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Boss (born Lichelle Laws, 1969, Detroit, Michigan, United States) is an American Midwest female gangsta rapper who enjoyed brief popularity in 1993 with her debut album Born Gangstaz. Her name is sometimes spelled Bo$$.

Laws relocated to Los Angeles after graduating high school. Laws was spotted by DJ Quik who stuck her on a track with AMG. Russell Simmons liked the track and promptly signed her to Def Jam West.^[1] Her debut album Born Gangstaz was released in 1993,^[2] and the singles, "Deeper" and "Recipe for a Hoe", hit number one on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart.^[3]

Laws' fledgling career took a major blow in 1994 when she was interviewed by a reporter from The Wall Street Journal. The reporter thought he revealed that she grew up in an upper middle-class family and attended private school.^[4][5] As it turned out, the reporter did not listen to the album before interviewing the artist. Further, Laws had left Detroit after high school to pursue a contract in New York, which brought on a hard survivalist mentality by the time she settled in Los Angeles. Def Jam was well aware of her background when she was signed, and she was never dropped from the label.

In the mid-1990s, she moved to Dallas, Texas, and went on to be a radio DJ. In 2001, she collaborated with Krayzie Bone on his album Thug On Da Line. In 2004, she released a mixtape titled The Six Million Dollar Mixtape produced by Def Jef.^{[citation needed]}

It was revealed in May 2011 that Laws is in need of a kidney due to her suffering from renal disease, a disease that rendered her kidneys useless for processing toxins in her body. Laws reached out to the FaceBook community for a potential donor. A donor is yet to be found.^[6]

Discography[link]

• Born Gangstaz (1993)

References[link]

Lou Williams

No. 23 – Philadelphia 76ers
Guard
Personal information
Born	(1986-10-27) October 27, 1986 (age 25) Memphis, Tennessee
Nationality	American
High school	South Gwinnett
Listed height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight	175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	2005 / Round: 2 / Pick: 45th overall
Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers
Pro career	2005–present
Career history
2005–present	Philadelphia 76ers
2006	→Fort Worth Flyers (D-League)
Career highlights and awards
Naismith Prep Player of the Year (2005)

Louis "Lou" Tyrone Williams (born October 27, 1986) is an American professional basketball player with the National Basketball Association's Philadelphia 76ers, who selected him with the 45th pick of the 2005 NBA Draft. Williams was born in Memphis, Tennessee and grew up in Snellville, Georgia.

High school[link]

Williams played at Snellville's South Gwinnett High School under Roger Fleetwood, where he was a four-time All-State selection, was named Georgia's "Mr. Basketball" during his junior and senior year and was voted as the "Most Athletic" Senior Superlative by his peers. As a junior, Williams led South Gwinnett to win the 5A Georgia State Championship. As a senior, Williams averaged 27.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game while leading South Gwinnett to a 28–3 record and fourth place finish in the state. Williams also won the 2005 Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award which identifies the nation's top high school player, and was named to the 2005 McDonald's All-American East Team. Both Williams and Mike Mercer, high school teammates at South Gwinnett High School, committed to play at the University of Georgia,^[1] but Williams declared for the 2005 NBA Draft.^[2] Williams is the second all-time leading scorer in Georgia high school basketball history.

Pro career[link]

Philadelphia 76ers[link]

Because of disappointing workout performances, Williams fell to the second round of the draft and was eventually picked 45th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers. During the 2005–06 NBA season Williams played sparingly as an NBA rookie for the 76ers, averaging 1.9 points and .3 assists over 30 games. After being inactive for most of the first month of the 2006–07 NBA season, Williams was sent by the 76ers to play for the Fort Worth Flyers of the NBA Development League on November 28, 2006.^[3]

After stellar performances in the NBA D-League, averaging 26 points and 7 assists over three games,^[4] and with trade rumors surrounding the 76ers' starting point guard Allen Iverson,^[5] Williams was restored back to the 76ers' roster on December 5, 2006.

During the 2007–08 season, Williams averaged career-highs of 11.3 ppg, 3.2 apg and 2.0 rpg. With these stats he had the fifth highest point/rebound/assist total of any reserve in the NBA. At the end of that season Williams became a restricted free agent. He signed a five-year deal worth $25 million.^[6]

In game 4 of the first round of the 2011 Eastern Conference Playoffs, Williams hit a go-ahead 3-pointer to give the Sixers a win against the Miami Heat, 86–82.^[7] However, the Sixers lost the series.^[8]

In the 2011–12 season, Williams led the Sixers in scoring with 14.9 points per game, despite not starting a single game.^[9] He received the second-most votes for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award.^[9]

Personal life[link]

Williams was born to Willie Louis Williams (deceased) and Janice Faulkner. He has an older brother, Taurus and older sister, FraShaundra. When he was 5'7" in the 7th grade, he dunked for the first time.^[10] Williams is a close friend of Bow Wow, and was seen socializing with him at his house on MTV Cribs.^[11] To show care towards the community, Louis Williams has a yearly camp at South Gwinnett High School for children the ages of 10–16. The camp is very successful and as showing his affection for the camp he states, "This camp means a lot to me because I can give back to a community that has done so much for me." In addition, Williams has recorded several rap tracks, and was even featured on fellow Philadelphian Meek Mill's "I Want It All."^[12] In December, 2011, Williams claimed his recognition saved him from an armed robbery attempt in the Philadelphia neighbourhood of Manayunk. According to his account, when the gunman tried to rob Williams, the gunman revealed he was a fan, and after he and the gunman, who did most of the talking, reached an understanding, he bought him McDonald's.^[13]

NBA career statistics[link]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

References[link]

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/louis_williams/bio.html http://www.nba.com/sixers/features/williams_camping_090817.html

External links[link]

• Louis Williams at NBA.com
• Louis Williams at Basketball-Reference.com
• Louis Williams profile @ usabasketball.com

Fat Joe
Joe performing in April 2011
Background information
Birth name	Joseph Antonio Cartagena[1]
Born	(1970-08-19) August 19, 1970 (age 41)[1][2][3] New York City, New York, U.S.
Genres	East Coast hip hop, mafioso rap, hardcore hip hop
Occupations	Rapper
Years active	1992–present
Labels	Terror Squad Entertainment, Relativity, Atlantic, Imperial, E1
Associated acts	Big Punisher, Terror Squad, D.I.T.C., DJ Premier, Kool G Rap, Apache, Grand Puba, R. Kelly, KRS-One, Raekwon, Jadakiss, Big L, N.O.R.E., DJ Khaled, Kill All Rats
Website	www.myspace.com/fatjoe

Joseph Antonio Cartagena (born August 19, 1970), better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper, CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, and member of musical groups D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad.

Fat Joe's first album was Represent, released in 1993, followed by Jealous One's Envy in 1995. From 1998 to 2006, he was signed to Atlantic Records, releasing four albums under the label, Don Cartagena in 1998, Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.) in 2001, Loyalty in 2002, and All or Nothing in 2005.^[1] Around the release of All or Nothing, Fat Joe became involved in a highly publicized feud with another New York City-based rapper 50 Cent, who attacked Fat Joe in his song "Piggy Bank". His most popular song in which he performed was his Remy Ma duet "Lean Back" with Terror Squad. The song was a number-one hit in the summer of 2004.

Starting in 2006, when his album Me, Myself, & I was released, Fat Joe was signed to Imperial Records, which distributes through Terror Squad Entertainment. His follow up album wasThe Elephant in the Room, which was released in 2008; Jealous Ones Still Envy 2 (J.O.S.E. 2), the sequel to Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.), was released in October 2009. His tenth album The Darkside Vol. 1 was released on July 27, 2010.

Early life[link]

Fat Joe was born on August 19, 1970 in the southern Bronx area of New York City, where he was raised by parents of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent.^[1][4] He lived in public housing and began stealing at a young age to support his family.^[5] He also states that he was a bully in his childhood.^[5] His brother introduced him to rap music. As a teenager, he was highly influenced by fellow Latino rapper Big Pun. Fat Joe explained the rapper's influence on him by saying "Latinos before us who had the opportunity to do it just didn't know how to do it. They came in trying to do this black music, waving flags. [But] we're trying to kick in the doors for other Latinos and represent our people, and it shows."^[6]

Music career[link]

1992–1995: Early years[link]

Under stage name Fat Joe da Gangsta and part of the Diggin' in the Crates (D.I.T.C.) rap group, Cartagena was signed to Relativity Records in the early 1990s, recording material and working with many artists who he would later sign to his own label. In 1993, his debut album, Represent, was released, featuring production from The Beatnuts, Diamond D, Lord Finess, and others. Its lead single, "Flow Joe" peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart; other minor singles from the album included "Watch the Sound" and "This Shit is Real".^[1]

In 1995, Fat Joe released his second studio album, Jealous One's Envy, which peaked at #71 on The Billboard 200 and at #7 on Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums. The album featured a guest appearance from KRS-One and production from Diamond D. The lead single was Success, which did not chart, but his second single, "Envy" peaked at #8 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart. The success of this album led Fat Joe to be featured on the remix of LL Cool J's single "I Shot Ya" along with Foxy Brown, Keith Murray and Prodigy of Mobb Deep.^[1]

1998–2005: Signing to Atlantic Records, Terror Squad, feud with 50 Cent[link]

Released in 1998, Don Cartagena was Joe's third album and his first for Atlantic Records. It peaked on The Billboard 200 at #7 and #2 on Top R&B/Hip Hop albums, eventually being certified gold by the RIAA.^[7]

The album featured two hit singles "Bet Ya Man Can't Triz", and "Don Cartagena". Guest appearances included Nas, Diddy, Big Pun, Raekwon, Jadakiss, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Within the album, Fat Joe debuted his own group Terror Squad that consisted of the late Big Pun, as well as Cuban Link, Triple Seis, Prospect, Armageddon and later Remy Ma.^[8] Joe himself acknowledged, in an interview with HipHopGame.com, that he has received criticism for releasing only one solo album by a former Terror Squad member, Remy Ma, as well as barely featuring original members Prospect and Armageddon on "True Story." Terror Squad singer Tony Sunshine has had possible album release dates pushed back over three years, and Joe had stated that artists Prospect and Armageddon have not released solo albums yet as the result of them being "really lazy".^[9] Former Terror Squad member Triple Seis also went on record when asked who had written Fat Joe's lyrics, stating that he and Pun were Joe's ghostwriters, and asserts that Joe continues to hire ghostwriters.^[10] In 1999, he appeared on Jennifer Lopez's single "Feelin' So Good" from her On the 6 album with late rapper Big Pun.

Fat Joe released his fourth album Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.) in 2001, featuring production from the then-popular Irv Gotti. The album featured a star-studded line up from the likes of Ashanti, Ja Rule, N.O.R.E., Busta Rhymes, Petey Pablo, M.O.P., Ludacris, R. Kelly, Buju Banton, and artists from his Terror Squad label. The lead single "We Thuggin'" featuring R. Kelly was a big hit in late 2001, but would not reach the level of the Irv Gotti-produced "What's Luv?" which was a massive hit in early 2002 and featured The Inc. superstars Ja Rule and Ashanti. The album was Fat Joe's biggest hit as it was successful from its January release all the way into May, being certified platinum.^[7] However, Fat Joe's fifth album Loyalty, released later in 2002 and featuring production from Irv Gotti, was not as successful.

In 2003, Fat Joe was featured in the pop single "I Want You" by Mexican singer Thalía. The same year, he and Tony Sunshine performed the single "Crush Tonight" from Loyalty on the Comedy Central program Chappelle's Show, hosted by comedian Dave Chappelle.^[11]

Despite the setback, Fat Joe scored a number-one hit in 2004 with his group Terror Squad, collaborating with Remy Ma on the Scott Storch production "Lean Back" from the album True Story.^[8] The song was criticized twice by conservative columnist L. Brent Bozell III for its extensive use of obscenity.^[12][13] However, Jason Birchmeier of Allmusic called the song "a perfect club-ready duet between Joe and Remy Ma that boasts a trademark Scott Storch beat and a memorable singalong hook and dance-along step".^[14]

A year later, in 2005, Fat Joe released his sixth album All or Nothing, noted for featuring the popular diss track "My Fofo", aimed at fellow New York rapper 50 Cent, who had dissed Joe for recording with Ja Rule.^[15] All or Nothing spawned the singles "So Much More" and "Get It Poppin" featuring Nelly, also with guest appearances from Eminem, Mase, Remy Ma, Mashonda, and R. Kelly. Responding to "My Fofo", 50 Cent attacked Fat Joe in his song "Piggy Bank" from his best-selling 2005 album The Massacre.^[16][17][18] Fat Joe subsequently attacked 50's street credibility and called him a "coward" on a phone interview with Kay Slay of New York City hip-hop radio station WQHT.^[19] The conflict carried on at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, while Fat Joe introduced the reggaeton act featuring Daddy Yankee, Joe remarked, "I feel safe with all the police protection—courtesy of G-Unit."^[20] Shortly after, when MTV switched to a commercial break, 50 Cent directed an obscenity at Joe, and 50 Cent jumped on stage as Fat Joe was leaving.^[21]

[edit] 2006–2008: Me, Myself & I, The Elephant in the Room, the 50 Cent feud continued, and more

Fat Joe performing in Portugal in 2006

Me, Myself & I, released in 2006, is Fat Joe's seventh album. It was his first album released on his new deal with Virgin Records. It featured the hit single "Make It Rain" with southern rapper Lil Wayne, followed by "No Drama (Clap and Revolve)". Fat Joe did a freestyle cipher segment for VH1's "Freestyle 59" competition in October 2006 prior to the VH1 Hip Hop Honors featuring New Jersey emcee Neuse.^[22]

In June 2007, the Reverend Michael Pfleger targeted Fat Joe as among several rappers he believed promoted misogyny in his billboard campaign "Stop Listening to Trash", which was launched June 18, 2007 throughout Chicago, Illinois, where Pfleger preaches.^[23] Also that month, Fat Joe was featured in the DJ Khaled singles "We Takin' Over" alongside Akon, T.I., Rick Ross, Birdman, and Lil Wayne and the remix to Khaled's "I'm So Hood" with Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy, Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Ludacris, and Birdman. Verbal disputes between Fat Joe and 50 Cent continued during this time period: in September 2007, on the BET program Rap City, 50 Cent accused Fat Joe of being cowardly for not willing to confront him, but Fat Joe dismissed this claim as nonsense.^[24] Later in January, 50 Cent released another Fat Joe diss, called "Southside Nigga (I'm Leaving)". At the end of January 2008, Fat Joe and his longtime accountant Brian Dittrich both denied rumors spreading on the Internet that Fat Joe owed the IRS in taxes.^[25]

Fat Joe's eighth solo studio album The Elephant in the Room was distributed by Imperial Records, a division of Capitol Records and Terror Squad Entertainment,^[26][27] and released on March 11, 2008; its lead single was "I Won't Tell" featuring singer J. Holiday.^[28] The album debuted at the sixth position on the Billboard Hot 100.^[29] "Ain't Sayin' Nuthin'" followed and featured Plies.

On March 20, 2008, shortly after record sales were released for Fat Joe's new album The Elephant in the Room, 50 Cent released a video via his YouTube account, which features the "funeral" of Fat Joe, which shows 50 Cent crying in the fake footage. 50 Cent then talks about Fat Joe's record sales, and states that he ended Fat Joe's career (like he says he did to Ja Rule's) and that his mixtape blew out Fat Joe's album.^[30]

[edit] 2009: Jealous Ones Still Envy 2

Fat Joe's ninth solo studio album, J.O.S.E. 2, was released towards the end of June 2009.^[31] The project reprises the title of Joe’s 2002 RIAA-Certified Platinum release, Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.), and marked Joe’s third release since bringing his Terror Squad imprint to the EMI family in 2006. For this album, Joe has reached out to many artists, landing assists from Ron Browz, Fabolous, Lil' Kim, T-Pain, Lil Wayne, and Akon. Producers include Jim Jonsin, The Inkredibles, and frequent collaborator StreetRunner.^[32] "One", featuring Akon, was the first single. The album was released on October 6, 2009 and sold 11,000 copies in its first week. It debuted on The Billboard 200 at #73.^[33]

[edit] 2010: Signing to E1 Music and The Darkside

In January 2010, Fat Joe announced that he was working on a new album, The Darkside Vol. 1. MTV News reported that Fat Joe intended "all the material...to be much harsher" than his previous album. Production comes from The Alchemist, Cool & Dre, Streetrunner, DJ Premier, Scoop DeVille, Just Blaze, Scram Jones, Raw Uncut and DJ Infamous with guest appearances by Busta Rhymes, Trey Songz, Lil Wayne, R Kelly, Clipse, Cam'ron, Rico Love, Too $hort, TA and Young Jeezy.^[34] The first single from The Darkside Vol. 1 is "(Ha Ha) Slow Down," which features Young Jeezy. The second single off the album is "If It Ain't About Money" and features Trey Songz.

On March 28, 2010 Fat Joe signed a record deal with E1 Music.^[35][36] The Darkside Vol. 1 was released on July 27, 2010 and sold approximately 12,000 copies in the first week and entered the Billboard 200 at #27.

On August 6, 2010 Fat Joe was interviewed on MTV RapFix Live by Sway. Fat Joe announced in the interview that he planned to record 2 more volumes of The Darkside and then retire.^[37]

[edit] 2011–present: Darkside Vol. 2 mixtape & TBA

Joe was featured on a remix to DJ Khaled's song "Welcome to My Hood", which also features Ludacris, T-Pain, Bust Rhymes, Twista, Mavado, Birdman, Ace Hood, Game, Jadakiss, Bun B and Waka Flocka Flame. It is included as the final track on Khaled's fifth studio album We the Best Forever.

In an interview with XXL Magazine on September 21, 2011 Fat Joe stated Darkside Vol. 2 is going to be his first ever official mixtape and will feature the Mark Henry produced songs "Massacre on Madison" and "Drop a Body", both of which were released earlier in the year. Joe went on to say he is also working on an album which is yet to be named but the first single is called "Another Round" produced by Cool and Dre and Young Lad and features Chris Brown.^[38]
On October 19, 2011 Another Round the first single off Joe's yet to be named eleventh studio album was released on iTunes^[39]

Personal life[link]

Fat Joe in July 2005

Family[link]

Fat Joe currently lives in Miami and is married with three children.^[40]

Community work[link]

Fat Joe has been back to his old school in the Bronx, New York to donate computers for the students.

In 2008 He attended the grand opening of the Hip Hop Soda Shop in Miami which was community outreach project set up by Ben Chavis for the youth to hang out and do things such as record music, use the computers and play on Xbox 360s.^[41]

At a "School is Cool" assembly in Public School 5 in Jersey City, New Jersey on June 11, 2009, Fat Joe was a speaker.^[42]

Weight loss[link]

By 1996, he weighed 300 pounds.^[2] In 2005, Stuff magazine^[43] and ContactMusic.com^[44] profiled Fat Joe's weight loss efforts.

In 2011, Fat Joe unveiled his latest weight loss efforts in the video for his song "Drop a Body"^[45] after shedding 88 pounds off his previous weight of 350 pounds. He has said although he loves to eat KFC, McDonald’s and other less healthy foods he had to stop due to losing several friends, including former Terror Squad member Big Pun to obesity and he wanted to stay alive to see his children grow up. He lost the weight without the help of supplements and fad diets by combining 2 hour cardio and weight lifting sessions with proper eating habits. Instead of Burger King, KFC, and McDonald’s, he opted for smaller portioned meals of fruit, vegetables, and lean meats.^[46] Furthermore he follows a low-carb approach, eating some sweet potatoes but not eating bread, rice and pasta.^[47]

Basketball[link]

Fat Joe is a huge fan of the New York Knicks and was involved in convincing Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony to sign with them.^[48]

Legal issues[link]

On September 8, 1998, Fat Joe and Big Pun were arrested on assault charges for hitting a man with a baseball bat and stealing the man's gold chain on June 14 that year.^[3]

Joe was arrested again on May 12, 2002 for allegedly fighting with another man at B.B. King's Blues Club in Times Square, but the charges were dropped on January 10, 2003.^[49]

In two murder cases, Fat Joe has been named a witness:

Joe's former bodyguard, Jose Mulero (also known as Sing Sing), was arrested on September 17, 2004 for the April 15, 1994 shooting death of 16-year-old Ernesto Rivera at a Bronx nightclub. Responding to a subpoena, Fat Joe claimed to have heard the shooting and seen people fleeing the scene, but investigators argued that he was standing closer to Mulero, by a door.^[50]

Miami Beach police also named Fat Joe as a witness in a Memorial Day double homicide outside David's Cafe II in South Beach. Jermaine Wufgang Chamberline of Miami Gardens was accused of shooting Lessli Paz and Joey Navarro to death on that morning; Fat Joe and the two victims were sitting in a rented Cadillac Escalade parked outside the restaurant when a fight broke out between passengers and another man.^[51]

LGBT people[link]

During an interview with Vlad TV, Joe stated that while not gay himself, gay people should not hide their sexuality and stand by what they are. He mentioned that it's possible that he has done songs with gay rappers and that there are likely several gay people besides just rappers in the Hip Hop industry who are in the closet, describing it as a "Gay Mafia".^[52]

His comments came after being asked to comment on Mister Cee being arrested for public lewdness with a transgender.^[53]

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

• Represent (1993, as Fat Joe da Gangsta)
• Jealous One's Envy (1995)
• Don Cartagena (1998)
• Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.) (2001)
• Loyalty (2002)
• All or Nothing (2005)
• Me, Myself & I (2006)
• The Elephant in the Room (2008)
• Jealous Ones Still Envy 2 (J.O.S.E. 2) (2009)
• The Darkside Vol. 1 (2010)^[36]
• TBA^[38] (2012)

Filmography[link]

• Thicker Than Water (1999) - Lonzo Medina
• Prison Song (2001)
• Empire (2002)
• Scary Movie 3 (2003) - As Himself
• Happy Feet (2006) - voice of Seymour

See also[link]

• List of famous Puerto Ricans
• Latin hip hop
• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

References[link]

External links[link]

• Fat Joe on Myspace
• Official website (archived from 2009)
• Fat Joe on Twitter
• Fat Joe at the Internet Movie Database

Bobby V
Wilson performing in Southeast Missouri State University during the Xi Gamma chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha's Miss Black and Gold Pageant, 2006.
Background information
Birth name	Bobby Wilson
Also known as	Bobby Valentino, Bobby V-Tino
Born	(1980-02-27) February 27, 1980 (age 32) Jackson, Mississippi, United States
Origin	Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Genres	R&B
Occupations	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, Piano
Years active	1996–present
Labels	Disturbing tha Peace / Def Jam (2004–2007) Blu Kolla Dreams / Capitol / EMI (2008–present)
Associated acts	Mista, DTP, Lil Wayne
Website	Official Website

Bobby Wilson (born on February 27, 1980), better known by his stage name Bobby V (previously known as Bobby Valentino), is an American recording artist (his nickname being "Valentino" because he was due to be born on Valentine's Day). He is now known as Bobby V due to a lawsuit involving an English singer, song writer and musician who has been recording and performing under the name Bobby Valentino for over 35 years.

Early life and career beginnings[link]

Bobby V was born Robert Wilson on February 27, 1980, in Jackson, Mississippi.^[1] He later moved to Atlanta, Georgia where he attended North Atlanta High School. Growing up V listened to Michael Jackson, Tony! Toni! Tone!, Marvin Gaye, Jodeci, and The Isley Brothers. Those were the artists that inspired him to become a R&B singer. He later returned to his old high school appearing on the debut episode of MTV's Once Upon A Prom, which aired on May 19, 2007. V entered the music scene in 1996 as a member of the R&B youth quartet Mista, at this time using his real name, Bobby Wilson.^[2][3] Under the production of Organized Noize (TLC’s "Waterfalls"), the group released their self-titled debut album, which produced the chart topping single, "Blackberry Molasses". Unfortunately, the album did not follow in the same success and despite a second album being produced by Tim & Bob, it was never released. Due to management issues the group split in 1997. Bobby later enrolled at Clark Atlanta University majoring in Mass Communications.While in school, Bobby V continued to record in his free time in hopes of one day returning to the stage.^[4] In the spring of 2002 he auditioned for season one of American Idol, but did not make the cut.^[5]

Armed with three albums of demos, he set out to pursue his music career dream. The demos reached Puff Daddy who then forwarded them onto Ludacris and Disturbing Tha Peace president Chaka Zulu, and "the rest is history" as Bobby says.^[6] Soon after being signed as the first R&B artist on Disturbing Tha Peace Records, Bobby was featured on the hit single "Pimpin' All Over the World", from Ludacris' multi-platinum selling album The Red Light District in 2004.^[4]

Career[link]

[edit] 2005–2007: Debut album and Special Occasion

Bobby V performing at a concert in 2007.

Bobby Valentino was released in the spring of 2005 through Island Def Jam and Ludacris's Disturbing tha Peace label and was certified gold by the RIAA selling over 708,000 copies in the United States.^[7] Primarily produced by the hitmakers Tim & Bob, His first single, "Slow Down", became a top 10 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 R&B single Billboard R&B Singles receiving a large amount of radio and TV airplay. Also in 2005, he joined Bow Wow, Omarion, Marques Houston, B5 and Pretty Ricky on the Scream Tour IV. After the success of "Slow Down", he released a second single, a remix of his song "Tell Me" featuring Lil Wayne produced by Tim & Bob as well. The album's third and final single, "My Angel", was released in the fall of 2005, however it gained little popularity.