Calleja was born in Taylor, Michigan and was diagnosed with a severe form of celiac disease, an autoimmune disease that may cause stunting and dwarfism and some complications in rare cases. Because of this, he had a maximum height of 3 ft 9 in (1.1 m) at adult age. His dwarfism resulted in multiple medical problems. In 2000, he said in an interview with John Norris from MTV that he had to take 60 pills daily and required constant medical treatment. His Los Angeles Times obituary stated Calleja\'s medical regimen had required taking 65 pills daily, in addition to undergoing daily dialysis.\n', '

Calleja first met fellow Michigan musician Kid Rock at a concert by the latter in Roseville, Michigan[citation needed] in 1994. In a backstage interview conducted by disc jockey Julie Slater of New York FM radio station K-Rock (WXRK) on July 24, 1999, after Kid Rock\'s performance at Woodstock 99, the artist said Calleja "used to come to all my shows, he would be standing on tables in the front row singing the lyrics."\n', '

Kid Rock said in the interview that he mistakenly thought Joe C. was a child. Calleja asked a mutual acquaintance to tell Rock he wanted to smoke a joint with him, Rock said, after which the pair formally met and Rock learned Calleja was actually a 21-year-old adult. "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."\n', '

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