Most rappers can pinpoint the moment when they received their first shot at proving their lyrical abilities.
For Fabolous, that moment came in 1998 at NYC radio station Hot 97, one of Rap’s biggest platforms.
In a recent interview with MTV News, Fab recalls the day he was asked to freestyle on-air for DJ Clue.
“I come in the room and Clue was fumbling around, getting his records together and he was like, ‘Just go in there,'” Fab says. “There ended up being the Hot 97 studio room. I go in there and Noreaga is in there. I knew Noreaga at the time, because Noreaga was one of the hottest dudes in New York City.”
Fab goes on to explain that he wasn’t exactly prepared to recite the rhyme he had just finished writing.
“I had a little rap that I was putting together that day but I didn’t have it super-down packed,” he recalls. “I almost was kind of leery trying it out there. I was thinking maybe I should just go with something that I know back-and-forth no problem. But I said, ‘It’s too dope. Let me just try it.'”
N.O.R.E. rhymed after Fab and Fabolous stepped up to the mic again after N.O.R.E. finished.
Watch Fab recount the rhyme-session below:
Fab & N.O.R.E. ’98 freestyle on DJ Clue’s Hot 97 show:
For more Fabolous coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
damn all y’all washed golden age antiques talk so much shit about how the music now is trash yet noreaga was one of the hottest artists out in NYC… NYC y’all are a bunch of clowns come to the 6 we’ll show you how we live you little fuckboyssss…
all day wit my woes… at the 6 all day fuckboyssss…
OVO XO TAKING OVER!!!!!
Do the world a favor and hang yourself.
Learn how to stay on topic OP. What’s your point? RealTalk.
CLASSIC
Its crazy they posted this…I actually think of this freestyle all the time! Especially the lines “Shoot at your feet/make you do the puff dance to perfection” and “the way i make you come quicker than me/slicker than me/had a chick lickin my knee” Nore always on that crazy shit since day one. Damn i feel old now son!
FYI: for the writer’s info, it’s “down pat”, not “down packed”.
On another note, that Fab freestyle was crazy! I do remember (get it??) that Fab used to KILL those Clue tapes! Btw: it’s a shame they never came out with The Triangle Offense shit. That group could’ve made some SHIT!