It takes talent to make the struggle to succeed seem effortless, but that is the gift that separates artists like Brooklyn's John Jackson, aka Fabolous, from the everyday MC. While most rappers spend more and more time convincing the masses of their "hustle," Fabolous lets his work speak for his effort. With two platinum albums (2001's Ghetto Fabolous and 2003's Street Dreams) and one Gold (2004's Real Talk) to his credit, the veteran hitmaker still exudes a rookie-of-the year swagger. After recording for both Elektra and Atlantic Records, Fab is enjoying a home coming with the legendary Def Jam label. His first recorded song was "If They Want It" from DJ Clue's The Professional, which was released by Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam in 1998.
"I had people in my corner already over there," Fab says of DJ Clue and A&R Skane, the Desert Storm duo who discovered Fabolous. "So it wasn't like I was coming to a new neighborhood."
While he doesn't site any one reason for his move, Fabolous has learned a lot from his time in the industry and is eager to capitalize on his experience. "I haven't peaked yet," he explains. "I was happy with the past records, but I have some adversity to learn off of for the future."
It's appropriate that Fabolous is getting a fresh start for his latest release because he wants From Nothin' to Somethin' to be a rebirth for his fans old and new. "Everybody is trying to take what they have and make something more," says Fabolous, explaining the album's title. "It's a new year, everybody's on their hustle, back in the gym and I'm trying to give them some inspiration. This is music to chase your money too, work out--motivation music.
The first single "Make Me Better" is produced by Grammy Award winning producer Timbaland and finds Fabolous doing what he does best; blending radio ready sound beds with clever and memorable lyrics. Rapping that he needs "a Corretta Scott to make me King" Fab picks up with his female fans where "Baby" left off. "It's a great feel good record, it's got a lot of style to it," he says. "I wanted a record that could show that I could touch different people with my music."
Already recognized for his hit-making ability, Fabolous is eager to show the diversity of his technique while staying true to his blueprint for success. On the cocky "Make Money" he cleverly borrows Notorious B.I.G's trademark chuckle to comment on the laugh-ability of his competition: "these dudes is stand up rappers, hip-hop comedians, I start laughin as soon as I put your CD in." His wit and wordplay is not something he gets enough credit for, but the MC is confident people will come around. "Certain people recognize it," he says, "but its like they'll sing it in the shower, but they won't sing it outside. It's all good though. One of them days you gonna get drunk and start singing that song."
Enlisting a whose-who list of guests that includes Akon, Young Jeezy, Ne-Yo and Junior Reed, Fabolous plays to a variety of audiences on this disc, but there is no mistaking that it's his show from beginning to end. The anthemic "Brooklyn" features a yet to be disclosed surprise guest and "Change Up" pairs Fab with singer, producer extraodinaire Akon helping him reflect on his life and career.
"Anytime you become a successful person, people may look at you and say you changed," explains Fabolous, who references the October 2006 shooting that took place outside of Justin's restaurant in the lyrics of the song. "That record just talks about people changing as a person for money, how they carry themselves and treat other people. For me, I might have changed where I live or my number, but I haven't changed as a person…I slid a line or two about what happened in October but I'm not coming out with a bullet proof vest or anything."
The playful "Foggin Up The Windows," produced by Miami's The Runners, features R. Kelly's chopped and screwed vocals from his hit "Ignition" to prop up Fabolous' ode to parkin' lot pimpin' of the more carnal kind.
"I just took it back to trying to get some in the car," he says with a laugh. "Everyone's either done it or tried to get some in the car. It may not have been the place of choice but everybody's had a hotel on wheels."
Other rewind worthy tracks like "Real Playa" featuring Lloyd, "Diamonds" featuring Young Jeezy and the Just Blaze produced "Back To School" round out an impressive collection that makes From Nothin' to Somethin' worth the two-year wait. In his absence no artist has come close to matching his boyish charm, wit and unassuming cool both on and off the mic. With a new team and a pop of his collar Fabolous is indeed "fresh to Def."
"I'm trying to bring good music back to the game," he says confidently. "And anybody that's bringing good music, the hype is gonna follow them."
I'm The Man feat Red Café
Fabolous Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Excuse me! I happen to be the boss man
Excuse me! I happen to be the weatherman
Excuse me! I happen to be the ice man
Excuse me! I happen to be the dope man
And I'm the man (That's me) yes, shorty, I'm the man
(The motherfuckin man, 'Lo-so)
I'm the man, yes, shorty, I'm the man
(You think you're better than your past)
I'm the man, yes, shorty, I'm the man
(If the present were your man, bitch)
[Fabolous]
Yes, I'm the man, yes, shorty, I'm the man
I'm so fly there's no tellin' when I'm a land
You tryin' to come up on somethin', mami, I'm the plan
So play the cards you was dealt, baby, I'm the hand
Young Denzel - I'm the inside man
The open-they-legs-and-let-me-inside man
I work the middle, call it a inside job
The hey 'mon; I got ten side jobs
The boss man, the ice man and weatherman
The weed man for Redman and Method Man
The dope man, the gun man, the mailman
The spokesman, the cheer man, the salesman
Used to spread the white shit like hail, man
And I moved more bags than the bellman
Now, I'm the man of the fi-di-di-di-damn
If you ain't get the message, let me tell you who I am, bitch
[Red Cafe]
Excuse me! I happen to be the boss man
Excuse me! I happen to be the weatherman
Excuse me! I happen to be the ice man
Excuse me! I happen to be the dope man
And I'm the man, yes, shorty, I'm the man
I'm the man, yes, shorty, I'm the man
And I'm the man, yes, shorty, I'm the man
I'm the man, yes, shorty, I'm the man
[Fabolous]
Yeah, I'm the man, yes, shorty, I'm the man
Lookin' for some good shit, then I'm your man
Just say my name three times like Candy man
I pop up, fix it up like a handyman
You know how the man do, Coupe is all mad new
Ginobli's, but the truck is on Kobe's
Through the bulletproof when you're in the Sport, man
The slugs come through your window like grown man
Aww, man, there go your man again
I fifth him up, stiff him up like a mannequin
I ain't trippin', but dude think he the Man of Steel
He slippin' up, and he don't even see banana peels
And one night I made plans to do him
The bitch is so easy a caveman could do it
She know I'm the man of the fi-di-di-di-damn
But F-Y-I, let me tell you who I am, bitch
[Red Cafe]
Excuse me! I happen to be the boss man
Excuse me! I happen to be the weatherman
Excuse me! I happen to be the ice man
Excuse me! I happen to be the dope man
And I'm the man, yes, shorty, I'm the man
I'm the man, yes, shorty, I'm the man
And I'm the man, yes, shorty, I'm the man
I'm the man, yes, shorty, I'm the man
The song "I'm the Man" by Fabolous featuring Red Cafe is a boastful, confident anthem about their success and stature in the hip-hop world. The verses are filled with clever wordplay, showcasing their abilities as leaders and providers. Red Cafe boasts of being the boss man, the weatherman, the ice man, and the dope man. He exclaims, "I'm the man, yes, shorty, I'm the man" repeatedly throughout the song. Fabolous chimes in with his own braggadocious verses, claiming to be the man with the plan, the inside man, and the man of steel.
The song touches on themes of power, control, and confidence. The lyrics indicate that the artists are unafraid to flaunt their success, and that their accomplishments have helped them gain a certain amount of power, as represented by the various labels they give themselves. The repetition of the phrase "I'm the man" and the aggressive tone in which it is said reinforces this sense of confidence and power.
Overall, "I'm the Man" is a powerful song that celebrates the success of Fabolous and Red Cafe. The lyrics are clever and full of wordplay, and the beats are catchy and memorable. The song is a testament to the wealth and power that comes with success in the music industry.
Line by Line Meaning
Excuse me! I happen to be the boss man
Red Cafe is claiming to be the boss or leader of the group
Excuse me! I happen to be the weatherman
Red Cafe is claiming to be the one who controls the environment and the current situation
Excuse me! I happen to be the ice man
Red Cafe is claiming to be the one who brings coolness under pressure and can maintain a calm and collected demeanor
Excuse me! I happen to be the dope man
Red Cafe is claiming to be the one who brings a sense of excitement and energy to the group
And I'm the man (That's me) yes, shorty, I'm the man
Red Cafe is emphasizing that he is the top dog and in charge
I'm the man, yes, shorty, I'm the man
Red Cafe is reiterating that he is the one calling the shots
You think you're better than your past
Red Cafe is challenging someone to prove themselves and step up to his level
If the present were your man, bitch
Red Cafe is saying that if someone wants to be successful, they need to follow his lead and listen to him
Yes, I'm the man, yes, shorty, I'm the man
Fabolous is agreeing that Red Cafe is the leader and in control
I'm so fly there's no tellin' when I'm a land
Fabolous is saying that he is in control of his actions and where he ends up, and that he is confident in himself
You tryin' to come up on somethin', mami, I'm the plan
Fabolous is saying that he is the one with the strategy and plan to help someone succeed
So play the cards you was dealt, baby, I'm the hand
Fabolous is saying that he is the one who can make a difference and help someone achieve their goals
Young Denzel - I'm the inside man
Fabolous is comparing himself to a famous actor while claiming to be the insider or the one who is in the know
The open-they-legs-and-let-me-inside man
Fabolous is bragging about his ability to seduce women and get them to let him in
I work the middle, call it a inside job
Fabolous is saying that he is able to navigate complex situations and maneuver his way to the top
The hey 'mon; I got ten side jobs
Fabolous is saying that he is always hustling and has many different ways to make money
The boss man, the ice man and weatherman
Fabolous is echoing Red Cafe's earlier claims to be the leader and in control of his surroundings
The weed man for Redman and Method Man
Fabolous is saying that he is the one who can provide the connections and resources to help people succeed
The dope man, the gun man, the mailman
Fabolous is saying that he is the one who can handle all different types of situations and can provide any necessary resources
The spokesman, the cheer man, the salesman
Fabolous is saying that he can be a leader and a supporter, and can also convince others to follow his lead
Used to spread the white shit like hail, man
Fabolous is referencing his past involvement with drugs
And I moved more bags than the bellman
Fabolous is referencing his experience with moving drugs and making deals
Now, I'm the man of the fi-di-di-di-damn
Fabolous is saying that he is now the top dog and in charge
If you ain't get the message, let me tell you who I am, bitch
Fabolous is stressing that he is the one in control and is not to be messed with
Lookin' for some good shit, then I'm your man
Fabolous is saying that he is the one who can provide the good stuff
Just say my name three times like Candy man
Fabolous is making a reference to a movie about a legend who can be summoned by saying his name three times
I pop up, fix it up like a handyman
Fabolous is saying that he can be the one to fix any problems or issues
You know how the man do, Coupe is all mad new
Fabolous is saying that he always maintains his status and is always updated with the latest trends
Ginobli's, but the truck is on Kobe's
Fabolous is referencing basketball players and saying that he has the best of both worlds
Through the bulletproof when you're in the Sport, man
Fabolous is referencing the car that he is driving and how it provides him with protection
The slugs come through your window like grown man
Fabolous is referencing bullets and saying that they can come through someone's window, even if they are grown and mature
Aww, man, there go your man again
Fabolous is pointing out someone else's mistakes or shortcomings
I fifth him up, stiff him up like a mannequin
Fabolous is saying that he will harm or kill someone, whether metaphorically or literally
I ain't trippin', but dude think he the Man of Steel
Fabolous is referencing Superman and saying that someone else thinks they are invincible
He slippin' up, and he don't even see banana peels
Fabolous is saying that someone else is making mistakes without even realizing it
And one night I made plans to do him
Fabolous is talking about his plans to take revenge on someone else
The bitch is so easy a caveman could do it
Fabolous is referencing a woman and saying that she is very easy to seduce or convince
She know I'm the man of the fi-di-di-di-damn
Fabolous is saying that the woman knows he is in charge and has all the power
But F-Y-I, let me tell you who I am, bitch
Fabolous is reiterating that he is the one in control and is not to be messed with
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JERMAINE DENNY, JOHN JACKSON, JOHN DAVID JACKSON, SHARIF SLATER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Captain Hindsight
This still hits hard!
DJ Yungson
This whole cd go hard I remember I used to get on the computer and played everyday lol I always was a fab fan still is
appatight
No denying that Fab is dope... Fab has some of the dopest wordplay you could ever imagine. I mean come on this dude is just beast... Know how the man do Coupe is on Manu... Ginobili's But the truck is on Kobe's - that is just sick For those of you I need to explain that line to... Manu Ginobili is a guard for the Spurs and he is #20 and we all know who Kobe Bryant is in which he is #24... so he's just saying that his coupe is on 20's and his truck is on 24's. Wordplay 101 bitches...lol
ox pro
It's crazy most muh fuckas dont even get it lol fab nice
BigNosePoppa BNP
Nobody who is into lyricism needed this breakdown. Lol
Dennis Clarke
Bout time you get that 20th like.
Benger2185
The best wordplay rapper ever.
DonNoDraper
👌🔥💯
slim 414
U cant beat fab at scrabble lol
shortstack
I wake up to this song every damn day boi!!!!!