From Nothin' to Somethin' [PA] (CD - 2007)

Personnel: Wen Qian, Sandra Park (violin); Rebecca Young (viola); Alan J. Stepansky (cello); Aaron Heick (saxophone); Jeff Kievit (trumpet); Darryl "Big Baby" McClary (keyboards); Antwan "Amadeus" Thompson (drums).

Audio Mixers: Ryan West; Jordan Young "DJ Swivel"; Jermaine Dupri; Just Blaze; Phil Tan.

Recording information: Baseline Recording Studios, New York, NY; House Of Mirrors, New York, NY; Legacy Studios, New York, NY; PatchWerk Recording Studios, Atlanta, GA; Sony Music Studios, New York, NY; SouthSide Studios, Atlanta, GA; The Icon Mansion, Miami, FL; You Know Me Well Studios, Atlanta, GA.

Photographers: Tai Linzie; Jonathan Mannion.

Arranger: Rob Mathes.

Three years after his commercially successful 2004 release, REAL TALK, Brooklyn's own Fabolous returned with FROM NOTHIN' TO SOMETHIN' in 2007. On his fourth full-length, Fabolous continues with the same smooth player posturing, detailing the various ways he runs the streets in a breathy, effortless flow. At 16 tracks deep, FROM NOTHIN' TO SOMETHIN' shines on the production end thanks to a slew of air-tight beats from Timbaland, Jermaine Dupri, Just Blaze, Scott Storch, Swizz Beatz, and Reefa among others. Fabolous also benefits from a long list of guest R&B-hook-providers including Akon, T-Pain, Lloyd, Rihanna, and Ne-Yo as well as cameo verses from heavyweights Young Jeezy, Pusha T, Lil Mo, Swizz Beatz, Joe Budden, and Red Café. All that aside, though, the record's hottest cut might just be Fab's tribute to his borough, "Brooklyn," which features a verse from none other than the Jigga man himself, Jay-Z. minimize