B.o.B - B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray

In preparation for the upcoming Bonnaroo 2010 music festival that I'm going to, I'm listening to various artists that will be performing there. And so, it is time for me to take up the mantle of bloggin' once again.

First up is the debut album of exciting new hipster-rapper B.o.B. He belongs to a new generation of hip hop artists who are inclined to blend with other genres, unafraid to explore their emotions, and all too willing to sport tight pants and emo glasses. It represents the direction hip hop is going in -- As popular entertainment, it is fusing with every other type of pop music; it no longer needs to be about black people or urban culture, nor is it constrained to rapping over a beat. Hip hop can be anything.

B.o.B's first commercial effort is fun, shiny, and futuristic. The productions range from slick electronic party sounds to dramatic piano flourishes and an acoustic-guitar-and-bongos number. The album is full of catchy pop choruses and eclectic guest appearances. It is a charming carnival of cool noises.

The problem with the record, however, is that B.o.B suffers from a complete lack of anything interesting to say. His lyrics never take suprising turns or even contain anything substantial, as if B.o.B fears he will lose his broad appeal if he mentions anything too specific. After an exciting, soaring-over-the-clouds intro, we are treated to generic treatises on girls, being cool, and being good at rapping. I thought maybe B.o.B would begin to betray some personality on the intriguingly-titled angst song "Ghost in the Machine", but all the man has to say about his feelings is:
"You say I look fine / If only you knew what's on my mind.
You'd see a whole different sign / I couldn't show you even if I tried.
I must have got lost in time / when I found out I was only free to be where ever I want to be."
The next track, "The Kids" is once again promising -- a song about the tragedy of life on the streets featuring a Vampire Weekend sample and the fantastically cool Janelle Monae as a guest singer. Unfortunately, the best B.o.B can do is come up with lines like "Streets don't give a damn / They're filled with such pollution" and "We're trapped inside the matrix / Forced to play our hand".

B.o.B works so hard to impress, and he does surround himself with delightful pop arrangements and excellent guest rappers, but by the end of the record I don't feel like I have gotten to know him at all. It is rather a disappointment. The album still a fun listen however, and an interesting illustration of hip hop's possibilities. Highlights include the intro track, the infectious single "Nothin' On You", the unexpectedly fun Rivers Cuomo feature "Magic", and the strange acoustic ballad "Lovelier Than You".