While 2014 was supposed to see the sequel to
Fabolous' 2009 release
Loso's Way, the album
The Young OG Project landed instead, celebrating the rapper's love of '90s hip-hop. As such, old-school act
Brand Nubian get a righteous tribute with the opening "Lituation," but it takes until track three for the sound of the decade to power the aptly titled "All Good," while later, "Bish Bounce" bumps like
Das EFX in their prime. Otherwise, the '90s influence is less palpable as cloud rap beats ("We Good" floats, stutters, and dissolves) and an appearance from comedian
Kevin Hart (during the
Digable Planets-ish highlight "Cinnamon Apple") make this an album for the 2014-2015 season, while guest appearances from
Rich Homie Quan,
Chris Brown, and
French Montana are as populist as they are contemporary. Still,
Fabolous is invigorated by this slight slide into the past, and offers up numerous highlights (including the not-yet-mentioned "Ball Drop," a great New Year's Eve cut where everything is renewed) with a strong second line in support. ~ David Jeffries