Fabolous: American Rapper and cultural icon reflects on music journey, opportunities, tough lessons, Jay Z, Beyonce, sports & Hip Hop

Music has helped me through difficult situations because… it lets me get through them…if you’re going through hell why stop there?" Fabolous

Throughout history, music has been a timeless aspect of society that connects people and has the ability to document the times through lyrics and style. Hip Hop has always connected with sports on another level as a form of expression and often celebration of athletes. On this episode of The Pivot, in partnership with Fanatics, Ryan, Channing and Fred chop it up with one of the most respected and iconic rappers from the early 2000s – Fabolous.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Fab reminisces about releasing his first album in 2001, and the motivation behind creating the chart topping record. To put it in perspective on how it resonated, Fab shares a story on how he saw Tom Brady this past summer and first thing Brady referred to him as is one of the original 01' boys, reiterating what Fab's music represented during that era and Fred recalls the one line that was even about him during that time.

While Fab may be underrated to some, the guys double down on why he's one of the most respected artists of all time in hip hop and for the culture. Fab’s got six albums and over three million records sold in the U.S., but it’s not just the numbers that tell his story, it’s his experiences that have truly shaped him. Relying on OG's in the rap game, Fab always was looking to learn and take chances to get where he wanted to go. He shares some words of wisdom with the guys reflecting on his journey, talking about the rap game then vs. now, what he’s learned about himself as an artist and more importantly as a man and describes how a generational shift in hip hop is shaping today’s music scene differently.

Fab talks about how the intersection of music and sports goes hand in hand and inspired his creativity and lyrics. He breaks down Knicks vs. Nets, plus legends like Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, and Muhammad Ali—icons who shaped his take on sports and celebrity and shares a story about his son with Steph Curry which is a lesson on opportunity and making most of every chance, an approach he lives by and credits to his music career taking off.

With music being a whole different vibe in the early 2000's vs today’s social media-driven world, Fab opens up about how music helped him overcome tough situations and rise above negativity while discussing how accessibility influences sustainability, especially in a competitive space.

Tap in now for a conversation that starts with music and weaves in and out of 25+ years of stories, experiences and keys to getting to the top and staying there from a legend.

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