Fabolous
Encyclopedia
John David Jackson better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper of African American and Dominican
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...

 descent. He grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant
Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn
Bedford-Stuyvesant is a neighborhood in the central portion of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. Formed in 1930, the neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 3, Brooklyn Community Board 8 and Brooklyn Community Board 16. The neighborhood is patrolled by the NYPD's 79th and 81st...

 neighborhood of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...

, New York. Part of his early popularity arose from his hit single "Can't Deny It
Can't Deny It
"Can't Deny It" is the debut single by American rapper Fabolous from his debut studio album Ghetto Fabolous. It features Nate Dogg and was produced by Rick Rock...

" in 2001, from his debut album Ghetto Fabolous
Ghetto Fabolous
Ghetto Fabolous is the first album by East Coast hip hop artist Fabolous. The album was released on September 11, 2001 and was received critically by mixed views, but was a commercial success. It reached #4 on the U.S. Billboard 200 with 143,180 copies sold and had three singles which were all...

. The album reached number-three on the Billboard 200 chart and sold over 1.05 million copies by 2003. His followup album, Street Dreams (2003), produced the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

 number-four hits "Can't Let You Go
Can't Let You Go
"Can't Let You Go" is the second single by American recording artist Fabolous from his second studio album Street Dreams. The song features Mike Shorey and Lil' Mo and was produced by Just Blaze.-Background:...

", featuring Lil' Mo
Lil' Mo
Cynthia Loving , also known by her stage name Lil' Mo, is an American R&B singer, Washington, D.C. radio personality, songwriter & record producer. She is best known for collaborating with artists such as Ja Rule, Angie Martinez, Sacario, Missy Elliott, Ol' Dirty Bastard and Fabolous, and for her...

 & Mike Shorey, and "Into You
Into You
"Into You" is the third single by American rapper Fabolous from his second studio album Street Dreams. It is also on Tamia's album More. It reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the second single from the album to reach the Top 10....

", featuring Tamia
Tamia
Tamia Hill , and known professionally as Tamia, is a four-time Grammy-nominated Canadian R&B and soul singer, songwriter, record producer, composer, model, entrepreneur and philanthropist, as well as an occasional actress.She is best known for her 2000 hit "Stranger In My House" and Fabolous' 2003...

.

In 2004, Fabolous released the album Real Talk, which peaked at number-six on the Billboard 200 with 169,000 copies sold in one week and contained the charting singles "Breathe
Breathe (Fabolous song)
"Breathe" is the first single of Fabolous' album Real Talk. Having the feel of the New York's five boroughs at its core and named to exhale the old music, "Breathe" was eventually released as an official single and reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 2004. The music has a big sound,...

" and "Baby
Baby (Fabolous song)
"Baby" is a song by American rapper Fabolous featuring Mike Shorey. It is the second single from Fabolous' third studio album Real Talk. The song reached #17 in the Hot Rap Tracks chart and #22 in the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, although only managed #71 in the Billboard 100...

". Following a three year hiatus since Real Talk, the artist released his fourth studio album, From Nothin' to Somethin'
From Nothin' to Somethin'
-Credits:* Chris Athens – mastering* Ashaunna Ayars – marketing* David Brown – engineer* Shari Bryant – marketing* Miguel Bustamante – mixing assistant* Don Cannon – producer, engineer* Jermaine Dupri – producer, mixing* Aaron Heick – saxophon...

 (2007), which debuted at number-two on the Billboard 200 and number-one on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...

 and sold 159,000 copies in its first week. The album spawned the singles "Diamonds
Diamonds (Fabolous song)
"Diamonds" is the first single from Fabolous' album From Nothin' to Somethin. The song features Young Jeezy.The original version of the song featured Lil Wayne but was changed because of Def Jam Recordings, who wanted to have a Def Jam artist on the song. Fabolous confirmed he was shooting a video...

", "Return of the Hustle", "Make Me Better
Make Me Better
"Make Me Better" is the third single from Fabolous' album From Nothin' to Somethin. The song features Ne-Yo on the hook and is produced by Timbaland.-Song Content:Timbaland is quoted as saying that:The strings are sampled from Sherine's "Al Sa'ban Aleh"...

", featuring Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...

, and "Baby Don't Go
Baby Don't Go (Fabolous song)
"Baby Don't Go" is the fourth single from Fabolous's fourth album From Nothin' to Somethin. The video features Jermaine Dupri and is produced by him also. T-Pain contributes to the radio and album version...

", which featured Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...

 and T-Pain
T-Pain
Faheem Rasheed Najm , better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor, currently signed to Young Money Entertainment. His debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second studio album Epiphany,...

.

Fabolous' success continued with his 2009 album, Loso's Way
Loso's Way
Loso's Way is the fifth studio album by American recording artist Fabolous, released on July 28, 2009.-Background:Fabolous planned on not having many guests on the album. The album was originally called Work Hard, Play Harder...

, which debuted at number-one on the Billboard 200, selling over 99,000 copies in its first week, and became the artist's first album to top the chart. Loso's Way produced the singles "My Time
My Time (Fabolous song)
"My Time" is the second single from Fabolous' album Loso's Way. The song features Jeremih, who also co-wrote the track with Fabolous. Jeremih uses the Auto-Tune effect in the song. The song "Money Goes, Honey Stay" featuring Jay-Z is featured as a B-Side for this single.-Music video:The video for...

", "Everything, Everyday, Everywhere
Everything, Everyday, Everywhere
"Everything, Everyday, Everywhere" is the third official single off of rapper Fabolous's album, Loso's Way. It features Keri Hilson.The song is produced by Ryan Leslie, who is also heard on the intro.-Music video:...

", "Throw It in the Bag
Throw It in the Bag
"Throw It in the Bag" is the first single from Fabolous' album Loso's Way. The song features The-Dream. The song leaked in March, and it was initially not supposed to be the lead single, but after the leak, Fabolous changed his mind because of the positive response he got from fans on...

", and "Money Goes, Honey Stay (When the Money Goes Remix)
Money Goes, Honey Stay (When the Money Goes Remix)
Money Goes, Honey Stay is the fourth single from Fabolous's album Loso's Way. It is a remix to one of Jay-Z's previous songs "When the Money Goes" which was a leftover from American Gangster. Jay-Z is also featured on the chorus.-Music video:...

". He later released an extended play
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...

 entitled There Is No Competition 2: The Grieving Music EP
There Is No Competition 2: The Grieving Music EP
-Sample credits:*"Lights Out" – Contains elements from "Jigga That Nigga" by Jay-Z.-Charts:-References:...

, which contains the single "You Be Killin' Em".

To date, Fabolous has released five albums, which have collectively sold over three million copies in the United States. In September 2009, the rapper was ranked number eight on MTV's Hottest MC in the Game
MTV's Annual Hottest MC List
Every year since 2007, MTV has compiled a list of ten Hip-Hop stars deemed to be the "hottest" of that year known as the Hottest MCs in the Game...

 list.

Early life

Fabolous was born John David Jackson on November 18, 1977 of African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...

 and Dominican
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...

 descent. He grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant
Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn
Bedford-Stuyvesant is a neighborhood in the central portion of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. Formed in 1930, the neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 3, Brooklyn Community Board 8 and Brooklyn Community Board 16. The neighborhood is patrolled by the NYPD's 79th and 81st...

 neighborhood of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...

, New York.

Music career

While in high school in twelfth grade
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...

, Fabolous began to pursue a rap career. He was invited to rap
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...

 live on DJ Clue
DJ Clue
Ernesto Shaw better known as DJ Clue?, is a mixtape DJ.-Biography:For more than 10 years, DJ Clue has proven that he is more than just a beat-thumper. His accomplishments show how a turntable genius precisely puts together different songs to make a concoction of beats and melodies that rule the...

's radio show and on WQHT Hot 97, where he was signed to Desert Storm Records. He was featured on several DJ Clue mixtapes and mixtapes with Roc-A-Fella artists. This earned Fabolous and Desert Storm a distribution deal with Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....

.

2001–02: Ghetto Fabolous

Fabolous released his debut album, Ghetto Fabolous
Ghetto Fabolous
Ghetto Fabolous is the first album by East Coast hip hop artist Fabolous. The album was released on September 11, 2001 and was received critically by mixed views, but was a commercial success. It reached #4 on the U.S. Billboard 200 with 143,180 copies sold and had three singles which were all...

, on September 11, 2001. It debuted at number four on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

, selling over 143,000 copies in its first week. The album's first single, "Can't Deny It
Can't Deny It
"Can't Deny It" is the debut single by American rapper Fabolous from his debut studio album Ghetto Fabolous. It features Nate Dogg and was produced by Rick Rock...

", was produced by Rick Rock
Rick Rock
Rick Rock is a hip-hop music producer from the Bay Area.-Albums with Rick Rock production:*1996: All Eyez on Me by 2Pac*1996: Tha Hall of Game by E-40*1996: Seasoned Veteran by Richie Rich...

 and features a chorus by Nate Dogg
Nate Dogg
Nathaniel Dwayne Hale , better known by his stage name Nate Dogg, was an American musician. He is noted for his membership of rap trio 213 and his solo career in which he collaborated with Dr. Dre, Warren G, Tupac and Snoop Dogg on many hit releases. Nate Dogg released three solo albums, G-Funk...

 interpolating Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...

's song "Ambitionz Az a Ridah". It charted on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

, along with two of the subsequent singles. The other HE LOVES ANGELA charting singles were "Young'n (Holla Back)", which is produced by The Neptunes
The Neptunes
The Neptunes are a record production duo consisting of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, who are credited with contributing the sound for many successful hip hop, R&B and pop artists in the late-1990s and 2000s...

 and "Trade It All", which features vocals from Jagged Edge
Jagged Edge (band)
Jagged Edge is an American R&B group, with the lead singers, Brandon & Brian, born in Hartford, CT on October 13, 1975, Kyle Norman of Decatur, GA born on February 26,1976 and Richard Wingo of College Park, GA born on September 3, 1975. Wingo was a late addition to the group, added after Kandi...

 and is produced by DJ Clue
DJ Clue
Ernesto Shaw better known as DJ Clue?, is a mixtape DJ.-Biography:For more than 10 years, DJ Clue has proven that he is more than just a beat-thumper. His accomplishments show how a turntable genius precisely puts together different songs to make a concoction of beats and melodies that rule the...

 and Duro
Ken Duro Ifill
Ken "Duro" Ifill is the CEO of Desert Storm Records and a six-time Grammy Award-winning mix engineer.-Desert Storm Records:In 1997, Duro, DJ Clue, and Skane developed Desert Storm Records. The labels first major artist is rapper, Fabolous. In September 2001, Fabolous released his debut album Ghetto...

.

2003: Street Dreams

Fabolous released his second album Street Dreams on March 4, 2003. Powered by a Just Blaze
Just Blaze
Justin Smith, better known as Just Blaze, is an American hip hop music producer from Paterson, New Jersey. Blaze is also the CEO of Fort Knocks Entertainment. He is most well known for producing Jay-Z songs on the albums The Blueprint, The Blueprint 2, and The Black Album. He is also known for...

 beat and guest vocals from Lil' Mo
Lil' Mo
Cynthia Loving , also known by her stage name Lil' Mo, is an American R&B singer, Washington, D.C. radio personality, songwriter & record producer. She is best known for collaborating with artists such as Ja Rule, Angie Martinez, Sacario, Missy Elliott, Ol' Dirty Bastard and Fabolous, and for her...

 and Mike Shorey, "Can't Let You Go
Can't Let You Go
"Can't Let You Go" is the second single by American recording artist Fabolous from his second studio album Street Dreams. The song features Mike Shorey and Lil' Mo and was produced by Just Blaze.-Background:...

" reached number one on the Rhythmic Top 40 chart and number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. "Into You
Into You
"Into You" is the third single by American rapper Fabolous from his second studio album Street Dreams. It is also on Tamia's album More. It reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the second single from the album to reach the Top 10....

" with Tamia
Tamia
Tamia Hill , and known professionally as Tamia, is a four-time Grammy-nominated Canadian R&B and soul singer, songwriter, record producer, composer, model, entrepreneur and philanthropist, as well as an occasional actress.She is best known for her 2000 hit "Stranger In My House" and Fabolous' 2003...

 also reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100. Also released on Street Dreams was the lead single club banger "This Is My Party" and "Trade It All Pt. 2" which featured Jagged Edge
Jagged Edge (band)
Jagged Edge is an American R&B group, with the lead singers, Brandon & Brian, born in Hartford, CT on October 13, 1975, Kyle Norman of Decatur, GA born on February 26,1976 and Richard Wingo of College Park, GA born on September 3, 1975. Wingo was a late addition to the group, added after Kandi...

 as it did on the Ghetto Fabolous
Ghetto Fabolous
Ghetto Fabolous is the first album by East Coast hip hop artist Fabolous. The album was released on September 11, 2001 and was received critically by mixed views, but was a commercial success. It reached #4 on the U.S. Billboard 200 with 143,180 copies sold and had three singles which were all...

 version, as well as Diddy
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...

.

Exactly seven months later, on November 4, 2003, Fabolous dropped his official mixtape, More Street Dreams, Pt. 2: The Mixtape
More Street Dreams, Pt. 2: The Mixtape
-Personnel:*Fabolous - Vocal, Producer, Executive Producer*DJ Clue - Producer, Executive Producer*DURO - Producer, Executive Producer*DJ Scratchator - Producer*Mr. Fingaz - Producer*Needlz - Producer*Paul Gregory - Engineer*Suzanne Burge - Product Manager...

. It was an official release by his record label, Elektra
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....

. The album featured remixes and tracks not originally slated on Street Dreams. This album was also an outlet for his three man crew, known as the Triangle Offense, consisting of himself, Paul Cain, and Joe Budden
Joe Budden
-Early life:Budden was born in Spanish Harlem, but lived in Queens until he was 12 and from there moved to Jersey City, New Jersey. He is one of five boys...

. The album actually features a remix to song Fire, which was originally on Joe Budden's self-titled debut album
Joe Budden (album)
-Samples & Interpolations:-Production:* White Boy - 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14* Just Blaze - 3, 9, 13* Lofey - 15* White Boy also produced the Bonus Tracks...

.

2004–06: Real Talk

Fabolous' third album Real Talk was released on November 5, 2004. It debuted at number six on the Billboard 200 with 179,000 copies and had two charting singles, the lowest in his career. The two charting singles are his street anthem "Breathe
Breathe (Fabolous song)
"Breathe" is the first single of Fabolous' album Real Talk. Having the feel of the New York's five boroughs at its core and named to exhale the old music, "Breathe" was eventually released as an official single and reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 2004. The music has a big sound,...

" and "Baby
Baby (Fabolous song)
"Baby" is a song by American rapper Fabolous featuring Mike Shorey. It is the second single from Fabolous' third studio album Real Talk. The song reached #17 in the Hot Rap Tracks chart and #22 in the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, although only managed #71 in the Billboard 100...

," which features Mike Shorey, and shows his more sensitive side that he has shown on many songs in the past. His second single was not promoted until weeks after the album's release. "Tit 4 Tat" was his third single. Pharrell of The Neptunes
The Neptunes
The Neptunes are a record production duo consisting of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, who are credited with contributing the sound for many successful hip hop, R&B and pop artists in the late-1990s and 2000s...

 produced it and did the hook. Fab feels that the single didn't hit it as big as it should have due to poor advertising. Making the music video for his fourth single, "Do the Damn Thing" cost Jackson $30,000. The song featured Young Jeezy
Young Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...

, who became known to the public through the video. The same year, Fabolous was nominated for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...

 for his collaboration on the "Dip It Low
Dip It Low
"Dip It Low" is a song by American singer Christina Milian from her second studio album, It's About Time . Written by Poli Paul and Teedra Moses and produced by Paul, the track was released as the album's lead single...

" remix by Christina Milian
Christina Milian
Christine Flores , better known by her stage name Christina Milian , is an American singer-songwriter, actress, dancer, and model....

. In early 2006, Fabolous moved to Def Jam and left Atlantic Records who received Musiq
Musiq
Musiq Soulchild or Musiq is a US R&B/soul singer-songwriter whose style blends contemporary R&B, soul, funk, alternative, blues, jazz, some gospel influences and hip hop.-Biography:...

 in return.

2007–08: From Nothin' to Somethin

His fourth studio album, From Nothin' to Somethin, was released in June 2007. Fabolous took the number one spot on Billboards Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Rap Albums charts for the first time in his career and it debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 159,000 copies in its first week. The album was certified Gold in July 2007. It is his first album on Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused primarily on hip hop and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group...

.

He was featured on the cover of video game Def Jam: Icon
Def Jam: Icon
Def Jam: Icon is a fighting game, and is the third in Electronic Arts's Def Jam-licensed hip hop video game series. The game was developed by EA Chicago, developers of Fight Night Round 3 and is the first Def Jam game not to be developed by AKI Corporation. Unlike the previous games in the series,...

.

The first single and video, "Diamonds
Diamonds (Fabolous song)
"Diamonds" is the first single from Fabolous' album From Nothin' to Somethin. The song features Young Jeezy.The original version of the song featured Lil Wayne but was changed because of Def Jam Recordings, who wanted to have a Def Jam artist on the song. Fabolous confirmed he was shooting a video...

", features Young Jeezy
Young Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...

 who also appeared on the Real Talk track "Do the Damn Thing". Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...

 and Remy Ma
Remy Ma
Reminisce Smith , better known by her stage name Remy Ma, formerly known as Remy Martin, is a Grammy nominated American rapper and former member of Fat Joe's rap crew, Terror Squad...

 are featured on the remix. His second single was "Return of the Hustle" which featured Swizz Beatz
Swizz Beatz
Kasseem Dean , better known by his stage name, Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, DJ, rapper and painter. At the age of 17, he gained attention in the hip-hop world through his friendship with rapper DMX. Grady Spivey and rapper Cassidy helped launch his label Full Surface Records...

, also came out before the album release, to some acclaim, but little airplay. His third single though, "Make Me Better
Make Me Better
"Make Me Better" is the third single from Fabolous' album From Nothin' to Somethin. The song features Ne-Yo on the hook and is produced by Timbaland.-Song Content:Timbaland is quoted as saying that:The strings are sampled from Sherine's "Al Sa'ban Aleh"...

," which features fellow Def Jam artist Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...

, and is produced by Timbaland
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....

, was his biggest hit to date, spending 14 weeks at number one on the Hot Rap Track Billboard Chart. The fourth single was "Baby Don't Go
Baby Don't Go (Fabolous song)
"Baby Don't Go" is the fourth single from Fabolous's fourth album From Nothin' to Somethin. The video features Jermaine Dupri and is produced by him also. T-Pain contributes to the radio and album version...

." Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...

 produced it and T-Pain
T-Pain
Faheem Rasheed Najm , better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor, currently signed to Young Money Entertainment. His debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second studio album Epiphany,...

 sings the hook. However, in music video version of the song, Jermaine Dupri sings the hook. This song also found success, reaching number four on the Hot Rap Track Chart.

2009: Loso's Way

Fabolous released his fifth studio album, Loso's Way
Loso's Way
Loso's Way is the fifth studio album by American recording artist Fabolous, released on July 28, 2009.-Background:Fabolous planned on not having many guests on the album. The album was originally called Work Hard, Play Harder...

, in July 2009. The album is based on the 1993 film Carlito's Way
Carlito's Way
Carlito's Way is a 1993 crime film directed by Brian De Palma, based on the novels Carlito's Way and After Hours by Judge Edwin Torres. The film adaptation was scripted by David Koepp. It stars Al Pacino, Sean Penn, Penelope Ann Miller, Luis Guzman, John Leguizamo, Jorge Porcel, Joseph Siravo, and...

, similar to Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...

's American Gangster
American Gangster (album)
American Gangster is the tenth studio album by American rapper Jay-Z, released November 6, 2007 on Roc-A-Fella Records. It is Jay-Z's last studio release for the Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella Records label and his first concept album, which was inspired by the film of the same name. The album features...

. The first official single is "Throw It in the Bag
Throw It in the Bag
"Throw It in the Bag" is the first single from Fabolous' album Loso's Way. The song features The-Dream. The song leaked in March, and it was initially not supposed to be the lead single, but after the leak, Fabolous changed his mind because of the positive response he got from fans on...

", featuring The-Dream
The-Dream
Terius Youngdell Nash , better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. He is known for co-writing "Umbrella" for Rihanna and "Single Ladies " for Beyoncé, as well as for his three solo albums, Love Hate, Love vs...

, and is produced by Christopher "Tricky" Stewart
Christopher Stewart (music producer)
Christopher "Tricky" Stewart is an American songwriter, music producer, music publisher, executive producer, recording industry executive and recording studio owner. In a career spanning 16 years, Stewart, at the helm of his company RedZone Entertainment, is responsible for over 25 million...

. The second single is "My Time
My Time (Fabolous song)
"My Time" is the second single from Fabolous' album Loso's Way. The song features Jeremih, who also co-wrote the track with Fabolous. Jeremih uses the Auto-Tune effect in the song. The song "Money Goes, Honey Stay" featuring Jay-Z is featured as a B-Side for this single.-Music video:The video for...

", featuring Jeremih
Jeremih
Jeremiah Felton who performs under the mononym Jeremih , is an American recording artist and producer signed to Def Jam Recordings. Jeremih's debut single, "Birthday Sex" , peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100...

, and is produced by The Runners
The Runners
The Runners is a hip hop production duo from Orlando, Florida, consisting of Andrew "Dru Brett" Harr and Jermaine "Mayne Zayne" Jackson. They came together to form the team in 2000, but they have known each other since they were in kindergarten. They are best known for producing the hit singles "Go...

 and Kevin "KC" Cossom. The third single is "Everything, Everyday, Everywhere", featuring Keri Hilson
Keri Hilson
Keri Lynn Hilson is an American R&B singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Decatur, Georgia, Hilson began her music career as a songwriter, penning tracks for several artists in the mid-2000s as part of the five-person production and songwriting team, The Clutch...

, and is produced by Ryan Leslie
Ryan Leslie
Anthony Ryan Leslie, known professionally as Ryan Leslie, is a Grammy nominated American record producer, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, entrepreneur, and singer. Founder of the media company NextSelection Lifestyle Group, Leslie has produced singles for a number of artists in a variety of genres...

. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

, selling 99,000 copies in its first week. It became Fabolous' first album to top the chart. In its second week of sales, the album dropped 8 spots from #1 to #9, selling 37,000 copies. A deluxe album was released on the same day as the standard release. The edition features a bonus DVD, ("Loso's Way" the movie). The movie features Fabolous (and three other of his friends). Fabolous is leaving a restaurent when he is shot. His three friends quickly rush Fabolous to the hospital, but are stopped by the police after running a red light. Fellow rapper Styles P has a role in the movie. DJ Clue, DJ Khaled, Jadakiss, Swizz Beatz, DJ Envy, and Ryan Leslie make cameo appearances. The movie "Loso's Way" runs for 33:03 minutes. In order to view "Loso's Way", the deluxe album "Loso's Way" must be purchased. In September 2009, Fabolous was ranked number eight on MTV's Hottest MC in the Game
MTV's Annual Hottest MC List
Every year since 2007, MTV has compiled a list of ten Hip-Hop stars deemed to be the "hottest" of that year known as the Hottest MCs in the Game...

 list. In an interview on December 10, 2009 with MTV, he announced that he would be releasing part two to his mixtape series with DJ Drama entitled: "There is No Competition – Part 2: The Funeral Service." Fabolous announced that it would be released on Christmas Day as a gift to his fans. He then pushed back the release date multiple times via Twitter before he and DJ Drama finally released the mixtape online on March 4, 2010. Fabolous said he plans to put out a third and final part to the series sometime in the future.

2010: There Is No Competition 2: The Grieving Music EP & Loso's Way 2

Fabolous released There Is No Competition 2: The Grieving Music EP
There Is No Competition 2: The Grieving Music EP
-Sample credits:*"Lights Out" – Contains elements from "Jigga That Nigga" by Jay-Z.-Charts:-References:...

 on August 29, 2010 to help promote the release of Loso's Way 2: Rise to Power, scheduled to be released on September 13, 2011. Fabolous will release his sixth album, Loso's Way 2: Rise to Power, in 2011.

Clothing line

Fabolous stated in 2005 that he wanted to release his own clothing line in the coming years. Without publicizing detail, he went into a search for designers and manufacturers for his line to accomplish the task. After finding qualified staffing, Fabolous announced the name for his line is Rich Yung Society Clothing, which has clothes in selected stores worldwide and are currently working on relaunching their website richyungsociety.com

Family

In an interview with XXL
XXL (magazine)
XXL is a Hip-Hop magazine, published by Harris Publications.In 1997, XXL was founded by former Source staffers as well as other Harris Publication employees, who wanted to create their own magazine about the hip-hop music and culture using the model developed by the founders of The Source...

, Fabolous revealed that he has been in a long-term relationship with stylist Emily Bustamante, who recently appeared in VH1's Love & Hip-Hop, that began in 2003. He and his partner had a son in February 2008 named Johan Jackson.

Legal issues

In January and March 2003, Fabolous was arrested for possessing an unlicensed gun in his car. His bodyguard later showed proof of ownership for the gun.
Fabolous put his career on hiatus for much of 2005 and 2006.

He was shot in his right leg, on the morning of October 17, 2006 in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...

 after exiting Justin's, a restaurant owned by Sean "Diddy" Combs
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...

. The police saw the rapper and three other men accompanying him rushing through a red light and found an unlicensed, loaded gun in the car leading to their arrest. After they found the weapon, Fabolous was treated at a local hospital, he was released eight days later.

Soulja Boy

On December 28, 2010, Fabolous during a radio interview commented on the claim that Soulja Boy
Soulja Boy
DeAndre Cortez Way , better known by his stage name Soulja Boy Tell 'Em, or simply Soulja Boy, is an American rapper, record producer, actor, entrepreneur, and internet personality....

 does cocaine, saying "pretty boy swag but never coke my nose though", a reference to Soulja Boy's song "Pretty Boy Swag" and a video of video model and popular groupie Kat Stacks video taping Soulja Boy in a hotel room with cocaine. Soulja Boy went on a tirade on Twitter in response, saying "I ignore dis foo like 5x before this. fuck that. If you send some niggaz to spray me @myfabolouslife at least I die a real nigga fuck you boy." 50 Cent
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...

 also took to Twitter to say, "leave him the f*** alone before somebody get hurt." Soulja Boy and Fabolous ended their beef on a radio interview.

Ray J

On September 17, 2011, Fabolous posted tweets joking R&B singer Ray J
Ray J
William Ray Norwood Jr. , better known by his stage name Ray J, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actor.-Early life:...

 after seeing him performing "One Wish" on the piano in professional boxer Floyd Mayweather's Las Vegas living room. Fabolous tweeted, "Nigga Ray J doin a concert in his living room. Lmaooo" & "Nah but Floyd saying we havin a concert in my living room & the camera cuts Ray J singing "One Wish" on the piano had me in tears!" Later that night, the two would both be at The Palms club in Las Vegas, along with Mayweather & rapper 50 Cent
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...

. At one point in the night, Ray J was said to have talked about the tweets jokingly, telling Fabolous "You got me with that one, man." However, later on in the night, Ray J confronted Fabolous as he was about to perform and, after a few words were exchanged, threw a punch. An altercation ensued, which resulted in Ray J being escorted out in handcuffs. On Monday, September 21, a rather heated Ray J called in to Power 105.1: The Breakfast Club to talk about the altercation. He boasted about punching Fabolous, saying: "All I'm saying is if you got Fab number, tell that nigga to send a picture of his face right now...I swear to God he runnin from me right now. When I seen him, I was with Floyd and 50 and he tried to say, 'Don't touch me.' And I touched that n-a. Straight up." He also threatened the rapper by saying, "I'll smack the shit outta that bitch ass nigga. I'll get some of my big homies that like nigga ass and they'll go rape that nigga. Bend it over and stick it in that nigga booty. I don't give a fuck."

A few days later, Fab called in to the same radio station to give his side of the story. Fabolous said that Ray J was drunk that night and that he warned him to clean himself up after he was "on that Whitney." He responded to Ray J's rant by saying "This nigga high, coked up or on pills. His rant is hilarious to me–I’m taking it serious on a side of where he thinks I’m a nigga that he could do that to."

Discography

  • 2001: Ghetto Fabolous
    Ghetto Fabolous
    Ghetto Fabolous is the first album by East Coast hip hop artist Fabolous. The album was released on September 11, 2001 and was received critically by mixed views, but was a commercial success. It reached #4 on the U.S. Billboard 200 with 143,180 copies sold and had three singles which were all...

  • 2003: Street Dreams
  • 2004: Real Talk
  • 2007: From Nothin' to Somethin'
    From Nothin' to Somethin'
    -Credits:* Chris Athens – mastering* Ashaunna Ayars – marketing* David Brown – engineer* Shari Bryant – marketing* Miguel Bustamante – mixing assistant* Don Cannon – producer, engineer* Jermaine Dupri – producer, mixing* Aaron Heick – saxophon...

  • 2009: Loso's Way
    Loso's Way
    Loso's Way is the fifth studio album by American recording artist Fabolous, released on July 28, 2009.-Background:Fabolous planned on not having many guests on the album. The album was originally called Work Hard, Play Harder...

  • TBA: Loso's Way 2: Rise to Power

Filmography

Films
Year Title Role Notes
2006 Scary Movie 4
Scary Movie 4
Scary Movie 4 is the fourth film of the Scary Movie franchise, directed by David Zucker, written by Jim Abrahams, Craig Mazin and Pat Proft, and produced by Craig Mazin and Robert K. Weiss. It is distributed by The Weinstein Company via its Dimension Films unit in the U.S. and Television, and...

 
Gunman Cameo
2009 Loso's Way: The Movie Loso Main Role/Writer
2011 Loso's Way 2: The Movie Loso Main Role/Writer

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2005 The Apprentice
The Apprentice (U.S. TV series)
The Apprentice is an American reality television show hosted by real estate magnate, businessman and television personality Donald Trump, created by Mark Burnett and broadcast on NBC...

 
As Himself (Season 3, episode 1)
2010 Tosh.0
Tosh.0
Tosh.0 is an American television series hosted by comedian Daniel Tosh, who provides sarcastic commentary on online video clips, society, celebrities, and other parts of popular culture.-History:...

As Himself (Season 2, episode 4)
2011 The Game  As Himself (Season 4, episode 8)


Awards and nominations

  • American Music Awards
    American Music Awards
    -Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC...

    • 2007, Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Male Artist [Nominated]

  • ASCAP Rhythm and Soul Music Awards
    • 2008, Top Rap Song, "Make Me Better
      Make Me Better
      "Make Me Better" is the third single from Fabolous' album From Nothin' to Somethin. The song features Ne-Yo on the hook and is produced by Timbaland.-Song Content:Timbaland is quoted as saying that:The strings are sampled from Sherine's "Al Sa'ban Aleh"...

      " [Won]

  • BET Awards
    BET Awards
    The BET Awards were established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. The awards are presented annually and broadcast live on BET...

    • 2010, Best Male Hip Hop Artist [Nominated]
    • 2010, Best Collaboration, "Say Aah" with Trey Songz [Nominated]
    • 2010, Best Viewer's Choice, "Say Aah" with Trey Songz [Nominated]

  • BET Hip Hop Awards
    BET Hip Hop Awards
    The BET Hip Hop Awards are an annual awards show, airing on BET, showcasing hip hop performers, producers and music video directors. The awards ceremony began in 2006, was held on November 12, 2006 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, was first aired November 15 and was hosted by comedian Katt...

    • 2009, Viewer's Choice, "Throw It in the Bag
      Throw It in the Bag
      "Throw It in the Bag" is the first single from Fabolous' album Loso's Way. The song features The-Dream. The song leaked in March, and it was initially not supposed to be the lead single, but after the leak, Fabolous changed his mind because of the positive response he got from fans on...

      " with The-Dream
      The-Dream
      Terius Youngdell Nash , better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. He is known for co-writing "Umbrella" for Rihanna and "Single Ladies " for Beyoncé, as well as for his three solo albums, Love Hate, Love vs...

       [Won]
    • 2007, Best Hip Hop Collabo, "Make Me Better
      Make Me Better
      "Make Me Better" is the third single from Fabolous' album From Nothin' to Somethin. The song features Ne-Yo on the hook and is produced by Timbaland.-Song Content:Timbaland is quoted as saying that:The strings are sampled from Sherine's "Al Sa'ban Aleh"...

      " with Ne-Yo
      Ne-Yo
      Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...

       [Nominated]

  • Grammy Awards
    • 2010, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or a Group, "Money Goes, Honey Stays" with Jay-Z
      Jay-Z
      Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...

       [Nominated]
    • 2005, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, "Dip It Low
      Dip It Low
      "Dip It Low" is a song by American singer Christina Milian from her second studio album, It's About Time . Written by Poli Paul and Teedra Moses and produced by Paul, the track was released as the album's lead single...

      " with Christina Milian
      Christina Milian
      Christine Flores , better known by her stage name Christina Milian , is an American singer-songwriter, actress, dancer, and model....

       [Nominated]

  • The Source Awards
    • 2003, Best Rap/R&B Collabo, "Can't Let You Go" with Lil Mo and Mike Shorey [Nominated]
    • 2003, Trendsetter of the Year [Nominated]

  • Teen Choice Awards
    Teen Choice Awards
    The Teen Choice Awards, are an annual awards show that air on the Fox cable channel, that honor the year's biggest biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, voted by teen viewers aged 14 through 17. Winners receive an authentic full size surfboard designed with...

    • 2007, Best Choice: Rap Artist [Nominated]
    • 2003, Choice Rap Track, "Can't Let You Go" with Lil Mo and Mike Shorey [Nominated]
    • 2003, Choice R&B/Hip Hop Track, "4Ever" with Lil Mo [Nominated]

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK