Mixtape Review: B.o.B. aka Bobby Ray – May 25th

B.o.B. fans have been anxious for new music ever since TJ Chapman (one half of B.o.B.’s management) tweeted out the good news that Atlantic Records finally set a serious release date for B.o.B. Presents the Adventures of Bobby Ray.

The May 25th mixtape, sponsored by LRG and hosted by DJ Drama and DJ Sense, dropped yesterday at noon.  Although a little confusing at first, naming the mixtape after his upcoming debut album’s release date was one of the more creative advertising campaigns hip hop has seen so far in 2010.

Aside from a few tracks that had leaked early (”The Biz,” “Champion,” and “Nothing on You“) May 25th is comprised of all new material.  This matters a lot nowadays because, as B.o.B.’s 2010 skit explains, we’re beginning to treat mixtapes like albums; pushing back their release dates and having high expectations for the finished product.

Let’s take a closer look at a few of the standout tracks on May 25th, starting with, “Fuck The Money.”

B.o.B. and Asher Roth each spit a handful of short lines in a very nontraditional order over a beat Kanye had originally made for the Clipse.  Here are a few excerpts of the artists reflecting on the harsh realities of the music industry:

B.o.B. “Well I’ma quit this crazy scene/  It’s funny, cause this is what I waited to be/   Being on stage was amazing to me/  But now I’m in the game and it ain’t the way that it seemed.”

“Oh you say it could be worse?  Well here, step in my shoes, put yourself in my shirt, I’m only human ya’ll/  So we all got to work/  But sometimes I wonder why I even came to this Earth.”

Asher Roth “And I don’t know how to feel/  When this dream of mine used to be so real/  I would do anything just to sign a deal/  But now I’d trade it all for a home cooked meal.”

“And I don’t even want to be famous/  And all my close friends become complete strangers/  Don’t try to tell me this is one of these stages/  Man you don’t know me you only know what my name is.”

“It couldn’t be more fake/  When they wine and they dine and they smile and wave/  But when it comes time to decide your fate/  they’ll sign you on the line, right next to Satan.”

Asher Roth really went in on his guest spot, helping to show us that the music industry is far from the dream it’s made out to be.

B.o.B. – “Gladiators” (Featuring J.Cole)

Because J.Cole’s been dropping so many impressive guest verses lately, “Gladiators” was the most anticipated track off the tape.  While the Fayetteville emcee didn’t bury B.o.B. on the track, he still walked away with the best verse.

J.Cole’s verse:

“Hey, many blessins sent from heaven, thanking God to be alive,
Flight attendant woke me up, said Mr. Cole you have arrived, welcome,
In this game, the price of fame is steep, lord help ‘em,
Keep em’ sane, prayin’ that the heat won’t melt ‘em,
I’m headed to the top, I couldn’t be more welcome,
Took the lead role,
Now look, I’m right outside your peephole,
That’s for the crown-holders, never would I dethrone,
But if you ever leave home, don’t worry I’ll keep your seat warm
So yea I’m Simba in a sense, I’m the prince,
You impostas, no Mufasas, but there’s Oscars for you gents,
When I say I’m better then you niggas, don’t mean no offense,
But it’s clear with no tints, man just check the fingerprints,
You’ll see we’re not the same,
I got a shit list with lots of names,
And plus a hit list of rappers I’mma cock and aim,
Then it’s who shot ya mane?
Finally figured out tha game,
Got nothin’ to lose and a whole fuckin lot to gain.”

I like how J.Cole’s been warning established emcees of his rising presence with his guest verses.  Having said that, I still have yet to hear a J.Cole guest spot that’s better than his verse on Wale’s “Beautiful Bliss.”

B.o.B. – “Surprise Me”

“Surprise Me” is an impressive, hook-less, track that plays out like a freestyle.  Excerpts like the following display how B.o.B. drops punch line after punch line on the track.

“It’s crazy how these niggas think,
They be acting like I ain’t,
Like Howard in the paint,
Like trees in Cali man, all I do is blaze,
And they say I’m like a zombie cause all I want is brains, mind,
Yes mine, mine, mine,
Yea you look good girl but what is on your mind?”

That Cali trees line was pretty funny.

Getting away from more traditional hip hop tracks and freestyles, we see “Bobby Ray” emerge on this mixtape for a couple of numbers, “Cool Side,” “The Rain,” “Don’t Feel So Good,” “Out of Time,” and “Fool For Love.”  The standout track displaying that “alternative hip hop” sound is “The Rain:”

Over the past few years, we’ve seen B.o.B. thrive on everything from street songs, to radio songs, to alternative hip hop tracks that showcase the other side of his personality, Bobby Ray.  With diversity like that, he’s definitely an artist to keep an eye on.

When B.o.B.’s album drops this May, and the major label marketing push comes to full fruition, we will have witnessed the birth of another hip hop star.

Stream the whole May 25th project here: