B.o.B. - The Adventures Of Bobby Ray [Discussion Thread]

[The-Leak (aka) kingwell (bka) JULES]

This is a finely polished album, with universal songs.  Of course, the singles are the best songs, but this is still a strong album.  It's upbeat, yes, but the I most of the verses are more somber production.  Not sure if I would like it more though.

"Magic", the the feel-good college anthem strikes me as the worth of B.o.B.   Inspired enough to fuge a different sound for a rapper, and creative enough to make it work.

The track with T.I. is the worst effort.

isnt it usually the other way about? from what ive read i get the feeling i wont like this album, bout to check it out anyway

Well, if you're expecting a Southern boom-bap album, it's not that.  If you're looking for a different sound in a Hip-Hop album, and an uplifting record to listen to, it's this.

I think everyone expected 16 "Fame"s on this disc?   The lyrics are deep on alot of the cuts here, and I think the production is pulling the wool over peoples' eyes.

It reminds me of K-OS meets The Roots sort of..

4/5  (Above average)

[Beatzz]

This is a finely polished album, with universal songs.  Of course, the singles are the best songs, but this is still a strong album.  It's upbeat, yes, but the I most of the verses are more somber production.  Not sure if I would like it more though.

"Magic", the the feel-good college anthem strikes me as the worth of B.o.B.   Inspired enough to fuge a different sound for a rapper, and creative enough to make it work.

The track with T.I. is the worst effort.

isnt it usually the other way about? from what ive read i get the feeling i wont like this album, bout to check it out anyway

If you're not a self proclaimed purist you'll probably like it.

[Beatzz]

and what the fuck is so pop about him? his style is more like southern space funk hip hop soul blues. "Nothin On You" is about the most pop you'll hear out of him. People stick to the easiest generalizations i guess.

[HipHopISalive]

lol@ callin this hiphop... this is pure pop trash... like how can you even compare this guy to outkast..

[Lunatic]

call it what u want but its his OWN sound. This is his own sound and he found a way to make it mainstream acceptable. By no means can someone call this typical pop.

[Detox Iz Not Active]

lol@ callin this hiphop... this is pure pop trash... like how can you even compare this guy to outkast..

anyone comparing him to outkast is an idiot

[you gon always be my latin queen bitch]

lol cuz andre himself said he was dope...but yeah you cant compare this to outkast....let alone 3 stacks

lol@ callin this hiphop... this is pure pop trash... like how can you even compare this guy to outkast..

anyone comparing him to outkast is an idiot

[Jaydc]

lol@ callin this hiphop... this is pure pop trash... like how can you even compare this guy to outkast..

anyone comparing him to outkast is an idiot

Anyone who thinks malice in wonderland is a dope album is an idiot.

[K.Dub]

"Gladiators feat. J.Cole"

Link?

B.o.B-Gladiators_(Feat_J_Cole)-(NoDJ)-2dope.mp3 - 3.9 Mb 

+1

[Jaydc]

This review pretty much sums up how I feel about the album

Back in January of this year, I wrote an informal "Reasons for Rap Renaissance in 2010" feature that declared my optimism for the coming year. Something went wrong, however, and although I thought I had included B.o.B it seems that he just completely slipped my mind. Costly error. He has since become a hip pop star achieving stunning commercial success, and his album has been pushed FORWARD to capitalise on the singles (remember when they used to do that?). Even worse, I can't claim to be the smart-ass that predicated his fame (damn!). But the album in question is a fascinating one that encapsulates the struggle between what Bobby Ray wants to achieve, what his record company think, and what he is actually good at. Part of the problem is that yes, the album is occasionally impressive, but the MC doesn't make that much of an impression, he is still finding his distinctive voice.
There is an interesting duality to "The Adventures of Bobby Ray" that makes it a potentially divisive album. Rarely could there have been an a work such as this one, and the closest analogy I could make is the young rising UK star Chipmunk's recent "I Am Chipmunk" LP. That showcased a scrappy 15 year old kid that got signed to a major, and over the next few years they managed to iron out both his flaws and any remnants of personality. The result was an album that was inoffensive but highly listenable, with Top 10 hits a plenty. This album from B.o.B is very similar, containing singles that are already ruling the Billboards - with heavy assistance from very popular and female-centric choruses.

Yet rarely does he come across as a truly talented or engaging rapper on the singles, so formatted is his style. On other occasions, he seems content just to randomly wail (B.o.B Marley he is not). And then you have a few songs that positively confirm that yes, the guy can really rap, with a nice convergence of voice, flow and lyrics (more of that later). The first half of the album is where, to be blunt, most of the money has gone. It is dripping with summer anthems for the radio and your headphones. "Don't Let Me Fall" is an excellent opener but with a chorus that melodically sounds suspiciously like "Knock You Down." It is also one of the lyrical highs on the album (from the host, at least). The gorgeous "Nothin' On You" couldn't be more clichéd but it doesn't matter in the least when Bruno Mars croons so smoothly, and many a girls’ heart will have melted more than a touch thanks to his falsetto. No wonder the song sits atop of the charts as we speak.

B.o.B tends to get conspicuously shown up by his guests, but then turns on the lyrical style on other tracks, as if he were being too polite a guest. Lupe Fiasco shows up with a nice verse on "Past My Shades" and Eminem offers a bizarre but thrilling cameo on "Airplanes Pt II" whilst Bobby Ray sometimes seems content to just stand and observe. Similarly, "Bet I" is a pretty dreadful beat, with coasting rapping until T.I. comes along and genuinely assassinates the track like it were an M.I.A. video. There is, at least, a relatively wide range of topics on offer, from girls (of course) to the plight of "The Kids" to introspection/reminiscing on "Airplanes." Sometimes this can be undermined by the overtly cheesy music (songs like "Magic" spring to mind) but there is a certain light touch to the production that makes it, frankly, a wonderful listen in the summer. Perhaps the fact that he is still only 21 has much to do with, well, everything. How many problems could you really have at that age when you're number ONE on the Billboards and your album has Eminem, T.I. and Lupe Fiasco on it? It's infectious.

There are many quirks with this album, but realise that it doesn't feel like a debut from a fully-formed artist, rather someone that intermittently flickers with potential and then dials it down to play it safe for the radio. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, but as a result, if you're looking for genuine depth on "The Adventures of…" you'll probably be searching a while. This is a bright and breezy listen, and should be consider marginally more consistent and enjoyable than Wale's "Attention: Deficit" debut last year, which just didn't quite work. That the album is concise helps the quality control tremendously, with only a dozen or so main songs before the "Airplanes" remix comes along with a smattering of bonus tracks. More than anything, however, there are very strong "pop" tendencies that provide the spine, and, it must be said, on those terms at least, the album accomplishes the mission. With hits like "Nothin' On You" and "Airplanes" peppering the airwaves, B.o.B is already becoming a household name at a tender age - let's just wait and see how much more there is to come from him. Just don't get "The Adventures of Bobby Ray" confused with "The Great Adventures of Slick Rick" anytime soon, as the former isn't anywhere near comparable as an MC throughout the album yet, but time is definitely on his side.

Music Vibes: 7 of 10 Lyric Vibes: 6 of 10 TOTAL Vibes: 6.5 of 10

[Action!]

I also agree with that review.  He/she nails the pop tendencies on the album.

Hopefully, what will occur is people checking out his past material that stands over most of this album.

[Detox Iz Not Active]

so I finally heard the album and Dubcc comes through again overrating shit


1. Don't Let Me Fall - 3.5/5, not a bad start to the album, flow and beat are on point
2. Nothin' on You - 2/5, one of the cliche radio songs I've heard in a minute, most people in this country are stupid so I'm not shocked this is a 1 song
3. Past My Shades - 4/5, very good track, now let's see if the album gets back no pace
4. Airplanes - 2.75/5, another weak attempt at trying to be safe
5. Bet I - 3.5/5, nice little south song that should get idiots with no taste hyped up
6. Ghost in the Machine - 3/5, failed attempt at being dramatic
7. The Kids - 4/5, Nice cut, energy and beat come together in this song, it works
8. Magic - 0/5, I literally laughed when I heard this song, this is a pathetic attempt at getting play on Disney channel
9. Fame - 2.5/5, When listening to this song I just felt like I've head this track 1000x times, completely average
10. Lovelier Than You - 3/5, Nice solo attempt, but the track should not be more then 3min
11. 5th Dimension - 4/5,
12. Airplanes 2 - 3.5/5, better then the part 1, lyrically a step up, EM seems like he's repeating the same shit on every song the last 6 months


overall: 3/5





you niggas trying to hard to make this album into something it's not

[Jaydc]

so I finally heard the album and Dubcc comes through again overrating shit


1. Don't Let Me Fall - 3.5/5, not a bad start to the album, flow and beat are on point
2. Nothin' on You - 2/5, one of the cliche radio songs I've heard in a minute, most people in this country are stupid so I'm not shocked this is a 1 song
3. Past My Shades - 4/5, very good track, now let's see if the album gets back no pace
4. Airplanes - 2.75/5, another weak attempt at trying to be safe
5. Bet I - 3.5/5, nice little south song that should get idiots with no taste hyped up
6. Ghost in the Machine - 3/5, failed attempt at being dramatic
7. The Kids - 4/5, Nice cut, energy and beat come together in this song, it works
8. Magic - 0/5, I literally laughed when I heard this song, this is a pathetic attempt at getting play on Disney channel
9. Fame - 2.5/5, When listening to this song I just felt like I've head this track 1000x times, completely average
10. Lovelier Than You - 3/5, Nice solo attempt, but the track should not be more then 3min
11. 5th Dimension - 4/5,
12. Airplanes 2 - 3.5/5, better then the part 1, lyrically a step up, EM seems like he's repeating the same shit on every song the last 6 months


overall: 3/5





you niggas trying to hard to make this album into something it's not

Coming from the guy who gave malice in wonderland a 7.5 out of 10,man shut the fuck up and go listen to snoop you groupy.Your opinion is worthless

[Detox Iz Not Active]

so I finally heard the album and Dubcc comes through again overrating shit


1. Don't Let Me Fall - 3.5/5, not a bad start to the album, flow and beat are on point
2. Nothin' on You - 2/5, one of the cliche radio songs I've heard in a minute, most people in this country are stupid so I'm not shocked this is a 1 song
3. Past My Shades - 4/5, very good track, now let's see if the album gets back no pace
4. Airplanes - 2.75/5, another weak attempt at trying to be safe
5. Bet I - 3.5/5, nice little south song that should get idiots with no taste hyped up
6. Ghost in the Machine - 3/5, failed attempt at being dramatic
7. The Kids - 4/5, Nice cut, energy and beat come together in this song, it works
8. Magic - 0/5, I literally laughed when I heard this song, this is a pathetic attempt at getting play on Disney channel
9. Fame - 2.5/5, When listening to this song I just felt like I've head this track 1000x times, completely average
10. Lovelier Than You - 3/5, Nice solo attempt, but the track should not be more then 3min
11. 5th Dimension - 4/5,
12. Airplanes 2 - 3.5/5, better then the part 1, lyrically a step up, EM seems like he's repeating the same shit on every song the last 6 months


overall: 3/5





you niggas trying to hard to make this album into something it's not

Coming from the guy who gave malice in wonderland a 7.5 out of 10,man shut the fuck up and go listen to snoop you groupy.Your opinion is worthless

LOL @ your but getting hurt over the truth, this album is average rap album that's desperately trying to be pop, and comes off as corny most of the time. 


and you calling someone a groupie, LMAO , yet you the one catching feelings

[Jaydc]

i dont even think the album is that good,I already posted my thoughts.But you have no weight to your words anywhere.Talking about people over rating albums when your the only person who doesnt think malice in wonderland is trash because youve got snoops dick so deep in your mouth its fucking up your taste in music.