On The Download: B.o.B.

OK, so I may be a little out of my element here writing about new rap/hip-hop sensation B.o.B., but after hearing his debut album, “The Adventures of Bobby Ray,” I figured it’s a task worth tackling. While I do like rap, it’s not normally my first choice of music genre, so when a hip-hop artist comes along and gets me pumped up and excited to write about them, then it’s obviously worth a listen. So listen up!

Twenty-one-year-old newcomer, Bobby Ray Simmons (aka B.o.B.) has been hard to escape with the release of his first single, “Nothin’ On You,” being constantly played on the radio. But why would you want to escape it? The hit, featuring Bruno Mars, is a sweet song full of sentiment that any girl would want to hear from a big music star. “Beautiful girls, all over the world, I could be chasing, but my time would be wasted… baby you’re the whole package…”

That song, along with the release of his new single, “Airplanes,” helped propel the album to a number one debut on the charts. Moreover, another track, “Airplanes, Part II” is by far the best song on the album. It features Paramore’s Hayley Williams belting out the chorus with Eminem powerfully chiming in, blasting out the last verse.

Another album highlight, “Bet I,” with fellow rapper T.I., features heavy beats and a decent flow. He slows things down a bit on another standout track, “The Kids,” which tells the story of things he witnessed growing up while trying to make his way in the music industry.

In fact, that seems to be the main theme on the album. B.o.B. often raps about getting a record deal, becoming famous (even devoting an entire song to the notion of fame, aptly entitled: “Fame”) and doing whatever it takes to make it big in this business. After listening to the album in its entirety, and now virtually being unable to turn on the radio without hearing his voice, I think it’s safe to say that all his hard work has paid off.