Ranking the Best Fabolous Albums

He’s not mentioned as often today, but while doing research for the Best Albums of the 2000s and Best Albums of the 2010s post, I was reminded that during the early 00s, Fabolous really was that dude.

I blame him for my constant misspelling of the word fabulous 20 years later.

I first heard Fab on one of those late 90s DJ Clue mixtapes, his laid-back flow and clever punchlines quickly made him a standout. I was like, “oh this guy is nice.”

Or, as he’d say, “niiiiiiiiiiice.”

He’d go on to become one of the most consistent hitmakers of the 2000s … even if the albums didn’t always live up to the quality of the singles. But when Loso’s albums were so-so, he’d return to the mixtape scene, with much better results.

Let’s look back at Fabolous’ 20-year run, ranking all his LPs from bottom to top. I’m also adding his 2017 collab album with Jadakiss as well. And while I won’t add EVERY mixtape to this list – there’s WAY too many – I am adding his celebrated S.O.U.L. Tapes series for this retrospective.

It’ll be very easy to see why as you make your way through the list.

11. Summertime Shootout 3: Coldest Summer Ever (2019)

Soul in Stereo rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

Edd said: Fab’s most recent album is by far his least notable. The final chapter of the Summertime Shootout mixtape series (even though this one is billed as an LP for some reason…) feels more like a contractual obligation than a rousing finale. Fabolous welcomes a new generation of artists into the booth, including Lil Durk, Tory Lanez and the King of Ribs and Barbecue Jacquees, and almost all of them feel out of place. And it doesn’t help that Fabolous chases trends with tepid results. Autotune Loso needs to never happen again. The album does pick up steam by the end but by then it’s too little, too late.

Forgotten favorites: “B.O.M.B.S.,” “Insecure,” “Time”

10. Friday on Elm Street (2017)

Soul in Stereo rating: 3 stars out of 5

Edd said: Fabolous’ collab with Jadakiss seemed VERY promising on paper – two top-tier NY spitters known for ripping mixtape and features under the same roof? I was with it. But the result was pretty forgettable. Besides a couple tracks here and there, the duo don’t stick to the horror theme very closely and the project overall lacks focus. There are a few sleepers to be found – “Talk About It” is a pretty profound statement on social justice – but this feels like a straight to DVD release instead of the blockbuster we were promised.

Forgotten favorites: “F & J Intro,” “Talk About It,” “Theme Music”

9. Real Talk (2004)

Soul in Stereo rating: 3 stars out of 5

Edd said: Better known as the album with “Breathe” on it! Well, we also had “Baby” too, which was very dope thanks to its Michael Jackson influences. I guess I’ll stop dancing around the obvious – the biggest problem with Fabolous’ mid-00s peak is that while he was a master at cranking out radio hits, the albums that housed them were loaded with more fluff and padding than the Build-a-Bear Workshop. Fab’s punchlines still turn heads but the boring hooks and so-so production make this a miss.

Forgotten favorites: “Can You Hear Me,” “Holla at Somebody Real,” “Don’t Stop Won’t Stop”

8. Street Dreams (2003)

Soul in Stereo rating: 3 stars out of 5

Edd said: Street Dreams is a pretty obvious attempt to recapture the magic of Loso’s debut, but comes off like the Great Value version at best. As usual for early Fab albums, the singles do all the heavy lifting (we only acknowledge the Tamia version of “Into You,” thank you very much) but without those, this falls apart quickly. When some of the best songs are just remixes from the previous album, you can tell that this one needed more time in the lab.

Forgotten favorites: “This is My Party,” “Respect,” “Gotta Be Thug Remix”

7. The Young OG Project (2014)

Soul in Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Edd said: Released December 25, 2014, The Young OG Project was Fab’s Christmas present to hip-hop. And Snarky Edd was all ready to be like “hope he kept the receipt!,” this album is a little better than I remembered. The Young OG Project comes off the heels of the S.O.U.L. Tape series, so it feels a bit like a successor to those projects, and that’s a good thing. In fact, the frequent samples and references to rap classics give this more of a mixtape feel, which is Fab’s element. It’s still plagued my the usual inconstancies that hurt many of Fab’s LPs but it certainly has its high points.

Forgotten favorites: “All Good,” “She Wilin’,” “Gone for the Winter”

6. Loso’s Way (2009)

Soul in Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Edd said: By 2009 my Fabolous fandom had begun to wane, so this is my very time hearing this project in full. And it’s not bad. Loso’s Way is the first and only time one of Fab’s LPs topped the Billboard pop charts, thanks, as usual, to his ability to craft radio hits. But unlike some of the previous albums on this list, he’s able to pair a decent collection of album cuts to go along with those chart-toppers. This album also features more mature themes and introspection to go along with the usual street anthems and thug love cuts he’s known for. The biggest drawback is probably the production, which is the typical late ’00s fare.

Forgotten favorites: “Pachanga,” “The Way (Intro),” “I Miss My Love”

5. Ghetto Fabolous (2001)

Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5

Edd said: After tons of mixtape buzz, Fabolous released his long-awaited debut album on … Sept. 11, 2001. Though that sounds pretty ominous, the flag-wrapped video for “Can’t Deny It” became one of hip-hop’s patriotic anthems in that era, kicking off Fab’s run as one of most reliable hitmakers of the 2000s. Singles like “Young’n” and “Trade It All” took up residence on BET’s 106 & Park countdown for ages and, thankfully, there were also strong album cuts to round out the project. Ghetto Fabolous reigned as Fab’s most complete project for quite a long time.

Forgotten favorites: “Gotta Be Thug,” “Keepin it Gangsta,” “Right Now & Later On”

4. From Nothin’ to Somethin’ (2007)

Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5

Edd said: After a half-decade of boring albums that just padded a couple of singles, From Nothin’ to Somethin’ finally marked a return to better days. Of course, we get the ear candy for the radio – in this case, the woozy love letter “Make Me Better” – but there’s a lot more here. Improved production and a massive list of guest stars brings out Fab’s hunger. The punchlines hit harder and his energy seems much higher. Fab’s long streak of uneven albums was finally broken and From Nothin’ to Somethin’ still stands as his best LP to date.

Forgotten favorites: “Real Playa Like,” “Return of the Hustle,” “This is Family”

3. The S.O.U.L. Tape 3 (2013)

Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5

Edd said: Now we’re talking, playa. Fabolous has never been a stranger to the mixtape scene – it’s where he cut his teeth and, arguably, where he found his strongest critical success. In 2011, he launched the S.O.U.L. Tape series, which was little more than Fab seeking soul-based production (mostly borrowing beats from hits of the era) and going nuts over them. No frills, no obligations to craft hit singles – it was just Fab in his element. The third and final installment may be the “weakest” but it’s still among his best work ever. In fact, the track “Sacrifices” is without a doubt Fab’s greatest song to date, and one of the best releases of the decade. Yep, it’s that good. S.O.U.L. Tape 3 didn’t have the buzz of its predecessors, but it’s still potent.

Forgotten favorites: “Sacrifices,” “Everything Was the Same,” “Situationships”

2. The S.O.U.L. Tape 2 (2012)

Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5

Edd said: The first tape was so nice, Loso decided to do it twice. Jumping on beats popularized by the likes of Rick Ross, Scarface and Jay Electronica, Fabolous proved that he was still a lyrical force to be reckoned with, this time with the production to prove it. In terms of quality it’s nearly identical to its soulful predecessor, but the original gets a very slight edge thanks to beat selection. That’s no slight against this sequel, though. It’s a major part of Fab’s lyrical legacy.

Forgotten favorites: “Diced Pineapples,” “Want You Back,” “Transformation”

1. The S.O.U.L. Tape (2011)

Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5

Edd said: Fabolous had the world at his fingertips when he debuted 10 years prior to the original S.O.U.L. Tape. And let’s not rewrite history – he had his fair share of platinum and gold hits too. But what didn’t have was that classic album, that one release that would cement his legacy as one of the greatest of his generation. While I might not go so far to call The S.O.U.L. Tape a classic, I’d definitely call it the pinnacle of his career. Fab cherry-picks beats from previous hits, reimagining them in his own image. The result are songs that are familiar but totally fresh, with a rejuvenated Loso delivering some of the best bars to date. Any artist looking to reinvent themselves should follow Loso’s way – it’s resulted in the best releases of his career.

Forgotten favorites: “Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing,” “Y’all Don’t Hear Me,” “Pay Back Music”

We all love the S.O.U.L. Tapes, but what are your favorite Fabolous albums? Let us know below.