From Nothin' To Somethin' (Parental Advisory) [PA] - Fabolous

The 2007 album from Fabolous was entitled "From Nothin' To Somethin'", and has the Brooklyn (New York) rapper return to show that the East Coast hasn't lots its energy over that of the Dirty South, since they came through in the mid-2000s.

1. "From Nothin' To Somethin'" (Intro)

2. "Yep, I'm Back"

The first msuical track on the album is one which immediately draws you in as you ...
...another month without another release from him. He makes a statement with great word-play and genreally strong lyrics.

**Three Stars**

3. "Change Up"

The fact that AKon is featured on this one may put listeners off, but you should take a listen as he affirms his position as one of today's best hook men with an infectious chorus to allow Fabolous to come out with some nice raps to support them. He raps ... more

The 2007 album from Fabolous was entitled "From Nothin' To Somethin'", and has the Brooklyn (New York) rapper return to show that the East Coast hasn't lots its energy over that of the Dirty South, since they came through in the mid-2000s.

1. "From Nothin' To Somethin'" (Intro)

2. "Yep, I'm Back"

The first msuical track on the album is one which immediately draws you in as you have pounding production from Reefa, who allows Fabo' to do a track where he displays why the game couldn't do another month without another release from him. He makes a statement with great word-play and genreally strong lyrics.

**Three Stars**

3. "Change Up"

The fact that AKon is featured on this one may put listeners off, but you should take a listen as he affirms his position as one of today's best hook men with an infectious chorus to allow Fabolous to come out with some nice raps to support them. He raps about how he won't do what is said in the title for anybody.

**Three Stars**

4. "Make Me Better"

This was one of the two big singles from the album, and has Fab' in a collab with Ne-Yo. Together they come up a banger of a cut. It is a soft one, where Timbalnad gets on the beats, and drives it with strings, making for a nice way to smooth the taregt, female listeners.

**Five Stars**

5. "Baby Don't Go"

Going form one banger to another, this was the other big single from the album and gets him working with T-Pain to a track for the clubs. The content of the lyrics are directed to maintaining a love which is on the rocks, but JD's prodcution makes you forget all this and just dance.

**Five Stars**

6. "Return of the Hustle"

If Swizz Beatz isn't producing, he has no place in being featured on a track (he can't rap, and is annoyaning as a hype man), but if you ignore his particiaption in it all, you have a fairly good one as Just Blaze does the prodcution, and they take inspiration from Wu-Tang's "C.R.E.A.M." (Cash Rules Everything Around Me).

**Four Stars**

7. "Gangsta Don't Play"

The Dancehall musician, Junior Reid joins Fab on this one, and together they come up with a banger of a cut as they come together to come with straight Gangsta Rap, leaving no room for any casual fans of the transitional music which he often does.

**Four Stars**

8. "Real Playa Like"

On this one you get Lloyd joining him here, and together they do things on heavy beats from Polow Da Don, and so you know that only quality comes through. It is almost too bassy for its own good, and ensures that you will enjoy yourself as you follow its track. The pair do one for the girls, as ever, and come up with an other strong one.

**Four Stars**

9. "First Time"

When I heard this one, I almost didn't recognise Rihanna's un-auto-tuned voice on this one as she voals are raw here, and that isn't a good thing. it would be much improved without this weak hook, but Fab seems to save things in the well-written verses. He comes with something fresh to suit the theme of the track.

**Three Stars**

10. "Diamonds"

This is seen as the street single from the album, just a hood banger not meant to be heard outside the hardcore Hip Hop community. Fab is able to present this with a collab with Atlan's Young Jeezy and raps about ice. The Lil Wayne remix to it is a better one though.

**Four Stars**

11. "Brooklyn"

When attempting to push an anthem forward for a city, you must ensure that you possess the best avaliable talent for it, and fab does just this as Jay-Z jumps on the track, whihc ius a dedicatory piece directed to BK. Versatile comes with a banging compostion which uses words from Funkmaster Flex to liven things up.

**Four Stars**

12. "I'm The Man"

Konivct Muzik signee, Red Cafe, comes to work with fab on this one, and together they come up with a heavy tune as they go on some beats from Reefa. The thing which annoyed me about this was the fact you could predict what words were goign to be said by both rappers long before it was said, making it less enjoyable than you would expect.

**Three Stars**

13. "Joke's On You"

Fabolous repeatedly name-drops through this one in order to make sense of what he's taking about., With names of some of the best comedians in the game, he likens what they do with how he feels towards all the hate which he receives when doign what he does best.

**Four Stars**

14. "What Should I Do?"

To end things off, you have him getting conscious as he offers some support to listeners who may not be in an idyllic position in life. He inspires listeners, but I felt as if it was a little too deep for those who are more intereested in his radio-friendly work.

**Three Stars**

As a lot of material from him, all of the hardcore rhymes which he puts down are neutralised with heavy R&B tinges with lots of collaborations from the likes of T-Pain, Ne-Yo and Lloyd, it has always worked for Fab, and nothing changes here. It may be seen as prety average to the Hip Hop listeners, as opposed to those who bought it for its mainstream, R&B appeal. 

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