Sneak Peek: Bobby Valentino

Section: Talent

Lasette Canady

VIBE gets in on Bobby's "Special Occasion."

Set to release his sophomore album Special Occasion, due out May 8 on DTP/DEF JAM, Bobby V. invited Vibe.com down to Sony Studios to get a first listen. Highlights:

"Rearview (Ridin')" feat. Ludacris (Possible next single)
[In this song Valentino talks about running from a female - if he looks back, he might end up getting into a relationship with her. With Luda on the track... need we say more?]
"Let Him Go" feat. Fabolous
[Valentino bragged that the verse "New York's finest" spit was one of his best. Even after one listen, it's safe to say Fabo really Let IT Go on this one.]
"Soon as I Get Home"
[Valentino decided to do his first cover, and the honor goes to (drum roll please): Babyface! Valentino told VIBE: "I think the Babyface song is an extra-hot song, one that my generation doesn't know about. I wanted to put my generation up on some of that good R&B music that our parents grew up on. A lot of them is going to think that that's an original Bobby Valentino song, but really it's a Babyface song and it's a song that women want to hear. It's a song that women want their man to do. Bobby Valentino, I can do that."]

Special Occasion also includes: "Anonymous" (feat. Timbaland), "Checking for Me," "How 'Bout It," "Turn the Page," "Home is Where You Belong," "Can't Wait 'til Later," "Over & Over" and "Right There."

The album consisted of a good number of up/midtempo tracks - and, of course, it wouldn't be a Bobby V. album without the classic R&B ballads. It starts off with club bangers, such as "Anonymous," and progresses to slower tracks with a sort of "Turn the Page" feel. B.V. explains, "At the beginning of the album, it definitely starts off fast and then it kinda slows down, because it's kind of like going to the club. The club, you going to be partying and then after the club you're going to kind of unwind and let your hat down. As the night goes on, you're going to end up extra slow, cause you going to do whatever you do; whether it's going to sleep, spending it with that special somebody, or anything. That's how the album kind of flows. I did it like that for a reason.

"Real R&B comes from the soul," continued Valentino. "If you could hear somebody singing from the soul, to me, that's real R&B. If you listen to my music you can hear me really singing from the soul. I just want to be one of the people, one of the new R&B singers to bring R&B back to where it should be."