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Fabolous John David Jackson , better known by his stage
name, Fabolous, is an American hip hop recording artist from Brooklyn, New York.
His first release was the 2001 Ghetto Fabolous, which spawned the hit singles "Can't Deny
It" and "Young'n (Holla Back)". His second release was the 2003 album Street Dreams,
which spawned the two top-10 hits "Can't Let You Go" with Lil' Mo and Mike Shorey, and
"Into You", with Tamia/ Ashanti. He is also known for his songs, "Breathe",
"Make Me Better" from the 2007 album From Nothin' to Somethin', "My Time" and "Throw
It in the Bag" from his album Loso's Way. Fabolous is also signed to Diddy's Ciroc Management
company. Early life
Fabolous was born John David Jackson on November 18, 1977 of Dominican and African American
descent. He grew up in Brevoort Houses in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn,
New York. Music career
While in high school in twelfth grade, Fabolous began to pursue a rap career. He was invited
to rap live on DJ Clue'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.
In a September 6, 2001 interview with Hot104.com, Fabolous said he never planned on becoming
a rapper and told the website: "I was just trying to make some money, ya know? I got
tired of being broke. This was something where I could make some money. It just happened
for me." Fabolous has a current net worth of $23 million that has accumulated mostly
from his lucrative music career. 2001–02: Ghetto Fabolous
Fabolous released his debut album, Ghetto Fabolous, on September 11, 2001. It debuted
at number four on the Billboard 200, selling over 143,000 copies in its first week. The
album's first single, "Can't Deny It", was produced by Rick Rock and features a chorus
by Nate Dogg interpolating Tupac Shakur's song "Ambitionz Az a Ridah". It charted on
the Billboard Hot 100, along with two of the subsequent singles. The other charting singles
were "Young'n (Holla Back)", which is produced by The Neptunes and "Trade It All", which
features vocals from Jagged Edge and is produced by DJ Clue and Duro.
2003: Street Dreams Fabolous released his second album Street
Dreams on March 4, 2003. Powered by a Just Blaze beat and guest vocals from Lil' Mo and
Mike Shorey, "Can't Let You Go" reached number one on the Rhythmic Top 40 chart and number
four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. "Into You" with Tamia also reached number four on
the Billboard Hot 100. Also released on Street Dreams was the lead single club *** "This
Is My Party" and "Trade It All Pt. 2" which featured Jagged Edge as it did on the Ghetto
Fabolous version, as well as Diddy. Exactly seven months later, on November 4,
2003, Fabolous dropped his official mixtape, More Street Dreams, Pt. 2: The Mixtape. It
was an official release by his record label, Elektra. 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. The
album actually features a remix to song Fire, which was originally on Joe Budden's self-titled
debut album. 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" and "Baby," 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. "*** 4 Tat"
was his third single. Pharrell of The Neptunes 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, who became known to the public through the video. The same year, Fabolous
was nominated for a Grammy Award for his collaboration on the "Dip It Low" remix by Christina Milian.
In early 2006, Fabolous moved to Def Jam and left Atlantic Records who received Musiq 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 Billboard's 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. He was featured on the cover of video game
Def Jam: Icon. The first single and video, "Diamonds", features
Young Jeezy who also appeared on the Real Talk track "Do the Damn Thing". Lil Wayne
and Remy Ma are featured on the remix. His second single was "Return of the Hustle" which
featured Swizz Beatz, also came out before the album release, to some acclaim, but little
airplay. His third single though, "Make Me Better," which features fellow Def Jam artist
Ne-Yo, and is produced by Timbaland, 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."
Jermaine Dupri produced it and T-Pain 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, in July 2009. The album is based
on the 1993 film Carlito's Way, similar to Jay-Z's American Gangster. The first official
single is "Throw It in the Bag", featuring The-Dream, and is produced by Christopher
"Tricky" Stewart. The second single is "My Time", featuring Jeremih, and is produced
by The Runners and Kevin "KC" Cossom. The third single is "Everything, Everyday, Everywhere",
featuring Keri Hilson, and is produced by Ryan Leslie. The album debuted at number one
on the Billboard 200, 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 restaurant 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 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.
2010-present: There Is No Competition 2: The Grieving Music EP and Loso's Way 2
Fabolous released There Is No Competition 2: The Grieving Music EP on August 29, 2010.
Due to his album being pushed back The SOUL Tape was released on April 22, 2011 which
features Fabo and his guests rapping over soul beats. On Christmas Day 2011, Fabolous
released the third mixtape in his series; There Is No Competition 3: Death Comes in
3's. On November 22, 2012 Fabolous released another mixtape, The S.O.U.L. Tape 2 also
announcing his sixth album, Loso's Way 2: Rise to Power is coming in 2013. The SOUL
Tapes were inspired by his first freestyle of "Devil in a New Dress" by Kanye West. Guests
on the second installment include Trey Songz, Pusha T, Cassie, J. Cole, Wale and Joe Budden.
Production came from Streetrunner, Treddy da Don, AraabMuzik and Cardiak among others.
The first official single from Loso's Way 2 is "Ready" which features singer Chris Brown.
The second single "When I Feel Like It" featuring 2 Chainz was released on July 9, 2013. Loso's
Way 2 was scheduled to be released in 2013 by Desert Storm and Def Jam. However the album
had been delayed all year long and will now be slated for a 2014 release.
Street Family Records Street Family Records was a record label founded
by the rapper Fabolous in 2006, in Brooklyn, NY.
Fabolous Freck Billionaire
Paul Cain Broadway
Red Cafe Clothing line
Fabolous stated in 2004 that he wanted to release his own clothing line. The line called
"Rich Yung Society" was launched in 2006. Personal life
Family In an interview with XXL, 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 2001. He and his girlfriend 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.
He was shot in his right leg, on the morning of October 17, 2006 in Manhattan after exiting
Justin's, a restaurant owned by Sean "Diddy" Combs. Fabolous was treated at a local hospital
and was released eight days later. In June 2010 the NYPD was investigating a
possible link between Fabolous and the *** of an upstart rapper named G-Baby near a Queens
nightclub as he was shown leaving seconds after the *** occurred.
Discography 2001: Ghetto Fabolous
2003: Street Dreams 2004: Real Talk
2007: From Nothin' to Somethin' 2009: Loso's Way
2014: Loso's Way 2: Rise to Power Awards and nominations
American Music Awards
2007, Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Male Artist 2007, Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Male Artist
ASCAP Rhythm and Soul Music Awards
2008, Top Rap Song, "Make Me Better" 2008, Top Rap Song, "Make Me Better"
BET Awards
2010, Best Male Hip Hop Artist 2010, Best Collaboration, "Say Aah" with Trey
Songz 2010, Best Viewer's Choice, "Say Aah" with
Trey Songz 2010, Best Male Hip Hop Artist
2010, Best Collaboration, "Say Aah" with Trey Songz
2010, Best Viewer's Choice, "Say Aah" with Trey Songz
BET Hip Hop Awards
2009, Viewer's Choice, "Throw It in the Bag" with The-Dream
2007, Best Hip Hop Collabo, "Make Me Better" with Ne-Yo
2009, Viewer's Choice, "Throw It in the Bag" with The-Dream
2007, Best Hip Hop Collabo, "Make Me Better" with Ne-Yo
Grammy Awards
2010, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or a Group, "Money Goes, Honey Stays" with Jay-Z
2005, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, "Dip It Low" with Christina Milian
2010, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or a Group, "Money Goes, Honey Stays" with Jay-Z
2005, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, "Dip It Low" with Christina Milian
The Source Awards
2003, Best Rap/R&B Collabo, "Can't Let You Go" with Lil Mo and Mike Shorey
2003, Trendsetter of the Year 2003, Best Rap/R&B Collabo, "Can't Let You
Go" with Lil Mo and Mike Shorey 2003, Trendsetter of the Year
Teen Choice Awards
2007, Best Choice: Rap Artist 2003, Choice Rap Track, "Can't Let You Go"
with Lil Mo and Mike Shorey 2003, Choice R&B/Hip Hop Track, "4Ever" with
Lil Mo 2007, Best Choice: Rap Artist
2003, Choice Rap Track, "Can't Let You Go" with Lil Mo and Mike Shorey
2003, Choice R&B/Hip Hop Track, "4Ever" with Lil Mo