By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices

Although his true beauty doesn't show in this very dark photo (right), the future seems bright for braggadocios ghetto hip-hop superstar Fabolous.

His often delayed Def Jam Recordings debut 'From Nothin' to Somethin'' will arrive on shelves June 12, his spokesperson confirmed today.

The new project, his fourth full length disc, finds that Brooklyn native collaborating with hip-hop heavyweights Just Blaze, Jermaine Dupri, Polow Da Don, Jazzy Pha, Akon, and Swizz Beats.

Special guest stars will include labelmates Ne-Yo, Young Jeezy, Rihanna and Murda Inc. heartthrob Lloyd.

The lead single to yield from 'Nothin'' is "Make Me Better' featuring Ne-Yo. The Timbaland-produced slow and sexy track hit radio airwaves this week, and will also included on Ne-Yo's sophomore disc.

Born John Jackson and claiming the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford Stuyvesant as his home, Fabolous has had a steady track record with hit collaborations and platinum-selling albums. Tracks such as the Top 10 crossover joint 'Superwoman' with Lil' Mo, the career-defining 'Can't Deny It' featuring Nate Dogg, and 'Trade it All' with Diddy and Jagged Edge solidified his presence in the new millennium's hip-hop scene.

His success nearly came to a fatal halt last October when he was shot in front of Diddy's New York City soul food eatery Justin's.

According to published reports, Fabolous was shot in the thigh by an unknown assailant.

Soon after the incident, the lanky lyricist was charged with weapons possession after police discovered two guns in his car.

"It was a life-threatening experience, so I took it as that," the rapper told 'MTV' about the near death experience -- an alleged robbery. "Even when I got my truck back [after the shooting], I looked at [one of the shots] in the windshield - it was high enough to be a head shot. I looked at that as being more dangerous than the leg thing. My leg was better in a week and a half. I was back regular, like it never even happened. Even the hole didn't look nothing much [more serious] than a cigarette burn. The bullet didn't hit no bone. I'm a skinny dude ... I don't have a bunch of meat for it to really run through and be a flesh wound. For it to be a flesh wound, I was like, 'Wow.'"