| B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 27, 2010 (2010-04-27) | |||
| Recorded | 2008–2010 | |||
| Studio | Patchwerk Studios, Atlanta, Georgia[1] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 47:57 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
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| B.o.B chronology | ||||
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| Singles from B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray | ||||
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B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray is the debutstudio album by American rapperB.o.B, released on April 27, 2010, byGrand Hustle Records,Rebel Rock Entertainment andAtlantic Records. Production for the album took place during 2008 to 2010 and was handled by B.o.B himself, alongside Grand Hustle founderT.I., Rebel Rock founderJim Jonsin,Alex da Kid,DJ Frank E,Dr. Luke,Honorable C.N.O.T.E.,Eminem,The Knux, Kuttah,Lil' C,Luis Resto, andThe Smeezingtons. Producers T.I. and Eminem, alongside Smeezingtons memberBruno Mars,Lupe Fiasco,Hayley Williams ofParamore,Playboy Tre,Janelle Monáe,Rivers Cuomo ofWeezer,Ricco Barrino, andJay Park.
Six singles were released for the project. The first, "Nothin' on You" (featuring Bruno Mars), was both B.o.B and Mars' debut single, and topped theBillboard Hot 100. The album's third single, "Airplanes" (featuring Hayley Williams), peaked at number 2 on the same chart, and the fifth single, "Magic" (featuring Rivers Cuomo) also charted within the top 10. Two other singles were released for the project, "Don't Let Me Fall" and "Bet I" (the latter featuring T.I. and Playboy Tre), alongside theUK-exclusive single "I'll Be in the Sky", released as a track on the European edition of the album. The promotional single "Haterz Everywhere" (featuring Wes Fif) features as a bonus track to theJapanese edition of the album.
Upon its release, the album received positive reviews from music critics, who complimented the record for its sound and compared its style to the music ofAndré 3000 andKanye West. Commercially, the album debuted at the top of theBillboard 200, selling 84,000 copies within its first week. It also topped theTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums andTop Rap Albums charts and peaked within the top 10 on theBillboard Canadian Albums chart. The album would eventually be certified 2× Platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for equivalent sales of 2,000,000 units in theUnited States. It was also certified Platinum byIFPI Danmark (IFPI DEN) and Gold byMusic Canada (MC) and theBritish Phonographic Industry (BPI).
In 2008, after signing with Atlantic and Grand Hustle, B.o.B subsequently began working on his debut album. For a long period the album's tentative title was simplyThe Adventures of Bobby Ray. In October 2009, during his appearance at theBET Hip Hop Awards, B.o.B revealed that fellow American rappersEminem andLupe Fiasco would be featured on his debut album.[5]
Atlantic Records unveiled the album's original release date to be May 25, 2010. With already fivemixtapes under his belt, B.o.B decided to release a mixtape in promotion for the album, appropriately titledMay 25th, to bring awareness to the album's release date.[6] The mixtape, released February 1, 2010, was heavily downloaded and featuresguest appearances fromJ. Cole,Asher Roth, Playboy Tre,Charles Hamilton andBruno Mars, the latter of whom is featured on the mixtape'sbonus track, titled "Nothin' on You". The track "Nothin' on You", was then serviced as thelead single fromThe Adventures of Bobby Ray the very next day.[7] In a rare occurrence in hip hop music, the album's release date was pushed up to April 27, 2010 in response to the success of the mixtape and "Nothin' on You".[8]
The album's track listing was revealed on April 3, 2010.[9] In the US, the album was ultimately released with the bonus tracks "Letters from Vietnam" and "I See Ya",[10] specifically through theITunes Store andTarget, alongside an interview with B.o.B and the "Nothin' on You" music video. InEurope, the single "I'll Be in the Sky" was added as the seventh track to the album, extending the track listing to 13 songs. Meanwhile, on the European version on the iTunes Store, "Grip Ur Body" and "Cyber Heaven" were added as bonus tracks. InSouth Korea, a remix of "Nothin' on You" featuringJay Park is featured as a bonus track, and inJapan, "I'll Be in the Sky", alongside "Haterz Everywhere" (featuring Wes Fif) appear as bonus tracks.
The album's first single "Nothin' on You" featuring Bruno Mars, was uploaded onto B.o.B.'s MySpace on November 25, 2009,[11] and released as the lead single on February 2, 2010 and achieved double Platinum sales in the United States.[7] The album's second single "Don't Let Me Fall", peaked at number 67 on the USBillboard Hot 100.[12] "Don't Let Me Fall," was sent to radio on September 28, 2010 in the United States.[13] The album's third single "Airplanes", was released on April 13, 2010.[14] "Airplanes" featuresHayley Williams ofParamore, and has charted over 9 countries and peaked at number 2 in the United States and at number 1 in the United Kingdom.[15] The song's sequel, titled "Airplanes, Part II", contains a featured verse from American rapper and international superstarEminem.
The album's song "Bet I", was released as apromotional single on April 20, 2010 and features a verse from T.I.. The album's fourth single "Magic", featuresWeezer's lead singerRivers Cuomo. The song has charted over 10 countries and became his third top ten hit on the USBillboard Hot 100. After previously being released as apromotional single on October 21, 2008, "I'll Be in the Sky", was released on January 31, 2011, as the album's fifth single inUnited Kingdom.[4] "I'll Be in the Sky" was only included on the European edition and the Japanese edition bonus tracks of the album.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [16] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B[17] |
| The Guardian | [18] |
| The Independent | [19] |
| Los Angeles Times | [20] |
| Pitchfork Media | 4.2/10[21] |
| Rolling Stone |  [22] |
| Slant Magazine | [23] |
| Spin | 5/10[24] |
| The Washington Post | favorable[25] |
B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray received generally positive reviews from most music critics.[26] AtMetacritic, which assigns anormalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received anaverage score of 67, based on 18 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[26]AllMusic writer David Jeffries gave it four out of five stars and noted "how effortless [B.O.B] makes all this genre-juggling seem, especially on repeat listens as the album evolves from a high-caliber collection of singles to a unified body of work".[16]The Washington Post's Sarah Godfrey commended its varied sound and wrote that B.o.B "thoughtfully creates tracks to suit the strengths of each guest, with the one constant being his ability to adapt to almost any style".[25]The Independent's Andy Gill wrote that "he shares [André 3000]'s fancy for a concept [...] developing a theme about the schizoid confusion between the real Bobby Ray and the fantasy superstar".[19] Mike Diver ofBBC Online called him "a musician with creativity on tap and enough of it to burn through a little filler here while ensuring the prime cuts emerge perfectly".[27]XXL's Chris Yuscavage gave the album an XL rating and called it "genre-blending".[28]
In contrast, Kenny Herzog ofSpin viewed that the album struggles to "establish a distinctive identity", noting "When 'eclectic' is just another word for 'a mess'".[24]Rolling Stone'sJody Rosen viewed B.o.B's lyricism as a weakness, calling hisboasts "witless".[22] Giving it a 6.5/10 rating, Jesal Padania of RapReviews called it "a potentially divisive album" and found its lyrical depth inconsistent.[29]The Guardian's Paul MacInnes perceived "a distinct lack of passion", stating "all theChris Martinesque piano lines and calibrated guest appearances... can't obscure an absence of soul throughout".[18] Jayson Greene ofPitchfork Media called it "a dishearteningly generic and hollow product with no soul or demographic or viewpoint", and perceived that the album's production purposely overshadows his rapping, stating "B.o.B is a fantastically gifted rapper, with an astonishing rhythmic command and a tricky, limber way with phrasing. OnBobby Ray he's reduced to a guest rapper on his own songs".[21]
Despite writing that its "middle sags futilely",Slant Magazine's M.T. Richards praised its "vibrant energy" and B.o.B's "burning charisma".[23]Entertainment Weekly's Simon Vozick-Levinson stated "when the combination of styles works, he hits a sweet spot that's sure to advance his crossover career".[17]Los Angeles Times writer Todd Martens wrote favorably of B.o.B's "middle-class tales", stating "at his best, [B.o.B] channels the spirit of a youngKanye West".[20] Nathan Rabin ofThe A.V. Club complimented his lyrics concerning "relationships, fame, ambition, and identity", stating "B.o.B’s soulful, Southern-fried sensitivity dominates this assured, thoughtful debut".[30]USA Today's Steve Jones praised his "boldly inventive rhymes" and musicianship, stating "He colors outside the hip-hop box both lyrically and sonically, mixing and matching soul, rock, pop, folk, rap and funk with abandon. He shifts moods and varies themes touching on such topics as the cost of fame, staying hopeful and being hopelessly infatuated".[2]
It received a nomination forBest Rap Album at the53rd Annual Grammy Awards.
The album debuted at number one on the USBillboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 84,000 copies.[31] It also entered at number one onBillboard'sR&B/Hip-Hop Albums,[32]Digital Albums,[33] andRap Albums charts.[34] It fell to number 12 in its second week on theBillboard 200, selling 36,000 additional copies.[35] By its second week, it had sold 148,000 copies in the United States.[36] The album sold 23,000 copies at number 13 in its third week on theBillboard 200.[37] It dropped to number 15 with 20,000 copies sold in its fourth week on the chart.[38] It remained at number 13 and sold 20,000 copies in its fifth week on the chart, bringing its total domestic sales to 210,000 copies by June 6, 2010.[39] On December 16, 2010, the album was certified gold for shipments of 500,000 copies in the US.[40][41] As of April 30, 2012, the album had sold 597,000 copies in the United States.[42]
Internationally,B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray achieved some chart success.[43] In Canada, the album debuted at number seven on theTop 100 albums chart.[44] It also entered at number 42 on theARIA Top 50 Albums in Australia,[45] and in New Zealand, it entered at number 23 on theRIANZ Top 40 Albums chart.[46] It peaked at number 21 and spent five weeks on the latter chart.[43] In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number 22 on theTop 40 Albums and at number four on theR&B Albums Chart.[47][48]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Don't Let Me Fall" |
| B.o.B | 4:35 |
| 2. | "Nothin' on You" (featuringBruno Mars) |
| The Smeezingtons | 4:29 |
| 3. | "Past My Shades" (featuringLupe Fiasco) |
| B.o.B | 3:33 |
| 4. | "Airplanes" (featuringHayley Williams) | 3:01 | ||
| 5. | "Bet I" (featuringT.I. andPlayboy Tre) |
| Kuttah | 4:17 |
| 6. | "Ghost in the Machine" | Simmons, Jr. | B.o.B | 4:53 |
| 7. | "The Kids" (featuringJanelle Monáe) |
| DJ Frank E | 3:26 |
| 8. | "Magic" (featuringRivers Cuomo) |
| Dr. Luke | 3:16 |
| 9. | "Fame" |
| The Knux | 3:41 |
| 10. | "Lovelier Than You" | Simmons, Jr. | B.o.B | 4:04 |
| 11. | "5th Dimension" (featuringRicco Barrino) |
| 3:23 | |
| 12. | "Airplanes, Part II" (featuringEminem andHayley Williams) |
|
| 5:19 |
| Total length: | 47:57 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Don't Let Me Fall" |
| B.o.B | 4:35 |
| 2. | "Nothin' on You" (featuringBruno Mars) |
| The Smeezingtons | 4:29 |
| 3. | "Past My Shades" (featuringLupe Fiasco) |
| B.o.B | 3:33 |
| 4. | "Airplanes" (featuringHayley Williams) |
| 3:01 | |
| 5. | "Bet I" (featuringPlayboy Tre andT.I.) |
| Kuttah | 4:17 |
| 6. | "Ghost in the Machine" | Simmons, Jr. | B.o.B | 4:53 |
| 7. | "I'll Be in the Sky" | Simmons, Jr. | B.o.B | 4:06 |
| 8. | "The Kids" (featuringJanelle Monáe) |
| DJ Frank E | 3:26 |
| 9. | "Magic" (featuringRivers Cuomo) |
| Dr. Luke | 3:16 |
| 10. | "Fame" |
| The Knux | 3:41 |
| 11. | "Lovelier Than You" | Simmons, Jr. | B.o.B | 4:4 |
| 12. | "5th Dimension" (featuringRicco Barrino) |
|
| 3:23 |
| 13. | "Airplanes, Part II" (featuringHayley Williams andEminem) |
|
| 5:19 |
| Total length: | 52:3 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14. | "Grip Ur Body" | Simmons, Jr. | B.o.B | 3:30 |
| 15. | "Cyber Heaven" | Simmons, Jr. | B.o.B | 3:15 |
| Total length: | 54:42 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Letters from Vietnam" | Simmons, Jr. | B.o.B | 4:13 |
| 14. | "I See Ya" |
| Da Honorable C.N.O.T.E. | 3:18 |
| 15. | "The Adventures of Bobby Ray: Interview" | B.o.B | 30:10 | |
| 16. | "Nothin' on You" (music video) | The Smeezingtons | 3:37 | |
| Total length: | 1:29:15 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14. | "Nothin' on You" (featuringJay Park) |
| The Smeezingtons | 4:25 |
| Total length: | 52:22 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Haterz Everywhere" (featuring Wes Fif) |
| B.o.B | 3:31 |
| 14. | "I'll Be in the Sky" | Simmons, Jr. | B.o.B | 4:7 |
| Total length: | 55:35 | |||
Credits forB.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray adapted fromAllmusic.[53]
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Weekly charts[edit] | Year-end charts[edit]
Certifications[edit]
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| Studio albums | |
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| Compilations | |
| Mixtapes | |
| Singles | |
| Featured singles | |
| Promotional singles |
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| Other songs | |
| Related articles | |
