Fabolous - Loso’s Way Album Review

Review By: Jabari Oliver

It’s Loso just in case you didn’t know so! F-O-B-LO (Fabolous) returns with a new album called Loso’s Way. This marks his 5^th album since his debut in 2001 with “Ghetto Fabolous.”

Skylar John Jackson better known as Fabolous grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York and has a background of African-American and Dominican heritage. His first introduction to the world came when he was a senior in high school where he called into DJ Clue’s radio show on WQHT Hot 97. Fabolous was instantly signed by DJ Clue’s Desert Storm Records where he was featured on several DJ Clue and Roc-A-Fella mixtapes. After Loso’s buzz grew and the first album was released, the rest was history. He went on to gain monumental success, where over the years, he was nominated for several Teen Choice Awards, a Source Hip Hop Music Award, a Grammy award, an American Music Award, and a BET Award. In 2008, he won the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Award for top rap song for “Make Me Better” which featured R&B superstar Ne-Yo.

Despite all of Fabolous’ career success, trouble found him on numerous occasions. There had been a number of recorded instances where he was in trouble with the law for illegal weapon possession. In October of 2006, Fabolous was shot in his left thigh in the parking garage of Sean Diddy Combs’ restaurant “Justin’s.” The actions leading up to this event involved 2 members of Fabolous’ “Street Family” posse snatching then famed Boston Celtic guard and Brooklyn native Sebastian Telfair’s $50,000 diamond chain. Telfair reportedly followed the men into the restaurant and saw them laughing along with other members of Fabolous’ “Street Family” crew. Telfair then made a call from his cell phone, approximately 20 minutes later the restaurant’s surveillance camera caught Fabolous’ shooter driving off. An injured Fabolous and his “Street Family” crew gave chase and were soon pulled over by the NYPD who arrested and charged them for having loaded, unregistered guns in their SUV. Telfair had to leave during halftime of his Celtics vs. Knicks game to I.D. the robbers in a police line-up which included Fabolous. Telfair failed to recognize his assailants. NBA superstar guard Stephon Marbury who is Telfair’s cousin, later said that Telfiar was robbed at gunpoint for his chain.

Another instance of Fabolous’ “Street Family” crew was when 3 members attempted to rob champion boxer Zab Judah while he stood next to his yellow Lamborghini on West 27th Street at 10th Avenue in New York City. They rolled up in a minivan, hoped out and pulled a black handgun on Judah and ordered him to put all of his jewelry on the hood of his car. Judah ran instead and the robbers followed with haste in the minivan until they crashed in a tree a block away. The three scattered. One was captured by a Homeland Security agent while another was grabbed and held by a nearby cab driver. Fabolous later denied reports that he was involved with the incident.

Fabolous’ name was tied to another incident when his childhood friend, Brooklyn native, and father of two, Shamel McKinney, was stabbed to death inside a New York club named Duvet for attempting to steal jewelry from Anthony Taylor who was later charged for second degree murder. Later Fabolous explained that despite reports, McKinney was not part of the “Street Family” that was connected to him. Fabolous went on to state, “On Thanksgiving, I think I came out of the house one time to go get eggnog. And there wasn’t any eggnog at Club Duvet.”

On the way from the NBA All-Star Game in late February of this year, 500 pounds of marijuana was seized from Fabolous’ tour bus by Arkansas police. Fabolous was not on his bus at the time and has not yet been charged in connection with the incident.

In retrospect, although he has had his share of negativity surrounding him, he has shown a consistent recipe for success. Ingredients to that recipe may include all-star collabs with music’s heavyweights. “Loso’s Way” features new comer Jeremih, Keri Hilson, The Dream, Red Café, Ne-Yo, Trey Songz, and Jay-Z. Another ingredient is fashion. At one point in time Fabolous was known as the throwback king sporting expensive retro jerseys from sport leagends while rocking iced out jewelry. Another important ingredient that can be overlooked is that since Fabolous has started his career he has dropped an album every year that Jay-Z has. His “Ghetto Fabolous” debut album in 2001 to Jay-z’s “The Blueprint“, his “Street Dreams” album in 2003 to Jay-Z’s “The Black Album“, his “Real Talk” album in 2004 to Jay-Z’s “Collision Course” album with Linkin Park, his “Fom Nothin’ to Something” album in 2007 to Jay-Z’s “American Gangster“, and now 2009’s “Loso’s Way” in anticipation for Jay-Z’s “Blueprint 3” set to be released in 2009 of this year, all prove that Fabolous sticks to his guns with a formula for success.

It has been said that “Loso’s Way” is Fabolous’s answer to Jay-Z’s “American Gangster” in being that the songs are used to compare with plots from the Al Pacino movie “Carlito’s Way” and Fabolous’ own life. On the first track of “Loso’s Way,” On “The Way (Intro)” produced by Streetrunner, Fabolous goes bar for bar the entire song setting the tone with fresh adlibs such as, “money talks/ if you speak Gwaponese. A language better known/ if you gettin’ cheddar holmes.” and “ya end up down unda’ tryna’ holla at Koala/ I keep dat’ 9 on me..a la Iguodala.” Also within the song he makes reference of how Cam’ron stabbed Juelz Santana in the back by selling his contract to Def Jam for a reportedly 2 million dollars. Fabolous’ collab with Jeremih on The Runners produced “My Time” proves to be an inspirational track with Jeremih singing on the hook “Go Hard today, can’t worry about the past because that was yesterday…It’s my time.” “Imma Do It” featuring Kobe and produced by DJ Khalil shows that Fabolous has grown musically almost flirting with a crossover hit. Loso switches up the flow with high note low note rhythmic rhymes for the radio friendly “Everything, Everyday, Everywhere” featuring Keri Hilson and produced by Ryan Leslie who also shows glimpses of his genius as produces and guest appears on “The Fabolous Life.” The smashing festival killer banger “Throw It In The Bag” which features The Dream and produced by Tricky Stewart, has already proven to be a hit on the radio across the U.S. Fabolous has showed consistency in keeping a R&B/Rap pop friendly track in his bag of songs.  Jermaine Dupri returns to the production table with Fabolous’ “When the Money Goes” which features the Jiggaman Jay-Z. What’s a hip hop album without a feature from Lil’ Wayne? Fabolous goes to a football classic halftime show and brings the marching band on “Salute” for some lyrical fun with Weezy F. Baby. Faboulous brings a selection of love rap songs with production from Jermaine Dupri with “Makin Love” featuring Ne-Yo and “Last Time” featuring Trey Songz. On “Stay” which features Marsha Ambrosius produced by Syience, Fabolous raps about his commitment to being a father to his son. “Pachanga” produced by Sid V gives remnants of a Jay-Z Blueprint 1 song. Fabolous brings Alchemist in for production on “Lullaby” for vintage hip hop scratches to go along with Loso’s clever word play like “Hust lil’ lame niggas, don’t say a word/ Ya’ll don’t know the half, not even a third/Put a d!(k in ya ear and f%$k what you heard.”

“Loso’s Way” is one of Fabolous’ best collections of work to date. The album holds a realistic theme showing parallels to his personal life, superstar collaborations, top production, and radio friendliness. Fabolous is one of the reasons why New York is still a hotbed for good hip hop. Brooklyn is definitely representing! It’s Loso just in case you didn’t know so.

Check out Fabolous’ “Lullaby” track produced by Alchemist on “Loso’s Way”:

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Fabolous LOSO’S WAY Movie Trailer

(Offered with the album’s deluxe edition)