Author Topic: B.o.B. Interview! (Read 244 times)

Lunatic · « **on:** December 30, 2008, 12:24:21 AM »

Not my work
http://illuminati2g.webs.com/bobinterview.htm

Illuminati 2G caught up with one of the rising stars on the hip hop scene, B.O.B. for a interview. We discuss his musical influences, how he linked up with TI, the buzz good and bad his Autotune song is creating and much more so check it out.

For audio of the interview, hit up the link below:

http://www.zshare.net/audio/534644306c4e3a15/

Illuminati 2G is here with B.O.B how's it going?

What's happening man, how you feeling?

Good, good. Tell me about how you got your start in hip hop and some of your musical influences out there?

Well I got my start genuinely and truely by just listening to it and being a hip hop fan. Listening to artists like DMX, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Nas, Outkast, several Atlanta artists that were on the scene around that time. I just really learned from alot of people the different types of styles that you can use and also more recently I am really into alot of music that you typically won't see on the radio or on TV all the time, so I guess actually when alot of people say my music sounds real different or eccentric, it's really just the fact that it is not pop. It's not in the mainstream yet.

How did you end up linking up with TI and Grand Hustle?

Well they wanted to sign me from the beginning, before I signed any deal, but around that time I felt more comfortable signing with Rebel Rock. Later on down the line we stayed in touch with their people so later on we did a joint venture. Just getting a powerhouse with Rebel Rock & Grand Hustle.

What was it like for you appearing on the cover of XXL as one of the up and coming artists to watch for in 2009?

[B.o.B - B.o.B Articles - Photo 1 of 37]

Oh that was great. It is nothing but great. You get press and it creates a hype around you and a expectation but I live up to my own standards so I feel that it will be good enough for anybody.

The mixtape that you recently dropped, Who The Fuck Is B.O.B., is crazy, one of the best mixtapes I have heard this year. What made you decide to drop that project? That is basically almost like an album with alot of unheard tracks and everything.

Well I am really just trying to get people warmed up for the album. Just get them really used to the sounds and let them become more familiar with me as a artist. More closely related to what I am and what I am into as a artist. I want to do that all the way around the board with mixtapes and blogs. You just gotta let people know who you are. So I feel like I did a real good job of that on this mixtape. I feel like I am getting better and better at it also.

That leads right into my next question. Is there any details that you can give about your debut album? Do you have a release date or anything set yet?

We are expecting to come out next summer. But I am not rushing it. When I feel like it is ready then that is when I am going to put a major push on it. At the same time we also got to go through the corporate procedures in order of getting the album out. That is another issue at hand but I am not rushing. I am enjoying what I am doing right now, but definitely the album I am putting my foot in it way more than the mixtapes. I want to make sure that it is well thought out and creative which it is. It is already in the works and being molded into a masterpiece.

About a month ago you dropped the Autotune track. What inspired you to do that and did you think it would get the reaction that it is getting right now?

Nah I definitely did not think it would get the reaction that it is getting (laughs). Really I was bored. I was in the house with the flu, and I was sitting in the house all week and I was online looking at videos and different things. I was walking down the steps and the melody just came to me and I was like yeah I got to do this. That is something I like to do anyway. I like acting and just doing funny stuff. It does not always have to be funny, but I am creatively expressing myself. I was just doing it just to make myself laugh.

What are your personal thoughts right now on the state of hip hop?

Right now I feel like hip hop is becoming something way more then what people expect it to be. It's really expanding in terms of what people can bring to the table. For example when I did the autotune video I feel like that is bringing a new aspect to the table in terms of me. Now people who are a B.O.B fan are now fans of my persona and my music and whatever else I may do. The fans outstretch beyond your typical hip hop fan. I got a message on YouTube from his guy and he said yeah I am a 60 year old white guy and I found the video hilarious. So I must be doing something right. It's funny a old white guy in Ohio emailed me telling me he liked the video that showed me that I am appealing to a pretty wide and broad demographic.

Do you feel like that is something that is missing from the music right now? People just being spontaneous and trying new things or do you think it is people just following trends. Just what is your personal thoughts?

I don't feel like it is missing anything persay. I will say this, around the time when hip hop came out, it was very uplifting and the message was obviously very positive. Now it is like the game is so saturated with materialism and superficial imagery that some artists try to straddle the fence between materialism and putting a message in music and they feel the pressure especially now days with artists being signed to a label. The A&R's put pressure on you to make you feel like you gotta record a certain kind of song and you got to do this, but after a while I caught on and realized I ain't got to do none of that shit. I feel like at that time when hip hop was really positive, something definitely changed because look at where we are at now in terms of that, but I feel like you can't kill that message, it has just transformed into something else. It is not as present in hip hop as it once used to be, but people still want that message and I am definitely one of those people.

What is your myspace or website info for people that want to check out your music or what to see what you got going on right now?

www.myspace.com/bobatl, My YouTube page is Bobby Ray Simmons, and my website is www.bobatl.com

Well that is all the questions that I have for you, appreciate you getting down for the interview. Is there any last words or shoutouts you want to get out there to the people?

Just shoutout to everyone that has listened to me from day one, and all the DJ's, all the promoters that brought me out to shows, and everybody, appreciate it.

Appreciate the interview

Alright man peace.