's talking and I'm like, would you like a job? He's like, I can't do anything. I'm like, it's not important right now. I was like, you got attitude flying all over this room. I was like, I'll teach you everything you need to know."
In 1997 Joe C. appeared on the cover of an album for a rapper named Shortcut. In the cover photo Joe posed with two naked strippers. Assuming he was a child, police launched an investigation. The investigation was subsequently closed when Joe verified he was actually 23.
On Kid Rock's 1998 breakthrough album, "Devil Without a Cause," Joe appeared prominently on four tracks:
- Devil Without a Cause
- Bawitdaba
- Cowboy
- Wasting Time
He has a particularly prominent solo rap verse on the title song "Devil Without a Cause."
That album sold 14 million copies and turned Kid Rock into one of the most popular musicians in the world. Joe proceeded to tour the world with Kid Rock appearing famously at Woodstock 99 wearing a t-shirt that read "I'm Not a Fucking Midgit!", the 2000 Grammys and an appearance at Wrestlemania.
Joe starred in Kid's music video for the song for "Cowboy."
Death
Unfortunately, Joe C died in his sleep on November 16, 2000 at 26 years old at his parents' home in Taylor, Michigan. He was scheduled to release a solo album before his passing. Kid Rock released the following statement after Joe's death:
"Family and friends are everything; without them, all of the fame and fortune means nothing. We have lost part of our family. Joey gave us, and the world, his love. He brought a smile to everyone who has ever known or seen him. In a world full of confusion, Joey made all of us laugh. No matter what color, religion, race, or beliefs we have, he made us all smile. He gave us the gift of joy. Joey, thank you. We will never forget you. We love you."
Kid Rock's 2001 album "Cocky" is dedicated to Joe.
