"I walked into the game with no crutches, no Diddy, no Dupree, no Dr. Dre, no Cashmoney from Baby, no Rocs from Jay, and I'm still here!"
You all know 'em, F-A-B-O-L-O-U-S, aka Loso. Nobody questions this guy's ability to rap if you're in the know. If you do question his skill, you're pretty much a retard. Anyway, lets compare Fabolous to Carmelo Anthony. We know what this guy's workin' with, and we know how great he can be... But only if he wants to be. Like Carmelo on the Olympic / USA team, no one else is better.. (Example: Fabolous killing it on the Carter 3). But, when he gets back on his own ish, he, like Melo leaves us scratchin' our head. Like Melo's unwillingness to hustle, Fab just can't leave the damn women alone in his music, and it hurts his overall product. Well, Fab didn't make a great splash with his 1st Def Jam CD, and after Jay-Z's American Gangster, Fab pledged he would put out a CD that would follow Carlito's Way to the T. Fab came out with the single "It's My Time", supposed to be giving us a heads up on he's about to be something great. Well, we're gonna see if Fab "sticks to the script" or if he lets the women pull 'em down again.
Fabolous comes like he has a chip on a shoulder, on "The Way" intro song, and he seems to be penning about everything that's irked him since here and last CD, and putting up valid points on how he got where he is now. And one thing about Fab, while maturing he's able to use that mixtape wordplay, and wit and combine 'em into clever lines. You hear these lines all over "I'mma Do It". Another song where he workin' that chip off his shoulder, with lines like "Feeling just like JFK, in a city that let 'em fly like JFK", you kinda see he's not the most happy camper in the industry. Now, only problem with this CD so far, is that he's had 3 songs that's felt like an intro. Granted, these songs were nice songs, but Fab took to long to start to digg into this concept.
In "Feel Like I'm Back", you can kinda compare this to Carlito being happy he's outta jail, he's trying to change, but he still has that old natural "don't f with me mentality". Fab kinda ties that mindset together with "I fathered dude who fathered you, shit you like my grandson, I came back for it like I left it nigga, you try me, you get more than an E for effort nigga." It also doesn't hurt to add the fact the deep bass in the song, and the lady accompanying him in the hook makes the song very addictive. Keri Hilson, Ryan Leslie, Fabolous, "Everything, Everyday, Everywhere" should instantly remind you of Carlito's club, (If, you've seen the movie.) Not the best song, but it's a cool one, but if it's to follow Carlito's Way, it DOES fit the concept, and Fab got away with having a club joint in his project without having a hiccup on the original idea.
Now remember how we compared Carmelo's hustle, to Fab's ability to get off track for whatever reason. Here's when we start to question him alittle bit. I suppose, if you need a song for the women, you'll need The Dream for some help. The song is "ok" at best, but I seem to be the only one who isn't really on this song as hard, so maybe it's just me, so, I'll wave my white flag on that one. But it is hard to argue that this one followed concept, yes, Carlito was ballin', but did he take Gail shopping? I can't remember.
Now back to concept, you can see this going on through Carlito's mind about Gail on the song, "When the Money Goes." Fab got a track from Jay-Z and asks a great question. "When the money goes... Will the hunnies stay, will the grey clouds replace the sunny days"? (Hey Hey Hey hey hey.. But me personally, I still liked Jay-Z's version alil' better.) But, Fab did his job on this song, no tampering with an already flawless hook.. Now on to a flawful, awful song... Now I don't know where "Salute," would come from if you're being inspired by Carlito's Way. But to sum it up quickly, suspect beat, Fab didn't try, and Lil Wayne can't rap better than Fab. There, that song's over and done with.
Fab uses some help with Freck Billionaire, Paul Cain, and Red Cafe, in "There He Go," although this is a mixtape track, the deep bass and the witty lyrics everyone comes with sucks you in regaurdless. So it gets a pass.
Now Fab starting to get back on concept, Gail wasn't the richest woman in the city, but Carlito had a few pennies to spare, and all Carlito wanted to do was get out the game, and get away with Gail. With help from Ryan Leslie, even with a Bahamas-vacation-type beat, you can kinda see Carlito and Gail get away on this song... (Well, they were black I guess.) So REGARDLESS of what you don't like about this song, Loso, is on concept here. And the song is a good song anyway.
Now, we all knew it'd be one to many lady songs, and the song with Ne-Yo, we're spot on. Some ladies will like it, and we'll leave it at that.
Now our on-going love story continues. A song with the help of Trey Songs Carlito (Loso,) and Gail (whoever Fab's talkin' to,) is havin' that argument about him being on the streets to much. Living life to dangerously. And cleverly executed, to make it sound like a love song, which it is, it's the love for the game, and bad habits getting the best of 'em, showing his imperfections, and how the bad domino effect came through and got him in the end.
"I get under n*ggas skin, yall should call me I.V., but if you try me n*gga, I will be your caller I.D., that means I got ya number, please don't make me dial it, that could land ya fly ass down like a pilot."
This is probably the album's brightest moment, brilliant concept. Fab gives a clever name for untrustworthy friends, "Pachanga's." So Fab goes into the song describing a relationships with people he trusts, but in the end, they turn on him, like Pachanga did Carlito. And as a retalitation to that back-stabbing friend, you would love to sing him/her a "Lullaby" wouldn't you? With a lazy, but fitting hook, ear drowning beat, killer lyrics, this song is no slouch by no means.
Now, this song is more personal than anything, "Stay" with Marsha Ambrosius, Fab just chops it up about father-hood. Nothing special, but it's still a great song, and hopefully some men that don't take responsibility about theirs will hear this n it'll make 'em clean up there act. Even if it's just one.
Fab ends this roller-coaster trip with a different type of love story. Instead, this Gail is in the game with him, and the dark beats drives you all the way into a tragic ending. "I Miss My Love" is hookless, but beautiful none-the-less and it is a must-hear, especially if you like a good story.
To sum it all up, yes, Fab got off track, Fab had some great songs. For the most part he was on concept, if he were to let go of 3 questionable songs, this CD would be that of a different calibur. But like I say, he's like Carmelo to a T, he made alotta progress, got all the way to the Western Conference Finals, but let a few hiccups slow 'em down n kept 'em outta the finals. But if Fab stays on track, there's only better CDs ahead.
1 comment:
"I walked into the game with no crutches, no Diddy, no Dupree, no Dr. Dre, no Cashmoney from Baby, no Rocs from Jay, and I'm still here!"
I dunno about all that. He had a huge Co-Sign from Clue who happens to be nobody anymore but at the time was a big deal. No hate. Fabs first album bangs to this day, but NOOObody makes it 'by themself'.
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