Thursday, March 4, 2010

The Jams Behind The 5th-B.o.B.-Generation Lost


For our second artist we bring you B.o.B, a rapper from ATL who is coming to CMC just as he's blowing up. Good timing, eh?


21 years old. Hit single . Album on the way with appearances from Lupe and TI. Recent cosign from Eminem. Life is good right now for BoB, but just as good for hip hop heads. After a recent run of disastrous years for hip hop, we finally seem to be moving again in the right direction. A new generation is once again putting substance with style over style with no substance; lyrics that ride on top of a sick beat over beats that purposefully drown out lyrics; a story and honesty (with swag) over fabricated swagger with no story. Artists like Jay Electronica, Fashawn, XV, and the artist of today's jamandahalf are putting hip hop back on track, skipping recent year and taking the torch directly from the Nas/Jay-Z generation.

BoB (born as Bobby Ray Simmons) is a North Carolina born, ATL bred, rapper who is on the cusp of blowing up. BoB's mixtapes combine southern rap, an ear for samples (Manu's "Mr. Bobby" and O Brother Where Art Thou's "I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow" for example), and rock to create a unique sound that has shades of a young Andre 3Stacks infused with a restless energy to expand his own talent while pushing the bounds of current rap. Although far from reaching his potential, BoB in his mixtapes has revealed a relentless pursuit of musical experimentation, and not only raps but sings, plays the guitar, and produces his own music.

Today's jamandahalf is from his 2008 mixtape "Who the Fu*k is BoB." "Generation Lost" has a level of self awareness that is not often seen from any rapper, let alone a 20 year young rapper. Rapping about his home, ATL, BoB critiques social norms without seeming preachy, and never puts himself over anyone, saying he was a part of the problem not long ago. Over a sparse beat, BoB's flow is effortless and never forced, revealing a musical maturity that is years ahead of his age. BoB shines brightest when he talks about the paradoxal nature of the relationship between the artist and the listener (see "Elevators" by Outkast): how often times it's the worst music that sells the best. Rapping about taming the musical monster of the past few years with real music, BoB says that no matter what, he's going to keep making music he wants to make. For us, that's good news.

Download Here

    Generation Lost  by  jamandahalf

1 comment:

  1. How are you guys liking the May 25th Mixtape? I'm really loving on "Gladiators" but I'm also bias, because I have an artistic crush on J. Cole (The Warm Up was a 2009 stand out). I see big things for these guys both this year... So jealous they are coming to CMC! Thanks Leks

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...