John David Jackson (born November 18, 1977 in Brooklyn, New York), better k… Read Full Bio ↴John David Jackson (born November 18, 1977 in Brooklyn, New York), better known by his stage name Fabolous, is a Grammy award nominated American rapper, actor and designer signed to Def Jam Records. He released his debut album, Ghetto Fabolous in 2001 and has since released 2003's Street Dreams, 2004's Real Talk and 2007's From Nothin' To Somethin', all of which have collectively sold over four million copies in the United States. His fourth studio album, Loso's Way, was released in July of 2009 and debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

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."

We Don
Fabolous Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

sick mothafuckers!
go head, throw up nigga
yea yea ok, i know you
i know, i know
[Verse 1]
If you want to have smaller digits
The kid was never, a playa hata or baller bigit
Every week, pay em all a visit

I bring Pamela Lee to the P's so we all can dig it
I popped enough alcohol so we all could swig it
Guns, stand them up they be as tall as midgets
O.k, I'll rap a little faster
But do I really sound like I turned from a rapper to a pastor
I'm like you except I date supermodels
The cars that I drive, the state troopers follow
We get the same parties probably
My stones look like sunshine, yours probably cloudy
And I don't front for nothin'
I likes, I gets, I want for nothin'
I'm givin' ya straight answers
And I'd rather be dead than livin wit hate cancer
[Chorus]
Say wha you want to say, talk wha you want to talk
WE don't GIVE A FUCK!
Look how you want to look, grill if you want to grill
WE don't GIVE A FUCK!
Act how you want to act, front if you want to front
WE don't GIVE A FUCK!
Live how you want to live, cry if you want to die
WE don't GIVE A FUCK!
[Verse 2]
I just used to post on the corner, roast marijuana
I'd be on the coast of Tawanna
Bitches who look, close to Madonna,
Dosie cabanna, toast by a ?
I 'posed to be want to of those dudes ridin in Testaroastas upon ya
Not the ? but I'm gonna, I keep toastin the armor
for niggaz who supposed to be drama
I mostly just want to, get fed garlic toast and lasagna
Get head while I'll roast in a sawna
F-A-be -O-L-O-you-S, how can you hate that?
And I hit the ? wit the scandals
Cause its all bullshit my attroneys can handle
Ya insides be burnin like candles
Rippin down posters, turnin' the channels
You want to end up on the ern on the mantle nigga, yea
[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
I look at these brothers and laugh
Jealous niggas don't hate havin, just others that have
I still got love for the av.,
Come through to give ya niggas girls baby mothers my math
I speak on others behalf, only hate makin money
and gotta give the government half
You know this brother live last
And not even Mike seen Jordans in the colors I have
I used to run from undercovers like Shaft
That was until this young playa got shoved into the draft
Now I'm covered in ice, like Bruce Lee's body
Niggas is scared, to lose these hotties
Talk if you want to talk, grill if you want to grill
We don't give a fuck nigga
Front if you want to front, try if you want to die

If you live its luck nigga
[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

In "We Don't Give A," Fabolous raps about his success and that he doesn't care about what others say or think about him. The song is a response to those who are jealous of Fabolous and tries to bring him down with their negative comments. In the first verse, Fabolous talks about how he's not a hater, but a successful player. He visits the pimps and brings Pamela Lee to the party. He also talks about drinking alcohol and carrying guns. Fabolous is confident in himself and his success and believes that he's not any different from his haters except that he dates supermodels and drives expensive cars.

In the second verse, Fabolous talks about his humble beginnings where he used to sell marijuana and now he is living the life of luxury. He still has love for his neighborhood and shares his wealth with his friends. He speaks about hating taxes and how he had to deal with the draft when he was younger. In the third verse, Fabolous raps about how he has made it and has everything he wants. He has expensive shoes and jewels, and people are jealous of his success.

The main message of the song is that Fabolous does not care what others say about him. He is successful, and he knows it. He's not going to let anyone bring him down with their negative opinions. The song is an anthem for those who have made it and are confident in themselves.

Line by Line Meaning

sick mothafuckers!
Expression of disgust toward the people being addressed

go head, throw up nigga
Continue with your behavior, even though it's repulsive

yea yea ok, i know you
Acknowledgement of familiarity with the people being addressed

i know, i know
Repetition of acknowledgement of familiarity with the people being addressed

If you want to have smaller digits
If you want to be less significant or less successful

The kid was never, a playa hata or baller bigit
The singer was never jealous of other people's success or trying too hard to show off their own success

Every week, pay em all a visit
Every week, the singer interacts with various people (presumably in a friendly way)

I bring Pamela Lee to the P's so we all can dig it
The artist brings a beautiful woman (Pamela Lee) to a gathering to please everyone

I popped enough alcohol so we all could swig it
The artist provided enough alcohol for everyone to drink

Guns, stand them up they be as tall as midgets
The artist has guns that are small enough to be considered short

O.k, I'll rap a little faster
The singer will increase the speed of his rap

But do I really sound like I turned from a rapper to a pastor
The artist questions if he sounds like he stopped being a rapper and became a religious leader instead

I'm like you except I date supermodels
The singer is similar to the people being addressed, but he dates extremely attractive women

The cars that I drive, the state troopers follow
The singer drives expensive cars that attract attention from law enforcement

We get the same parties probably
The singer and the people being addressed probably attend the same parties

My stones look like sunshine, yours probably cloudy
The artist's jewelry is sparkly and impressive, while the people being addressed likely have less impressive jewelry

And I don't front for nothin'
The artist doesn't falsely present himself as someone he's not

I likes, I gets, I want for nothin'
The singer has everything he wants and needs

I'm givin' ya straight answers
The singer is being honest and straightforward

And I'd rather be dead than livin wit hate cancer
The artist would rather die than be consumed by hate

Say wha you want to say, talk wha you want to talk
Do and say whatever you want

WE don't GIVE A FUCK!
The artist doesn't care about the opinions of others

Look how you want to look, grill if you want to grill
Present yourself however you want, and act tough if you want

Act how you want to act, front if you want to front
Behave however you want, and pretend to be something you're not if you want

Live how you want to live, cry if you want to die
Live your life however you want, and feel any emotions you want to feel

If you live its luck nigga
If you're alive, you're lucky

I just used to post on the corner, roast marijuana
The singer used to hang out on the street corner and smoke marijuana

I'd be on the coast of Tawanna
The artist would be near the coast in a place called Tawanna

Bitches who look, close to Madonna,
Women who are very attractive

Dosie cabanna, toast by a ?
Unclear, possibly a reference to a specific place or situation

I 'posed to be want to of those dudes ridin in Testaroastas upon ya
The singer was supposed to be one of the guys driving Testarossas (expensive sports cars) around the people being addressed

Not the ? but I'm gonna, I keep toastin the armor
Unclear, possibly a reference to continuing to drink alcohol despite being unprepared or vulnerable

for niggaz who supposed to be drama
For people who are supposed to be confrontational or aggressive

I mostly just want to, get fed garlic toast and lasagna
The artist mostly desires simple pleasures, such as eating garlic toast and lasagna

Get head while I'll roast in a sawna
Unclear, possibly a reference to receiving oral sex while in a sauna

F-A-be -O-L-O-you-S, how can you hate that?
The artist spells his name (Fabolous) and questions how anyone could hate him

And I hit the ? wit the scandals
Unclear, possibly a reference to making news headlines

Cause its all bullshit my attroneys can handle
The singer's lawyers can handle any legal issues that arise

Ya insides be burnin like candles
The singer is causing discomfort or pain to the people being addressed

Rippin down posters, turnin' the channels
The artist is destroying or disregarding things that are important to the people being addressed

You want to end up on the ern on the mantle nigga, yea
The artist threatens violence against the people being addressed

I look at these brothers and laugh
The singer feels amused or superior when looking at the people being addressed

Jealous niggas don't hate havin, just others that have
People who are jealous don't actually hate the things they want, they just hate that others have them

I still got love for the av.
The artist still has love and respect for his neighborhood (the 'Avenue')

Come through to give ya niggas girls baby mothers my math
The artist will help the people being addressed by giving their girlfriends his phone number

I speak on others behalf, only hate makin money
The artist advocates for others, but doesn't like the process of making money

and gotta give the government half
Despite making money, the singer has to give a significant portion to the government in taxes

You know this brother live last
The artist is living his life to the fullest

And not even Mike seen Jordans in the colors I have
The singer has shoes (Jordans) in unique and impressive colors that even Michael Jordan has not seen

I used to run from undercovers like Shaft
The singer used to quickly hide from police officers ('undercovers') like the character Shaft from a popular movie

That was until this young playa got shoved into the draft
The singer's life changed when he was drafted (unclear what this means specifically)

Now I'm covered in ice, like Bruce Lee's body
The artist is wearing a lot of jewelry ('ice') and compares himself to Bruce Lee, who was a martial artist known for his lean, muscular physique

Niggas is scared, to lose these hotties
The people being addressed are afraid to lose their attractive girlfriends

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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