March 2009
Interviewer:Phella

Subject:B.o.b

Affiiliated with T.I.’s Grand Hustle, B.O.B has received worldwide praise for his skilled production, infectious hooks, and thought provoking lyrics. I had a chance to chat with him briefly last month about something he’s not so Famous for; Fashion.

“….Because if you’re not it would just look funny. “-B.O.B

Phella:First off all you seem to have a very unique fashion sense, everything from the hats to the clothes. When did you first get into fashion?

B.o.b:Well really I haven’t always been able to express myself as much as I would like fashion-wise. But really I’ve always been fashionable to my best ability, even back in the day when I really didn’t have the resources and the means that I do now. But you know it’s not really fashion in a superficial way but more so fashion in a self-expression and artistic way. You know I’m an artist so my expression just bleeds from the inside out.

Phella:Yeah so it’s not just limited to music, it manifests in what you wear as well.

B.o.b:Yeah, exactly.

Phella:You talked about coming up as a young dude you probably weren’t able to afford the best of things but I’m pretty sure growing up you saw people and things that influenced you. Did you have any people or particular brands that influenced your dressing as a youngster?

B.o.b: No, really when it comes to fashion it’s more of a cultural thing. There’s really no specific individual. More so what I picked up from the culture and how people dressed in the south. You know they would wear Air Force Ones then I would want Air Force Ones. But now I’m at the point where I’m just content with whatever I get and I can be expressive with it.

Phella: Ok, so what about your peers? Anyone you run into or work with now that maybe you look up to their fashion sense?

B.o.b: Well fashion sense, not really. When it comes to fashion that’s something that I’m really my own about. To be perfectly honest with you I don’t really notice, I mean of course I’m aware but I don’t put that much thought into it. But when I do go on stage I make sure that what I wear sets me apart;not necessarily in terms of opposing like “oh he got on red so let me wear yellow”. It’s more so about making sure that I’m truly me with what I have on you know?

Phella:Right and I respect that. It seems like with you, it’s not forced. You’re not trying to outdo anyone or anything like that. You just do what’s natural and let it happen.

B.o.b: Exactly. It’s not always hundred percent premeditated. It’s more so as I see fit for the occassion.

Phella: So based on that I would assume you don’t prefer to have a stylist telling you what to do and you would rather choose your own attire?

B.o.b: Yeah I pretty much go with my own instinct but if I do use a stylist she pretty much knows that I’m my own individual. I do take advice though because I’ve had some stylists give my advice on certain things I’ve taken heed to and it turned out pretty good.

Phella: Alright. Now we see that you’re real heavy with LRG. Every time we see you you’re LRG’d out. How did that relationship come about and how’s that been going thus far?

B.o.b: Well with LRG that relationship came about way back in the day;[laughs] I say way back in the day like it’s been years and years but I mean way back in the day in terms of my music career. When I first started they used to send me clothes and stuff when I was just a nobody. They made sure I was presentable enough to get through doorways to even be able to get to the point where I’m at now. I mean it’s always something that people notice but because now I have a reputation musically it doesn’t matter as much [as it did back then]. But you know LRG they still send me stuff now and I still wear LRG. [laughing] Hell I got so much LRG I can’t help but to wear it, they send me a lot of stuff.

Phella: Just to switch gears a bit and talk more about your peers,in the past a lot of people had the misconception that a socially conscious artist couldn’t be fashionable or aware of his appearance. But now it seems guys like Kanye, Common, Andre 3000 and yourself are showing that it’s cool to care about your surroundings but still be fly while doing it. Would you agree?

B.o.b: Exactly!!! And I feel like the term “conscious rapper” has been confined to a certain type of activist or a certain type of cause or something. It’s really not a cause, the only cause is to just be yourself and whatever it is that you are to be confident in that. And what I stress is I’m not opposing anything. With like the songs “Autotune” or “Generation Lost” I’m not opposing anything at all. I’m just speaking how I feel but it’s hard to do because people are constantly like “up, down, left, right” and we battle with that dualistic mind state. I constantly have to remind people that I accept all of life; I may not agree with everything but I accept it.

Phella: Definitely man, I agree with that 100%. Socially conscious is becoming a tag but really all it means is a normal person that’s aware of their surroundings right?

B.o.b: Exactly!!! A “conscious rapper” is quite literally just a “conscious rapper”. He’s rapping but he’s aware while he’s rapping. The main goal is just to make other people conscious. The world will be a much better place if we weren’t so rigid and structured. I feel like we are becoming a lot more liberal and free, you know what I mean. Like Will Ferrel, he’s a conscious actor because he makes [people] laugh like crazy while keeping a straight face. You have to be aware to be able to do that.

Phella: So speaking of being “liberal and free”, I’m glad you said that. Watching your show I’ve noticed that sometimes you too….I guess you can say “get free”? Basically you like to remove your garments and play the guitar, what’s that about, is that for your female fans?

B.o.b: [Hysterically laughing] Ummm, umm, this if funny and I’m on the road trying to get over and they won’t let me over. We’re all going to get in the same traffic anyway. You know honestly man when I do that I never think about it. It’s just like you said I get to feeling so liberal and free and I’m like “let me take these shoes off, and this shirt…”. I’ve heard of artists in the past like Cee-Lo;somebody told me he got all the way down to his wife beater and his boxers. I was like “what, Cee-Lo?”. But it just happens;crowd surfing, stripping clothes off…..all types of crazy sh*t. You never know when the feeling will come.

Phella: [laughing] “Free and liberal”. I think that might have to be the B.o.b. 09′ slogan.

B.o.b: [laughs]

Phella: But yeah man just to get back on the fashion tip, you definitely have a lot of kids out there looking up to you. It seems like with your appearance you’re able to look clean and sharp without necessarily wearing the million dollar shoe or the thousand dollar shirt. Not to say anything’s wrong with that but you’re showing people that you can appear nice and clean but you don’t have to go break the bank.

B.o.b: Yeah exactly. And that’s something I want to emphasize. You can look clean and sharp without having to go break the bank like you said. It’s all about the self-expression. If you’re feeling bummy and beat-up it’s going to show on your surface. You don’t necessarily need a million dollars to look like a million dollars. You can look clean and fresh just by having a clean fresh attitude. It’s all about the confidence and the swag behind it because you know I’m on Grand Hustle and we’re all pretty fashionably sensible. Like Young Dro he’ll come in iced out and pull out a stack with his Polo on but it’s cool because it’s him. He’s comfortable and confident and would be the same with or without the jewelry and all the money. He’s able to do that because of all the money he has accumulated. Some people think the money is going to give them a sense of style but it doesn’t. You make the money, the money shouldn’t make you.

Phella: I’m going to need you to get a little bit materialistic on this one. It’s the 2010 Grammy Awards and B.o.b is nominated for his first Grammy, what are you rocking to that show?

B.o.b: Awww man!!! The Grammy’s? Ok I feel you [laughing]. Man I would definitely go for either a white or a pin-striped suit. Whatever it would be though, it definitely is not gonna be the norm. I’m definitely finna have something that’ll have [them] like “damn did you see what Bob had on?” Like “he had on some futuristic sh*t”. It’s 2010 so I’m already mentally in the year 2020. Maybe a pin-striped suit with a glare to it. You know something that when you look it reflects the sunlight or the light in the room. Just take it back to the real creative days like when people used to go to prom and wear like the most outrageous thing possible. But I wouldn’t wear something that makes it so obvious that I’m trying to standout. The creativity of it will take it there.

Phella: Ok and just to follow up on that, do you think you have enough guts to get “free and liberal” on the Grammy stage?

B.o.b: On the Grammy stage?

Phella: Yup

B.o.b: Aww man everywhere I go I live. So whether I’m dancing in front of President Obama, the Grammy stage, or the classroom; everywhere I go I’m finna have my spirit with me you know what I mean?

Phella: Definitely. Ok Bob do you have any closing statements for the kids and your fans out there?

B.o.b: Man just be yourself. It sounds corny and cheesy, you hear it all the time, but who you are is free so you’re free to be whatever you want to be, but whatever you choose to be, make sure that you’re confident in it and you actually believe who you are. Because if you’re not,it would just look funny.

[Simultaneous laughter]