Pedro 'DJ Complejo' HernandezI can’t really tell you much about the Star Wars character rapper Bobophett takes his name from. What I can tell you is that Hip-Hop has been down with Star Wars for a while. Jedi Mind Tricks takes their name from the power of the Jedi in the famous movies. The phenomenon isn’t restricted to underground rappers either as Luke, of 2 Live Crew fame, used to go by the name of Luke Skyywalker and ran Luke Skyywalker Records before a lawsuit from George Lucas forced him to drop the last part of his name. So far my experience with Star Wars related rappers is a positive one so things look good for Bobophett.
The first thing to note is that Bobophett shares more than an affinity for sci-fi films with JMT MC Vinnie Paz. Both of the rappers possess a deep, raspy voice and deliver their verses with an almost desperate energy. The similarities between the two rappers is uncanny and gets more apparent when you listen to Bobophett’s lyrics on “Can’t Stand You:”
“First frame I inject that old school poisonous vibe
That hits cats so hard they pinch themselves to see if they still alive
God help me, I’m bout to commit another crime
Sometimes I don’t even see green, it’s like I’m color blind
I stay broke, and all my peeps be making jokes
But I got a third eye taking notes for all y’all faking folks
Accept it, face it man – I’m a totally different species
I get so high, you need to be on Pluto just to reach me
I roll with a bunch of slutty bitches and ornery cats
That couldn’t stay clean if they stay dup at the laundry mat
Think you can diss me? I’ll take you up to your room to talk
And I’ma fuck ya baby momma while I let your daughter watch
I’m sick, I probably got West Nile
I be getting skully at home while I’m watching X-Files
In seven years I’ma stage my own homicide
Commit suicide three times and never really die”
The mix of hardcore battle raps and occasional horrorcore is the bread and butter of both Vinnie Paz and Bobophett. But Bobophett shouldn’t be dismissed as a Vinnie Paz clone as he does what he does well enough to warrant attention. He gets deeply emotional on “Days & Times” by exploring the worst days of his life and unconventionally offers little in the form of hope for something better. “I Love You (Drug Song)” is another song worth peeping where Bobophett shows his funny side. In the spirit of Afroman’s “Because I Got High,” Bobophett describes the numerous problems his drug habit has caused him.
The production matches up well with Bobophett’s style as it takes a more laid back and simple approach. This is essential considering Bobophett’s voice and delivery demand most of the attention. Bobophett drop’s two tracks himself, though A-Dub handles the bulk of the duty. Emerging artist Marco Polo also makes 3 contributions the album, though one of them is on the album’s weakest track. “2 My Amazement” suffers from a forgettable beat from Bobo himself and is completely ruined when Ella Duvall drops the third verse sounding like she’s stuck in the 80s with her simple flow. Marco Polo raps on the track but can’t save its weak elements. Polo does make positive contributions when he gets behind the board as can be heard on “This is 4,” where he combines a dope flute sample with a slow, plodding beat.
Despite drawing obvious comparisons to Vinnie Paz, Bobophett’s strong performance on “Memoirs” removes him from being classified as a mere imitation. Though his music can be classified as your typical east coast hardcore hip-hop, Bobophett’s voice and insight help him stand out from the pack. His versatility also stands out as Bobophett seems to be able to seamlessly move from ill battle raps, to humorous raps, and even gets personal on parts of the album. The album’s laid back production works for Bobo well, but it also holds him back to an extent. It’d be great to hear Bobophett over production that was as energetic as he was, but still matched his style (think “Ante Up”). Even with this minor gripe, the main point to take is that after hearing Bobophett’s music you’ll likely be asking for more.