Given poetic talent has taken a backseat in hit records, today’s Rap superstars are mostly marketed for superficial reasons, resulting in the mainstream’s more serious lyricists adapting to the rat race or fading into obscurity. Occupying the role practically created by LL Cool J before being adopted then abandoned by Ma$e, Fabolous has led the charge as New York’s slick Casanova employing intermittent airs of tough talk. Early followers have found cause for questioning Fab’s potency as drastic measures to keep his name alive have dumbed down his once esteemed punchlines—this struggle leaving him in murky waters without a full-length physical release for nearly five years. In efforts of bringing in the new year with an increased buzz, Fabolous has returned with the latest in his running series of free mixtapes, The Soul Tape 3.
Caught up in the music industry’s antiquated system of rules that cater to the lowest common denominator, Fabolous cuts corners to prove his career still has legs with The Soul Tape 3. Undergoing an almost complete renovation, every facet of his presentation is advanced with Brooklyn’s self-proclaimed swag champ possibly under pressure in the wake of Kendrick Lamar’s 2013 takeover. Threatening a response to “Control” on Twitter months ago, Fab finally fires what could be considered veiled shots on “The Get Back,” not taking kindly to the now legendary perceived slight. Other nods to his street audience, “Playa” gives a rehashed spin to the Notorious B.I.G’s “Player Hater” and courtesy of Araabmuzik, “The Hope” features a vintage appearance from Jadakiss, both offering reminders of when the East coast thrived on a dominant level.
The Soul Tape 3 has Fabolous mindful of the female demographic that made him a staple on countless R&B features. Remarkably, odes to the fairer gender work his formula to the point of mastery, holding the attention of men instead of coming off as polarizing. Despite its cheesy title and concept, “Cuffin Season” appeals to fans of grittier Hip Hop, while “Situationships” explores each side of a toxic relationship enhanced by cameos from Mack Wilds and Tiara Thomas. Showing versatility developed through lots of crafty composition, “You Know” is a riding anthem co-starring [Young] Jeezy without a compromise of integrity on the parts of Atlanta’s long running trap star or Fab who shares the spotlight here. All of these moments exceed the potential found in recent history, as it seems he’s determined to restore promise to his city again.
For loyalists fed up with the status quo, The Soul Tape 3 is a sign of prosperity extending towards an overdue changing of the guard. “Foreigners” is the one grave misstep, as Fabolous sounds out of place using Auto-tune and attempting to match wits with Meek Mill, proof that departing from making fully realized work is an active choice. A breath of fresh air compared to the majority of commercial acts, Fabolous has what it takes to fill a sizable void and resurrect The Big Apple if his time hasn’t run out in the court of public opinion.
Quality mixtape the Jadakiss track is real nice. Fab n Jada are petty similar both great mc’s got lots of classic tracks but cant make a classic album usually cause they fuck up trying to make radio friendly shit
great listen, can’t say enough about Fab’s use of words and metaphors, coupled with rhyming schemes that come unparalleled in today’s hip-hop. really really liked soul tape 2, and the highlights of this mixtape really don’t compare to the highlights of soul tape 2. that said, listen to this album.
This nigga always fucks up his albums. He just cant carry an album by his own. He should do an album with Jadakiss or lloydBanks because they also are not capable of making a good album
true. but soul tapes 1, 2 and 3 were all dope.
All these tapes suck like your moms do.
the soul tapes were dope
Lloyd banks 3 albums have all been dope as fuck.
^^Rotten Apple was horrible.
Hunger For More is still a great album.
Rotten apple has sum great tracks on it hunger for more 2 was real dope n The hunger for more is a classic
Really solid mixtape. Love the Soul Tape series!
You’re lying. You hate it. Shame on you.
that song with meek mill is the worst thing about this tape
im actually going to delete it so i never have to hear it again its so fugggin bad!
I heard that you’re not going to delete that Meek Mill song, but any other song on the mixtape. So then you could only listen to that screaming, which you find ‘hot’ or ‘swagged out’.
Loso went ham on dis mixtape especially dat 5ong with JADAKISS.
You should lose weight. Not normal to see ham everywhere.
Fab gets busy!
He has more time than business to intend to.
Classic
Yeah, Kendrick’s album is a classic. True.
honestly this whole series has been slept on Fab stayed in his lane he came with the slick metaphors and punchlines like usual and built the proper guest features on the proper songs. I agree with the reviewer the ” Foreigners track was out of place Meek serves his purpose with the younger crowd but in light of songs such as “situationships” its just a bad selection. I been keeping this and the 1st two soul tapes in heavy rotation hasn’t quite been any mixtapes that drawn my attention away from this body of work. Looking forward to his LP and the rumored track with Nas.
shit is fire!
No. Dope is on fire, shit just won’t burn so well.
I love this tape dope.been bumping this err-day..fav.track the 1 with kiss
my co-worker’s step-mother makes $68 every hour on the laptop. She has been out of a job for eight months but last month her check was $21239 just working on the laptop for a few hours. read the article,,,,,,,,,,,,,,http://x.co/3XZfQ
DX tell me when Fab dumbed down
Try just about all his retail projects. Fab can’t make up his mind on whether he wants to be a street artist or the next LL Cool J with all his bitches songs.
and have you listened to any LL album in whole? if not, you need to go somewhere with that bullshit.
^^Okay dumbass I’m talking about singles. The majority of Fab’s singles are songs for the females. Same with the majority of LL’s songs, especially during the latter part of Cool J’s career. Fuck outta here.
Hush.
It’s too bad Fab’s mixtapes are always better than his retail shit.
not really. saves us all money
before I looked at the check of $4362, I accept that my brothers friend really erning money part-time on their apple labtop.. there dads buddy started doing this for only about eight months and a short time ago paid for the mortgage on there mini mansion and got a brand new Cadillac. Get your free trail from use this link, Get your free trail from… http://www.WIKI34.COm
we don’t support them. Ironic if you tell me. Oh well Beyonce will stay on top for the coming weeks cause her fanbase support her.
Fab always comes correct
G.A.N.G.S.T.A. is still his best song.
Average Mixtape For & in A Average Time. We Need to do better and really Judge these mixtapes for what they really are…Throwaways. So called gatekeepers, so called connoisseurs, so called speakers of the Culture rate any and all things high now! WE NEED TO DO BETTER Even Fab Fans know this is mediorcre #Justsaying
You sound like a hater he was talking bout people like you in young o.g. Niggas mad at horry
Fab is one of the greatest lyricists of all time! One of the most underrated rappers in history.
When will Fab get his shine…
Best mixtape of 2013
its 2014 dumb ass
5/5
1/5
get back
dope mixtape,needed more of this type of hip hop.4/5
More like 4/10.
Nasty!
enjoyed Soul Tape 3. Faboulous uses new flows with his timeless lyrics to show he can still rap with ease. The production was dope as well. Remixing Dead Presidents and Player Hater is an accomplishment within itself. On the Dead Presidents sample Get Back Fab answers Kendrick Lamar and Trinadad James.
They just killed this vibe, they just killed this vibe
Theres something about killing shit that makes us feel alive
We feed off your energy, we see you on that Kenny G
Just tooting your own horn, do your thing my N-I-G
Whenever you (ven aqui) to that mighty NYC
We gon check that name you claim, bring your [?] and I.D
We take it the wrong way, all gold everything
One gold watch, two gold chains, give me all those everything
Fab didnt do a good job collaborating with other rappers. All the tracks featuring guest rappers suck. Its amazing how the quality of work drops off when more talent comes into the work. However,this is a solid mixtape that Id recommend to any Hip Hop fan. Fabs mixtape actually contains substance unlike much of the other work released recently. Fabs one of the best to perfect punchlines. With Fabs lyrically ability, and soulful influence theme, he cant lose.
^^If that was an answer to Kendrick Lamar, then Fab needs to stick to making songs for the bitches because that’s the only thing he’s good at.
Well I don’t think anyone is brave enough to come at Kendrick seriously. Kendrick will end your career. Fabolous has to say a little something to save face for NYC.
1. kendrick isnt the battle rapper people believe, he wouldnt end any career especially not fab. he is just the current hype beast. a rapper who needed to name rappers to make him self heard again. LAME
Still i don’t owe these nigas notthing,put that in a nigga will,.i like the flow
Fabo can rap, still. NY aint to be f’d wit.
Dude been lukeworm since breathe, but this is dope.
in all seriousness, KENDRICK LAMAR IS TRASH. BARS ARENT POTENT AS PEOPLE TRY TO MAKE THEM SEEM.
pssshhhh you obvs haven’t truly listened to kdot then…. Prolly listening to 2 chainz or something
What?? You must be dumb then..why is it that soon as a rapper makes it somewhere all of a sudden now they trash? Hope u trolling
great mixtape
meek is trash and should not have been on here. that song is terrible
Solid Tape!
soul tape 2 and 3 were hotter
this is soul tape 3 u dumb ass
haha….douche
Do people like you even bother to read the article?..dumb ass
NICE!!!
one of the greatest mixtapes ever, truly album worthy NYC quality 5/5
Trs bonne mixtape avec d’excellente prod un vrai plaisir.
JADAKISS: greatest of all time dead or alive Kendrick will never be on Kiss’ level
dope
I have to disagree with you on the collaborations thing they weren’t too bad. The track with Jadakiss is straight fire. The response to Kendrick Lamar was pretty wack. Kendrick Lamar is probably one of the best of today’s rapper and a lot of them suck so that doesn’t say much. Jadakiss will eat Kendrick alive. Top 5 D.O.A
Yeah. That one mills is garbage lol
WELL PUT…. THIS WHOLE JOINT IS HOTT. The best from fab (& better than 89% of this new ish) in awhile. And yeah, the one w meekmills is the only one that’s not hott. (The auto tune and the two features.) 1-10 , 9 1/2 . Solid one.
Crazy ass hell. HOPE feat. Jada kiss is one of the hottest ones. Pssssss have u ever heard David back when he was on clue tapes? The one w meek mills s weak tho.
Correction: u just start listen n to fab. Have u heard FAB’s ish when he was on dj tapes? And Kendrick Lamar is wack as f*ck. He’s a rapper for the “skinny Jean generation”lmao
so I’m guessing Biggie and Wu-Tang were rappers for the “baggy pants generation” I thought it was all Hip-Hop. Not based on what clothes you wear Good kidd, m.A.A.d City was a classic Hip-Hop album. Period.
ST2 and ST3 are better than most Retail albums released at the same times. I’m biased, I have always liked his material.
a few months later and this still has excellent replay value…The entire soul tape series is great. Really well put together..
Best in NY