Fabolous might be the calmest dude you’ve ever met. Maybe it’s because he hit the sheets at 5 AM the night before, or maybe it’s because, according to him, he’s not on no “star shit.” “I don’t walk in the room and demand all the attention,” F-A-B-O assures. “I’m cool and laid-back. I’m just a regular guy.”
Well, not so regular. He’s about to drop his third official album, Real Talk, on the heels of two platinum CDs. He recently launched his own label, Street Family Entertainment, with artist Mike Shorey. He reps Reebok. He sports matching white and yellow gold and diamond jewelry: earrings, bracelets, and a hanging pendant with Jesus’ head. No, this is not a regular guy.
Tell us about your new album.
It’s very different from the last two albums. You’re going to hear a lot of my growth and versatility on this album. It caters to a lot of ears. It goes everywhere; it’s got some down South, some West Coast, and still keeps my East Coast vibe. It’s just hot music in general.
Why did you decide to name your album Real Talk?
I titled it Real Talk because I felt like that was what I was giving the audience, listeners and fans. I’m giving them what I’ve been through, where I’ve been, people I’ve seen and met, experiences I’ve gone through, all those situation. This album is about making good music and being able to put it in a format that people can relate to.
What producers did you work with?
Just Blaze, The Neptunes, Rick Rock, and Scott Storch, who recently did the “Lean Back” record. Also, we’ve got some producers who didn’t have big names but they came with the fire joints. It’s not just about having a big name, it’s about coming with a dope beat.
What are some of the things you’ve experienced in the past year?
Seeing how the people embrace me and show love, even when I don’t have an album out. That’s one of the key things I’ve noticed while I was moving around and going different places, I get to see the way people react when my album is coming.
A while back, you were having some problems with the cops.
I just think it was a time with some bad karma. Some things swung back around. The situations actually got resolved very quickly. The charges were dismissed, but of course, that’s not what gets publicized. What you read in the papers is, “Fabolous Arrested With a Gun.” That’s what they’re showing to the people. We filed a complaint and lawsuit against the New York Police Department just to let them know that they can’t falsely accuse people and wrongly arrest them and then just let them go. I think anybody out there who’s been in a situation like that should definitely file a complaint or a lawsuit to let the police know you’re serious about it.
Joe Budden and Game were just going at it. It seems like you don’t have problems with too many other rappers. How do you manage to stay out of beef?
Beefs are really just misunderstandings between two artists. I stay out of it because I’m mostly cool with everybody. Even the people I’m not cool with, I just try to stay away from them. I don’t try to say anything about them when I’ve got the people’s ears. I don’t go in magazines with reckless talk. I just do me. I’m not here to feud and go tit for tat with other rappers. I’m here to make good music, make some money. Beef just isn’t one of the things I’m in the game to do. If I just wanted to beef with people, I could’ve stayed in the hood. There’s no need for me to bring that element to the game. That’s not what I’m here for.
Do you think your fan base is mostly females?
I wouldn’t put my fan base in a box. I think my fans are a wide range of people. By the love I receive, it shows me that my fans come in all different shapes, sizes, ages, backgrounds, cultures, and races.
How’s it going with your record label, Desert Storm?
The Desert Storm situation is cool. We have a business relationship but we also have a friendship. Outside of the music, we cool. That’s what helps make the music even easier to make, just being cool on the other side of the stick. Our situation is great.
Your brother Paul Cain is a rapper too. Is he also signed to Desert Storm?
Yeah, he has a situation with Desert Storm where they’re just finding out which way they want to attack with him. It’s about having the perfect timing. They’re figuring out everything and developing him as an artist.
Do you think it’s an advantage for you that you don’t have a crew? Or did you ever want one?
Not really. I haven’t even studied it. I just do my thing and I make the music that I can make. I haven’t even thought about it like, I don’t have a clique, or, Maybe I need to go get a clique. As things come I handle them accordingly. I don’t feel pressure to have a clique behind me for me to do well, or for me to feel stable or people to look at me in a stable mode. My clique is my family and crew who are with me everyday. They may not be rappers but that’s my family and that’s who I’m with.
What do you think about Mase’s return? A lot of people compared you to him when you first got into the game.
I was curious at first before I heard the music of how he would come back and what he was going to say. As time went on and I heard the music, the curiosity went away. After that there’s nothing to go with. He’s doing his thing. I’m doing mine. I think the similarity came because when you’re new, people associate you with things that are similar. It’s like tasting a food like frog legs for the first time, you’ll say it tastes like chicken.
Tell me about the other business ventures you’re working on.
We got a few things in the making. Got a liquor company we’re about to do, and a clothing line called Rich Young that we’re banking on. I’m reading scripts, looking for the right part. Everything else just comes in as it comes, commercials and stuff like that.
How do you feel about the state of hip-hop in general?
The industry is doing well. People are making a lot of money all over the board. Even other companies are starting to use hip-hop in ways to do things. You see rappers in commercials, movies, clothing lines, sneaker lines. Hip-hop is definitely a big market. It has a huge following and it’s a great way to market another product. I just don’t want the game to get exploited by various companies who are just dipping into hip-hop to get their buyers and the generation that’s associated with hip-hop and they just jump back out of it whenever they feel like it.
What about for you personally?
Everything’s been working good for me. I’ve been blessed. Fortunately, I’ve had the chance to showcase my talent. I think the music on this album is great. It’s going to be one of the albums you remember.
- Jessica Koslow, lovehiphop@aol.com
