The Evolution of B.o.B
Don't miss B.o.B. tonight on 106!
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The Evolution of B.o.B - Today Atlanta rapper-singer-guitarist, B.o.B. is coming through! Click on to follow B.o.B's journey to the top, one benchmark at a time and get ready for a special interview and his new album release Underground Luxury tonight at 6P/5C!(Photo: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for VH1)
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Born & Raised - B.o.B was born Bobby Ray Simmons Jr. on November 15, 1988, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.(Photo: Ray Tamarra/Getty Images)
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Multiinstrumentalist - B.o.B took a shine to music early, beginning with playing trumpet while in elementary school. That musicality has carried over into his hip hop career — he's known for singing and strumming guitar as well as rapping.(Photo: Kristian Dowling/PictureGroup)
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Hard Work Pays Off - After honing his craft at open mics and nightclubs, B.o.B signed a joint deal with producer Jim Jonsin's Rebel Rock Entertainment, T.I.'s Grand Hustle and Atlantic Records in 2007.(Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for AXE)
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Touch The Sky - Bobby Ray met his first mainstream success in 2008 with his sing-songy single "I'll Be in the Sky" and the accompanying video.(Photo: Courtesy Atlantic Records)
Photo By Photo: Courtesy Atlantic Records
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The Real B.o.B. - B.o.B. upped his buzz after signing his deal by unleashing a tidal wave of mixtapes and EPs, including 2009's B.o.B vs. Bobby Ray.(Photo: Courtesy Atlantic Records)
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The Freshman - In 2009, B.o.B graced the cover of XXL magazine's annual Freshmen issue, which features hip hop's most promising new talent.(Photo: Courtesy XXL Magazine)
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Nothin' On You - Talk about a quick start. The pop-rap hybrid "Nothin' on You," the first single from his debut album which featured hitmaking singer-songwriter Bruno Mars, hit No. 1 in the U.S.(Photo: Courtesy Atlantic Records)
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No. 1 Baby - The song pushed B.o.B's debut album, The Adventures of Bobby Ray, to a No. 1 debut on Billboard. B.o.B had arrived.(Photo: Courtesy Atlantic Records)
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Kill The Beef - In one of the weirder recent rap beefs, B.o.B bumped heads with Tyler, the Creator. The Odd Future leader had randomly called out B.o.B on his 2010 hit "Yonkers," rapping, "I'll crash that fuckin' 'Airplane' that that f----t n---a B.o.B is in." B.o.B. responded with subliminal but powerful shots on the leaked track "No Future," which even had Tyler himself tweeting praise.(Photos: EPA/STEVE C. MITCHELL/Landov; Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
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