I'm a fan of marketing and movements. I filter most of my experiences and observations through a marketing lens. Dissecting brands and their connection to their audience. I started out doing grassroots/ lifestyle marketing in music and so I always have a tendency to be critical of labels, artists, managers, etc in that regard. Bobby Ray is different...
I think I first spotted dude at Rovella Williams' ALMOST FAMOUS showcase. He was performing his ode to weed song CLOUD 9. But then I would see dude at every other showcase regardless of the crowd. Thugs, backpackers, head wraps all have different open mics and it's rare for you to see a dude connect to all of them effectively. But that's what B.o.B. did. I saw him crush it at CLUB CRUCIAL & he killed him at APACHE. After talking with his manager B Rich and getting the word that TJ Chapman was also on board to manage B.o.B.'s career I soon became a fan of the movement even before I was a fan of the music.
I guess I like rooting for the underdog but I never really thought B.o.B. was. How could he be with the depth of talent he has as an artist. A co-sign from Jim Jonsin, B Rich and TJ Chapman? He had to win. I remember the tweets and blogposts of The Ham Squad and the journey to Bobby Ray getting signed with ATLANTIC. The LRG billboard in Times Square, the sold out show at Smith's Olde Bar, and even the performance at the FOOTLOCKER in S. Dekalb mall. All this w/o a single at radio (if I remember correctly). Just a deep connection to the fans from hitting the pavement hard and from what I could see using that advance money wisely.
Fast forward to BET Hip Hop Awards 2009 where we were doing the celebrity style suite and B Rich remembering was like "Yeah I was just talking with some of your people in the Entertaiment division out in LA." I didn't know what to make of it so I was like "Oh word? Dope!" But I should've known better. I should've known what he and TJ were cooking up.
I got a copy of B.o.B.'s debut and am jamming to it. I see dude starting to get his just due and am super excited that he is now part of the ah-dee-dahz family! Congratulations to The Ham Squad. Welcome to Mi Familia #3Stripes2Soles1love
I think I first spotted dude at Rovella Williams' ALMOST FAMOUS showcase. He was performing his ode to weed song CLOUD 9. But then I would see dude at every other showcase regardless of the crowd. Thugs, backpackers, head wraps all have different open mics and it's rare for you to see a dude connect to all of them effectively. But that's what B.o.B. did. I saw him crush it at CLUB CRUCIAL & he killed him at APACHE. After talking with his manager B Rich and getting the word that TJ Chapman was also on board to manage B.o.B.'s career I soon became a fan of the movement even before I was a fan of the music.
I guess I like rooting for the underdog but I never really thought B.o.B. was. How could he be with the depth of talent he has as an artist. A co-sign from Jim Jonsin, B Rich and TJ Chapman? He had to win. I remember the tweets and blogposts of The Ham Squad and the journey to Bobby Ray getting signed with ATLANTIC. The LRG billboard in Times Square, the sold out show at Smith's Olde Bar, and even the performance at the FOOTLOCKER in S. Dekalb mall. All this w/o a single at radio (if I remember correctly). Just a deep connection to the fans from hitting the pavement hard and from what I could see using that advance money wisely.
Fast forward to BET Hip Hop Awards 2009 where we were doing the celebrity style suite and B Rich remembering was like "Yeah I was just talking with some of your people in the Entertaiment division out in LA." I didn't know what to make of it so I was like "Oh word? Dope!" But I should've known better. I should've known what he and TJ were cooking up.
I got a copy of B.o.B.'s debut and am jamming to it. I see dude starting to get his just due and am super excited that he is now part of the ah-dee-dahz family! Congratulations to The Ham Squad. Welcome to Mi Familia #3Stripes2Soles1love
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