Meet Fabzabove

Fabzabove is one of Boston’s underground stars. He’s a rapper from Cambridge, MA who incorporates a lot of rhythm and soul in his music. He is consistently dropping well received singles, and in 2019, dropped his Potstar mixtape. He spoke on the influences on his sound, his approach to music, his opinions of the Boston scene, and more.

How long have you been making music?

15 or 16… but I really started taking it seriously around 19 or 20.

How has your music evolved since you first began?

At first I used to just rap a lot. I would rap a lot a lot. Then I discovered I had way more fun singing, and I just tried to figure out how to incorporate the singing thing with the rapping thing. I have this one song with Jefe Replay called Been That Kid and I have this very dark, gritty flow. That’s what I mean, and people really liked that for a while, but it was around that song where I kind of stopped doing that voice as much.

What is your biggest accomplishment in your career to this point?

Hmm.. I don’t really know or know if I really have one. I don’t really feel like anything going on is an accomplishment to me yet. That may sound conceited or cocky, I know there’s a lot of people who would want to be in my position. But I just feel like I’m prepared for so much more, you know? Everything up to now has been cool, but there hasn’t really been one big moment. I guess when I dropped my first song and it just kind of naturally blew up. It got something like 150 retweets with no promo or anything, and it was my first one. I even kind of thought this sucks compared to what I could do in the future.

Who have been some of the biggest influences on your sound?

On my current sound, I’d have to say probably Future. Kanye. Although Future hasn’t really inspired me in a bit. I’d also say Young Thug. And honestly T-Pain, because I’ve been listening to a lot of his old stuff, and I realized he almost invented this auto-tune thing, so I’ve been doing my research on him. Also Travis Scott, but a while ago, because he’s kind of doing the same type of stuff now.

Aside from writing, recording, and performing, do you have a hand in any other part of creating your music? Or do you prefer to connect with certain engineers and producers?

No, honestly. The way I look at music is almost like I have other people helping to make me look like I’m Superman. You know? There’s someone making the beats, though the average consumer doesn’t know who that is, there’s someone else mixing me, and the average consumer definitely doesn’t know who that is either, but without those people I’m nothing. I may look like I’m Superman, but in the distance you see someone else holding the wire, [and] someone else holding the fan blowing your cape, making you look like the man. I’ve made beats before, but I’ve honestly never hopped on any of my beats cause my beats were trash. I do sit with the engineer when he’s mixing me though. His name’s Brad Feeney. He mixes me, Pistola, [Donald] Grunge, Packy [Marciano]. But I’ve sat with him and over the years we’ve definitely found our sound together. 

Do you enjoy any of the local Boston hip hop scene? If so, who are some of your favorite artists or artists that stand out to you?

My favorites would be, besides me, Donald Grunge, and I like Pistola a lot. But aside from my friends though, someone I would say is really good is Caev. Maka. Maka is absolute fire. I like Connis too, Lord Felix and all of the Brockton artists. But overall though, if I’m talking about people I would actually put on and listen to in my car, probably Grunge.  

Do you have a favorite venue to perform at in the city?

My favorite that I’ve performed at would be Brighton Music Hall. That was dope because it was sold out. We performed over there when Comethazine came out here, and that was a sold out show, and that was fire. Actually, to answer one of your older questions, that Comethazine show stands out as a big moment, because we didn’t post about it or anything, but when we were performing, we looked out and saw people actually knowing and singing the words. There was no real announcement we were gonna be there or anything, either. That was a dope moment. 

Who would be your dream collaboration, and what do you envision that song sounding like?

It would be with Kanye and T-Pain, because I know the last time they made music it came out incredible, and to add me on that would be incredible. 

What’s your favorite Fabzabove song? What’s your favorite song or project Fabzabove has been a part of?

My favorite song that’s out right now, that’s just me, is definitely No Patience off my tape Potstar. My favorite one I was apart of, I would say Henny Sippa but that’s my song, so probably Ra Ra off of Grunge’s tape.

What should we expect coming in the rest of 2019 and 2020 from you?

No solo tape, that’s for sure. I’ll probably have 3 songs with me on them out by the end of 2019. Then I’ll drop more songs in 2020, and maybe an EP, but no solo tape. Me and Grunge have a joint tape coming in 2020, though. We’re also going to kick our videos up, too. They’re going to be next level, no more random shooting and editing.

Blog Editor: Meghan Moore