B.o.B. Features Usher, Lil Wayne, and T.I. on New Album ‘Ether’

Jordan Bailey

Bobby Ray Simmons Jr., a.k.a. B.o.B., is a rapper from the South best known for his hit songs “Nothin’ On You” and “Airplanes” which featured Bruno Mars and Hayley Williams, respectively. These two tracks are hardcore pop, made for radio, and indeed dominated the charts in 2010 while winning numerous Grammy nominations. Since then Simmons has released a few albums but unfortunately plateaued. His latest project “Ether” just dropped, but again finds the rapper stagnant with his sound, even with his friends by his side.

There are several features on this record, though they’re all a bit dated. Cee Lo, Big KRIT, Lil Wayne, T.I. and Usher all find themselves a spot on “Ether,” though to no great avail. “Xantastic” is an exception. Featuring Young Thug, this track is a cosmic flight with a vibe reminiscent of Kid Cudi. Tinged with synths and auto-tune, this is one of the better songs on “Ether”; it’s trippy, harkening back to Simmons’ 2015 mixtape “Psycadelik Thoughtz.” Other songs on the record feel similar; “Finesse” and “Substance Abuse” are both filled with spacey synths. Unfortunately, like much of this album, other than the below-mentioned “Peace Piece,” fall short lyrically. For instance, on “Substance Abuse” the hook is merely the rapper singing the words “substance abuse” repeatedly punctuated by “weed and alcohol,” one of which is so safe it’s almost impossible to actually abuse.

Another track showing Simmons’ removed reality is “4 Lit” featuring T.I. and Ty Dolla Sign. The music video speaks volumes. Neon lights and green-screened backdrops show the rappers waxing misogynistic on “bitches” as the girls make-out with one another and encircle Simmons as he lays on a shag rug. “Got a bitch and another bitch/ We ain’t trippin’ ‘cus we all hit.” while these lyrics may not be out of place on many popular trap songs, there’s something here that’s reminiscent of deeply misogynistic hits like Sisqo’s “Thong Song.” Zero substance, all filler. This is sort of shocking particularly since the Southern rapper is only 28-years-old.

Given the rappers seemingly out-of-touch take on this album, it’s a surprise when one finally comes across “Peace Piece”—the most topical track on “Ether” which tackles the omnipresent issues of America’s modern culture. Race and politics are at the forefront with mentions of the current President and Make America Great Again. The most notable of lines is during the hook where a modulated voice sings “I try to take the high road, let bygones be bygones/I try to take the high road, but now another life gone/ What you expect from me? To turn the other cheek/ All you bring is war, asking me for peace.” Big KRIT makes an appearance, echoing B.O.B.’s sentiment. This is without a doubt a prolific idea about our current state of race relations, and speaks more broadly to Simmons’ socio-political views as a whole, but this is certainly more accepted than what he’s known for. In January of last year, Simmons declared his belief that the earth is flat. He’s also suggested many other conspiracy theories are fact, including the staging of the moon landing, 9/11 being an inside job and celebrity cloning via the US government. These ideas have most recently been punctuated by a diss-track against famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson who responded to Simmons via Twitter about his flat-earth theory. While these fringe views shouldn’t necessarily be held against his ability as a rapper, they don’t bode well when it comes to him engaging with the cultured, intelligent hip-hop fans of today.  

B.o.B. seems to fall into the category between two kinds of popular in hip-hop today. Trap stars like Future and Travis Scott found a niche audience; same as indie rappers such as Chance the Rapper and Childish Gambino. Hip-hop fans today are attracted to specific sounds and ideals, and Simmons just doesn’t seem to have either a unique enough viewpoint to fall into a definite category, nor a marketable enough sound to make it to the top of the charts. The production falls flat, as does his lyrical ability. With “Ether” as Simmons’ fourth studio album, it seems the rapper has found his place, and unfortunately for him, it’s right smack in the middle of an ever-growing pack.  

“Ether” is available on Apple Music on May 12.