For years, Hip Hop fans have maintained a cautious admiration for Fabolous. He has proven himself time and time again as a more than competent mixtape maestro and a reliable “featured” artist. However, much like fellow mixtape heroes Cassidy, Joe Budden and Canibus, Fab has never quite been able to answer the age old question: “Who is this guy as an artist?” Well, ladies and gentleman, after 5 full length albums, Loso’s Way finally delivers the answer..for better AND for worse.

The album really hits its stride when Fabolous is throwing out cleaver punchlines and playing up the lavish pretty thug lifestyle made famous by artists like Fab himself and Mase in the late 90’s.  His flow on “Fabolous Life,” “My Time” and “Throw It In The Bag” are top notch. The bar is raised even higher when he takes on real subjects and manages to maintain his clever wit. This is exemplified on the album’s stand out tracks “Stay” and the friend-turned-enemy opus “Pachanga,” where he delivers: “When you lose a friend, it’s hard to handle the loss… End up watching friends like Joey, Chandler and Ross.”

Unfortunately, this genuine sense of reality is shattered when Fab’s street dreams get too ambitious. Aspirations of finally taking his place among NY giants Jay-Z, Biggie and Nas lead to some embarrassingly awful moments (like the track “I Miss My Love”). “…Love” attempts to have the suspenseful storytelling of Biggie’s “Somebody Gotta Die,” but instead sounds forced, phony and even a bit corny.

It should be noted that Loso’s Way is overall a nice listen. Once it’s gimmicky intro ends and we look past the (very) loose “Carlito’s Way” concept that birthed the album, we are treated to a diverse and well rounded body of work. Despite some major misses, the album recovers nicely and does it’s job of solidifying that Fabolous is a true talent.

Tracks to check for: “Pachanga,” “My Time,” & “Stay” 

The filmmakers behind “Notorious” had a very unique and unenviable task before them: make a good film that will also appease the demands of fans of one of the biggest cultural icons in recent memory. The life and music of Christopher “Biggie” Wallace is almost like folklore in the Hip Hop community. Fans would be ready to tear the cast limb from limb if the film stinks, in turn, non-Hip Hop fans will walk into the theater ready to hate it. Surprisingly, both will walk out shocked by the fact that “Notorious” is actually a damn good movie.

The film is really a character-driven morality tale, so its strength is heavily based on a strong cast. Anthony Mackie steals every scene he is in with his take on the erratic genius of Tupac Shakur, while Naturi Naughton’s version of Lil Kim is almost as impressive. Angela Bassett is pitch perfect as Biggie’s mother, Violetta Wallace and Antonique Smith is a stunning and powerful Faith Evans, but it is newcomer Jamal Woolard’s tour de force as the slain B.I.G. that makes the whole film work. His mannerisms, voice, facial expressions and laugh are almost eerily similar to the real deal. The way he manages to capture the character without it coming off as an impression is nothing short of brilliant.

With such strong cast performances, it is a shame that the film is still so tragically flawed. The filmmakers’ attempts to appease fans by including every noteworthy moment in BIG’s life felt hamhanded and forced at times.  A conscious (and often obvious) attempt was made to over-emphasize BIG’s transition into self-awareness and maturity in these contexts. Also, Derek Luke falls just short of his mark as music mogul Sean “Puffy” Combs. Though his acting performance was solid, his “swagger” felt forced and not as effortless as the Puffy that we have come to know.

All in all, “Notorious” is solid, well acted, authentic film that should satisfy even the most cynical viewer.

Nas’  9th album has been shrouded in controversy from day one. The album’s controversial title and lyrics started causing problems almost a year before a single copy hit stores. Everyone from Rev. Jesse Jackson to LA Reid to Bill O’Reilly to Newsweek Magazine and even members of the US Congress made their opinions (for better or worse) known. Now, with the actual album completed (minus its original title), the finished product deserves just as much praise as it has controversy.

Untitled is loosely a concept album. It has a very cohesive and organized feel that few modern Hip Hop albums embrace. The album’s lyrics read like an expose’ on the oppression of modern American blacks (complete with an entire song devoted to the practices of Fox News and references to Noble Dru Ali and Ivan Van Sertima). Over some of the slickest production of his career, Nas seamlessly meanders between the pretty thug swagger that made him famous and the revolutionary political leanings that made him an icon.

In many ways, Untitled has done what few Nas albums have been able to do: be strong in both content and quality.  It is one of the few rap albums in recent years that appeases the appetites of Hip Hop connoisseurs while still being accessible to those curious, out of the loop listeners who just want to know what all the fuss is about.

Tracks to check for: “Fried Chicken,” “Ya’ll My Niggas,” & “Black President”

Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo and Shay Haley first joined forces for one of the most impressive alternative albums of 2001, the uber-inventive In Search Of... Since then, the trio has come full circle. After 2004’s more traditional Fly Or Die proved to be little more than solid (both critically and commercially), the band is now back to breaking down musical barriers with their most satisfying album to date.

Seeing Sounds starts off in traditional Neptunian fashion with “Time For Some Action,” a fast-paced, heavily hip hop track that sounds almost identical to their work on Busta Rhymes’ “Light Your Ass On Fire.” From there, the album chugs along with good, but ultimately forgettable tunes like “Windows.” But then, midway through the album, something happens. Starting around track 6,you feel the Virginia trio really hitting their stride. This second wind is accented by the Grammy-worthy “Sooner or Later,” which is as stunning as it is catchy.

Seeing Sounds may not have the impact of In Search Of… or the heavyweight cameos that sprinkled Fly or Die, but it is certainly their most complete, definitive and mature work to date. It is, in many ways, the album that N.E.R.D. fans have been waiting for.

Tracks to check out: “Sooner or Later,” “Happy” & “Spaz’”

As the “pop” world reaches out its arms to Cee Lo Green and Danger Mouse, they instinctively pull back. If St. Elsewhere was their Frankenstein’s monster, then The Odd Couple is it’s terrifying killing spree.

St. Elsewhere was an album of twisted paranoia and doom disguised in the Trojan horse of an experimental party album. The Odd Couple, on the other hand, is dark, gloomy and intentionally against the grain. Green sums it up best when he professes “It’s probably plain to see/ I got a whole lot of pain in me” on the the somber closing track “A Little Better.”

As always, Danger’s production is layered, dense, outside the box and downright brilliant. Meanwhile, Green’s infectious falsetto is stellar (and just a little bit scary). “Would Be Killer” and “Neighbors” are perfect examples of the eerie soundscapes that have made these guys the most talked about genre busters since Run DMC.

Unfortunately, Gnarls Barkley’s greatest attribute is also their biggest detriment. That anti-pop, this-ain’t-for-everyone, free flying style is a double edged sword. Sometimes triumphant and sometimes confusing, The Odd Couple will likely go down in history as a classic for die hard fans and as a memorable experiment to everyone else.

“If I Were King” is a no-holds-barred, gritty and intense behind the scenes look at Sean John’s return to NYC Fashion Week after a 5 year hiatus. In terms of made-for-TV documentaries, it doesn’t get much better than this.

5 years ago, Sean “Diddy” Combs won CFDA’s Menswear Designer of the Year Award for his Sean John line. That honor (which is the fashion equivalent of an Oscar or a Grammy) had never gone to an “urban designer” or more shockingly, a black designer. After this landmark, Combs opted to not show at Fashion Week for 5 consecutive years. But now, on the cusp of Sean John’s 10 year anniversary, Combs’ hopes to compete with the other “bad boys” of high fashion like Roberto Cavalli and Zac Posen.

“King” is a visually stunning and interesting watch, but clocking in at an hour and a half, it could probably have done its job in less time. Regardless, the documentary balances the business, logistical, planning and creative process (YES, Diddy actually DESIGNS…who knew) in an intriguing and genuine manner. Critical fashion fans could most closely compare it to Issac Mizrahi’s classic “Unzipped.” Aside from the harried and intense designing and manufacturing (which saw members of the design team traveling across 3 continents), the film also touches heavily on the issues that blacks have had to face in the world of high fashion. This subplot eventually lead to a casting decision by Combs to feature an all black cast of models.

“If I Were King” doesn’t reinvent the wheel and if you are not already a fashion enthusiast, business student, Diddy fan or at least someone with an interest in the creative process, then there probably isn’t much here for you. Still, the film has a rich, artistic style, a genuine vibe and an entertaining value that makes it a worthwhile and fulfilling watch.

Ray J, Ray J, Ray J… By all logic, there is no reasonable explanation for why this guy has been able to stay relevant for the better part of 11 years. He is far from a great singer, a D list actor (his last major film was the Shaq star vehicle Steel) and he has only had one album reach the top 10, ever. Yet, every couple of years we find ourselves talking about this guy. Maybe he knows something that we don’t.

After the infamous Kim Kardashian sex tape, Brandy’s brother managed to raise his stock even higher this year with the certified banger “Sexy Can I.” The track is the shining jewel of his new disc of predictably mediocre material. The rest of the album is mostly pseudo-gangsta fronting (”Real Nigga,” “Where You At?”) and raunchy sex talk (”Boyfriend”) over run-of-the-mill beats. There are definitely some high points like the strip club anthem “Gift” and the album’s title track, “All I Need.” But, these bright spots are scarce.

Apparently Ray also figured out how to use T-Pain’s auto pitch module. Unfortunately, he is not able to copy it as well as Lil Wayne. This is most obvious on the catchy, but painfully misguided “It’s Up To You;” it actually sounds like Ray J is singing badly on purpose. What’s most unfortunate about this song (and the album as a whole) is that if Ray J would just stop reaching so hard for the credibility that he will never have, he could probably put out some tolerable music.

GRADE: A

This week, ABC premiered its surprisingly relatable and entertaining remake of A Raisin in the Sun. Before you write off this 2008 remake as a Puff Daddy star vehicle,you may be interested to know that it was the first made-for-TV movie in history to be accepted into the Sundance Film Festival.

In case you never took high school English: A Raisin in the Sun is story about a poor black family in the 1950s that receives a $10,000 life insurance check that nearly tears them apart. It was the first play written by an African American (Lorraine Hansberry) to be presented on Broadway. Ok, now that that’s out of the way…

This is the third time that the classic play has been adapted for the screen. The first adaptation featured Academy Award winner Sidney Poitier in the role of frustrated father and husband Walter Lee Younger. The second remake found a young Danny Glover taking over the reigns. Now, in 2008, music mogul Sean Combs is a surprising choice to fill those shoes. Whats even more surprising than his casting…is his stellar performance.

Most viewers will recognize Combs as the flashy, stylish and cocky man behind Bad Boy Records, Sean John Clothing, Ciroc Vodka, Justin’s Restaurants, MTV’s Making The Band and about a thousand other multinational brands. In this respect, it seemed unlikely that he could be convincing as the depressed, emotional and browbeaten Walter Lee. But while Combs may not have put Poitier to shame, but he certainly did him justice. Actually, the entire cast was nothing short of incredible.

The REAL show stealer was Phylicia Rashad (sorry Puff). Within the first 20 minutes of the 3 hour presentation it become very clear why she received a Tony Award for this role. Every time Rashad comes on the screen, the other characters seem to fade into the background. Though her role as the family matriarch is pivitol, her magnetic performance is what really makes her the star of this picture.
The script of A Raisin in the Sun is written in a classic (yet dated) manner that just begs for overacting. In fact, a big part of the charm of the original theatrical version was its over the top intensity. The fact that ABC’s adaptation maintains the same level of heart without becoming preachy and obnoxious is nothing short of a miracle. Still, younger viewers may be a bit turned off the story’s slow moving plot and dialog over visuals format.

When all is said and done, this remake of A Raisin in the Sun won’t rewrite history, but it is certainly one of the best made-for-TV movies in recent memory.

GRADE: A

Lets be honest, to the casual listener, “Neo-Soul” artists like Cody ChesneTT, Van Hunt, Raphael Saadiq and Raheem DeVaughn all sound pretty much the same. They release similar sounding albums and tend to get similar responses from fans. With Love Behind the Melody, Raheem DeVaughn strives to elevate his sound without leaving his fans behind. Thankfully, he succeeds.

Much of the production on Love Behind the Melody is stellar. Music giants like Bryan-Michael Cox, Scott Storch and Chucky Thompson lend their talents to an album that manages to improve upon the template of DeVaughn’s impressive debut, The Love Experience. This more streamlined and mainstream quality works (even in spite of itself). On “Customer,” we look past the song’s eerie resemblance to J. Holiday’s monster hit “Bed,” and just trust that great minds must think alike. Besides, Love Behind the Melody is the kind of album that lives in its own vibe. The smooth and sexy mood that emits from the speakers makes it easy to forgive any of the album’s shortcomings.

Love Behind the Melody may not prove to be Raheem DeVaughn’s break into mainstream consciousness, but it will definitely expand his fan base. Raheem DeVaughn is more talented than the bulk of R&B singers out there, it’s only a matter of time before the world knows it.