Fabpz the Freelancer: “Dirty Lil’ Communications”
Fabp otherwise known as Fabpz the Freelancer, raps and sings in an unusually unflappable and unruffled way, which to some, might be dull and to others entrancing. As usual, music appreciation is a highly individual perspective; what is toxin to some is nourishment to others. Almost certainly, Fabp’s style of deciphering the hybrid dancehall and hip-hop blend he is known for, offers a singular experience for a select niche group of followers who are on the same wavelength. Fabpz the Freelancer does not attempt to stun your senses with evil wit or cussing dialect, rather he’s more about free-form narrating with clever tongue in cheek allusions and personal anecdotes. Sometimes his ambiguous, and at other times he gets straight to the point, but always in his mild mannered way. He’s never flustered or flabbergasted regardless of the topic at hand.
Fabpz the Freelancer even keeps it clean and understated on his album entitled “Dirty Lil’ Communications”, out on the X-Calade Promotionz label. There is solid fluidity on the album, joyful tunes in your ears, while as previously stated Fabpz the Freelancer is not for the faint of heart.
For what he is doing within the context of his catalog, Fabpz knocked this one out of the park. In my honest opinion this is better than much of his previous stuff, and also a little different in style. Not only has the production improved but more importantly his flow and the way he delivers has improved exponentially.
Fabpz seems to have cut back on the Dancehall slant, and leaned more towards conventional hip-hop for this recording. Though one couldn’t call anything that Fabpz the Freelancer does, as conventional. It’s probably the one word he does not subscribe to.
Ultimately what I like in his music are the lyrical shifts and the meticulously crafted alternate reality that his voice creates. When he lets off steam on “I’m Crying Tears” or tells us “Its Raining”, it’s more like a conversation with a personal friend than listening to a rapper talking down on you.
The same formula applies when he discusses more serious matters like “Money Gees”, or elaborates on the “Pretty Blonde Girl”. Fabpz the Freelancer is never talking at you, or to you, but with you. And there is a subtle difference in that equation.
He manages to avoid a lot of the heavy handed clichés that have turned many away from rap/hip hop in the past and instead delivers a fun, anything can happen experience that will quaintly draw you in from beginning to end. Whatever you may feel about the lyrical stories being told, the music is also handled in an off the beaten track way.
Hip hop is notoriously bad when it comes to mixing more laidback moments as they often come off as mere distractions from the hardcore music surrounding it. Instead Fabpz puts the whole lot into his cauldron and comes out with a curiously fanciful and homogenous sound.
The combination of these things create a whimsical album that insets a certain indescribable emotion and listening experience. Fabpz the Freelancer brings diversity to this effort, and that’s already a value unto itself.
MORE ABOUT: Pete Atkinson b.k.a Fabp aka Fabpz the Freelancer o.k.a Fabulous P attended I.A.R in NYC. Pete engineers and makes beats using Reason with Synths and Protools. Hip Hop & Dancehall is Fapk’s main genre, who cites his major influences as being Busta Rhymes, LL Cool J, Jay-z, Bounty Killer and Lady Saw. He started to produce beats and rhymes officially in 2006 after attending I.A.R for the first time and at that point decided to make music his career. A member of ASCAP, Fabp launched his own record label called X-Calade Promotionz.
