B.O.B tends to be confusing. Many want to write him off as “pop” and commercial. However, The Adventures of Bobby Ray misled people to believe that he was just commercial rubbish. It isn’t that the album lacks potency. It was just too “Bobby Ray” for those that wanted more “B.O.B”. Many sales and shows later, E.P.I.C. is similar to his No Genre mixtape: it shows a more refined and complete sound.

            Don’t be fooled: B.O.B still holds on to the “pop” aesthetic that has garnered him mass appeal. “Wrong”, which features Spodee, includes a sung chorus that fits melodically with heavy synths and piano stabs. “Guest List” comes with Roscoe Dash adding his magic to a track that screams “radio mix show”. “What Are We Doing” has a lot of rap with a lot of singing. “New York, New York” even has a sung chorus. Listeners need to understand that B.O.B will keep that “radio” aspect to himself.

            Yet and still, B.O.B comes with tracks that get lyrically relentless and poetically potent. “High” makes references to being pop, making money, and making music to make the most out of life. “Boom Bap”, with its sparse production, lets T.I., B.O.B, and Mos Def rip through the English language. “5 On The Kush” even goes in harder with its soul sample and trunk rattling nature. Thus, there is no opportunity to mistake kindness for weakness; B.O.B can spit with the best of them.

            E.P.I.C. is everything the title says: Every Play Is Crucial. Every song may not be liked by everyone. However, you can’t find fault in his energy or execution. People may have qualms with his music. After this, it may be time to decide if you ride with him or not. B.O.B
is going to make “B.O.B music” whether you like it or not.

Article written by contributing writer, Mark A. Harris of STACKS Magazine.