newyork&whitegirls

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While the hip-hop community celebrates the recent dominance of B.o.B.’s two singles on Itunes, I have had to quell my optimism. ”Nothin’ On You” has resided in the No. 1 spot on Itunes for weeks now, and Bobby Ray’s second single, “Airplanes,” has fittingly slid into the No. 2 spot. While I commend B.o.B. for the success he is experiencing with his singles that will certainly translate into decent album sales, it also saddens me. ”But JZ, why the negativity?” you might ask. ”A legitimate hip-hop artist is finally dipping into the mainstream and making a name for himself! Be proud of that!” I would nod my head in agreement with you, but before you dismiss my negatvity, let me help you understand why just because B.o.B. is at the top of the charts doesn’t mean real hip-hop has reached the mainstream.

I am first disappointed in the “poppy” sound that “Nothin’ On You” possesses. I would hesitate to even claim the song as hip-hop. With Bruno Mars crooning on the hook and B.o.B. putting together a few uninspired verses about a woman, the song is a far cry from B.o.B’s mixtapes. While “Nothin’ On You” is extremely catchy and by no means a terrible song, it just reinforces an idea that has been in place for many years. A hip-hop artist has to dumb down their music to reach the mainstream. Whether it be Asher Roth or Wale(whose albums have been prime examples of this concept), I would rather an artist stick to mixtapes if their albums are going to be such an abomination of their talent. ”Airplanes” uses Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams on its chorus, and in doing so has allowed the track to rise to the second-most popular track on Itunes. There is no doubt in my mind that B.o.B. grabbed Williams on purpose to draw in fans of her genre of music. But it is unfortunate that neither song features B.o.B. and B.o.B. only. In B.o.B.’s defense, he has never referred to himself as strictly a rapper. His music has evolved sonically, with songs inspired by rock, reggae and jazz. But, if you take a closer look, you will find Bobby Ray’s “Bet I,” which features T.I. and is the definition of a great hip-hop song, at No. 30 on Itunes list of singles. What more evidence do you need? B.o.B’s poppy singles are at the top of the charts, while his gritty rap track resides towards the bottom.

Will I be purchasing The Adventures of Bobby Ray on April 27th? Of course. Do I enjoy both “Nothin’ On You” and “Airplanes”? Of course. Just don’t tell me that the success of these songs means that real hip-hop has finally made it. Because it hasn’t, and is still miles away. And that, my friends, saddens me.

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