Students on the University of Alabama at Birmingham campus will be welcomed back to campus Sunday, Aug. 23, with a free concert by hip-hop and rap artist B.o.B.
The fall concert is set for 7 p.m. on the Campus Green, on University Boulevard between 14th and 16th streets South. The show is presented by the UAB Office of Student Life and the Student Activities Council, and is co-sponsored by the Undergraduate Student Government Association. The concert is open to the public.
B.o.B is Bobby Ray Simmons, originally from Decatur, Georgia. After making his introduction onto the mixtape circuit in 2007, B.o.B gained his first pieces of national exposure and acclaim, appearing on MTV News’ “Mixtape Monday” as well as XXL magazine’s coveted freshman cover, which highlighted rap music’s top rookies of the year. The following year, B.o.B officially joined his friend and mentor T.I.’s Grand Hustle Records.
Under T.I.’s tutelage, B.o.B began producing his debut LP, “B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray” (2010). The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts and spawned the multiplatinum, career cornerstone singles “Nothing On You (featuring Bruno Mars),” “Airplanes (featuring Hayley Paramore of Paramore)” and “Magic.” In the summer of 2010, B.o.B opened for Jay Z and Eminem’s historic “Home & Home” stadium tour.
B.o.B’s sophomore LP, “Strange Clouds,” in 2012 was another Top Five album debut, with singles “Strange Clouds (featuring Lil Wayne),” “So Good” and “Both Of Us (featuring Taylor Swift)” all certified as platinum. B.o.B released “Underground Luxury” in 2013. Additional producers and guests on the LP include T.I., 2 Chainz, Juicy J, DJ Mustard and Chris Brown.
When B.o.B was 10, his brother convinced him to begin rapping after the two listened to DMX’s debut “It’s Dark and Hell Iz Hot.” Simmons mimicked his idol with his early raps before developing his own style as a teenager. By 15, Simmons was already training himself to play the piano, and by 19, he began teaching himself how to the play the guitar, a hallmark of his live performances.