B.o.B or Bob to his mama and his folks, is a busy artist right now. He was a pleasure to interview, although he was interrupted constantly by request from people around him. He's also busy writing, producing, arranging, and mixing all of his own music. It must be hard to juggle his new found fame with his insular work habits, but he seems to be doing ok for himself. He’s the rare artist that satisfies the cravings of the picky underground and the demands of the pop audience. But he’s been at this a lot longer than most MC/producers, selling his first beat at the tender age of 14. He continues in the tradition of the greatest products of Atlanta metropolitan area such as Outkast and Goodie Mobb that he makes intelligent street music that does not have to remind you that it’s smart. He’s just released a new mixtape My Name is Bob in associate with LRG, which can be copped below. You can also Preview a few cuts here.

Arize: I know that Mick Boogie is from Cleveland, OH. Did you think your sound would reach so far from Decatur, GA so fast?

I knew it would spread, but I didn’t think that it would spread this fast. What really threw me was when I performed for the first time when people knew my songs.

Arize: You’re pretty self contained as an artist. You produce most of your beats, you play the instruments that are on the album, and you actually have very few guest MC’s on your album. Is that on purpose or do you just work too fast for other people?

I tried to do some collaboration, but I really work the best when I’m alone by myself. It’s really about how you get along with people. It’s hard to find that connection with someone in the studio. I try to vibe with someone outside of the studio, and then when you get inside the studio it’s the same thing. Me and Jim Jonsin get along great in the studio. I’ll work with anyone, but I usually vibe by myself.

I was always a loner type of kid, a real outkast...I picked up on Outkast, Goodie Mobb, a lot of Dr. Dre productions. It really rubbed off on me, musically.

Arize: Do you feel like a lot of MC’s get into the studio and just put down there verses without any thought to interact with the other MC?

I think nowadays that everyone is so busy people just email their verses back and forth and time will not permit them to get together. It seems like they only get together for the video. They may vibe outside the studio, but you can’t sense it from the song.

Arize: You talked about your eccentric personality and it comes out in the music. What about how you grew up contributed to your eccentricity?

I was always a loner type of kid, a real outkast. It wasn’t what really attracted me to music or that type of music. I picked up on Outkast, Goodie Mobb, a lot of Dr. Dre productions. It really rubbed off on me, musically. When I was growing up I didn’t see myself as that different. It started to show in middle school and high school that I found out I was a different type of dude. I was outside the ordinary and I started to see how outside the box with my style.

Arize: Your style seems kind of personal; you show a lot of yourself in the songs.

That just me being vulnerable: a lot of people are afraid to show themselves being vulnerable. But that is understandable. There’s a lot of stuff that could hurt you. That a huge part of my mission is to show how vulnerable I can be: That is when you show the things people go through and that someone else is going through the same thing. I shine light on the things people overlook.

That a huge part of my mission is to show how vulnerable I can be: That is when you show the things people go through and that someone else is going through the same thing. I shine light on the things people overlook.

Arize: I wanted to get into how you got started. I read somewhere you got your start when you were 14. That seems early to be in the game. How did you get your start so early?

I really have been at it forever. I always wanted to rap. I started it as a hobby and I always loved to do it. It really became why I wasn’t doing it professionally. My manager always believed I was a good rapper.

Arize: I wanted to ask you some questions about your productions. You include a lot of references to music outside of hip hop like dance music and acoustic guitar. How did you come across these other influences?

I always liked different kind of music. I had early access to a keyboard, which helped me learn how to put music together. It all added up as time went on. It all goes into my music.

Arize: Who are your biggest non-hip hop influences?

The Gorillaz, My Chemical Romance, the Foo Fighters, and the Beatles.

Arize: That’s a pretty impressive list. Where do you see yourself in the future: do you see yourself as a big arena star?

That’s definitely the direction I’m headed. You truly have to reach the people when you’re in an arena. On the Rock the Bell tour I had to really talk to the people and talk to them. You really have to have that energy to reach everyone in the crowd. During the Birthday Bash I came out during T.I.P’s set. When I came out, there was a lot of energy coming from the crowd.

Arize: I actually wanted to talk about your relationship with T.I. I just heard “Sitting On Top Of the World” you was with two titans in the game and you not only held your own, you dominated the mood of the song.

Me and T.I.P really bonded in his home studio during his difficulty and we really got into making songs. Grand Hustle is real cool people.

Arize: Have you ever been intimidated by anyone you’ve been in the studio with?

I don’t know why, but when I was with T-Pain I was in awe of his skills with the keyboard. I didn’t know he could work the keys like that and he knew how to play the drums. It made me want to work that much harder. They make you want to step your game up so that you’re not passed by anyone and have them show you up.

Me and T.I.P really bonded in his home studio during his difficulty and we really got into making songs. Grand Hustle is real cool people.

Arize: Who in the game make you want to step up?

I’m really in awe of Lupe’s lyrics. It really impressed me how he was able to deliver a message and still be cool. A lot of conscious rapper fall into the trap of talking about how conscious they are. They’re talking about world peace and the audience like I want to hear about that work. Lupe made it kind of cool to talk about the world and he made me want to really get back to what I was saying.

Arize: Something I appreciate about your music is that it is conscious in a very non-pushy way.

Yeah, it something I worked on. It hard to get in what you’re trying to say without pushing people away: You still have to make time for fun.

Arize: There was a question I wanted to ask you. I’m from the Atlanta area myself. How did you feel the first time you heard one of your songs on HOT 107.9 or V103?

I heard the song myself and performed it a million times before I heard it on the radio, but the first time I heard it on the radio was the best time.

Arize: Did you expect to be on the radio being the type of artist you are?

I was hoping and I’m very grateful for everything that happened. I very fortunate and I feel the need to give back. I don’t want to get caught up in being B.O.B. I make Bob do what I want him to do. I try to use to situation I’m in to better the world for everyone.

Arize: When can we expect the next official B.O.B release?

Probably in the first quarter of 2009.

Arize: I wanted to ask about the song “Generation Lost” where you talked about how fame has affected your life. What changes have taken place in your life and is it autobiographical?

It no way it couldn’t make a change because you’re human. It’s not so much as they see me as B.O.B but they want to know about my associations. They throw everything out of the window. It started to get to the point where people recognize me every day. People (from the past) see me and it’s like an interview.

Arize: It must be hard when you can’t leave the house without being asked for something.

It’s not necessarily hard, but the conversation is not about Bob, but it about T.I.P or Grand Hustle.

Download Mixtape (click picture below):

Preview a few cuts here:
Cloud 9:

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Money On My Mind:

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Better Off Alone:

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