Platinum-selling rap star 'Fat Joe' - who this week began a four month prison sentence for tax evasion - blamed his accountant for the error.

The 'What's Luv' performer surrendered on Monday to a Miami federal detention after he confessed to failing to not paying over $1m (£640k) in income tax in 2007 and in 2008 for performance and music royalties.

The Puerto Rican/Cuban rapper, whose real name is Joseph Cartagena, made the admission under a plea deal reached last December.

The rapper - who once weighed over 21 stone - told music magazine Fuse: 'I paid them back. It wasn't entirely my fault. I had a new accountant for like the last four years. And then you could see that my accountant that worked for me the 15 years prior to that always paid my stuff on time - always had it on time.'

'Fat Joe' recently lost a third of his body weight after being shocked into addressing his unhealthy size following the premature deaths of several friends from heart attacks.

The 42-year-old Florida resident was charged in New Jersey because as several of the companies he earns money from are incorporated there.

Cartagena owned the Somerville-based Terror Squad Production Inc. and Miramar Music Touring Inc. He also earned income from FJTS Corp., during the time in question.

In addition to the prison term, US magistrate Cathy Waldor sentenced Cartagena to one-year supervised released and fined him $15,000 (£9,700). He had faced up to two years behind bars for the crime.

His attorney Jeffrey Lichtman said that singer was upbeat and looking forward to his release before Christmas to spend time with his family.