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Bobby Raps

{{Short description|American rapper (born 1992)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2020}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Bobby Raps

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = Robert John Richardson

| alias =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1992|12|22}}

| birth_place = Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.

| origin =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| genre = Hip hop

| occupation = {{hlist|Rapper|singer|songwriter|record producer}}

| years_active = 2011–present

| label = Republic

|past_member_of = {{hlist|Thestand4rd|Audio Perm|Dequexatron X000}}

| website =

}}

Robert John Richardson (born December 22, 1992), known professionally as Bobby Raps, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer.{{cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/pigeons-and-planes/2017/08/bobby-raps-desensitized-video|title=Watch Bobby Raps' Cinematic "Desensitized" Video|work=Complex|first=Joe|last=Price|date=August 17, 2017|access-date=April 19, 2020}} He has been a member of Thestand4rd, Audio Perm,{{cite web|url=https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-wiz-kid-bobby-raps-makes-his-major-label-mark-today/433153743/|title=Twin Cities wiz kid Bobby Raps makes his major-label 'Mark' today|work=Star Tribune|first=Chris|last=Riemenschneider|date=July 7, 2017|access-date=April 19, 2020}} and Dequexatron X000.{{cite web|url=http://www.citypages.com/music/hamburger-helper-drops-watch-the-stove-mixtape-featuring-bobby-raps-dj-tiiiiiiiiiip-8171471|title=Hamburger Helper drops Watch the Stove mixtape featuring Bobby Raps, DJ Tiiiiiiiiiip|work=City Pages|first=Jay|last=Boller|date=April 1, 2016|access-date=April 24, 2020}} He has produced and written songs for several notable artists including The Weeknd, Lil Wayne, Future, Gunna, Lil Uzi Vert and more.{{Cite web |title=Bobby Raps |url=https://genius.com/artists/Bobby-raps |access-date=2024-05-25 |website=Genius |language=en}}

Early life and education

Bobby Raps was born Robert John Richardson{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/music/robert-john-bobby-raps-richardson|title=Robert John "Bobby Raps" Richardson|magazine=Billboard|access-date=July 2, 2020}} on December 22, 1992, in Saint Paul, Minnesota.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bobby-raps-mn0003605063/biography|title=Bobby Raps – Biography|work=AllMusic|first=Neil Z.|last=Yeung|access-date=April 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820133558/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bobby-raps-mn0003605063/biography|archive-date=August 20, 2020|url-status=live}} While in high school, he started rapping and producing beats. He graduated from Saint Paul Central High School.{{cite web|url=https://www.startribune.com/you-scream-who-screams-little-girls-scream-for-the-stand4rd/281261741/|title=You Scream? Who Screams? Little Girls Scream for the Stand4rd|work=Star Tribune|first=Maria|last=Isa|date=November 4, 2014|access-date=April 19, 2020}}

Career

In 2011, Bobby Raps released his debut mixtape, Gimme Daps.{{cite web|url=http://www.citypages.com/music/twin-cities-rap-mixtape-roundup-vol-1-6639480|title=Twin Cities rap mixtape roundup, Vol. 1|work=City Pages|first=Jack|last=Spencer|date=June 7, 2011|access-date=April 19, 2020}}

In 2015, he released a collaborative EP with Corbin, titled Couch Potato.{{cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2015/06/01/download-corbin-spooky-black-and-bobby-raps-couch-potato|title=Download Corbin's New Couch Potato EP With Bobby Raps|work=The Fader|first=Duncan|last=Cooper|date=June 1, 2015|access-date=April 19, 2020}} Entirely produced by Bobby Raps, it features a guest appearance from Izell Pyramid.{{cite web|url=https://blog.thecurrent.org/2015/06/corbin-and-bobby-raps-rich-mattson-and-more-this-weeks-minnesota-record-releases/|title=Corbin and Bobby Raps, Rich Mattson, and more: This week's Minnesota record releases|work=The Current|publisher=Minnesota Public Radio|first=Aaron|last=Bolton|date=June 2, 2015|access-date=April 19, 2020}} City Pages described it as "a thoroughly haunting dose of ethereal hip-hop that sounds like if James Blake cut a record with Earl Sweatshirt."{{cite web|url=http://www.citypages.com/music/hello-fuck-heads-corbin-and-bobby-raps-drop-surprise-ep-7395391|title='Hello Fuck Heads': Corbin and Bobby Raps Drop Surprise EP|work=City Pages|first=Raghav|last=Mehta|date=June 2, 2015|access-date=April 19, 2020}} The opening song of the EP, titled "Welcome to the Hell Zone", was included on Complex{{'}}s "Best Songs of the Week" list.{{cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/pigeons-and-planes/2015/06/best-songs-of-the-week-80/bobby-raps-corbin-welcome-to-the-hell-zone|title=Best Songs of the Week: 5. Bobby Raps & Corbin – "Welcome to the Hell Zone"|work=Complex|first=Joe|last=Price|date=June 5, 2015|access-date=April 19, 2020}} The duo's live performances have received favorable reviews from City Pages{{cite web|url=http://www.citypages.com/music/review-7416136|title=Review: Corbin & Bobby Raps feed off Varsity crowd|work=City Pages|first=Jack|last=Spencer|date=June 18, 2015|access-date=April 19, 2020}} and Billboard.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/review/6627325/corbin-bobby-raps-concert-review-new-york|title=Corbin & Bobby Raps Bring 'Couch Potato' to New York City: Live Review|magazine=Billboard|first=Elias|last=Leight|date=July 13, 2015|access-date=April 19, 2020}}

In 2016, Bobby Raps contributed to Watch the Stove, a viral mixtape campaign by Hamburger Helper.{{cite news |last1=Boller |first1=Jau |title=Hamburger Helper drops Watch the Stove mixtape featuring Bobby Raps, DJ Tiiiiiiiiiip |url=http://www.citypages.com/music/hamburger-helper-drops-watch-the-stove-mixtape-featuring-bobby-raps-dj-tiiiiiiiiiip-8171471 |work=City Pages |date=1 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404151557/http://www.citypages.com/music/hamburger-helper-drops-watch-the-stove-mixtape-featuring-bobby-raps-dj-tiiiiiiiiiip-8171471 |archive-date=4 April 2016}} He, alongside Dequexatron X000 collaborator DJ Tiiiiiiiiiip, featured on the opening track of the album.{{cite news |last1=Roy |first1=Jessica |title=The unbelievably true story behind the April Fools' Day Hamburger Helper mixtape |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-hamburger-helper-mixtape-20160401-snap-htmlstory.html |access-date=6 December 2021 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=2 April 2016}}

In 2017, he released his major-label debut, Mark, on Republic Records.{{cite web|url=http://www.citypages.com/music/bobby-raps-greg-grease-and-more-in-this-months-10-song-twin-cities-rap-roundup/438583443|title=Bobby Raps, Greg Grease, and more in this month's 10-song Twin Cities rap roundup|work=City Pages|first=Michael|last=Madden|date=August 7, 2017|access-date=April 19, 2020}} It includes production from Shlohmo and D33J.{{cite web|url=https://www.xxlmag.com/news/2017/07/bobby-raps-mark-mixtape/|title=Bobby Raps Releases New 'Mark' Mixtape|work=XXL|first=Lindsey|last=India|date=July 7, 2017|access-date=April 19, 2020}} Complex called it "[Bobby Raps'] strongest body of work to date."{{cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/pigeons-and-planes/2017/07/bobby-raps-mark-stream|title=Listen to Bobby Raps' New Mixtape 'Mark'|work=Complex|first=Joe|last=Price|date=July 8, 2017|access-date=April 19, 2020}}

In 2020, his single and music video "Believe the Lie" were released. The video was directed by Alex Howard. Lyrical Lemonade described Bobby Raps as "multifaceted and can’t really be put into a box".{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Danny |date=2020-04-02 |title=Believe the Lie- [Bobby Raps] |url=https://blog.lyricallemonade.com/p/believe-the-lie-bobby-raps/ |access-date=2024-05-25 |website=Lyrical Lemonade |language=en-US}}

In 2021, Bobby Raps released his album not scared anymore. It features guest appearances from Corbin and Casino Gwaup.

In 2023, Skrillex featured Bobby Raps on two songs, "Leave Me Like This" and "Don't Leave Me Like This" from his back to back albums Quest For Fire and Don't Get Too Close.{{Cite magazine |last=Paul |first=Larisha |date=2023-01-18 |title=Skrillex Continues Singles Streak With Bobby Raps-Assisted Song 'Leave Me Like This' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/skrillex-leave-me-like-this-single-release-1234663172/ |access-date=2024-05-25 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}

Discography

=Studio albums=

=Mixtapes=

  • Gimme Daps (2011)
  • Wicked City (2015) {{small|(with SinGrinch)}}
  • Weird Lil World (2018)

=EPs=

  • Couch Potato (2015) {{small|(with Corbin)}}

Production and songwriting credits

List of notable songs Bobby Raps has either produced, co-produced, or contributed songwriting.

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{SoundCloud|bobbyraps|Bobby Raps}}
  • {{Discogs artist|Bobby Raps|Bobby Raps}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raps, Bobby}}

Category:1992 births

Category:Living people

Category:Musicians from Saint Paul, Minnesota

Category:Rappers from Minnesota

Category:American male rappers

Category:21st-century American rappers

Category:Singers from Minnesota

Category:American hip-hop singers

Category:21st-century American singers

Category:Record producers from Minnesota

Category:American hip-hop record producers

Category:21st-century American male singers

Category:Saint Paul Central High School alumni