‘FUNERAL FAB’ aka FABOLOUS RELEASES THERE IS NO COMPETITION 2: THE GRIEVING MUSIC MIXTAPE – COLLABORATION WITH DJ DRAMA – AUGUST 31st ON DESERT STORM/DEF JAM RECORDINGS
EXPANDED VERSION OF TINC2: THE FUNERAL SERVICE – #1 MOST-DOWNLOADED MIXTAPE OF 2010 – ADDS 3 NEW BONUS TRACKS, INCLUDING NEW SINGLE & VIDEO, “LIGHTS OUT”
In advance of Loso’s Way 2 full-length album, to be released this December
Follow-up to Loso’s Way of 2009 – career first #1 Soundscan debut, including #2 rap/R&B/pop crossover smash “Throw It In The Bag” featuring The-Dream
‘THE FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS’ 5-PART VIDEO SERIES BURIES THE COMPETITION, CO-DIRECTED BY ARISTOTLE TORRES AND FUNERAL FAB
“Mr. R.I.P.,’ first video in the series, shot at NY’s biggest cemetery, receives over 1.6 million views in the first 24 hours after its premiere
(August 18, 2010 – New York, NY) Grammy nominated multi-platinum Def Jam rapper Fabolous takes it to the streets as he hooks up with DJ Drama and LiveMixtapes.com for the release of THERE IS NO COMPETITION 2: THE GRIEVING MUSIC MIXTAPE, set for August 31st release on Def Jam. The Mixtape sets the stage for the December release of the full-length album Loso’s Way 2, the follow-up to Loso’s Way, the first #1 Soundscan debut of his career, which entered the Billboard 200 albums chart at #1 in August 2009.
TINC2: THE GRIEVING MUSIC MIXTAPE – a collector’s item for Loso’s fans – is the officially released expanded version of TINC2: THE FUNERAL SERVICE, which won critical acclaim as the #1 most-downloaded mixtape of 2010. The Mixtape adds three new bonus tracks, “Body Count,” “You Be Killin Em,” and “Lights Out,” the new single and video by ‘Funeral Fab.’ Writing in the New York Times, Jon Caramanica described the original mixtape as “[an] impressive… concept record” earlier this year.
At the core of THERE IS NO COMPETITION 2 are ‘The Funeral Arrangements,’ a five-part viral video series of original clips co-directed by Aristotle Torres and Fabolous, in which the TINC2 mixtape is brought to life in a bevy of stills and interviews. Loso’s alter ego Funeral Fab takes his fans on a dramatic journey through dark New York landmarks in preparation for the funeral of any and all hip-hop competitors. Funeral Fab buries them all in an intense funeral service that culminates the video series.
Following its premiere in March, the first video, “Mr. R.I.P.” – filmed at the biggest cemetery in New York City – received over 1.6 million views in its first 24 hours of release, and was praised by GQ, who described Funeral Fab as “dressed to kill.” In the second video “Body Ya,” he has been diagnosed with a severe case of body ya, a disease that only the most stylish and fly can obtain. Under strict quarantine by his physician, he is warned to not leave his apartment, but he disregards the advice and heads out into the world. Anyone and everyone who looks at Funeral Fab passes out due to his incomparable style. “I’m Raw,” the third video is street smart and lyrically savvy with one objective – to let the haters know that he is on top of the game and he is raw. The fourth and fifth videos, “Tonight X Love Come Down” take place in a high society nightclub rampant with champagne bottles, models and strippers.
THERE IS NO COMPETITION 2 contains guest appearances from hip-hop notables Nicki Minaj, Red Cafe, Paul Cain, and many others. The tracks include: “The Wake,” “I’m Raw,” “Body Ya,” “Hard” featuring Kobe, Paul Cain, and LA The Darkman, “Oh Let’s Do It,” “Suicide 2” featuring Paul Cain and Freck Billionaire, “It’s Goin’ Down” featuring Freck Billionaire, “Roger That” featuring Freck Billionaire, “Love Come Down,” “Popular Demand” featuring Paul Cain, “Mr. R.I.P.,” “Body Bag” featuring Cam’Ron and Vado, “Lloyd Banks” featuring Juelz Santana and Fabolous, “Beamer, Benz, or Bentley,” “For the Money” featuring Nicki Minaj, “Tonight” featuring Red Café, “All the Way Turnt Up” featuring Trey Songz, “Say Somethin’ Nigga,” “Funeral Service Music” featuring Kobe, Paul Cain, Red Café, and Willie The Kid, “Bring Death to Em’,” and “Exhibit F.”
Loso’s Way, the fifth studio album by Fabolous provided an intimate glimpse into the rise of the Brooklyn-born rapper, exploring the perils that came with managing the transition from Bed-Stuy street life to one of legitimacy. Loso’s Way also encompassed his first long-form video project, a 30-minute DVD counterpart that was packaged as a bonus disc in the first run limited-edition deluxe versions of the album. The first single, “Throw It In The Bag” featuring fellow Def Jam artist The-Dream (and produced by Tricky Stewart) rose in Billboard to #2 Rap, #4 R&B, and #14 on the Hot 100.
Loso’s Way followed-up From Nothing To Something, RIAA gold Def Jam debut album by Fabolous (released June 2007). The album earned him the first #1 debuts of his career on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Rap Albums charts, on the strength of the RIAA platinum #1 rap/R&B/pop crossover smash “Make Me Better” featuring Def Jam artist Ne-Yo (produced by Timbaland). The track made headlines in 2007, when it took over the #1 Urban spot from fellow Def Jam artist Rihanna’s “Umbrella.”