Fabolous Talks About How He Got His Rap Name

New York veteran rapper, Fabolous's real name is John Jackson, and his nickname before rap was 'J.' But of course, there was already one J...Jay Z, so he definitely couldn't use that as his rap name. During one of his early freestyles for DJ Clue in the 90s, he spelled the world 'Fabulous' wrong, as Fabolous just so he could rhyme. DJ Clue thought Fabolous was actually spelling his rap name, and he started calling Fab Fabolous. The name caught on fast, so Fab just rode with it.

This is what he explained during his recent Self Made Taste Better interview. Below are his words on this...

"The name actually was a mistake. The name was...I was spelling my name in one of the raps that I did for DJ Clue. I was like FA BO LO US, and I was saying Fabolous like to rhyme with Vocabulous, just wordplay stuff. And I think he took that as my name. So he started spinning it around like I got this kid, Fabolous...I'm about to sign this artist, Fabolous. And it just spread as that was my name. And the crazy thing is that I really didn't have like...I had a nickname in my neighborhood. I had my first initial which I used to use while I was rapping, but my first initial is J, and there was of course, a million other J's. And I never really saw that could be my actual name."

It was a mistake, but it worked. I would say apart from his obvious skills on the mic, him spelling his name on songs got him really popular.

Fabolous Narrates How He Got Signed By DJ Clue

Fabolous has been in the game for 20 years now, but there was a time he was just a young kid looking for a deal. He had made a song using Puff Daddy's All About The Benjamins beat back in 1998, and it started circulating around his hood in Brooklyn. From there, he started getting people's attention, and ended up getting noticed by someone who knew the legendary DJ Clue. 

Let me allow him narrate it himself...below are his words from his Self Made Taste Better interview with Brett Berish...


"Well, my thing started circulating around my neighborhood, and umm to the point where people were like reciting my lyrics...It started just circulating in my neighborhood, and umm some guy that I knew who was my friend umm was reciting something, and somebody heard it, and asked them like, yo, is that Mase? Or is that, you know another artist? He's like nah that's my friend. So he was like, yo I want to meet this guy. He brings him to meet me. And he was like, well umm yo I heard some of your stuff I want to hear more. I want to see what you can do. And umm I think I can get you signed. I can get you a record deal. 

And umm, like I before, I had went through a couple of you know people...So I wasn't you know, crazy excited. I just was like, alright. I probably was about 18, 19...I was at the end of my high school...I probably was still like 18. So he was, you know, just telling me he could do things. He actually put me in a studio. This was one of the first times I went to like a real recording studio. And umm, we laid a couple of...kind of like freestyle songs you know, over other peoples beats. We did a song or two. He wanted to use that as his way to let other people hear me...shopping around. Cos even the stuff that I had did previously recording was kind of like inner house, somebody's tape recorder, kind of thing. It wasn't a professional what's the name, but...so he had now put me in this recording studio, we made, I guess you can call it like a demo. And umm was playing it for people. And one of the people that he would even suggest that he would play it for and he could get me rolling with was DJ Clue. 

Fabolous Narrates How He Started Rapping

Don't you some times wonder how your favorite rappers started rapping? I mean, you know they are good rappers now, but there was a point in time when they weren't good at it; don't you wonder how it all started? I know I do, and I was happy watching a recent interview of Fabolous and hearing him narrate how he actually started rapping.

In his recent 'Self Made Taste Better' with Brett Berish, he was asked to talk about how he actually started rapping, and he went on to narrate how he would write out the lyrics of already established rappers music and then go ahead to flip their lyrics around and make it his own.

Read his narration below...

"I was a big fan of it. I loved it. And then I started to umm experiment with like writing. And I would listen to raps and I think at first I just started writing down all of the lyrics of the song. Then my next step was turning those lyrics into mine...into my lyrics. So even before I was writing it personally myself, I would take someone else's rap and write it in my...or put my name in there. You know what I mean. And that graduated to okay let me try to flip the whole thing into me writing in the same pattern as this song that I knew. And then once I got that, then I would start reciting it...but it still was like a hubby of mine. I still wasn't like going out yet and saying I'm a rapper or I'ma be a rapper...

Fabolous Talks About What Made Him Fall In Love With Hip Hop

For you to do anything, you have to like it. During his recent sit down with Brett Berish, on the Self Made Taste Better series, veteran rapper, Fabolous was asked what made him get into Hip Hop. He went on to say he fell in love with Hip Hop because of the way it connected with people outside of his neighborhood.

Read his words on this below...

"Umm, I feel in love with Hip Hop from seeing how it connected to people outside of my neighborhood. And umm, just the way it created a connection to like all the people in my neighborhood like it always seemed like it ignited good vibes and people dancing or you know when people were playing basketball they would be playing music on the side; they had a little radio or something on the side playing music. It was always connected to everything, so it kind of felt like it was a vibe that umm...that helped everything going on."

Fabolous Wanted to Become an Artist As a Kid

Although he is still considered an artist now, he wanted to be a different kid of artist as a kid. Fabolous actually used to draw as a kid, and his mom encouraged him to take it serious. She even enrolled him at an art school. Along the line, he did less of drawing, and more of writing raps, and became the Fabolous we all know today.

He let this known during his recent 'Self Made Taste Better' interview with Brett Berish. Read his words on this below...

"As a kid I was a different kind of artist, I used to draw a lot when I was a kid. So my mom sort of saw that I had an interest there and a talent there and she put me in a couple of different art things. Even when I tried to shy away from it, she would push me in the back a little to go towards it. Umm, I even went to a art high school. At that time I was a little discouraged about art because I just didn't see the longevity in it. I didn't see the...somebody from where I was from progressing in it. I didn't know big artists or anything you know. I just knew I could draw...

Lil Mo Says She Won't Let Anyone Taint Fabolous's Legacy

Over the past 20 years, Fabolous and singer, Lil Mo have been constant collaborators. They have almost half a dozen songs together. Fabolous had a domestic violence issue with his baby mama (Emily Bustamante) last year, and people online are angry with Lil Mo for taking Fabolous' side in the issue.

During Mo's recent The Breakfast Club interview on Power 105.1 FM, she had this to say about the whole thing...

Pictures: Fabolous with Other Rappers on Chris Brown's "The Party Tour"

In February, Chris Brown announced he would be embarking on a nationwide tour with guests like Fabolous, 50 Cent, French Montana, O.T Genasis and a couple of other musical artists. It's good to see Chris Brown touring with mostly New York rappers cos they have been getting the least attention these days.

Anyway, Fabolous has been having a swell time on the tour, bringing out other rappers whenever the tour touches down in their city, and I would love to share some pics from Fab on tour.


1.  Fabolous and Lil Mo

2.  O.T Genasis, Fabolous, and Chris Brown

3.  Fabolous and Juvenile

4.  Jeezy, Chris Brown, and Fabolous

5.  Fabolous, Ashanti, and Jarule

6.  Fabolous, and Meek Mill

7.  Fabolous, and Ace Hood

Pic: Fabolous, Jadakiss, Raekwon, and Ghostface at an Event

Checkout this picture of New York rap legends, Fabolous, Jadakiss, Raekwon, and Ghostface Killah at an event recently. I love seeing pictures like these.

Pic: Fabolous and Dave East at an Event Yesterday

This is a picture of Fabolous and another New York rapper, Dave East at an event yesterday. Dave East has really been buzzing on the music scene since he signed that Def Jam deal some months ago. He is still on Nas's Mass Appeal label though...but he is did a partnership deal with Def Jam. Cool move.

Pic: Fabolous and Son Looking Classy

Checkout this picture of New York veteran rapper, Fabolous and his 8 year old son, Johan looking classy. His son is truly a chip of the old block.

Pic: Fabolous and Jadakiss in the Studio

This is a picture of New York rap veterans, Fabolous and Jadakiss in the studio. Fabolous recently said he and Jada were working on an EP together, so this might be studio time for that project. I can't wait.

Pic: Fabolous, Lil Uzi Vert, and Joey Badass at an Event

Old meets new. Checkout this picture of veteran New York rapper, Fabolous, with Lil Uzi Vert, and Joey Badass at a show yesterday. I like the fact that Fabolous has been able to stay consistent all this years, whether it is with an album, a new mixtape, or just a couple of freestyles on radio. Kudos to Fab.

Pic: Fabolous, Pusha T, Desiigner and Friends Hangout

Checkout this picture of Fabolous, Pusha T, and Desiigner, hanging out with some friends. Lovely kicks, don't you think? I wonder why Desiigner is smiling so had.

Pic: Meek Mill, Kevin Hart, Jay Z, and Fabolous

Fabolous put this pic on his Instagram page (@myfabolouslife) a few hours ago, with the caption- "You only as good as the company you keep...DREAMCHASERS-PLASTIC CUP-BOYZ ROC NATION-THE FAMILY #WhatNowTour #NYC"

New Music: Hot Nigga Remix (Bobby Shmurda feat. Fabolous, Jadakiss, Chris Brown, Busta Rhymes, Yo Gotti, Rowdy Rebel)

This is the official remix of Bobby Shmurda's hit song, Hot Nigga; it features Fabolous, Jadakiss, Chris Brown, Busta Rhymes, Yo Gotti, Rowdy Rebel. Catch Chris Breezy rapping his ass off on this one.



Listen and download the song below.

New Music: Supreme Remix (Rick Ross feat. Big K.R.I.T, Mase, and Fabolous)

Rick Ross took a break from promoting his Mastermind album, but i guess he is back at it again. He just dropped the remix to his Supreme song (the video to the original song was released last week), which features Big K.R.I.T, Mase, and Fabolous. Ross has a new verse on this song, and Lil Wayne did a lil skit at the beginning and end of the song.

Download the song here Supreme Remix

New Music: Cuffin Seaon Remix (Fabolous feat. 50 Cent)

Fabolous has gone and gotten 50 Cent for his Cuffin Season Remix, and made the song hotter. Nice.

Download the song here- Cuffin Season Remix

Fabolous Involved In Fatal Car Accident

Early this morning, New York veteran rapper, Fabolous was involved in a car crash Queens. No lives were lost, and he took to his Instagram to thank God for that. Read his words below.

Good Morning IG…I just survived a car accident on the Van Wyck in Queens, NY. I wanna Thank God for not only letting me walk away with a few bumps & bruises but also for letting my driver Ruben & the two truck drivers involved walk away alive also. This was my 1st time being in a car accident. It’s a very shocking experience & may change my outlook on how fast things can happen & you’re put into a life threatening situation. Live, Love, & Celebrate Life. #Blessed



Check out the photo from the scene below...ripped from Fab's Instagram.

Fabolous Gives Update on "Loso's Way 2: Rise To Power"

Although I ain't really digging his new look with the punk hairstyle and all, Fabolous is still one of my favorite rappers. He is still promoting his Soul Tape 3 mixtape, but he is doing all that to buy time with his fans before he drops his sixth album, Loso's Way 2: Rise To Power. Fab has promised that the album would come before the end of the year, and that he is trying to make sure it drop by Summer.






“Record labels have its processes and stuff so you gotta work with that,” Fab said. “I’m looking towards like a summer release. It’s good, I put the mixtape out because I wanted to tighten a couple screws on the album and [I] put the mixtape out while I did that. I used that to build some energy, I think the energy have been building. I think people have been waiting but I feel like even I can’t give them something that I don’t feel is right so I always make sure that I’m completely one hundred percent comfortable with the product I’m putting out before I do. I think this summer will be that time.” (RealTalkNY)

Fabolous Speaks On Getting Nas On His "Loso's Way 2" Album

Although it doesn't have a release date yet, Fabolous is set to drop his 6th album, Loso's Way 2 later this year. He has worked with superstars like Rick Ross, Chris Brown and 2 Chainz for the album, but one person that he is yet to get a verse from is Nasty Nas. Peep what Fab said about getting that Nas collaboration for his album during an interview with MTV, on the set of his video, Ready, which features Chris Brown-








"Me and Nas haven't gotten in the studio yet. We've bumped into each other a few times, and he told me don't close the project without me. So I'm just waiting on the God Nas to give me that text and be like, 'Yo, I'm ready.'"






I def would love to hear Nas and Fabolous on a track together...two of my favourite rappers. I hope they actually get in the studio and vibe together, and not just send verses to each other. I have been listening to the both of them for over a decade, and I know they will connect.