Metal Lungies

Until we come up with an explanation as to why athletes want to be rappers and rappers want to be athletes, we’ll just to have accept it as inevitable. One thing that separates Famouz, a.k.a. FMZ, a.k.a. ex-New York Giant Reggie Stephens from the likes of Roy Jones, Jr. (who has invested plenty of scrill into his record label, Body Head Entertainment) or Master P (who tried and failed to crack the Toronto Raports roster in the ’90s) is that he didn’t acheive fame in one area before pursuing the other. Originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, Famouz opened for E-40 at 15 years old, before pursuing a football career that started at Santa Cruz High School in California (where he was teammates with current Chicago Bears All-Pro Brendon Ayanbadejo), then at Rutgers University, then to the Giants (where he lasted 4 years as a walk-on), and most recently for the Nashville Kats of the Arena Football League.

His debut album, Ghetto Passport, drops on September 25th on Famouz’s label, World Jam Records (which also includes Delinquent Habits, whom Cali heads may remember from back in the day). Peep the tracklisting below (guest spots from E-40, Bun B and Jon Bon Jovi… yes, Jon Bon Jovi), and check his label’s website for more details and his MySpace page to hear a few songs off the album.

1. Take Off
2. Ghetto Passport
3. Gettin’ It
4. Famouz
5. Trippin’ featuring E-40 & Rankin Scroo’
6. Swervin’
7. Bad Name featuring Jon Bon Jovi
8. Wiggle
9. Push
10. Ahhh…Miami
11. Thug Taboo
12. Voice Mail 1
13. Pheanin’
14. Twist Twist featuring Bun B & Billy Cook
15. Heaven
16. In Too Deep
17. Crunch Time
18. Nothing Can Stop Me
19. Neighborhood Star featuring 5 Ent
20. Landing

[And, of course, never underestimate Bon Jovi’s popularity within the world of sports.]

UPDATE: The track with Bun is now up at XXL. Perfect timing.

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