What a difference a song can make. In any given moment a virtually unknown can become an instant success with just the right song. For Grand Hustle's latest signee, B.o.B, the timing could have not been better. B.o.B has gotten his modest share of fame over the past couple of years (XXL Freshman class of '09 alum, applying song stealing-vocals to T.I.'s Paper Trail), but it wasn't until this year, when his declaration-for-the-apple-of-his-eye song "Nothin' On You" shot up the charts, knocking Rihanna's "Rude Boy" out the number 1 spot. B.o.B or Bobby Ray (whatever you choose to call him) went from a 21 year old with a lot of promising potential to potentially a superstar in the making. That potential can be found on his Grand Hustle/ Atlantic records debut, The Adventures of Bobby Ray. The opus finds B.o.B showcasing dual roles as both rapper and singer. The jump-off track "Don't Let Me Fall" could be his version of Biggie's "Juicy" as it tells the tale of Bobby Ray's dream-like rise to stardom. Other introspective tracks like the Lupe Fiasco-guested song "Past My Shades" gives you a closer look into the young upstarts state-of-mind: "If you asked me what's on my mind/ You probably won't believe it/ Cause if life was one big pool/ I'd be in the deep end/ So, I play my role and never ever speak it like a secret..." The cocky "Bet I" featuring T.I. and Playboy could become a new summer anthem, and "Airplanes pt. 2" with Hayley Williams and surprise guest Eminem is sure to be popping up on people's iPod playlist. While some die hard rap fans would prefer B.o.B's rapping than singing, some songs, i.e. "Lovelier Than You" can become pretty catchy tunes with a few more listens. The best quality of B.o.B is the fact he's willing to take chances and travel new ground, but sometimes those risks can also be his wrongdoing. Above all else, this album provides a glimpse of great things to come from a kid who's just at the legal age to buy liquor, so Father Time is on his side as B.o.B has a whole career ahead of him to finish first in the race amongst his peers. And judging by the way things are going for him now, he's off to a good start. I rate this 3.5/5
No comments:
Post a Comment