Here is the review of B.o.B's debut album B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray.

Don't Let Me Fall: The intro to the album is B.o.B's take on his evolution from just a normal person to somebody of fame and possibly super-stardom. He discusses the ups of having his dream become a reality, but also the ills of fame (as will be very evident in another song later in the album). We all know that B.o.B, although not really the most prominent or recognizable hip hop artist as of now, has had his issues with being a public figure and that is where the inspiration for much of his music is drawn. The song is also a hope and wish now that he is in the limelight that he won't fall from it (as we have seen countless times with other people's careers). We can only hope that doesn't happen and wait for the outcome. As I've mentioned so many times, it's not fair for me to give a rating to a song that contains the thoughts, feelings, and emotions of artists. This is not as deep as others, but it still fits the criteria, so I won't give it a number rating. It is a good song and just like almost every song, is very creative.

Nothin' On You (feat. Bruno Mars): The first single that seems to be popping up everywhere is a really feel good song. Dedicated to all the ladies, B.o.B pays tribute to his lady, letting her know that he isn't looking for any other women nor would he be able to find anyone to compare to her. This doesn't quite hold the substance that many of the songs on the album do, but it is a nice track nonetheless. It gets a 4.25.

Past My Shades (feat. Lupe Fiasco): This song holds only two verses; B.o.B tackling the first one and Lupe handling the second. B.o.B expresses how he will share his life on wax, but will keep his eyes guarded with his shades because they lead to his soul. In essence, we will really only know what he chooses to reveal and although he tell "tell you no lies," there are still some things we may never know or be able to figure out about him. Lupe's verse contains a bunch witty lines that we have all come to praise him for, but I would argue that he could have done just a little more given the route B.o.B went. Great verse all the same, but he might have been able to go in a bit of a different direction (and I want to make it clear that I am saying this simply from a fans perspective, as if I was talking about this with a friend in the living room, not a judgmental music critic or A&R or anything of that nature). The only other issue I have with it is that there could have been another verse! There are plenty of times when two verses is enough, but this just seemed like it didn't have a proper ending. While the songs starts to flirt on the personal side (especially in B.o.B's case), I will still give it a rating, given that there are still a handful of songs that really wouldn't be appropriate for me to rate. Therefore, this is another 4.5.

Airplanes (feat. Hayley Williams of Paramore): This is where we really get a chance to see B.o.B become vulnerable and he begins to air out his issues with the music business. He compares airplanes to those of shooting stars, wishing for them to take him back into a time when he didn't have to deal with all the stress and politics that accompany the music business. It is something that we've heard from many artists before, but that seems to have haunted Bobby Ray since entering the game. This is one of those that is too personal to give a rating to, but it is the best song on the album to this point.

Bet I (feat. T.I. & Playboy Trae): Here' s the second single from the project and it is clear that this is aimed at the clubs. I'm sure that it will be successful, but you would probably hope for a little more from B.o.B. A great marketing move, but it takes away from the album in a sense. The verses from both B.o.B and Playboy Trae are easily forgettable. T.I.'s verse is nice and I would hope we hear more of that on his upcoming album. If you're in the club, this is probably a great song to party to, but outside of that, there isn't much to be taken away from it. This gets a 3.5.

Ghost In The Machine: Although the song itself consists of Bob pouring out his emotions about being lost in the world, hiding his opinion, etc., sonically it is very enjoyable. B.o.B really shows off his talents as he sings on this record and the hook is nice, as well (although somewhat depressing). Although a nice song, it once again can't be rated due to how personal it is. Just the type of artist B.o.B is.

The Kids (feat. Janelle Monae): This is probably my favorite song on the album (between this and "Airplanes"). Not only is it one of the most lyrical songs (although B.o.B only spits on verse), but the message is a good one, as B.o.B discusses all of the issues that the kids in urban communities face. On top of that, it just sounds great. Janelle Monae has a beautiful voice, too, which just adds to the song even more. The hook is crazy, the verse is on point, the message is needed, and vocals are a great addition. It is also the closest thing to "Generation Lost" (really wish that made the album), which is probably my favorite B.o.B song. Either way, this is a 5.

Magic (feat. Rivers Cuomo): This is just a song for B.o.B to have fun and brag about the "magic" he possesses to make great songs. It's kind of hard to argue with him, though. He is probably one of the more creative artists that we have in the game right now, and both the album and his mixtapes have provided us with a refreshing sound to hip hop. Let's just see if this magic lasts and how many people he will be able to share it with throughout his career. If he is able to get on other people's tracks and put out a few more quality albums, he will definitely have proved this song to be true. It gets a 4.5.

Fame: This is Bobby Ray's take on fame; mostly the downs of it. The song is cool, but isn't anything that you will rewind over and over again. It is a little redundant, but you can't really fault him for that since there is no way to prepare anybody for fame (I would imagine). This is his way of venting about it, and although he is venting, it isn't quite as personal, so I will give it a rating of 4.

Lovelier Than You: This is another song where B.o.B shows off his array of talents by both singing and rapping. This another song dedicated to the ladies, but it's not as radio friendly. It's probably not quite what fans would be looking for toward the end of the album, but we all know that artist experiment, which is fine. Once again, not anything that you will be rewinding often, but it is still pretty artistic. It gets a 3.75.

5th Dimension (feat. Ricco Barrin): There are only two verses on this song as well, but they're really enjoyable. There seems to be this trend going around in hip op about people being from another planet, and B.o.B continues this trend with this song. He raps about leaving Earth and going back to his original planet (at times asking a lady friend to accompany him). The hook is pretty nice, but not the best on the album. Either way, the song as a whole is great and receives a 4.75.

Airplanes, Part II (feat. Eminem & Hayley Williams of Paramore): This is part two to "Airplanes" and this may be even better than the first. I love the fact that B.o.B decided to do two entirely new verses. He imagines that he is at the top of the game, selling millions upon millions of albums and that he didn't struggle to get to the point that he is now. Eminem of course does what he always does and had another great verse. He imagines the same way B.o.B does and goes into what may have happened if he didn't face the controversies he had and listened to all of the negativity coming his way. It makes for a great song, but once again, can't be rated.

Overall, the album is a very good first effort. More than an MC, Bobby Ray is an artist. His attention to detail in the music is really something special, but it is clear that he is haunted by all of the shady practices of the music and entertainment business. If he could somehow find a way to cope with that and get to just making music, there is no telling what he could do. Even still, there is something beautiful about artists being able and willing to share their pain and emotions with us, which we often take for granted. This is what makes B.o.B such a complex artists and a great one at that. Although there were a couple lows to the album, it was a nice effort altogether. The whole project gets a 4.

What did you think about the album? The review? What do you think B.o.B's career has in store? Let your voice be heard; either comment or send an e-mail to straightouttahiphop@gmail.com.

Peace.