Miami Legend B-DOPE takes you threw his MOOD SWINGS on his New Summer LP.
Summer In Miami = Hot Days by the Beach Or Pool, Short Shorts and No Sleeves, Bad Break ups, New Romances, and of course Summer Jams. Miami Veteran, B DOPE‘s latest release MOOD SWINGS is just that, a Summer Thumper! The type of tape you just let play from start to finish as you ride around town with the top down (Or at least the Windows down and Volume up).
An established legend in the South Florida Hip Hop Scene, B DOPE first started repping “The Bottom” at the young age of 16, in the mid 90’s when the migration of New York natives to S. Florida, and popular shows like YO MTV RAPS, B.E.T. RAP CITY, and THE BOX had everyone claiming they were from N.Y. or had a cousin who was from up north. While his peers where busy with high school homework, Spanish Harlem transplant B DOPE , was skipping class to Cypher and Record in the Studio and sneaking in to clubs to Battle and Perform on Stage before he could even drink at the bar. In 1994 he was flown out to New York to represent Miami in THE SOURCE MAGAZINE‘s Freestyle Battle and took 1st Place bringing back home the trophy and respect for the Dirty Bottom. Always a proud representative of Miami Hip Hop and his hood of KENDALL MIAMI, B-DOPE has been a member of a number of historical Miami Hip Hop squads including SCHOOL DAYZE, FUNKIE LUNATIKS, MASTERMINDS, LAST STRAWZE, BLUNT CRU, UNKNOWN FLEET, DOPE SESSIONZ and now a newly formed Duet with Kendall Rep and WVCC Radio Host 8CH2OWENS called 88 ST. However, After a hiatus from the mic and stage to handle grown man business and get his family life established, the Off The Top Terror also known as BOBBY DRAKE is back on a Solo Mission, and he is “swinging” for the fences with this one.
Raised in the 80’s, B-DOPE has learned the hard way that “LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD”. Whether it be Love for the Streets, Love for Hip Hop Game, Love for a Shortie, or Love for your Family, none of it comes easy. The easiest part of Love is falling in it, Its all up hill from their. In like fashion, the album MOOD SWINGS is easy to get into, and is all about the Ups, Downs, Backs and Forth’s of Love and Relationships. While speaking about the making of the album, BOBBY expressed to WVCC Radio that he wanted to create a personal piece that would appeal to grown folk, both men and women. Being on the other side of the big 40, and having gone through several failed relationships, B-DOPE knows the topic of relationships is something everyone can relate to. We have all been in each one of these situations.
Like the album opener “GAMES PEOPLE PLAY”, produced by COTTO KEYS, which takes us through the familiar scenes of shooting your shot when someone catches your eye and the hard reality that we sometimes find under the attractive packaging. The vintage “FREESTYLE” sample makes the track complete as B DOPE admits he understands this is how we all move, but after being burned a couple of times, it’s not how he chooses to move any longer. We’ve all played these games of “show our best to catch a mate”, only to lose them when we can’t stop playing those same games. Or how about “FRIEND ZONE” prod by Mr.25/8? You know you been there. We all have. Meet someone you vibing with and they lead you on until they hit the breaks and make it clear that you are way more into this than they are. It’s a twisted maze to maneuver, and B-DOPE does so masterfully as he throws a dope twist at the end of Verse 2 that will make all of us victims of the “Friend Zone” feel vindicated.
Track #3, “I DONT DESERVE YOU” Prod by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, is currently my favorite cut on the album. The addictive hook sung by JEREMIAH stays replaying in your mind for hours like a good hook is supposed to. This is the one to dedicate to wifey when she’s tripping and you want to make up, or when you need her to understand Compromise is necessary to make things work. This album is full of different musical vibes, adding further meaning to the title MOOD SWINGS. Take for example the Reggeatonish bop “CAN’T GET YOU OUT OF MY MIND”. I swear all that’s missing from this joint is a Bad Bunny feature. I don’t know how it will be received outside of Florida, but in Miami, this joint feels like Summer and Fine Women. BOB then smooths it out on the MIC SESSIONS produced “THAT FEELING”, where he flips the famous Marvin Gaye sample and tries his hand at that classic L.L.Cool J “Panty Drop Rap”. Play this while you getting down with wifey after a couple of cups of wine and see if she gets that feeling. DOPE spins his tales of relationships gone right and wrong over Freestyle Breaks Like “NUTHIN” also produced by MIC SESSIONS & “TOO LITTLE TOO LATE” programed by former crew mate DJ CRAZE, Rock vibes like “DONT ASK” where he goes back and forth with what sounds like a Duran Duran sample that flips into an excellent topic and complete song.
Not only is BOBBY’s Lyricism and Vulnerability on full display on MOOD SWINGS, but so is his experience in songwriting and beat selection. The way he uses each Voice Sample to paint the theme of the song, the Song and Hook Structures, all points to a master at his craft at work. Take for example the way he sets up and flips the story on its head on “WE NEED TO TALK”, a song about getting that call every man fears, you know, the “My Period is Late” call. I could spoil the shocker at the end, but where’s the fun in that. This is one you got to peep for yourself. The pendulum swings to the extreme opposite of where the album started by the project’s end. As usually is the story in relationships, we start off on the bright side and end up in really dark places. On “DIE DIE DIE” prod by Miami Turntable Legend, Dj Craze, BOB gives voice to the thoughts that go through all of our heads during a breakup, and it ain’t nothing nice. But then again, breakups never are. This album does a great job of encapsulating the emotional peaks and valleys that come with attempting to share your life with another human being. As BOB has experienced for himself and shares with us, it ain’t easy, but it’s a part of life. We are meant to grow wiser, stronger, and more compassionate from the life lessons taught to us by intimate relationships, and to run from these lessons only makes us weaker. It’s an undeniable fact that his latest project, MOOD SWINGS, has made B-DOPES Catalog even stronger.
BOBBY has also included some bonus tracks (MY EULOGY, I NEVER NEEDED, & BETTER WITH TIME) that can only be found at his website www.b-dope.com, so make sure to go right to the source and copp the project with some additional bells and Whistles to support the Artist Directly, get some of that B-DOPE MERCH while your at it. Look out for more heat coming from B-DOPE as he rejoins SIM E for the SCHOOL DAYZE reunion and the 88 ST EP with your boi 8CH2OWENS, produced entirely by the great DJ PROOF. I think he also has a couple of more Solo Projects on the way where he promises to give us that early B-DOPE energy, that caught Beef left and right and took it to the butcher shop on the regular. We also just confirmed that WVCC RADIO x DIRTY 5IVE will be hosting the official B-DOPE BDAY BASH at this months BODY ROCK on Friday Aug 27th. So make sure you get your tickets and get ready to celebrate with a Miami Hip Hop Legend. He has earned the flowers.
