The Young OG Project

Fabolous is one of the few New York rappers who sounds comfortable in the new hip-hop soundscapes emerging from the South. “We Good,” a feature with Atlanta’s Rich Homie Quan, sets the tone for *The Young OG Project*. Fabolous provides a jolt of sharpness to the narcotic atmosphere personified by Quan’s unstable crooning. “She Wildin’” and “Ball Drop” are smooth rap tunes optimized for the floor of the club, but Fab’s unique abilities come to life on “Bish Bounce,” which sounds like a hybrid of a skittering Gucci Mane beat and a vintage Wu-Tang track.

While 2014 was supposed to see the sequel to Fabolous' 2009 release Loso's Way, the album The Young OG Project landed instead, celebrating the rapper's love of '90s hip-hop. As such, old-school act Brand Nubian get a righteous tribute with the opening "Lituation," but it takes until track three for the sound of the decade to power the aptly titled "All Good," while later, "Bish Bounce" bumps like Das EFX in their prime. Otherwise, the '90s influence is less palpable as cloud rap beats ("We Good" floats, stutters, and dissolves) and an appearance from comedian Kevin Hart (during the Digable Planets-ish highlight "Cinnamon Apple") make this an album for the 2014-2015 season, while guest appearances from Rich Homie Quan, Chris Brown, and French Montana are as populist as they are contemporary.