Fabolous – “Loso’s Way” (Album Review)

...I can't tell if he got his tooth fixed in this pic or not... aw.

(note: this review doesn’t include my thoughts on the bonus tracks; only the normal tracklisting. Sorry.)

It literally confuses the hell out of me to see someone evolve, progress, and choose to step backwards the way Fabolous has. His first album was a solid introduction to mainstream America, but he admitted he didn’t write all the songs on there. Then a while later he starts to write, and people realized that Fab’s actually super-talented, but the albums all the way up to “From Nothing To Something” were lackluster, with a few bangers in-between.

So…as expected…Fab’s new album was actually heavily anticipated, regardless if you hated the Dream-assisted single “Throw It in the Bag” because we all know (hopefully you know by now) what Fab’s capable of doing to tracks. He can get it in when he wants to. And – as expected – “Loso’s Way” sprang a leak about 3 weeks early (smh).

But what else is new, right? Everyone leaks…

But I’m off subject. As I listened to this album, I got the feeling that if it wasn’t for the obligatory radio-friendly tracks, this could’ve been the album we remember Fabolous for. Instead, we’re stuck with yet another barely-above average LP from Fabolous…at best.

The Good: There’s never nothing really wrong with Fab’s verses. For the most part, it’s the same ol’ Fab. Punchlines that’s make you smile and/or put on your “Ewww that was nasty” hip-hop face…

…you know, the face you get when you listen to Royce Da 5”9 spazz in a freestyle for 5 minutes? That one.

The album is heavy with features because thankfully through trial and error, Fab’s realized that his calling is NOT SINGING on hooks. Some people say it makes the CD sound more R&B…and I respectfully have to call them idiots. I’d rather have Keri Hilson, Dream, Trey Songs, Ne-Yo, and Ryan Leslie on a hook than hear a rapper “ghetto-harmonize.”

Well…maybe not Ryan Leslie…still not impressed with him musically yet…

The Bad: The problem here is that sometimes the song is just WEAK. Some of the songs seems like he’s trying hard to make it better (“Feels Like I’m Back”) and other songs, it seems like he’s just content Diddy-bopping along lyrically (“Throw It In The Bag”). It’s almost as if he’s just content right where he is in hip-hop purgatory; stuck between being a full-blown hip-hop artist or dumbin’ it down for radio.

My opinion.

The good stuff on this cd could be better, and because of that, the bad stuff is magnified that much more. The cd flows together decently, but the overall effect of the album is just underwhelming in a disappointing way.

The Redemption: That’s not saying that there’s nothing good on the album. Fab ends this cd in an almost EPIC fashion, recruiting Marsha Ambrosius of Floetry to tell a story about how his father leaving has affected his stance on how he won’t let his son go out the same way. Right after that Fab enters story-telling mode and tells a story about a girl he met, and how it ended in a way you maybe wouldn’t expect. A great way to end the LP.

Bottom Line: Fabolous can do better, and he proves that he can by the way he starts and finishes the album. The in-between parts however…it’s not exactly the smoothest ride we’ve ever gotten from Fabolous. Hopefully he’ll stop taking shortcuts and give his fans a whole album of him on his A-game…

…because this one was not it.

—–> Final Rating: 2.9/5 <—–

My Favorites:

• Stay (feat. Marsha Ambrosius) <—Best Song on the album…
  
• I Miss My Love <— Story-telling mode…
  
• The Way (Intro)
  
• There He Go (feat. Paul Cain, Red Café, and Freck Billionaire) <—typical street song…