‘Summertime Shootout 3: Coldest Summer Ever’ is the seventh studio album by Brooklyn rapper and rap game veteran John “Fabolous” Jackson. The album is the third installment of the ‘Summertime Shootouts’ series and includes a 16 song track list with features from mainstream artists such as Chris Brown, Roddy Ricch, Meek Mill, Gucci Mane, and many others. ‘Summertime Shootouts 3’ was released on November 29th, 2019 by Street Family Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings and peaked at number 7 on the U.S. Billboard 200 charts.
The album begins with the intro “Cold Summer” which was produced by AraabMuzik and Motif Alumni and in true Fabolous fashion gives you a laid back, smooth feel. With this record, the Brooklyn rapper talks about overcoming adversities and being resilient when being singled out and underestimated. Switiching from the chill, laid back vibe of “Cold Summer”, Fabolous switches his style to a more hardcore, gritty one for the songs ‘‘B.O.M.B.S.” (acronym for Back on My Bull S—-) and “Talk to Me Nicely” featuring Philadelphia rapper, Meek Mill.
“B.O.M.B.S.” is the second track on ‘Summertime Shootouts 3’ and served as a single prior to the album’s release. Throughout the song, Fabo cockily let’s his haters and his fans know that he’s back and bigger and better than ever. The rap vet shows his doubters no mercy as he uses the four-minute track to boast and brag about his lifestyle from women (All this fly s— don’t be cheap. All these bad b—– that we keep ‘round) to cars (I’m that bull in the hood. New Lamb truck got the bull in the hood) to nice jewelry (Ice my s— like I just sprain this. Millie plain jane and that b—- stainless.) Fabolous continues this arrogant and cocky rap style on the next track “Talk to Me Nicely”, while flaunting his lavish rapper life.
“Cap” is the fourth track on the album and features a guest appearance from Chicago rapper Lil Durk. Fabolous uses the TM88, DY Krazy, and Chopsquad DJ produced beat to indirectly call out all of the people who lie about their lifestyles. With lyrics like “Say you getting money that’s salary cap. Drip no good, that’s style from the tap”, Fabo puts all of the people who lie about how much money they have to shame. He also unapologetically continues to boast about his lifestyle as if to tell all of the liars that “this is what I got and what you want to have” with figurative punchlines like “Rolls truck cold, got door like a fridge. No lies told, it’s a fact where I live’”and “Team ‘bout green so we ball like Jets, Big diamonds so we ball like Mets.”
Shifting away from the hardcore style tracks and going back to the ‘Cold Summer’ feel, Fabolous gifts listeners with the smooth, relaxed song “My Mind” that features Atlanta based R&B singer, Jacquees. Fab samples Case’s song “Missing You”, and gives you the the same vibe that his 2003 single “Into You” would. Throughout “My Mind”, Fablous raps about being in love with a woman and falling head over heels for her. With lines such as “Yeah, got you all up in my thought process, no more dreamin’ ‘bout you, time to let them thoughts progress, turnin’ into reality like it’s Love & Hip Hop”, Fabolous expresses having this mystery woman on his mind and wanting to take their relationship to the next level. Fab continues this throughout the song and with the help of Jacquees, he successfully captures the hearts of all of his female listeners.
Fabolous continues with the smooth rapping style with “Us vs. The World” and uses R&B artists Chris Brown and Teyanna Taylor to charm his mystery lover. Chris Brown captures attention with his chorus in which he acknowledges something good finally entering his life, while Fabolous and Teyana Taylor make hearts flutter by describing a bond with someone that is unbreakable.
Overall, I give ‘Summertime Shootouts 3: Coldest Summer Ever’ 7 stars out of 10 stars.