More Street Dreams, Pt. 2: The Mixtape

by Fabolous

Overview

Riding high on the success of one pop-crossover single after another ("Trade It All," "Can't Let You Go," "Into You"), Fabolous kept the cash registers ringing in 2003 with a timely holiday-season release, More Street Dreams, Pt. 2: The Mixtape. A thrown-together compilation of his previously street-released mixtape tracks, this follow-up to his Street Dreams album from earlier in the year consists mostly of freestyles (Fabolous rapping over the instrumentals of previously released songs by others), along with a couple of standout remixes, a couple skits, and more. The relatively brief 45-minute sum is surprisingly listenable given its hodgepodge nature, surely attributable to Fabolous' considerable MC skills. The rapper may be best known for his pop-crossover hits, most of which are anchored by sugar-sweet R&B hooks, but he's a hell of a rapper, and that comes to light particularly on these street-oriented recordings, where Fabolous doesn't compromise his skills for the masses. In particular, the remixes stand out: Fabolous steals the spotlight on the impressive remix of Joe Budden's not especially impressive "Fire" single, and Just Blaze totally flips "Can't Let You Go" for its remix, serving up a hot song with little relation to the original. Elsewhere, Fabolous hijacks (often in conjunction with co-conspirator Paul Cain) the beats from Half-A-Mill's "Some Niggaz" (here retitled "Niggaz"), Eve's "What" ("Now What"), Kelly Rowland's "Make You Wanna Stay" ("Make U Mine"), R. Kelly's "Who's That" ("Faboloso"), Jay-Z's "Renegade" ("Renegade"), the LOX's "Fuck You" ("F You Too"), and Lil' Kim's "This Is Who I Am" ("B.K. Style"). If you're mainly a fan of Fabolous' radio hits, you'll be disappointed by the utter lack of sappy slow jams here (and perhaps also by the edgy gangsta posturing). Yet if you're more a fan of Fabolous' rapping and the street side of his persona, you should find much to savor on More Street Dreams, assuming you don't mind wading through a little filler. ~ Jason Birchmeier

Product Details

Release Date:	11/04/2003
Label:	Elektra
UPC:	0075596292429

Tracks

1. Niggaz
2. Now What
3. Rims
4. Now Ride
5. Think Y'All Know
6. Chicks
7. Make U Mine
8. Faboloso
9. Fire
10. I Usually Don't
11. Renegade
12. F You Too
13. B.K. Style
14. Medley

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Fabolous   Primary Artist
Mike Shorey   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Joe Budden   Primary Artist,Featured Artist,Guest Artist
Paul Cain   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Featured Artist

Technical Credits

Just Blaze   Remixing,Producer
Melvin Glover   Composer
DJ Clue   Producer,Executive Producer
Paul Gregory   Engineer
Suzanne Burge   Product Manager
Justin Smith   Composer
Sherry Clardy   A&R,Artist Coordination
Scott Jr.   Composer
Mr. Fingaz   Producer
Needlz   Producer
Anita Marisa Boriboon   Art Direction
T.J. Green   Composer
DJ Scratchator   Producer
Fabolous   Executive Producer,Producer
Frank-Ski   Composer
J.J. Jackson   Composer
Ken "Duro" Ifill   Executive Producer,Producer
Andre Young   Composer
John Ricard   Photography
Godfrey Lopez   Art Direction
Paul Cain   Composer