Jadakiss vs. Fabolous (Verzuz Playlist, 6/29/20)

Jadakiss and Fabolous battled it out - track-for-track - on the Verzuz platform last night (June 29, 2020). Having joined forces for their 2017 Friday On Elm Street project, and with their storied history reppin' New York, this battle was a win/win, no matter what - especially for fans! During the battle, Jadakiss spoke to being in the trenches and always feeling like the underdog, but - to me - he was the clear winner. Fab came through armed with his many hits, but Jada's extensive catalog tipped the scale - especially factoring in songs he wrote for Puffy. Jada also won over the crowd with his personality; calm (tipsy) demeanor and stories on tracks like "Can I Live," where he was adamant about letting it be known that the song was a Lox record, given to Black Rob when they got their freedom from Bad Boy. I put together the playlist from the battle - minus the Fab joint that's not on DSPs - so I we can relive the highlights from the battle at our own convenience. It'll be clear these are two of the nicest and most consistent artists to bring lyricism to the mainstream. While the Verzuz platform is still a bit of a mystery to me, I've enjoyed these battles, and do hope they continue. Listen below for nearly 3 hours of music ..... Did Jada take home the W?

Fabolous "Best Of Fabolous Sport" (Mixtape, 2001)

Reppin' the Breevort Houses in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, Fabolous entered the game through a freestyle on DJ Clue's radio show on Hot 97. In those early years, he went by the street name Fabolous Sport, a salute to the Polo clothing line. He was signed to Clue's Desert Storm Records and lit a fuse to every Clue tape he touched at the time. This mix represents the best of Fabolous, mostly those exclusive freestyles and tracks, which featured Joe Budden, Paul Cain, Nature, Cam'ron, The Lox, Nate Dogg (R.I.P.), Mase, Lil' Kim and more. Not sure if this was an official release or just something another DJ pieced together, but it's a nice rundown of those early Fab smokers. Dig in...

Fabolous "Next" (Vibe, 10/01) + "Ghetto Fabolous" (2001)

"Before the hoopla, Fabolous was John Jackson, a quiet guy living in the Brevoort Houses in Brooklyn. In early 1998, Cheo and Web, friends of DJ Clue's management team, were chilling outside the projects and heard one of Fab's friends bust a rhyme in a cipher. When they found out Fabolous was the writer behind the lyrics, they made Fab kick an impressive verse. They put him in touch with Clue's peoples and got him on the DJ's Monday-night radio show on Hot 97 in New York City. "I usually don't let people on the air without hearing them first," says Clue. "But Fabolous got in there and blazed it like crazy." Later that summer, he signed to Desert Storm and was quickly put to work." - Vibe Magazine, October 2001. Fab's debut album, Ghetto Fabolous, was released on 9/11 of all dates, alongside Jay-Z's The Blueprint. Today, Fabolous is still one of NY's most celebrated lyricists to come up from the underground/mixtape scene and gain mainstream success. I don't feel he's released a classic album YET, but he has a grip of hits in his catalog. Revisit his debut LP below.

Fabolous & Jadakiss "Friday On Elm Street" (Album Stream)

You'd be hard pressed to find two better lyricists than Fabolous and Jadakiss in the 2000s. The two New Yorkers have been murdering melodies, hacking up hooks and beating the life out of bass lines for around two decades. So it's only right they finally catch bodies together on the joint LP, Friday on Elm Street. Originally titled Freddy vs. Jason, the project was first announced last February via an Instagram post from Loso who captioned a photo of himself and Kiss, "Freddy Vs. Jason coming soon." Fast forward... the new LP boasts guest appearances from Styles P, Teyana Taylor, French Montana, Swizz, and Jeezy. - XXL. This is an album I love on paper, but had severe anxiety and apprehension about its lasting power in my headphones. One thing, however, cannot be denied, Fab and Jada released one of the best songs of the year with "Soul Food;" it's worth an entire project!

Jadakiss "#T5DOA" (Mixtape)

Jadakiss is promo'ing his upcoming album with the Top 5, Dead Or Alive series of freestyles. Kiss goes in over Incarcerated Scarfaces, Young Gifted & Black, Life's a Bitch, Hotline Bling, Grind'n & more, for a total of 14 joints.The project features Fabolous, Styles P, Swizz Beats & more. Everything has a hashtag these days, I am not mad at this one, plus I like keeping the freestyle culture alive, even if it's studio freestyles ... I like hearing artists on other joints & not worrying about samples, all that bullshit that keeps artists from being raw and creative. Is Jadakiss Top 5?

Fabolous & DJ Clue "Friday Night Freestyles" (Mixtape)

The Friday Night Freestyles series began as a weekly endeavor, with Fabolous dropping a new freestyle every Friday night for the past three months. These tracks for eleven weeks straight showcased his lyricism over classic instrumentals from the '90s and early 2000s, paying homage to the golden era of hip-hop. The positive reception from fans led to the compilation of these freestyles into a cohesive mixtape. Friday Night Freestyles stands as a testament to Fabolous's respect for hip-hop's roots and his versatility as an artist. By revisiting and revitalizing classic beats, he bridged the gap between generations, allowing both longtime fans and new listeners to appreciate some good ol' fashioned hip-hop. Listen to Fabolous & DJ Clue's Friday Night Freestyles...