In a crowded fourth quarter filled with some of the year’s best releases, there were also a few surprises. Fabolous, the talented lyricist from New York who has long been among the leaders of Rap in the Empire State, released his highly anticipated, ‘90s-themed album The Young OG Project on Christmas Day, continuing his tradition of late December offerings to his fans. As usual, Fabo’ didn’t disappoint.
It’s an album filled with features – Rich Homie Quan, Chris Brown, French Montana and even Kevin Hart – and beats that are a mix of the wavy, electronic sounds so prevalent today and the anthemic rhythms of ‘90s-style tracks, each with plenty of bass to back the lyrics. With intros delivered by The Notorious B.I.G. and even a sampling of Drake’s “Fancy” flow, The Young OG Project has tracks for fans of the many subgenres of Hip Hop, from ‘90s beats to both commercial and street hooks. And while Fabolous may not excel on all of the album’s bouncier tracks the way he does over the laid back beats, his Christmas present to the world hits the right notes.
A lot can change in a year, and from the start of The Young OG Project it’s apparent that Fabolous’ latest work wants to balance the mellow vibe of his previous Christmas release, The Soul Tape 3, with the cockier, boom-bap sound so prevalent in the ‘90s. The album’s first track “Lituation” is anything but low key, with bass and a Jamaican accent to accompany the upbeat vibe sure to be heard from passing cars for weeks to come.
“Everything brand new my nigga / Yeah, Lord Jamar, Grand Puba nigga,” raps Fabolous, referencing Brand Nubian and the emcees that dominated New York Hip Hop two decades ago. The track and its hook may be catchy, but it comes as little surprise when Fabolous says “This is hood getting money rap,” as “Lituation” is filled with less thoughtful lyrics to match the characterization.
Celebration and getting money may be two of the album’s themes, but The Young OG Project maintains a balance by switching the tempo and vibe throughout, including the album’s second song “We Good” featuring Rich Homie Quan. With a steady beat that relies on wobbly electronic backing to accompany 808s bass, Fabolous takes on an auto tune flow, his pitch rising and falling with the beat as he discusses the started-from-the-bottom dreams that made up so much of the 90s ethos.
“All Good” revolves around a similar topic: Good women, good vibes and the good life. The soul sample that accompanies the beat gives it a church-like feel as Fabolous reflects on his rise to the top and all the good things that came with it, adding in a touch of Drake’s flow from the Thank Me Later hit “Fancy” during the hook.
After a hiatus from the faster pace of “Lituation,” Fabolous returns to a slightly quicker beat on “You Made Me” featuring Tish Hyman and a series of sped up vocals in the background. Yet although Fabolous acknowledges that he’s been “on one lately,” the tone of the track is less combative than the album’s opener, instead focusing on his self-made fame and apologizing for “how you made me” on the track’s hook.
With the end of The Young OG Project’s introspective beginning comes a series of club-ready tracks, including “She Wildin’” featuring Chris Brown, “Ball Drop” featuring French Montana and “Bish Bounce.” From lines about popping molly and pole dancing on “She Wildin’,” which benefits greatly from Brown’s crooning, to the smooth beat of “Ball Drop” and the vicious flow of “Bish Bounce,” The Young OG Project momentarily takes fans back to the days of “Young’n (Holla Back),” even if both Fabolous and his style have aged.
“Gone For the Winter” featuring Velous is a toned down homage to the ‘90s, relying on a warped version of Nas’ classic “Represent” for a beat, yet with lyrics far less intimidating than references to last days spent in the jungle. After borrowing the now-infamous opening line to begin his second verse, Fabolous continues his self-assured attitude with lines like “Head high, middle finger higher / my youngin’ don’t rap but that little nigga fire / Like Ray Allen in game six when James missed / Them bars had tapped into ‘em / You know what happened to him – swish!”
“Cinnamon Apple” is another ‘90s-style track, with the decade’s trademark heavy snare competing with a more modern electronic in-and-out cut as Fab tells the story of his 7th grade ex before a tearful Kevin Hart outro enters referring to the viral video of that forlorn young man shouting at his former lady, “You was my cinnamon apple!” It’s these sorts of meta-representations that often fly under the radar when Fab’ spits. More than anything, 90s New York was a time of hard earned truths melting into the back of one’s heart, and staying there. There would be no emotional outburst for Fab’, but at least someone managed to convey how he once felt.
Using the R&B vocals of Abir Haronni and the same Holy Name of Mary Choral Family sample used to close out The Soul Tape 3, Fabolous ends The Young OG Project with “The Young OG II,” returning to the mellow, introspective style that characterized much of Fab’s recent music, proving that much like the legendary ‘90s emcees he totes so highly, he too is capable of adapting his style to the times.
Album is fire. Classic Loso!!!
Fab one of the few rappers that get better with age. 4.5/5
I give it 8/10. Every track was great, didn’t like the autotune he did with Bish Bounce, it just doesn’t fit him at all. He said he was making the album 90s inspired but making it also modern, he did it great with the features but I don’t know what he was thinking with the autotune on Bish Bounce, sound was complete fire, but the slow-mo autotune at the end of the song really threw it away. Same thing with Rap & Sex, didn’t like the intro and that ‘bed squeaking’ noise he added, but the ending with the adlibs of other artist like Ross, Meek, Drake was dope as fuck. Lituation, We Good ft. Rich Homie Quan were dope, still playing We Good ft Rich Homie. “Gone For The Winter” was crazy, what he did at the ending was FIRE, listen to that song man, bars, wordplay and punchlines, he the King of that shit. When Fab said he flipped and remade Nas – Oochie Wally, I was like nobody wanna hear that shit, but he made it work perfectly with a strong flow and Brown on the hook. Every track was great, just really didn’t like the ending slow-mo autotune at Bish Bounce since that’s not Fab, and that stupid bed squeaking in Rap and Sex. I rate it better than 2014 FHD, Fab made a FIRE ALBUM!!!
Great album
Good, solid project. The 90s is a great theme. I say 4 star as it’s 5 star for the year, but not for Fab and the last decade of rap.
Idk what y’all talking bout dis album fire
I agree with you on Bish Bounce lol. Very strong album and its good to see that someone still cares about the music and being creative. You can feel the 90’s in every track but also appreciate the quality of the contemporary Hiphop sound.
Also good to see new artists being given a chance for a change with only 2 big features (if you leave out Kevin non funny one)
Forest Hills and this saved 2014 for me Hiphop wise.
Hope people will take this on board next year.
Flawlessly put together. Pure Dope
Dope my boy Fab killed this
Best rap album nominee??
Not in your life
This shit is garbage and wack as fuck . Who rates these albums on hiphopdx ? Check your ears . Fabolous needs to stop making music and albums all together . He is just a wack rapper . This album gets 1 Star at best , no way it gets 3.5 stars ? WTF Bad taste in music is spreading like a plague .
zero point zero, though if we could give this 45-year-old never was mediocirty negative points i would, just to encourage this cornball fuck to STOP already. ZERO classic albums, ZERO even half classic in how many chances? GTFO.
Good album to listen through
Roll up the Kush and let this shit ride. Nice!!!!!!
Feeling the 90s flow fab put it down for real greathis album
thi shit is wild nice ,he is nasty in anyflow
This album was worth the wait with all of the push backs, and it’s a great album
Yall niggaz crazy…..this shit if fire from start to finish, go kill urself.
We ain’t got to be a hundred deep, i rather ten lions then a hundred sheep. 4.7 out of 5.0. Andrew we can talk HH anytime you want.
Straight fire loso has a new flame
Solid. Every track is solid. It’s one of those albums where you can listen to it from start to finish without skipping a song.
Hottest album this year
Fire!!!!
niCe…
Great timing great vibes mean flowe and lyrics. Breath of fresh air to hip hop 900 feel
1st JCole now Fab. Roc nation making big moves.
Thanks !
Great Album! Definitely a Great Album. I bought it at K-Mart.
Hey Ray. You need to stop listening to The Young OG Project. Wheel of Fortune is on man. You want some pudding or something?
Lthis album was the f****** s*** I mean it if you ain’t listen to it you are a lame
Great album has very consistant music fab still doing what he does making hot music
Good body of work sampling and paying homage to a golden era of rap, bringing it forward and digestivos to a new generatiogeneration.
Great album. Sad that it won’t get that much recognition tho
COLD
This is actually a short but masssively replayable album with strong potential singles. Fab sounds very current actually refreshingly strong witty and silky smooth.
Top 5 album this year. period
Dope
A modern day classic… Young OG. Fab is in vintage form
’90’s flow…
Fab never let a me down. Don’t sleep on this Loso project
DOPE!! Dope beats and more bars than a prison. Fab never let’s me down.
I really like “Gone For the Winter” but thats all, so I guess ill give this album a 2.
Loved this album. Best album of 2015 until the new G-Eazy album… obvi
Best album
This shit go hard
This Should Be 4 Stars At Least.
Best Album Out.
Reflective Lyrics Replete Wit Dope Punchlines N 808 Backed Boom Bap Production.
Good to see Fabulous back on his feet.
The only disappointment is that there aren’t more songs on this album. 5/5. Such a shit album, sick beats, sick flow. The lyrics are proper Fabolous. Beautiful album.
Come on DX get the intro line right! The writing is poor! “Fabolous’ continues his yearly holiday tradition with “The Young OG Project,” an homage to ‘90s Hip Hop with a more mellow twist.” Why the apostrophe after Fabolous? And it’s not “an homage” it’s “a homage”. How do you expect to keep readers with this basic type of shit
Dope album though
Love Fab, Don’t love this album. He hasn’t spit hard in a long time.
God bless you fab,everything you spits make sense,this album is really classic in my opinion.i was waiting for a good album but you gave out the best above my expectation.thanks
NICE
Fabulous album
Nothing new from Fab. A lot of potential but no follow thru.
Love this album.
Fab is the truth!
dope album
Fab killed it with this one some of his best work!