On a recent Cam Capone News interview, Ralow—childhood friend, early DJ, and road manager for Fabolous—dropped never-heard stories about the rapper’s come-up in Brooklyn. And one detail stood out above the rest: DJ Clue allegedly lied to Jay-Z to keep Fab for himself.
According to Ralow, Fab was still a mystery talent in the late ’90s, rapping quietly around the Breevoort Projects in Bed-Stuy. “He rapped like he already had a million dollars in the bank,” Ralow said. “He didn’t battle, he didn’t show off. Just us—his boys—knew what he could do.”
That all changed when Fab’s demo landed in the right hands. A local named Web caught wind of his music and brought him to DJ Clue, who was running Hot 97’s Monday Night Mixtape circuit. Eventually, Fab got the green light to freestyle on-air with N.O.R.E.—and that moment changed everything.
“The next day, everybody in the city knew who Fab was,” Ralow said. “It was big for the hood. And he shouted out BGS, our crew, so it was like we all made it.”
But behind the scenes, things got real.
Jay-Z, already a major figure at the time, reportedly called Hot 97 that same night asking, “Who’s that kid from Brooklyn?” Clue, feeling the pressure, allegedly bluffed and told Hov that Fab was already his artist—even though he hadn’t signed him yet.
“That’s when Clue knew he had to make it official,” Ralow explained. “Jay showed interest, and Clue wasn’t trying to lose that opportunity.”
Fab soon inked a deal with Clue’s Desert Storm imprint, staying consistent on mixtapes and holding tight for the right moment. That came with Superwoman (Part II)—a Lil’ Mo collab Clue produced and used as a launchpad. It was the first time people saw Fabolous in the flesh after hearing his name ring out on tapes for years.
Ralow’s stories shed light on the loyalty, hustle, and quick thinking that shaped Fab’s path—from low-key cyphers in Brooklyn hallways to the national spotlight. And it turns out, one of the biggest dominoes to fall may have started with a little white lie to Jay-Z.
