With Loso’s Way, seasoned hip-hopper Fabolous has created a rap record marked by witty and hard-hitting lyrics, throbbing hip-hop beats and a robust roster of A-list collaborators. The album, his fifth solo effort, represents a huge step above his last outing, From Nothin’ To Somethin’, released in June 2007. Pulling inspiration from the Al Pacino film Carlito’s Way, the Brooklyn-bred rapper wastes no time in getting at his detractors, putting his women on check while vowing to keep bringing the heat in hip hop – doing what he loves best.

Where many of his contemporaries inexplicably use their albums to declare their love for flossin’, wild women and the flashiest whips, Fabolous smartly uses Loso’s Way, a 16-track record, to announce his arrival at a new level in his expanding career. Considering his rise to stardom, it becomes obvious that he still could have delivered a strong album without the many cameo appearances. But the guests, along with such hitmakers as Tricky Stewart and The Runners, serve to enhance a stellar product.

Fellow Brooklynite Jay Z adds his brand of urban swagger to the head-nodding “When The Money Goes Remix” while Ryan Leslie brings a taste of R&B to the hook on “The Fabolous Life”. The Dream appears on the popular and materialistic “Throw It In The Bag”, which recalls T.I.’s “Whatever You Like”, while pop princess Keri Hilson brings her spice to “Everything, Everyday, Everywhere”. An even stronger collabo, though, is “Stay” (a touching song about a strained father-son relationship), which features Marsha Ambrosius, formerly of Floetry. He also has winning chemistry with urban-pop newcomer Jeremih on the take-no-prisoners anthem “It’s My Time”.

Still, Fabolous shows he can successfully carry a track all by himself. The long album intro, “The Way”, proves this. His flow and energy rides the bass-heavy beat as he shows off his wicked rhyming skills. Other standouts include “Pachanga”, a well-written and groovy track that speaks to dealing with friends and enemies; the introspective and heartfelt “I Miss My Love” (about losing someone close) and the ego-boosting “Feel Like I’m Back”. However, tracks like “Lullaby”, “Makin’ Love” and “Last Time” lack the fusion of quality and punch that distinguishes the other songs on the album.

In short, Loso’s Way allows Fabolous, one of the most reliable men working in hip hop today, to show that he has grown as an artiste and improved his flow over a beat and behind the mic. Hip hop may be ailing, but it is not dead — not if committed disciples like Fabolous have anything to say about it.

DOWNLOAD: “When The Money Goes Remix”, “It’s My Time”, “Pachanga” and “The Fabolous Life”

Article Author: TYRONE S REID

Tyrone S Reid is a Jamaican writer and cultural critic who is passionate about the arts and providing cultural information for people who need it.

Visit TYRONE S REID's author page — TYRONE S REID's Blog