Published: Wednesday - December 14, 2005
Words by Jay Casteel
Bobby Valentino (Photo: Def Jam)
DTP's R&B crooner, Bobby Valentino, dropped his debut album, Give Me A Chance, earlier this year to rave reviews. His hit single "Slow Down" and his assist on Luda's "Pimpin' All Over The World" helped to concrete his position as an R&B artist to be reckoned with.
With the singer's new found fame, Bobby V is back again, along with his DTP label mates, on the label's latest release, Ludacris Presents: Disturbing Tha Peace -- a collection of songs showcasing Luda's crop of talented artist. Valentino's new track "Table Dance," which is an ode to the Atlanta strip club scene, is already becoming a favorite among the adult crowd.
As Bobby V promotes the new compilation and being work on this sophomore release, BallerStatus took the opportunity to chop it up with the young artist to get an update in Bobby V's world. He spoke on various topics including how he feels he fits into the DTP roster, what he plans on doing different on his new album and his latest venture into women's demin.
BallerStatus.com: Last time we interviewed you, you were preparing to drop your debut album, Give Me a Chance, and your single "Slow Down" was receiving massive airplay at the time. How has your life changed since your album dropped?
Bobby Valentino: I basically can support a lot of things that I couldn't then, and it's definitely a lot different.
BallerStatus.com: You've also enjoyed success with your appearance on Luda's "Pimpin' All Over The World," which is also another hit under your belt. How has Luda's advice, as far as the music industry goes, help you thus far?
Bobby Valentino: Basically, [Luda told me] to sleep when I'm dead. That's the best advice that he's given me. He's told me to work hard, so that's what I've been doing.
BallerStatus.com: You are an artist on the DTP camp, and if I'm not mistaken, the only R&B singer on the label. Is that correct?
Bobby Valentino: No, we have a female R&B artist named Shareefa. She's been with us...she signed right after me.
BallerStatus.com: How does your voice and music fit in over there at such a hip-hop orientated label?
Bobby Valentino: Well, I feel like it don't really fit in. R&B is R&B, and rap is rap, so I think we have our own little thing to the side of what the rappers at DTP do. So, it don't really fit it, but it's a label. Labels have R&B, rap, rock and that's what DTP has. They have a plethora of artists, so we just doing our thing on the R&B side.
BallerStatus.com: The debut was just your first introduction. I've heard you are already working on the next. What kind of differences, if any, are you making this time around, as far as your approach to the music?
Bobby Valentino: Well on this album, I'm gonna go ahead and add a couple more features. On the first album, I really wanted people to get to know me. That's why I didn't have any features [besides Ludacris]. On this album -- now that people are more familiar with me -- I think I'm gonna have a few features on this next one.
BallerStatus.com: Ok, yea, you told us last time that you wanted your album to be strictly R&B, so this time you are gonna change it up a little and add some hip-hop to it?
Bobby Valentino: Yea, definitely. I just wanna mix it up a little this time.
BallerStatus.com: Are there any things you didn't do on your last album, you want to make a point to do this time around?
Bobby Valentino: Nah, I think my first album was awesome, you know? It's a classic R&B album. I just think on the next one, I'm gonna go a little bit more mainstream. I think [on my last album], I was very R&B, which I feel the world wasn't really ready for. The music game is very rap-oriented, so I think I'm gonna give people a little more of what they want this next album.
BallerStatus.com: The album still did well, considering you were catering to the strictly R&B folk...
Bobby Valentino: Yea, it did very well. But, sometimes I think you have to conform. I think I'm gonna try to conform a little bit, but it's gonna be hard for me 'cause I'm not that type of person. So, I'mma try, but I don't know.
BallerStatus.com: How deep are you into this new album? Have you recorded anything?
Bobby Valentino: Yea, I have. I have a few different things that I've recorded, but I haven't really got into recording mode just yet. Right now, I'm just going in the studio and trying different things, seeing where it takes me.
BallerStatus.com: DTP's got the Disturbing The Peace compilation coming. So, tell me about this album, and what people can expect from it.
Bobby Valentino: It's a great compilation album. This is an album that showcases all the artists that's on DTP -- everybody has a song on there. Most compilations, you can't really ride to, but I think that Disturbing The Peace knows music very well, so you can really bump this whole album.
I have a song on the album called "Table Dance," and it just talks about life in the strip club in Atlanta. If you've never been to Atlanta and actually experienced that, I've made a song about it, so you can get a little taste of what it's like. That's on the compilation.
BallerStatus.com: Is that song getting heavy rotation in the strip clubs down there yet?
Bobby Valentino: Definitely! They was bumping it in the strip club last night. All the strippers was going crazy and all the people in the club was going crazy, so it's a good look.
BallerStatus.com: Compilation albums usually don't do as well as an artist's album. So, what do you feel sets this one apart from any other compilation out there?
Bobby Valentino: Because it's not like a typical compilation. This is an album that's great. It's pretty much an album. I don't look at it like a compilation really. Every song on there is hot, so that's what I think really sets it apart.
BallerStatus.com: Ok, now I know you made your acting debut, where you performed a song on UPN's "One on One," but do you plan to go after acting roles in the near future?
Bobby Valentino: I'm definitely trying to get into some acting. I have a few different scripts from some movies I'm trying to read for right now, so yea, acting is definitely another love of mine.
BallerStatus.com: Being that you are an avid lover of R&B music and pride yourself in creating that type of music, who are some of the R&B artists you would really love to collabo with?
Bobby Valentino: R. Kelly and Stevie Wonder, just to name a couple. I would really love to work with DeVante from Jodeci, but I don't really know where he is in the world right now though.
BallerStatus.com: Tell us what else you have on your plate right now or things you are working on?
Bobby Valentino: I'm working on my Bobby V Jeans for women. That's really my main focus right now -- just working on the jean line. I love looking at women. I had to make the jeans, so I can look at 'em. It's just gonna be a quality demin with good washes on there and it's gonna accentuate the woman's form -- the women with that pretty round thing! That's my whole goal. They should be out probably summer of 2006. I'm gonna drop my album around the same time.
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