Fat Joe isn’t so fat anymore…and he owes it all to Oprah!

The Bronx-born hip-hopster has lost 80 pounds and dropped eight suit sizes over the past year, going from 370 pounds to 290 pounds after being inspired by a weight loss episode of the now-defunct Oprah Winfrey Show.

“All of them lost like 100 pounds. I was like, ‘Oh my God, I gotta get on this diet,’” says Joey Crack, who lost best pal Big Pun to a weight-induced heart attack in 2000. After spending years morbidly obese, Pun tipped the scales at over 600 pounds when he died.

Joe credits cutting out fried food and non-essential carbs with his mega-slimdown. Of course, working out every day with the help of a personal trainer didn’t hurt either.

“What really scares me the most is that I really love to eat. Me being Puerto Rican and not eating rice and beans – it’s hard!”

His weight loss is seen in the new video for his appropriately-titled song “Drop a Body,” featured above.

Being the good-natured guy that he is, 50 blames himself, and subsequently feels pretty dang bad about it. Watch the hazing below:

The sexual assault charge that ensued caused Fat Joe and his entourage to be brought into the Madison, Wisconsin Police Department for questioning although no one was arrested. Now the rapper’s attorney, Dawn Florio Esq., has issued a statement on Joe’s behalf denying any wrongdoing:

“Rapper Joseph Cartagena, known as Fat Joe, members of his entourage and security staff were briefly questioned by members of the Madison, Wisconsin Police Department who were investigating false allegations made by a woman who initially posed as a fan and later claimed to be the victim of an assault after demanding money,” the statement reads. “At no point did Mr. Cartagena or any member of his entourage assault or have any improper contact with the woman. It is truly unfortunate that false allegations such as these cause the public to doubt the claims of actual victims of sexual assaults.”

Terror Squad rapper Fat Joe and his entourage were detained and questioned in Madison, Wisconsin overnight following allegations that the men sexually-assaulted a 33-year-woman they invited into their limosine after a concert.

Joe — a married father of three –was interrogated by local police after the alleged victim told authorities that the rapper (real name Joseph Cartagena) and his entourage inappropriately touched her inside a stretch Cadillac Escalade after Joe’s concert at the Orpheum Theater on Sunday night.

According to the Madison Police Department, the woman claims: “shortly after the concert had concluded … [the woman] found herself inside of a Cadillac Limousine with Joseph Cartagena and other male subjects all with the destination of a hotel located on Madison’s west side.”

Joe’s forthcoming album, Welcome To The Darkside, is due in stores July 7.

50′s G-Unit brother Tony Yayo also participated in the stunt via Twitter.

‘On my way to the hospital,” he wrote Monday. “Keep 50 in ya’ll prayers. Let’s see him thru this. 50 rushed to the hospital here are the details.”

The rapper’s also has a link to an alleged version of Joe’s new album for free download.

Pun’s widow hit headlines this week after revealing that she is in financial ruins and living in a city shelter after being barred access to her husband’s posthumous earnings.

It’s that time of year again. Bronx-bred hip-hop heavyweight is to drop another LP –this time fans can look forward to J.O.S.E. 2, the sequel to his platinum-selling 2001 album, Jealous Ones Still Envy.

In preparation for the disc’s May release, Joe sat down for a telephone interview with Complex, during which he discussed his sneaker addiction, writing hit singles, and his feud with Big Pun’s widow, Liza Rios.

For those who aren’t aware, Rios has spent years publicly blasting Joe for “failing to keep Pun’s memory alive.” She also claims the multimillionaire, who now lives in Miami, made off with her husband’s royalites while she’s been forced to sell the family’s home and hock Pun’s jewelry on eBay in an effort to make end’s meet.

(Watch Liza Rios Plead Her Case Against Fat Joe)

In fact, Liza and her three children still live in the Bronx.

Here’s what Fat Joe had to say about claims that he has forgotten about Pun.

Complex: Speaking of Pun. His wife has said in interviews that you’re not keeping his memory alive. How hurtful was that to you, and how did you take that?

Fat Joe: I don’t care. I don’t care what she says to me. Not keeping Pun’s memory alive? If I don’t keep Pun’s memory alive, who does? You know everything I do, I represent Big Pun. If I won an award, I represent Big Pun. I’m the only one who says Big Pun is the best rapper on earth. If I don’t rep Big Pun, then who reps Big Pun?

Read More Gems From Fat Joe’s Q&A With Complex