Mistah Fab Signs To Atlantic Records...
Oakland rapper Mistah FAB is the latest of a wave of Bay Area emcees who have been scooped up by major labels, trying to get their piece of the widely popular hyphy movement.
FAB recently inked a deal with Atlantic Records where he will release his next album through his own imprint, Faeva After/Thizz Entertainment.
The 24-year-old rapper is very excited about the new deal, stating he felt that Atlantic was the best choice after fielding offers from various major labels since January.
"We've been in a bidding war since January with a lot of majors,I sat down with every president across the country. I think that Atlantic showed the most interest, not only that, but they stuck with it. Some labels, we shied away from and we haven't heard from them since. But, Atlantic has constantly stayed on our bumper, trying to get us involved in their whole movement and what they're doing."
After seeing what the New York-based label has done with other hip-hop artists as of late, Mistah FAB was impressed. And after spending a week in New York with the label's staff, he is confident they can help push him the next level.
"We felt like they did a helluva job with Juvenile earlier this year, as well as an extraordinary job with T.I.," the rapper explained. "And I feel like I'm right in that right realm with those artists. I can see myself involved in what they've got going on. Plus, I just like the staff. I got a chance to bond with the staff and really sit down and talk to those guys. I was in New York for like a week, just dealing with them. I just like what they got going on man. It's a good vibe for me."
The first release via the new deal will be Mistah FAB's major label debut, entitled The Yellow Bus Rider, named after a movement the rapper started in the Bay, which is basically an extension of the hyphy movement, according to the rapper.
"The whole yellow bus movement came about on my first single 'Super Sic Wit It' off the Son Of A Pimp album," FAB said. "On there, I have a line where I say, 'I do the dummy retarded and ride the yellow bus,' and that phrase right there blew up what our whole movement is about. Our hyphy thing is about going stupid or to go dumb and when you say, 'yellow bus,' that's ignit. You can't be hyphy if you ain't on that."
Although FAB has a machine behind his music now, he insists that his whole team will continue to do what they've been doing and help push the hyphy movement that much further into the mainstream. But just because he and his region are known for hyphy, he has a lot more to offer.
For those who are unaware, Mistah FAB began his career as a backpack rapper, making numerous appearances on Sway & Tech's Wake Up Show and even traveled the globe with DJ Shadow early on. So, hyphy is not the only side to this Oakland native.
"I'm also a hip-hop artist," said Mistah FAB. "So what I do is something collective called hip-hyphy. The reason why it's so easy for me to do hyphy is because that is my lifestyle, I grew up in it. I'm a crack baby, an 80's baby, so we're hyphy naturally. But, there's more to me and Bay artists in general, than just hyphy music."
Mistah FAB's major label debut, The Yellow Bus Rider, is expected to hit stores in early 2007.
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