Fabolous

Fabolous has the kind of monotone flow that will put you to sleep. Conscious of his lack of personality, he ducks behind the status of other artists to sell this album. He courts the reggae audience on "Gangstas Don’t Play” but it’s the smooth vocals from Junior Reid that sell it, not Fab’s. Timbaland is at his snake charmer best on "Baby Don’t Go,” while Ne-Yo handles the chorus and Fab praises his better half. It’s only on "First Time” that Fab comes alive to recount a bunch of his firsts (date and sex). Together, Jay-Z and Biggie just barely save "Brooklyn.” And even with the hit producers (Jermain Dupri and Swizz Beatz) From Nothin’ To Somethin’ is a bore. When Young Jeezy shows up for "Diamonds,” he literally explains why Fab fails even when he surrounds himself with the best: "Damn what happened, he blindin’ ere’body/Hey, it must be Jeezy outshining ere’body.”