Bobby Valentino Wilson: A promising Artist

By Ardain Isma Jr.                   Special to CSMS MagazineBobby Valentino belongs to a new generation of artists whose mission is to erase the misconception about the South as an unstructured place, not fit for the music industry. Valentino is one of the most promising R&B singers around, according to many experts. He was born on February 27, 1982 in Jackson, Mississippi. While he was still an infant, his parents relocated to Atlanta, Georgia.            While he was growing up, he developed a passion for singing; and his family members and friends at school and at church soon discovered his talent. On weekends, he would sing in the church choir. Bobby would always sing around the house to improve his singing abilities. While he was in high school, he formed a singing group called Mista. It was a youth quartet that specialized in Rhythm and Blues.            After their minor break into the mainstream, Bobby felt dissatisfied with the group’s progress and left. Shortly thereafter, the group disbanded completely. Bobby felt education was important. So he went on to finish high school. Soon after he graduated from high school, he was enrolled into Clark Atlanta University. It was there that he majored in mass communications. He would later graduate in 2004 with a Bachelor’s degree in Art.            That same year, he was discovered by Grammy award-winning rapper and Oscar winning actor Christopher “Ludacris’’ Bridges, who himself attended Clark University and graduated with a degree in Music Management. Ludacris signed Bobby to his Disturbing The Peace record label, which is a subsidiary to the Island Def Jam music group label. The following year Bobby released his chart topping self-titled debut album. The album spawned top ten hits such as Slow Down and Tell Me Remix featuring Dwayne “lil Wayne” Carter. The album debuted # 3 on the billboard hot 200 charts and # 1 on the R&B and Hip Hop charts.            The album would soon be certified gold by the R.I.A. Later that summer, he joined other R&B and rap groups, including Bow Wow, Omarion, and a rap singing group called Pretty Ricky on the scream 4 tour. Bobby is currently in the studio working on his August sophomore release. The album will be titled Special Occasion.            The first single from his album is called Wreck and can be heard and found on his very own Myspace web page. It can also be downloaded online on the downloading service LimeWire. A lot of new good things are happening to Bobby Valentino, but on the path he is going, it is fair to say that he is well on his way to being an R&B legend most defiantly.Ardain Isma Jr. is sophomore at South Plantation High.