Who is B.o.B.? An Atlanta bred rapper who’s been writing since the third grade. Yes, but more importantly, he could be one of the next emcees to add another layer of significance to the cannon of Hip-Hop and not to the already expanding ringtone reserve. His signature twang and its mellow feel, have been draped over a mix of your favorite beats by mixtape darling, Mick Boogie. Thus bringing you, Hi! My Name Is B.o.B. The mixtape has a full length feel, which provides B.o.B. the proper space to show why his official debut will be worth the download. All of Mick’s work blends nicely, further advancing the studio feel, and keeping it from appearing like a copy and paste job. And then the skits! Oh, the glorious skits- so funny, and immature- just what you’d want from skits. But the music, is the important part. “Grip Your Body”, featuring Amy Winehouse, illustrates B.o.B.’s nimble diction, enabling him to move in and out of the marching snares. “My Story” has a Scarface feel, with lurching organs and mobilizing percussion. “Use Your Love,” sampling The Outfield’s “Your Love,” is a ridiculously awesome redo of the original, urbanizing the romanticism into a cheeky and lewd rendition. “Cold” has chilling piano chords that resonate calmly underneath B.o.B.’s vocals, but competes with “Middle Of The Day” for the project’s most solid track.As we speak, B.o.B is in the midst of recording his full length which is to be released by Atlantic. His goal is to release and sell a couple of million units. A valiant ambition. If this mixtape is any indication of, in the very least, his creative fortitude the possibility for debut excess is…possible. Slap that on top of a LP that may (or may not) have a slew of super producers and guest spots and excellent marketing, and then add the help of this said mixtape, and we could all be saying Hi!, to B.o.B.
B.o.B Featuring Amy Winehouse
“Grip Your Body”