Excellent gift-rapping

More and more, the rappers and hip-hop artists out there know that while street credibility is a must, one also has to break through the mainstream, if one wants to enjoy commercial success, and widen one’s audience. B.O.B and Iyaz have both taken those lessons to heart, and these two CDs masterfully blend pop with R&B, and make wonderful gifts to anyone who loves bright, infectious music.

B.O.B. Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray (Atlantic/Warner). Rapper, singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist, B.O.B has this first CD to show off his talent and commercial savvy. While some tracks, like Bet I, with guests Playboy Tre and T.I., are very much in rap mode, he will always balance this out with the so-radio-friendly tracks such as Nothin On You and the opener, Don’t Let Me Fall. B.O.B. even takes his collaborations with rock artists to a new level, the second single, Airplanes, has Hayley Williams of Paramore, while Magic has River Cuomo of Weezer. And just to keep his underground “street cred” intact, he brings in Janelle Monae for Kids. Smart, savvy and entertaining, this is one CD that should find widespread appeal globally.

Iyaz: Replay (Reprise/Warner). Known to local audiences as the one who duets with Charice in Pyramid, Iyaz hails from Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, and Replay is his debut album. Mixing R&B, reggae and hip-hop, Iyaz’s music is commercial to the max. If one were to create a music continuum between Sean Kingston and Akon, Iyaz would comfortably find somewhere between the two. Replay, Solo and So Big will be everyone’s immediate favorites, but I especially liked OK and its sampling of Bob Marley’s No Woman, No Cry. Already a big success in the UK, his collaborations with Charice, and earlier on, Miley in her Hannah Montana persona, are part of his plans to find mainstream success in the US. His sunny and catchy tunes should pave the way.