147-629: Bobby Ray Simmons Jr. (born November 15, 1988), known professionally as B.o.B , is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. Raised in Decatur, Georgia , Simmons signed with producer Jim Jonsin through his Rebel Rock Entertainment label in 2006. Two years later, he signed a joint venture recording contract with fellow Georgia rapper T.I. 's Grand Hustle Records , an imprint of Atlantic Records . Following his major-label deal, Simmons quickly achieved commercial success when his 2009 debut single, " Nothin' on You " (featuring Bruno Mars ), peaked
294-538: A famine , at a time when three million people in the country were suffering from hunger . Conspiracy theories are a significant obstacle to improvements in public health , encouraging opposition to such public health measures as vaccination and water fluoridation . They have been linked to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases . Other effects of conspiracy theories include reduced trust in scientific evidence , radicalization and ideological reinforcement of extremist groups, and negative consequences for
441-610: A negative connotation , implying that the appeal of a conspiracy theory is based in prejudice, emotional conviction, or insufficient evidence. A conspiracy theory is distinct from a conspiracy ; it refers to a hypothesized conspiracy with specific characteristics, including but not limited to opposition to the mainstream consensus among those who are qualified to evaluate its accuracy, such as scientists or historians . Conspiracy theories tend to be internally consistent and correlate with each other; they are generally designed to resist falsification either by evidence against them or
588-489: A scientific theory can be disproven by a single perceived deficiency, even though such events are extremely rare. In addition, both disregarding the claims and attempting to address them will be interpreted as proof of a conspiracy. Other conspiracist arguments may not be scientific; for example, in response to the IPCC Second Assessment Report in 1996, much of the opposition centered on promoting
735-413: A "crippled epistemology", in which a person encounters or accepts very few relevant sources of information. A conspiracy theory is more likely to appear justified to people with a limited "informational environment" who only encounter misleading information. These people may be " epistemologically isolated" in self-enclosed networks . From the perspective of people within these networks, disconnected from
882-422: A "shallow" theorist observes an event and asks Cui bono ? ("Who benefits?"), jumping to the conclusion that a posited beneficiary is responsible for covertly influencing events. On the other hand, the "deep" conspiracy theorist begins with a hunch and then seeks out evidence. Rothbard describes this latter activity as a matter of confirming with certain facts one's initial paranoia. Belief in conspiracy theories
1029-432: A "theory", but over time, "conspiracy" and "theory" have become decoupled, as modern conspiracism is often without any kind of theory behind it. Jesse Walker (2013) has identified five kinds of conspiracy theories: Michael Barkun has identified three classifications of conspiracy theory: Murray Rothbard argues in favor of a model that contrasts "deep" conspiracy theories to "shallow" ones. According to Rothbard,
1176-522: A 2009 interview, when asked about his music B.o.B said: "I try to be more personal than try to be different". In a review for his debut album The Adventures of Bobby Ray (2010), HipHopDX wrote: "The versatility that B.o.B encapsulates is evident from the outset of the album." B.o.B sings, raps, plays the piano and the guitar, all throughout his debut. He utilizes pop music , political hip hop , trap music , rock music , and club music , often dividing himself into two personas that handle specific genres;
1323-399: A black-and-white world in which good is struggling against evil. The general public is cast as the victim of organised persecution, and the motives of the alleged conspirators often verge on pure maniacal evil. At the very least, the conspirators are said to have an almost inhuman disregard for the basic liberty and well-being of the general population. More grandiose conspiracy theories portray
1470-516: A collaborative album titled The Man & The Martian . On December 22, 2011, B.o.B released a snippet of " Play the Guitar ", a promotional single, featuring André 3000 and a sample of " Fancy " as performed by Drake , T.I. and Swizz Beatz . "Play the Guitar" was later released to digital retailers on December 27, 2011. On February 14, 2012, B.o.B released a trailer for the second official single, " So Good ". The song, produced by Ryan Tedder ,
1617-514: A consequence, the conspiracy becomes a matter of faith rather than something that can be proven or disproven. Studies have linked belief in conspiracy theories to distrust of authority and political cynicism . Some researchers suggest that conspiracist ideation —belief in conspiracy theories—may be psychologically harmful or pathological. Such belief is correlated with psychological projection , paranoia , and Machiavellianism . Psychologists usually attribute belief in conspiracy theories to
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#17327978579541764-475: A creative outlet. B.o.B later reflected on his experience, saying, "They've always supported me. They got my first keyboard to make beats on and they helped me out getting equipment here and there. But it was kind of hard for them to really understand what I was really trying to accomplish." B.o.B attended Columbia High School in Decatur, Georgia, where he played the trumpet in the school band , until he landed
1911-501: A generalized dismissal. Conspiracy theory rhetoric exploits several important cognitive biases , including proportionality bias , attribution bias , and confirmation bias . Their arguments often take the form of asking reasonable questions, but without providing an answer based on strong evidence. Conspiracy theories are most successful when proponents can gather followers from the general public, such as in politics, religion and journalism. These proponents may not necessarily believe
2058-479: A label called HamSquad and I'm looking for artists to be the flagship artists for the label. So I'm really excited about that." In the same interview he announced Underground Luxury , would be released in December. B.o.B called his third album a "Career Shifting Project", adding that the album will revolve around how his life has changed since achieving "major success". On October 15, 2013, the music video for "Ready"
2205-402: A lack of evidence for them. They are reinforced by circular reasoning : both evidence against the conspiracy and absence of evidence for it are misinterpreted as evidence of its truth. Stephan Lewandowsky observes "This interpretation relies on the notion that, the stronger the evidence against a conspiracy, the more the conspirators must want people to believe their version of events." As
2352-484: A local and national reputation as a progressive city with a high level of citizen involvement. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 4.2 square miles (11 square kilometers), all land. Decatur is bordered by Avondale Estates to the southeast and Atlanta to the southwest, and unincorporated DeKalb County elsewhere. The Eastern Continental Divide bisects
2499-465: A middle school, and a high school. Decatur High School is the district's sole high school. The Decatur City district has 224 full-time teachers and over 4,400 students from pre-K through grade 12. The DeKalb County School District serves unincorporated DeKalb County. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta operates St. Thomas More School in Decatur; it opened on September 1, 1950. At first it only had elementary grades and its initial enrollment
2646-440: A mixtape titled WATER . On January 2, 2016, B.o.B said "I haven't forgotten about the rock album.. when the time is right." On January 18, 2016, B.o.B released his second mixtape in as many months. The mixtape, titled FIRE , follows the concept of his previous one, adopting the title of an element and the use of acronyms. On April 22, 2016, in celebration of Earth Day , B.o.B released a mixtape titled EARTH , which includes
2793-404: A mixtape titled E.P.I.C. (Every Play Is Crucial) prior to the album's release. The mixtape was released on November 28, 2011, featuring guest appearances from Eminem , Mos Def , Roscoe Dash , Meek Mill , and Bun B amongst others and included production from Ryan Tedder to Lil C and Jim Jonsin . While on set for the "Strange Clouds" music video, MTV interviewed B.o.B and confronted him of
2940-493: A month later led to B.o.B's signing with Atlantic Records and subsidiary imprint Rebel Rock, run by Florida-based producer Jim Jonsin . His first single for Atlantic, 2007's "Haterz Everywhere", reached the top five of Billboard's Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop singles chart . Along with his solo production career, B.o.B is part of the production/rap group HamSquad, along with Playboy Tre, DJ Swatts, DJ Smooth, Moss B, B-Rich and TJ Chapman. B.o.B first began to gain recognition at
3087-480: A number of psychopathological conditions such as paranoia , schizotypy , narcissism , and insecure attachment , or to a form of cognitive bias called " illusory pattern perception ". It has also been linked with the so-called Dark triad personality types, whose common feature is lack of empathy . However, a 2020 review article found that most cognitive scientists view conspiracy theorizing as typically nonpathological, given that unfounded belief in conspiracy
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#17327978579543234-426: A one-year term. The mayor is not a separate elected office. The current mayor is Patti Garrett. Previous mayors have included Leslie Jasper Steele (1915), Jack Hamilton, Walter Drake, Mike Mears, Ann A. Crichton, Elizabeth Wilson, William Floyd, Jim Baskett and Scott Candler, Sr. (known as Mr. DeKalb). The Commission appoints a professional City Manager to carry out the policies, directives and day-to-day business of
3381-458: A procedural objection to the report's creation. Specifically, it was claimed that part of the procedure reflected a conspiracy to silence dissenters, which served as motivation for opponents of the report and successfully redirected a significant amount of the public discussion away from the science. Historically, conspiracy theories have been closely linked to prejudice , witch hunts , wars , and genocides . They are often strongly believed by
3528-546: A record deal and decided to drop out of school in the ninth grade. In 2002, after meeting his mentor and co-manager B-Rich at the age of 14, B.o.B sold his first beat to former Slip-n-Slide recording artist Citti, for the song "I'm the Cookie Man". B.o.B felt he had established a substantial career. "I went and blew all of my money on fast stuff like a chain and ballin' . Soon I was broke again, but I learned two important things from it; make sure I save my money and that I
3675-404: A reduction in conspiracy beliefs. Other possible strategies to mitigate the effect of conspiracy theories include education, media literacy, and increasing governmental openness and transparency. Due to the relationship between conspiracy theories and political extremism, the academic literature on deradicalization is also important. One approach describes conspiracy theories as resulting from
3822-488: A result of a conspiracy between interested parties; spec. a belief that some covert but influential agency (typically political in motivation and oppressive in intent) is responsible for an unexplained event". It cites a 1909 article in The American Historical Review as the earliest usage example, although it also appeared in print for several decades before. The earliest known usage was by
3969-571: A rumor that he and T.I. are working on a collaborative album, B.o.B responded: "The joint album, it actually started as a joke. Tip would always refer to me as 'the Martian', and in one of his lyrics, he said, 'It's the man and the Martian,' and we said, 'Man that could be an album title.' We kinda just played around with it. But it seems to be taking form in a very organic way." On December 1, 2011, B.o.B appeared on New York City's Hot 97 radio station and confirmed that he and T.I. are indeed working on
4116-475: A song titled " Not For Long ", featuring Trey Songz , as a single via digital distribution. On October 7, 2014, an up-and-coming singer named Tora Woloshin, announced she signed to No Genre. On October 24, 2014, B.o.B released a song titled "Fleek", the song was credited to B.o.B's new label imprint, No Genre. The song features No Genre's newly signed artists, Lin-Z and London Jae. On November 28, 2014, B.o.B released New Black , his eleventh solo mixtape. The project
4263-648: A stigmatized mode of thought that separates them from the masses who believe the official account. Michael Barkun describes a conspiracy theory as a "template imposed upon the world to give the appearance of order to events". Real conspiracies, even very simple ones, are difficult to conceal and routinely experience unexpected problems. In contrast, conspiracy theories suggest that conspiracies are unrealistically successful and that groups of conspirators, such as bureaucracies , can act with near-perfect competence and secrecy. The causes of events or situations are simplified to exclude complex or interacting factors, as well as
4410-417: A study conducted in 2016 found that 10% of Americans think the chemtrail conspiracy theory is "completely true" and 20–30% think it is "somewhat true". This puts "the equivalent of 120 million Americans in the 'chemtrails are real' camp". Belief in conspiracy theories has therefore become a topic of interest for sociologists, psychologists and experts in folklore . Conspiracy theories are widely present on
4557-430: A time. Our dash was made to distract attention while Hardee made the real attack on the enemy's flank. We captured over a hundred prisoners and killed and wounded about one hundred and fifty. Our loss about seventy killed and wounded. In the second half of the twentieth century the metropolitan area of Atlanta expanded into unincorporated DeKalb County , eventually surrounding two sides of the town of Decatur. Concurrently,
B.o.B - Misplaced Pages Continue
4704-564: Is B.o.B (2008) Who the F#*k is B.o.B? (2008) and two extended plays ; Eastside (2007), 12th Dimension (2008). In 2008, it was announced B.o.B was included in XXL 's 2009 annual Freshman Class, and was featured on the cover alongside fellow up-and-coming rappers Asher Roth , Wale , Kid Cudi , Charles Hamilton , Cory Gunz , Blu , Mickey Factz , Ace Hood and Curren$ y . In February 2009, B.o.B crafted an original song, titled "Auto-Tune", for
4851-451: Is a cohesive concept album , compiled of politically charged songs, including " Generation Lost ", as the third track. On February 24, 2015, B.o.B appeared on Tech N9ne 's " Hood Go Crazy ", alongside 2 Chainz , which received moderate success. Later that year, B.o.B spoke about the possibility of a collaborative mixtape with Tech N9ne. On August 14, 2015, B.o.B released an experimental project titled Psycadelik Thoughtz , stating that it
4998-452: Is a lot more effortless than anything because I've really shown the full spectrum of what I can do musically, so now I'm just having fun with it. I'm 24 years old, so I'm partying." In March, B.o.B teamed up with fellow Atlanta rapper Big Boi of OutKast to release the official theme song for the 2013 video game Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel ; if pre-ordered the rappers were also playable characters. The song, titled " Double or Nothing ",
5145-422: Is associated with biases in reasoning, such as the conjunction fallacy . Clare Birchall at King's College London describes conspiracy theory as a "form of popular knowledge or interpretation". The use of the word 'knowledge' here suggests ways in which conspiracy theory may be considered in relation to legitimate modes of knowing. The relationship between legitimate and illegitimate knowledge, Birchall claims,
5292-404: Is basically a continuation of The Adventures of Bobby Ray and Strange Clouds . I feel like it kinda bridges the gap between where all my fans are and finally getting everybody up to speed on what my sound is and exactly where I'm going." While filming the video for " Memories Back Then ", in an interview with Rap-Up , B.o.B spoke on a series of projects including his third album, a rock EP, and
5439-515: Is closer than common dismissals of conspiracy theory contend. Theories involving multiple conspirators that are proven to be correct, such as the Watergate scandal , are usually referred to as investigative journalism or historical analysis rather than conspiracy theory. Bjerg (2016) writes: "the way we normally use the term conspiracy theory excludes instances where the theory has been generally accepted as true. The Watergate scandal serves as
5586-418: Is common across both historical and contemporary cultures, and may arise from innate human tendencies towards gossip, group cohesion, and religion. One historical review of conspiracy theories concluded that "Evidence suggests that the aversive feelings that people experience when in crisis—fear, uncertainty, and the feeling of being out of control—stimulate a motivation to make sense of the situation, increasing
5733-459: Is correlated with antigovernmental orientations and a low sense of political efficacy, with conspiracy believers perceiving a governmental threat to individual rights and displaying a deep skepticism that who one votes for really matters. Conspiracy theories are often commonly believed, some even being held by the majority of the population. A broad cross-section of Americans today gives credence to at least some conspiracy theories. For instance,
5880-474: Is generally based not on evidence, but in the faith of the believer. Noam Chomsky contrasts conspiracy theory to institutional analysis which focuses mostly on the public, long-term behavior of publicly known institutions, as recorded in, for example, scholarly documents or mainstream media reports. Conspiracy theory conversely posits the existence of secretive coalitions of individuals and speculates on their alleged activities. Belief in conspiracy theories
6027-401: Is generally of low quality. For example, conspiracy theories are often dependent on eyewitness testimony , despite its unreliability, while disregarding objective analyses of the evidence. Conspiracy theories are not able to be falsified and are reinforced by fallacious arguments . In particular, the logical fallacy circular reasoning is used by conspiracy theorists: both evidence against
B.o.B - Misplaced Pages Continue
6174-468: Is in / And stab Bruno Mars in his goddamn esophagus / And won't stop until the cops come in . In response, on March 25, B.o.B released "No Future" a song in which he takes aim at the hip hop collective and their leader. In June 2011, it was announced that B.o.B was featured and produced a song on Tech N9ne 's twelfth studio album, All 6's and 7's . The track, titled " Am I a Psycho? " features rapper Hopsin as well, who also seems to have issues with Tyler,
6321-633: Is known for its food scene and was named one of the South's "Tastiest Towns" in 2012. In 2016, the New York Times called it "Atlanta's gastronomic equivalent of Berkeley or Brooklyn". Decatur's downtown area and residential neighborhoods are filled with historic structures and sites of interest. This list primarily consists of structures on the National Register of Historic Places , but many remain privately owned and may only be viewed from
6468-836: Is much more difficult to convince people who already believe in conspiracy theories. Conspiracist belief systems are not based on external evidence, but instead use circular logic where every belief is supported by other conspiracist beliefs. In addition, conspiracy theories have a "self-sealing" nature, in which the types of arguments used to support them make them resistant to questioning from others. Characteristics of successful strategies for reaching conspiracy theorists have been divided into several broad categories: 1) Arguments can be presented by "trusted messengers", such as people who were formerly members of an extremist group. 2) Since conspiracy theorists think of themselves as people who value critical thinking, this can be affirmed and then redirected to encourage being more critical when analyzing
6615-489: Is not simply a conspiracy , which refers to any covert plan involving two or more people. In contrast, the term "conspiracy theory" refers to hypothesized conspiracies that have specific characteristics. For example, conspiracist beliefs invariably oppose the mainstream consensus among those people who are qualified to evaluate their accuracy, such as scientists or historians . Conspiracy theorists see themselves as having privileged access to socially persecuted knowledge or
6762-469: Is to challenge any action or statement from authorities, using even the most tenuous justifications. Responses are then assessed using a double standard, where failing to provide an immediate response to the satisfaction of the conspiracy theorist will be claimed to prove a conspiracy. Any minor errors in the response are heavily emphasized, while deficiencies in the arguments of other proponents are generally excused. In science, conspiracists may suggest that
6909-485: The 2010 MTV VMA's on September 12, 2010. He performed parts of both his singles, "Nothin' on You" with Bruno Mars and "Airplanes" with Hayley Williams. B.o.B released his seventh mixtape, titled No Genre , on December 7, 2010. B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray was certified 2× platinum by the RIAA on August 2, 2016. Jessie J released a single featuring B.o.B, titled " Price Tag ", on January 30, 2011. The song
7056-714: The American Civil War , Decatur became a strategic site in Sherman 's Atlanta Campaign . In July 1864, Major-General James McPherson occupied the town to cut off the Confederates ' supply line from Augusta . On July 22, during the Battle of Atlanta , Confederate cavalry under Major-General Joseph Wheeler attacked McPherson's supply wagons and the Union troops left to defend the wagons. A historical marker at
7203-504: The Atlanta metropolitan area . With a population of 24,928 in the 2020 census , the municipality is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple ZIP Codes in unincorporated DeKalb County bear Decatur as the address. The city is served by three MARTA rail stations ( Decatur , East Lake , and Avondale ). The city is located approximately five miles (eight kilometers) northeast of Downtown Atlanta and shares its western border with both
7350-567: The Billboard Hot 100. B.o.B later revealed in an early September interview, that the album would be released in December 2013. On September 10, 2013, the second single from Underground Luxury , titled " Ready ", was released to iTunes. The song, produced by Noel "Detail" Fisher ", features fellow Atlanta-based rapper Future . In September 2013, B.o.B revealed he has plan to launch his own record label imprint. During an interview, he stated "I'm putting my CEO pants on, man. I'm finna start
7497-677: The Chattahoochee River at Utoy Creek, and the Shallowford, which follows today's Clairmont Road, and eventually crossed near Roswell . A site for the DeKalb County courthouse was designated in 1822 in what would become downtown Decatur; the city of Decatur was incorporated on December 10, 1823. It was named for United States Navy Commodore Stephen Decatur . The first settler in the area were farmers or skilled tradesmen of English, Scottish and Irish descent. During
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#17327978579547644-649: The Comedy Central late-night talk show The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore where he addressed the rapper: "It's a fundamental fact of calculus and non-Euclidean geometry: Small sections of large curved surfaces will always look flat to little creatures that crawl upon it ... And by the way, this is called gravity" Tyson said, dropping his mic . B.o.B accepted membership in The Flat Earth Society in 2016. In September 2017, B.o.B sought $ 200,000 in donations to launch his own satellites to verify
7791-580: The Rothschild family , which may have led to effects on discussions about China's currency policy . Conspiracy theories once limited to fringe audiences have become commonplace in mass media , contributing to conspiracism emerging as a cultural phenomenon in the United States of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The general predisposition to believe conspiracy theories cuts across partisan and ideological lines. Conspiratorial thinking
7938-553: The Soviet Union , and Turkey . AIDS denialism by the government of South Africa , motivated by conspiracy theories, caused an estimated 330,000 deaths from AIDS. QAnon and denialism about the 2020 United States presidential election results led to the January 6 United States Capitol attack , and belief in conspiracy theories about genetically modified foods led the government of Zambia to reject food aid during
8085-569: The Teach the Controversy campaign to promote intelligent design , which often claims that there is a conspiracy of scientists suppressing their views. If they successfully find a platform to present their views in a debate format, they focus on using rhetorical ad hominems and attacking perceived flaws in the mainstream account, while avoiding any discussion of the shortcomings in their own position. The typical approach of conspiracy theories
8232-588: The UK Singles Chart and at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100. Simmons' dubstep -influenced 2011 single, " Strange Clouds " (featuring Lil Wayne ), became his fourth top-ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100. It served as lead single for his second studio album of the same name (2012), which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and spawned the follow-up singles " So Good " and " Both of Us " (featuring Taylor Swift ), both of which peaked within
8379-689: The University of Tübingen . Butter wrote in 2020 that the CIA document Concerning Criticism of the Warren Report , which proponents of the theory use as evidence of CIA motive and intention, does not contain the phrase "conspiracy theory" in the singular, and only uses the term "conspiracy theories" once, in the sentence: "Conspiracy theories have frequently thrown suspicion on our organisation [ sic ], for example, by falsely alleging that Lee Harvey Oswald worked for us." A conspiracy theory
8526-514: The Web in the form of blogs and YouTube videos, as well as on social media . Whether the Web has increased the prevalence of conspiracy theories or not is an open research question. The presence and representation of conspiracy theories in search engine results has been monitored and studied, showing significant variation across different topics, and a general absence of reputable, high-quality links in
8673-411: The antisemitic conspiracy theories found among political extremists on both the far right and far left . More generally, belief in conspiracy theories is associated with holding extreme and uncompromising viewpoints, and may help people in maintaining those viewpoints. While conspiracy theories are not always present in extremist groups, and do not always lead to violence when they are, they can make
8820-412: The conscious hip hop themes of his Elements mixtapes, and was met with positive reviews from music critics. On July 5, 2018, B.o.B released his sixth studio album, Naga , receiving no success. Though he stated at the time that it would be his last, a follow-up mixtape, Southmatic , was released the following year. In 2020 and 2021, he released two further projects, his sixth studio album Somnia and
8967-745: The economy . Conspiracy theories once limited to fringe audiences have become commonplace in mass media , the Internet , and social media , emerging as a cultural phenomenon of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. They are widespread around the world and are often commonly believed, some even held by the majority of the population. Interventions to reduce the occurrence of conspiracy beliefs include maintaining an open society , encouraging people to use analytical thinking , and reducing feelings of uncertainty, anxiety, or powerlessness. The Oxford English Dictionary defines conspiracy theory as "the theory that an event or phenomenon occurs as
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#17327978579549114-667: The American author Charles Astor Bristed , in a letter to the editor published in The New York Times on January 11, 1863. He used it to refer to claims that British aristocrats were intentionally weakening the United States during the American Civil War in order to advance their financial interests. England has had quite enough to do in Europe and Asia, without going out of her way to meddle with America. It
9261-578: The B.o.B alter ego is responsible for the pop, trap and club music, while Bobby Ray is the more heartfelt multi-instrumentalist who shares his views through conscious rap and rock music. Simmons heavily explored this concept on his 2009 mixtape B.o.B vs. Bobby Ray , and later on the 2012 single " Where Are You (B.o.B vs. Bobby Ray) ". B.o.B is an outspoken conspiracy theorist and is noted for his anti-establishment views, which he has expressed in interviews, social media and his music. He has also been vocal on several social and political issues, including
9408-666: The BET hit sitcom, The Game , Hosea Chanchez . He will be appearing in a graphic novel for A.K.O.O titled Hide in Plain Sight – Saving the World From Fashion Conspiracy . On August 27, 2011, a video appeared on YouTube of B.o.B performing at Colorado State University, where he previewed a song titled " Strange Clouds " and announced it features Lil Wayne . In an interview with Syracuse University 's The Daily Orange , B.o.B spoke of his second studio album for
9555-620: The City of Decatur establishes the City Commission as the governing and legislative authority of the City government. A five-member City Commission is elected for four-year terms on two-year cycles. Two members are elected from the south side of the city, two from the north side and one is elected at-large. At their organizational meeting each January, the Commissioners elect a mayor and mayor-pro-tem from among their own membership for
9702-677: The Creator. B.o.B also appeared on the official remix to Kesha 's hit single " Blow ". The remix was released to iTunes on May 17, 2011. In the summer of 2011, B.o.B was announced the new face of T.I. 's clothing line AKOO . He will be featured in AKOO Clothing's upcoming fall 2011 national advertising campaign alongside Curtis Granderson of the New York Yankees , Carl Crawford of the Boston Red Sox , and star of
9849-749: The Decatur Book Festival, the Decatur Maker's Faire, The Decatur Craft Beer Festival and the Decatur Wine Festival. Other events throughout the year include parades, Concerts on the Square, wine crawls, art walks, runs, and races. Public art in Decatur includes Celebration (artist Gary Price), Valentine (artist George Lundeen), Thomas Jefferson (George Lundeen), Commodore Stephen Decatur (artist unknown), Roy A. Blount Plaza, and Living Walls Murals (various artists). Decatur
9996-586: The Decatur Post Office. Decatur has a thriving art and festival scene. The Decatur Arts Alliance hosts the Decatur Arts Festival each May, in addition to installing public art around the city, providing gallery space for local artists, producing YEA!, which is an event for young emerging artists, and supporting arts and arts education throughout the City. Decatur holds the annual AJC Decatur Book Festival, which claims to be one of
10143-479: The Earth is round, but the rapper refused to retract his views and accused NASA of avoiding questions, while releasing a diss track against Tyson. The track, titled " Flatline ", expands on B.o.B's views about the shape of the Earth. Tyson and his rapper nephew, Stephen, responded to B.o.B's flat Earth diss with their own diss track titled "Flat to Fact". Tyson followed this with a January 2016 television appearance on
10290-488: The East Side Boyz , Crime Mob , Bone Crusher . All of them played a huge role in creating the sound that I had. When you are in Atlanta you see everything, but I still ventured off into other areas. I was a huge Eminem fan. A DMX fan. [A] Dr. Dre [fan]. I think that's why I have a universal appreciation for such music." Simmons' 2015 album Psycadelik Thoughtz , was influenced by " '70s rock and funk ". In
10437-467: The English Press and public, which is most readily accounted for on the conspiracy theory . The term is also used as a way to discredit dissenting analyses. Robert Blaskiewicz comments that examples of the term were used as early as the nineteenth century and states that its usage has always been derogatory. According to a study by Andrew McKenzie-McHarg, in contrast, in the nineteenth century
10584-460: The Hustle Gang compilation. Rap-Up TV caught up with Bobby Ray, where he stated his rock EP is in the works and will reflect his diverse influences: "When I drop it, everyone's gonna have an eargasm. It's really how I fell in love with rock music, from indie to alternative to classic rock to even some forms of country music." He spoke of his third album, which is nearing completion: "This project
10731-657: The Official Paramore Fan Club that B.o.B would be the main support for Paramore's November UK Tour. B.o.B also opened for Eminem and Jay-Z 's The Home & Home Tour at Comerica Park . B.o.B also did a MTV Unplugged session. He performed songs off his debut album, as well as a cover of " Kids " by MGMT , with guests Robin Thicke , Melanie Fiona , and Janelle Monáe . B.o.B also made an appearance in Lollapalooza 2010. B.o.B made an appearance at
10878-761: The Reebok Classic Remix collection, at Foot Locker stores nationwide. During the summer of 2009, B.o.B joined fellow up-and-coming rappers Kid Cudi and Asher Roth for 'The Great Hangover' concert tour . B.o.B was to open Blue October 's Pick Up the Phone tour in October–November 2009, but the tour was cancelled after Justin Furstenfeld was hospitalized following a severe mental anxiety attack. On January 13, 2010, B.o.B announced his debut studio album, tentatively titled The Adventures of Bobby Ray ,
11025-425: The U.S. Billboard 200 , with 76,000 copies sold the first week. " Both of Us " serves as the album's third single and was sent to Top 40 Mainstream radio on May 22, 2012. The song features American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift . It debuted on Australia Top 50 singles chart at number 46. The song sold 143,000 copies first week, along with the album release, debuting at number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became
11172-530: The U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and received three nominations— Record of the Year , Best Rap Song , and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration —at the 53rd Grammy Awards . His 2010 follow-up singles, " Airplanes " (featuring Hayley Williams of Paramore ) and " Magic " (featuring Rivers Cuomo ), peaked at numbers two and ten on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. All three preceded the release of Simmons' debut studio album The Adventures of Bobby Ray (2010), which
11319-482: The Western world, with conspirators often alleged to enact their plans via sorcery or witchcraft; one common belief identifies modern technology as itself being a form of sorcery, created with the goal of harming or controlling the people. In China , one widely published conspiracy theory claims that a number of events including the rise of Hitler , the 1997 Asian financial crisis , and climate change were planned by
11466-666: The album dropped to number 30, selling 19,000 more copies in the United States. In its third week the album sold 9,000 more copies. In its fourth week the album sold 6,600 more copies in the United States. On June 9, 2014, in an interview with Bootleg Kev, B.o.B announced his new record label imprint, No Genre , named after his 2010 mixtape. On July 9, 2014, B.o.B released No Genre 2 , the sequel to his seventh mixtape. No Genre 2 features guest appearances from Kevin Gates , Victoria Monet , Mike Fresh, Ty Dolla Sign , Sevyn Streeter , Mila J , T.I. and more. On October 14, 2014, B.o.B released
11613-435: The area experienced white flight , as many residents fled to more distant suburbs. The 1960s and 1970s witnessed dramatic drops in property values. However, more recently the city has regained economic vigor, partially thanks to several long-term downtown development plans that have come to fruition, making Decatur a trendy small mixed-use district with easy transit to downtown Atlanta. Over the past twenty years, it has gained
11760-403: The chorus is unconfirmed. The full song later appeared on his eighth mixtape E.P.I.C. (Every Play Is Crucial) , showing the song was produced by Mike Caren. In early 2011, Odd Future 's Tyler, the Creator released a song titled " Yonkers ". In the song Tyler raps (What you think of Hayley Williams?) Fuck her, Wolf Haley robbing 'em / I'll crash that fucking airplane that that faggot nigga B.o.B
11907-483: The city along the CSX (formerly Georgia Railroad ) trackage right of way. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 24,928 people, 8,841 households, and 5,597 families residing in the city. City Schools of Decatur , which serves only students within the city limits, holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of a pre-K early childhood learning center, five lower elementary schools, two upper elementary schools,
12054-535: The city of Atlanta (the Kirkwood and Lake Claire neighborhoods) and unincorporated DeKalb County. The Druid Hills neighborhood is to the northwest of Decatur. Prior to European settlement, the Decatur area was largely forested (a remnant of old-growth forest near Decatur is preserved as Fernbank Forest ). Decatur was established at the intersection of two Native American trails: the Sandtown, which led east from
12201-797: The city. The current city manager is Andrea Arnold. There are also several citizen volunteer boards and commissions appointed by the City Commission, including the Planning Commission, the Zoning Board of Appeals, and the Historic Preservation Commission. The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice has its headquarters in Avondale Estates , near Decatur. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has its headquarters near Decatur, in an unincorporated area. The United States Postal Service operates
12348-462: The commercial success of his mixtape May 25 and his single " Nothin' on You ", the release date of his debut album was advanced to April 27, 2010. Three other singles followed: " Don't Let Me Fall " (released April 6, 2010), " Airplanes " (April 13, 2010; featuring Hayley Williams), and " Bet I " (April 20, 2010; featuring T.I. and Playboy Tre). A video for "Bet I" was released on Atlantic Videos on YouTube. B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray
12495-424: The compilation album Lost Tapes . B.o.B has described his influences as " 80's music , techno , rock , funk , even doo-wop ". In a 2012 interview with HipHopDX , when asked "given your age and where you grew up, how have the sounds of Goodie Mob , Outkast , T.I. and other Southern hip hop artists influenced you?", Simmons responded with: "Oh yeah all of them. Outkast, Goodie Mob, Trillville , Lil Jon &
12642-414: The conspiracy and an absence of evidence for it are re-interpreted as evidence of its truth, whereby the conspiracy becomes a matter of faith rather than something that can be proved or disproved. The epistemic strategy of conspiracy theories has been called "cascade logic": each time new evidence becomes available, a conspiracy theory is able to dismiss it by claiming that even more people must be part of
12789-521: The conspiracy theory is false, attempting to discredit the source, explaining how the logic is invalid or misleading, and providing links to fact-checking websites. It can also be effective to use these strategies in advance, informing people that they could encounter misleading information in the future, and why the information should be rejected (also called inoculation or prebunking). While it has been suggested that discussing conspiracy theories can raise their profile and make them seem more legitimate to
12936-562: The conspiracy theory. 3) Approaches demonstrate empathy, and are based on building understanding together, which is supported by modeling open-mindedness in order to encourage the conspiracy theorists to do likewise. 4) The conspiracy theories are not attacked with ridicule or aggressive deconstruction, and interactions are not treated like an argument to be won; this approach can work with the general public, but among conspiracy theorists it may simply be rejected. Interventions that reduce feelings of uncertainty, anxiety, or powerlessness result in
13083-458: The conspiracy theory; instead, they may just use it in an attempt to gain public approval. Conspiratorial claims can act as a successful rhetorical strategy to convince a portion of the public via appeal to emotion . Conspiracy theories typically justify themselves by focusing on gaps or ambiguities in knowledge, and then arguing that the true explanation for this must be a conspiracy . In contrast, any evidence that directly supports their claims
13230-510: The conspirators as being Evil Incarnate: of having caused all the ills from which we suffer, committing abominable acts of unthinkable cruelty on a routine basis, and striving ultimately to subvert or destroy everything we hold dear. A conspiracy theory may take any matter as its subject, but certain subjects attract greater interest than others. Favored subjects include famous deaths and assassinations, morally dubious government activities, suppressed technologies, and " false flag " terrorism. Among
13377-608: The controversial flat earther anthem " Flatline ", in which he espouses multiple conspiracy theories . On November 4, 2016, B.o.B released his first compilation album, Elements , composed of songs from his last four solo mixtapes, WATER , FIRE , EARTH and AIR . The mixtapes contained in it focus on his political and philosophical views. On May 12, 2017, the rapper released his fourth studio album, Ether . The album features guest appearances from artists like Lil Wayne , Young Thug , T.I. , Big K.R.I.T. , Ty Dolla Sign , Usher , CeeLo Green and Young Dro . Ether follows
13524-402: The cover-up. Any information that contradicts the conspiracy theory is suggested to be disinformation by the alleged conspiracy. Similarly, the continued lack of evidence directly supporting conspiracist claims is portrayed as confirming the existence of a conspiracy of silence; the fact that other people have not found or exposed any conspiracy is taken as evidence that those people are part of
13671-448: The effects of workplace rumors, which share some characteristics with conspiracy theories and result in both decreased productivity and increased stress. Subsequent effects on managers include reduced profits, reduced trust from employees, and damage to the company's image. Conspiracy theories can divert attention from important social, political, and scientific issues. In addition, they have been used to discredit scientific evidence to
13818-487: The exterior. Decatur is 'inside the perimeter' ( I-285 ) and north of I-20 . PATH Foundation trails Decatur has three sister cities , as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI): Conspiracy theory A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that asserts the existence of a conspiracy (generally by powerful sinister groups, often political in motivation), when other explanations are more probable. The term generally has
13965-456: The first time. He went on to say "It's a more mature sound but nothing too experimental. It's a happy medium between the sound of B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray and the mixtapes, so everyone should be able to enjoy it. I'd say I'm 90 percent done with it right now, but the album title is still TBA ." On September 23, 2011, B.o.B released a trailer , through his website, for the upcoming single " Strange Clouds ". The trailer announced
14112-710: The general public or in a legal context. Conspiratorial strategies also share characteristics with those used by lawyers who are attempting to discredit expert testimony, such as claiming that the experts have ulterior motives in testifying, or attempting to find someone who will provide statements to imply that expert opinion is more divided than it actually is. It is possible that conspiracy theories may also produce some compensatory benefits to society in certain situations. For example, they may help people identify governmental deceptions, particularly in repressive societies, and encourage government transparency . However, real conspiracies are normally revealed by people working within
14259-709: The government of Zambia to reject food aid during a famine , at a time when 3 million people in the country were suffering from hunger . Conspiracy theories are a significant obstacle to improvements in public health . People who believe in health-related conspiracy theories are less likely to follow medical advice , and more likely to use alternative medicine instead. Conspiratorial anti-vaccination beliefs, such as conspiracy theories about pharmaceutical companies , can result in reduced vaccination rates and have been linked to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases . Health-related conspiracy theories often inspire resistance to water fluoridation , and contributed to
14406-506: The group more extreme, provide an enemy to direct hatred towards, and isolate members from the rest of society. Conspiracy theories are most likely to inspire violence when they call for urgent action, appeal to prejudices, or demonize and scapegoat enemies. Conspiracy theorizing in the workplace can also have economic consequences. For example, it leads to lower job satisfaction and lower commitment, resulting in workers being more likely to leave their jobs. Comparisons have also been made with
14553-480: The impact of the Lancet MMR autism fraud . Conspiracy theories are a fundamental component of a wide range of radicalized and extremist groups, where they may play an important role in reinforcing the ideology and psychology of their members as well as further radicalizing their beliefs. These conspiracy theories often share common themes, even among groups that would otherwise be fundamentally opposed, such as
14700-489: The information available to the rest of society, believing in conspiracy theories may appear to be justified. In these cases, the solution would be to break the group's informational isolation. Public exposure to conspiracy theories can be reduced by interventions that reduce their ability to spread, such as by encouraging people to reflect before sharing a news story. Researchers Carlos Diaz Ruiz and Tomas Nilsson have proposed technical and rhetorical interventions to counter
14847-440: The largest independent book festivals in the United States. It has featured thousands of famous authors, book signings, speeches, and attracted upwards of 85,000 people in 2019. Decatur is home to Eddie's Attic , which is a live music venue hosting shows almost every night. Decatur is known for its frequent festivals, which include the annual Decatur Arts Festival, Summer In The City, Decatur BBQ, Blues & Bluegrass Festival,
14994-402: The likelihood of perceiving conspiracies in social situations." Historically, conspiracy theories have been closely linked to prejudice , propaganda , witch hunts , wars , and genocides . They are often strongly believed by the perpetrators of terrorist attacks , and were used as justification by Timothy McVeigh and Anders Breivik , as well as by governments such as Nazi Germany ,
15141-494: The listening session, including the promotional single " Play the Guitar " which features André 3000 . Other big guest appearances confirmed, as the album was not fully complete, include Lil Wayne, Big K.R.I.T. , Nelly and a song with T.I. titled "Arena". In addition he has worked with OneRepublic on a song and has been quoted as having: "the song of 2012 with a mega feature from somebody who never does features with anyone!". On November 15, 2011, B.o.B said he would be releasing
15288-475: The longest-standing and most widely recognized conspiracy theories are notions concerning the assassination of John F. Kennedy , the 1969 Apollo Moon landings , and the 9/11 terrorist attacks , as well as numerous theories pertaining to alleged plots for world domination by various groups, both real and imaginary. Conspiracy beliefs are widespread around the world. In rural Africa, common targets of conspiracy theorizing include societal elites, enemy tribes, and
15435-413: The old courthouse marks the site of this skirmish. We attacked Decatur on the 22d and took the town driving out a Brigade of Infantry and a good deal of Dismounted Cavalry. Our Brigade really took the town, tho' it was supported on both flanks by a Brigade of Cavalry dismounted. The fight lasted about two hours and was very hot for a while. The Yankees had the hills and houses on us and fought very well for
15582-419: The perpetrators of terrorist attacks, and were used as justification by Timothy McVeigh , Anders Breivik and Brenton Tarrant , as well as by governments such as Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union . AIDS denialism by the government of South Africa , motivated by conspiracy theories, caused an estimated 330,000 deaths from AIDS, while belief in conspiracy theories about genetically modified foods led
15729-485: The platinum-certified singles " Paranoid " by Ty Dolla Sign and " Up Down (Do This All Day) " by T-Pain . Dissatisfied with his lack of promotion from the label, Simmons released his twelfth mixtape, Psycadelik Thoughtz (2015) as his final project for Atlantic. His compilation album, Elements (2016)—released by his own label, No Genre —was compiled from four mixtapes which delved into political subject matter and conspiracy theories . His 2016 single, " Flatline "
15876-512: The plot, rather than considering that it may be because no conspiracy exists. This strategy lets conspiracy theories insulate themselves from neutral analyses of the evidence, and makes them resistant to questioning or correction, which is called "epistemic self-insulation". Conspiracy theorists often take advantage of false balance in the media. They may claim to be presenting a legitimate alternative viewpoint that deserves equal time to argue its case; for example, this strategy has been used by
16023-594: The production coming from B.o.B himself. The mixtape also spawned a single, with the release of the club banger, " We Still in This Bitch ". In early December, B.o.B revealed to MTV plans to release a rock music -influenced extended play : "I've been holding back so much rock for so long. I have been performing with my band for a while, so I guess this is a real good canvas for me to paint on. No one's really expecting anything so I can do what I want to do." He also spoke lightly on his third studio album as well: "My album
16170-532: The public, the discussion can put people on guard instead as long as it is sufficiently persuasive. Other approaches to reduce the appeal of conspiracy theories in general among the public may be based in the emotional and social nature of conspiratorial beliefs. For example, interventions that promote analytical thinking in the general public are likely to be effective. Another approach is to intervene in ways that decrease negative emotions , and specifically to improve feelings of personal hope and empowerment. It
16317-726: The results. One conspiracy theory that propagated through former US President Barack Obama's time in office claimed that he was born in Kenya, instead of Hawaii where he was actually born . Former governor of Arkansas and political opponent of Obama Mike Huckabee made headlines in 2011 when he, among other members of Republican leadership, continued to question Obama's citizenship status. A conspiracy theory can be local or international, focused on single events or covering multiple incidents and entire countries, regions and periods of history. According to Russell Muirhead and Nancy Rosenblum , historically, traditional conspiracism has entailed
16464-567: The rights of African Americans, police brutality and American exceptionalism . He believes that the Earth is flat , Apollo 11 was faked , 9/11 was an inside job , the world will be taken over by the Illuminati and celebrity cloning is administered by the U.S. government . B.o.B's 2016 song "Flatline" alludes to antisemitic conspiracy theories , asking his audience to "Do [their] research" on Holocaust denier David Irving , adding "Stalin
16611-571: The role of chance and unintended consequences. Nearly all observations are explained as having been deliberately planned by the alleged conspirators. In conspiracy theories, the conspirators are usually claimed to be acting with extreme malice. As described by Robert Brotherton: The malevolent intent assumed by most conspiracy theories goes far beyond everyday plots borne out of self-interest, corruption, cruelty, and criminality. The postulated conspirators are not merely people with selfish agendas or differing values. Rather, conspiracy theories postulate
16758-468: The second promotional single from Strange Clouds . " So Hard to Breathe " was released as the third promotional single on April 17, 2012. In an April 2012 interview with HipHopDX , B.o.B announced he would be releasing a rock album. B.o.B appeared on Haley Reinhart 's debut studio album Listen Up! on the intro track "Oh My". Strange Clouds , B.o.B's second studio album, was released May 1, 2012, to critical acclaim. The album debuted at number five on
16905-402: The shape of the Earth. Shortly after seeking the original $ 200,000, B.o.B increased his request to $ 1,000,000 to cover the cost of many tests, seeking drones, weather balloons , and satellites. Studio albums Other commercial projects Decatur, Georgia Decatur ( / d ə ˈ k eɪ t ər / ) is a city and the county seat of DeKalb County , Georgia , United States, part of
17052-517: The single will be officially released October 3. The single leaked prior to the release date on September 25, causing the single to be released on iTunes on September 27. Later that day B.o.B appeared on an online video stream on radio station V103 and announced the title of the album to also be Strange Clouds and was set to be released in early 2012. Bobby Ray held the first listening session for his album Strange Clouds at Tree Sound Studios on October 25, 2011. Seven new songs were previewed during
17199-581: The song "On Top of the World", alongside fellow Atlanta-based rapper Ludacris . In 2008, it was announced he would appear on the cover of XXL magazine, along with Asher Roth , Charles Hamilton and Wale as part of their "Hip-Hop's Class of '09" issue. In October 2008, B.o.B was featured on the cover of Vibe along with some of these same young musicians and was similarly identified as promising young talent. From 2007 to 2008, B.o.B released four mixtapes ; The Future (2007), Cloud 9 (2007), Hi! My Name
17346-436: The standard reference." By contrast, the term "Watergate conspiracy theory" is used to refer to a variety of hypotheses in which those convicted in the conspiracy were in fact the victims of a deeper conspiracy. There are also attempts to analyze the theory of conspiracy theories (conspiracy theory theory) to ensure that the term "conspiracy theory" is used to refer to narratives that have been debunked by experts, rather than as
17493-452: The start of 2007. The underground single, "Haterz Everywhere" featuring Wes Fif, gained the rapper attention by peaking at number 5 on the U.S . Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles . The remix to "Haterz Everywhere" featuring Rich Boy , was included used in the video game Fight Night Round 4 , and a music video was later released for that version. Another single, " I'll Be in the Sky ",
17640-412: The system, such as whistleblowers and journalists , and most of the effort spent by conspiracy theorists is inherently misdirected. The most dangerous conspiracy theories are likely to be those that incite violence, scapegoat disadvantaged groups, or spread misinformation about important societal issues. Strategies to address conspiracy theories have been divided into two categories based on whether
17787-856: The target audience is the conspiracy theorists or the general public. These strategies have been described as reducing either the supply or the demand for conspiracy theories. Both approaches can be used at the same time, although there may be issues of limited resources, or if arguments are used which may appeal to one audience at the expense of the other. People who feel empowered are more resistant to conspiracy theories. Methods to promote empowerment include encouraging people to use analytical thinking , priming people to think of situations where they are in control, and ensuring that decisions by society and government are seen to follow procedural fairness (the use of fair decision-making procedures). Methods of refutation which have shown effectiveness in various circumstances include: providing facts that demonstrate
17934-462: The term conspiracy theory simply "suggests a plausible postulate of a conspiracy" and "did not, at this stage, carry any connotations, either negative or positive", though sometimes a postulate so-labeled was criticized. The author and activist George Monbiot argued that the terms "conspiracy theory" and "conspiracy theorist" are misleading, as conspiracies truly exist and theories are "rational explanations subject to disproof". Instead, he proposed
18081-484: The term entered everyday language in the United States after 1964, the year in which the Warren Commission published its findings on the assassination of John F. Kennedy , with The New York Times running five stories that year using the term. Whether the CIA was responsible for popularising the term "conspiracy theory" was analyzed by Michael Butter, a Professor of American Literary and Cultural History at
18228-601: The terms "conspiracy fiction" and "conspiracy fantasist". The term "conspiracy theory" is itself the subject of a conspiracy theory, which posits that the term was popularized by the CIA in order to discredit conspiratorial believers, particularly critics of the Warren Commission , by making them a target of ridicule. In his 2013 book Conspiracy Theory in America , the political scientist Lance deHaven-Smith wrote that
18375-474: The thirteenth solo male artist to have a debut album arrive at number one in its first week. In July, B.o.B announced he will go on tour, naming it The SHOOTiN for Stars Tour. The dates and times were released on his website on July 13. B.o.B has received nominations for his album, singles, and himself by the BET Awards , Teen Choice Awards , MTV Video Music Awards , and the new Suckerfree Summit. "Airplanes"
18522-452: The title of his third studio album. In May, B.o.B also premiered a music video for a newly released song of his titled "Through My Head". The video was directed by Peruvian film director Ricardo de Montreuil . On May 13, 2013, radio personality Funkmaster Flex premiered " HeadBand " (featuring 2 Chainz ), the lead single from Underground Luxury . The song would be released to retail on May 21, 2013. The song has since peaked at number 65 on
18669-519: The top 20 in the US and received platinum certifications by the RIAA. His third studio album, Underground Luxury (2013), explored darker subject matter and adopted a grittier tone, spawning the club -oriented singles " HeadBand " (featuring 2 Chainz ) and " We Still in This Bitch " (featuring T.I. and Juicy J ); the album was met with a critical and commercial decline. That same year, he guest appeared on
18816-515: The two sides separated soon after B.o.B claimed that the label was "suppressing" him. "There's a ban on BoB," he wrote on Twitter , before diving into his issues with his then-label. "They boycott me, they are afraid I'll get too much exposure," he continued. "My own label doesn't even promote my albums, mixtapes, shows or events... ZERO promo." Since his split with Atlantic, B.o.B ventured off with his label No Genre and partnered up with Empire Distribution . On December 4, 2015, B.o.B self-released
18963-799: The videogame Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned . On May 16, 2009, B.o.B released a cover of Manu Chao 's " Mr. Bobby " and said he wanted to be known mononymously as Bobby Ray while also claiming he was taking his music in a "new direction": "Now I go by the name Bobby Ray. Make sure you put Bobby Ray. I'm really going into a new direction – more free and not trying to live up to any particular genre. I don't feel like I've been doing that. I don't feel like I've been trying to fit in, but I feel even more free-spirited. I have more willingness musically. That's all I'm about. I'm about guitars, chords and keyboards". On June 22, 2009, B.o.B released his fifth mixtape, appropriately titled B.o.B vs. Bobby Ray . The mixtape, reminiscent of T.I.'s T.I. vs. T.I.P. (2007),
19110-426: The week's top debut. On October 9, 2012, B.o.B was featured on the annual BET Hip Hop Awards cypher, alongside his Grand Hustle label-mates Iggy Azalea , T.I. , Chip and Trae tha Truth . On November 15, 2012, B.o.B released his ninth mixtape, entitled Fuck 'Em We Ball . The mixtape features guest appearances from T.I. , Juicy J , Mac Miller , Playboy Tre , Snoop Lion , Spodee and Iggy Azalea , with much of
19257-414: Was "one of the most defining projects" for his artistry. It features guest appearances from singers Jon Bellion and Sevyn Streeter . The commercial mixtape, which was released without any promotion or pre-release singles, debuted at number 97 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. Having released multiple projects with Atlantic, including three extended plays (EPs), three studio albums and a retail mixtape ,
19404-613: Was 150. A dedicated elementary building opened in 1955, and an addition for kindergarten classes with two rooms was placed in 1994. St. Peter Claver Regional School has a Decatur mailing address but is in nearby Candler-McAfee CDP . The DeKalb County Public Library system operates the Decatur Branch and is also the Dekalb County Library Headquarters. Decatur has operated under a Commission-Manager form of government since 1920. The Charter of
19551-402: Was a diss song aimed at astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson , in which he attests credence of modern flat Earth beliefs . His fourth album, Ether (2017), served as his first independent album and narrowly entered the Billboard 200 while receiving critical praise. He has since further expressed anti-establishment views and disavowed the mainstream music industry . Bobby Ray Simmons Jr.
19698-403: Was a physical and moral impossibility that she could be carrying on a gigantic conspiracy against us. But our masses, having only a rough general knowledge of foreign affairs, and not unnaturally somewhat exaggerating the space which we occupy in the world's eye, do not appreciate the complications which rendered such a conspiracy impossible. They only look at the sudden right-about-face movement of
19845-547: Was accompanied with a music video directed and produced by Vice , Noisey and EA . On April 22, 2013, it was announced B.o.B would tour with fellow American rappers Wiz Khalifa , A$ AP Rocky , Trinidad James , Joey Bada$ $ , and Smoke DZA , for the Under the Influence concert tour . The tour would then begin on July 17, 2013. On May 12, 2013, B.o.B tweeted : "Underground Luxury ... coming this summer... #staytuned", revealing
19992-467: Was born on November 15, 1988, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina . He played the trumpet in his school band from elementary school through high school. Although his parents wanted him to continue his education, B.o.B decided in sixth grade that he wanted to pursue a music career. His father, a pastor , disapproved of his son's choices, until he realized B.o.B was using music as a form of therapy and
20139-442: Was expected to be released on May 25, 2010. To promote the album, B.o.B announced a mixtape titled May 25 , in reference to his album's release date. May 25 was released on February 1, 2010, to critical acclaim. The mixtape features guest appearances from J. Cole , Asher Roth , Playboy Tre, Charles Hamilton and Bruno Mars . The latter of whom was featured on the bonus track and B.o.B's debut single, " Nothin' on You ". Due to
20286-610: Was featured in the trailer for the upcoming movie Charlie St. Cloud and his single " Magic " featured him in an advertisement for Adidas ' "Magic" campaign. B.o.B was announced to be a performer at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards on August 18. He was added to the lineup of Eminem , Linkin Park , Kanye West , Drake , Usher , Paramore , Florence and the Machine , and Justin Bieber . On August 14, 2010, Hayley Williams announced via
20433-495: Was hooked on music. He continued performing at open mics and underground venues to perfect his craft. In 2006, because he was underage, B-Rich helped sneak B.o.B into Club Crucial, a night club owned by Atlanta-based rapper T.I. There, B.o.B performed a song titled "Cloud 9", a self-produced, spoken word -like ode to marijuana . In attendance was producer and industry veteran T.J. Chapman, chief executive officer (CEO) of TJ's DJ's. Chapman agreed to co-manage B.o.B, which only
20580-474: Was mainly produced by Fury and B.o.B. The mixtape also included a song produced by Red Spyda , titled "Fly Like Me" and another titled "Put Me On", which is a re-imagining of A Tribe Called Quest 's 1990 hit , " Bonita Applebum ". Reebok used "Put Me On" in celebration of the Reebok Classic Remix collection. The track is available for download exclusively to customers who purchase styles from
20727-713: Was promoted by two extended plays (EPs) and several self-released mixtapes . The album peaked atop the Billboard 200 , received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and saw critical praise for its blending of alternative hip hop , pop rap , and rock . Simmons was named the ninth " Hottest MC in the Game of 2010" by MTV on their annual list. The following year, he guest appeared on English singer Jessie J 's 2011 single " Price Tag ", which peaked atop
20874-545: Was quick to reach number one in the United Kingdom charts selling 84,000 copies in its first week of sales. On March 22, 2011, Electronic Arts released the Launch Trailer for the upcoming first-person-shooter Crysis 2 which featured a song by B.o.B titled "New York New York" containing the main piano chorus from the song " Theme from New York, New York " commonly sung by Frank Sinatra ; the artist who sang
21021-534: Was released in 2008 and it has reached at number 15 on the same charts. About.com called the song a "smart, funky artrap and a strong prelude to his album" and included it at number 13 on its subjective ranking "Top 100 Rap Songs of 2008". Incidentally, another song produced by B.o.B called " Generation Lost ", listed alongside the song, on the ranking at number 32. This was followed by another single, " Don't Let Me Fall ". B.o.B made his first big feature appearing on T.I.'s highly acclaimed album Paper Trail (2008), on
21168-482: Was released on February 21. In 2012 in an interview with PopCush, B.o.B expressed his desire to work with Kid Cudi , James Blake and Skrillex : "I would also like to work with James Blake. That'd be crazy. I think me, James Blake and Kid Cudi should do a song and it should be produced by Skrillex. I think the sky would fall if we did that song and the sky would come down to Earth and party with us." On March 20, 2012, B.o.B released " Where Are You (B.o.B vs. Bobby Ray) ",
21315-406: Was released under Atlantic and T.I. 's Grand Hustle imprint, featuring guest appearances from Lupe Fiasco , T.I., Playboy Tre, Hayley Williams , Rivers Cuomo , Ricco Barrino , Janelle Monáe and Bruno Mars . The album, released April 27, 2010, was given generally positive reviews. His album sold 84,000 copies in the first week and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 . It made B.o.B
21462-429: Was released. On October 17, 2013, during an interview on BET 's 106 & Park , B.o.B announced that the album would be released on December 17, 2013. Underground Luxury debuted at number 22 on the Billboard 200 , with first-week sales of 35,000 copies in the United States. This was a steep decline in sales from his first two albums which respectively sold 84,000 and 74,000 in their first week. In its second week
21609-567: Was way worse than Hitler / That's why the POTUS gotta wear a Kipper [ kippah ]." These comments gained the attention of the Anti-Defamation League , which stated the lyrics invoke the antisemitic conspiracy theory that alleges Jews control the U.S. government . In January 2016, B.o.B expressed the belief that the Earth is flat. Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson responded to B.o.B on Twitter and attempted to persuade him that
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