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With his first two albums already platinum and his third, ‘Real Talk’ under his belt, Fabolous is set for big things. The Situation talks to the self-styled “prince of rap” about his music, his future, and those assault charges...
We’re
ushered into a house-sized hotel room by Fabolous’
personal security guard (who is also house-sized) in a plush Kensington
hotel. Fabolous greets us nonchalantly and browses through the massive
selection of hip-hop magazines spread out across a bureau; selecting one,
he sits himself down and begins to read.
Fabolous is noticeably groggy, but this could well be due to the stomach bug he has been suffering for the last few days, and as a result, his enthusiasm seems to have failed him. However, he speaks with a cocky confidence and an underlying intelligence when asked about the direction ‘Real Talk’ has taken him and how his fans are reacting to it. “I always felt like I made different records, but the idea with the ‘Breathe’ single [taken from the album] was me trying to break out of the box people keep trying to put me in.” His previous two records, ‘Ghetto Fabolous’ and ‘Street Dreams’, have seen the Brooklyn rapper focusing on the ‘gangsta’ lifestyle and that of the various women that have come and gone, something he is conscious about. Not so on his latest release, which sees Fabolous expressing his sentiments on more mature issues, while still holding true to the vibe of his past records. “People are always expecting me to make the perfect party record, y’know, the perfect song for the ladies. I’m still doing that and will do in the future, but I want to offer more in the meantime than I have before.”
Fabolous has not only built a name for himself both in the U.K and the States, but his career has also led him to work with some of the most respected artists in the hip-hop scene. Credits include Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Lil’ Mo and Mariah Carey, but who was Fab’s favourite work buddy? “I’d have to say Lil’ Mo. There was a great musical chemistry between us. I think what helped was that we were good friends to begin with.”
Now that Fab is on top, he has certainly used his own influence to help others achieve their potential. Mike Shorey has featured on a few of Fabolous’ tracks, (notably ‘Make U Mine’, ‘Baby’ and ‘Can’t Let You Go’), and after displaying what Fab describes as ‘real and up-coming talent’, the rapper has taken Shorey under his wing. “We’re trying to work with him and make him the next big thing. Y'know, preparing emotionally, mentally, physically and musically. He’s doing real good at the moment.”
Unfortunately, the ride to the top has had a few hitches. Last year, Fabolous went through a string of arrests and run-ins with the authorities. As a result, many have picked up on the bitterness towards the police that creeps through the lyrics on ‘Real Talk’, especially on the song ‘Po Po’ (featuring the aforementioned Nate Dogg): ‘And I ain't trying to be the story they twist in the press/Like: the young man resisted arrest’. Fabolous explains, “I just wanted to tell my side of what happened. If the bitterness comes out on the album, then it's definitely a result of being wrongfully arrested - that's the inspiration for those songs.”
The most recent stir that the press were quick to jump on were the allegations that a radio personality from Philadelphia, U.S.A, was seriously assaulted by Fabolous’ entourage of bodyguards at a show last month. Golden Girl, presenter of a popular American radio station, claimed that Fabolous looked on as his security seriously injured her, purely for requesting access to his tour bus. Fab has previously revealed very little to the press about the matter, but speaks to The Situation exclusively regarding his view on the issue. “She says that I was standing by at the time, but I wasn’t even there during the alleged incident. As far as I believe,” he says with a dismissive shake of the head, “she says she was slammed to the ground, when in fact the guard only moved her out of the way of the tour bus.” With this brief outburst, Fabolous returns to the magazine he has been reading throughout the interview. It is the first time he has looked up (and to be honest, the first time his speech doesn’t sound scripted). It is obviously an issue he feels passionate about. “They’re just all complete lies, I don’t even want to entertain it.”
Another issue close to Fab’s heart is that of his mother. Of his upbringing, he offers, “I grew up in Brooklyn, a real ghetto society. We weren’t the poorest family on the block; we weren’t the richest family on the block. My mom raised me there, she was a single parent, and she worked hard. She instilled discipline in us, and she did a lot for us. We didn’t always get everything we wanted but she made sure we had everything we needed.” So is Brooklyn responsible for a lot of his influences musically? “Hmmm… not so much musically, but it obviously made me who I am as a person, an individual, which shines out on my records.”
At only 25, it is surprising how far the rapper has come and how much he has achieved already. Does he ever take a step back and feel overwhelmed at how much he has accomplished? “I don’t really think about it all that much.” He says, “You just gotta do what you gotta do, y’know, and for me that means keep putting out records regardless of what’s gone on before or what’s going on around me.” Recalling his break into the industry, Fabolous isn’t able to pinpoint the moment that it all started. “There wasn’t any one moment… meeting with Clue [DJ, who has also worked on Fab’s first two LP’s] was the first step, as it were, and from then just building up a fan base in the underground till I got noticed; but being on Clue’s mix tapes were a positive factor.”
Obviously, Fabolous’ success has led him to perform outside of not only his hometown, but also his home country. Over the last decade, England has seen a real surge of interest for urban music, so it is not surprising to find the man himself in high demand on our shores. Are there any differences between the audiences in the U.K and the U.S? “I think the crowd over here are very aware and receptive of what I’m doing, which is good. But they are definitely a different group.” In what way? “ I think the only problem is there may be a language barrier of some sort; they may not be able to understand English like that, but it doesn’t seem to be too much of a problem.”
Unsure of how people in this country may have difficulty understanding English, I go on to ask him if he has anything to say to his loyal fans over here. “I’d just like to say thanks so much for the support, you guys are great and I couldn’t do it without you. It’s always great being over here and I hope to be back soon to do some more shows.”
Finally, does he have a message to anybody trying to follow in his footsteps? “Stay focussed and determined, make the most of your opportunities. You never know when you’re going to get that opportunity again.” Advice which Fabolous, of course, has followed for himself.
Fabolous’ third album ‘Real
Talk’ is out now on Atlantic Records.
