B.o.B

“B.O:B” (standing for “bombs over Baghdad”) is the 11th track off of the 24-track-long 2000 album “Stankonia” from incredible rap group OutKast, who are also known for their hits such as “Ms Jackson”, “Roses” and “Hey Ya!”.

Despite the track being titled “B.O.B”. the track actually has nothing to do with politics or the country, but rather is a commentary on the conditions of ghettos in the US. André 3000 (frontman of the group) has previously stated that the track wasn’t inspired by politic, but rather a sentence he overheard while listening to the news in his hotel room in London. “Something, something, bombs over Baghdad”, and thought to myself that it sounded good. I knew I could use it somewhere”. The track is fast paced and upbeat, but carrying heavy messages within it’s hip-hop and funk beat. Referencing gun crime, AIDS, “questions with no answers”, as well emphasizing to: “make a business for yourself, boy, set some goals”.

The music video was directed by Dave Meyers, featuring OutKast seeing the group surrounded by scantily clad women, driving nice cars and dancing. However, the colours are inverted, such as the trees being purple and the roads being green, almost creating a psychedelic hip-hop sort of feel to the track. The video was published to the OutKast official YouTube channel in July 2011, and as of April 2019 the video has almost 9 million views.

Release Date: 19th September 2000

Songwriter/s: Outkast

Producer/s: Earthtone III

Music Video Director: Dave Meyers

Chart Rankings & Accolades: “B.O.B” was particularly successful in the UK and US charts upon its release, ranking #61 in the UK and #69 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hip Songs”, as well as #58 on “Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay”. Rolling Stone voted B.O.B to be the 50th greatest hip hop song of all time, as well as Pitchfork Media calling the track “the greatest song of the 2000s”.