Bolo
Diamond In The Rough
By: Adam Bernard
Last updated May 24th , 2010

Every week, 101D.com will highlight up-and-coming talent in our exclusive Diamonds In The Rough series. This week, we proudly present Bolo. The Bad Newz, VA-based rapper is all about making the type of music that makes money, but first and foremost, music that relates to people.
 
Background Check: Bolo is an emcee from Newport News, VA, "otherwise known as Bad Newz, VA," he explains. The surrounding area has been the home to such superstars as Timbaland, Pharrell, Missy Elliot, and Allen Iverson. Drawn to the microphone from a young age, Bolo says music has been a constant in his life. "No matter what I go through in life, I always come back to music." Having an older brother who was an emcee and a DJ served as an inspiration for Bolo, who notes "I started rapping and making beats with his DJ equipment. Then I started going to the local parties he would DJ at and I would rock the crowd." It didn't take long before a career was born.

The Goods: A trip to Atlanta, where he met DJ Bobby Black, who also works with Monica and Gorilla Zoe, led to Bobby Black hosting Bolo's album, Money Musick. With the exception of that hosting, however, the album is 100% Bolo. "All the tracks are original, produced and written by me," he explains, describing the musicality of it, saying "I like to keep melody in my sound. I like strings and 808s. I like to give my songs a hypnotic elevation." Lyrically Bolo likes to relate to listeners. "My style is explaining elements in life that a lot of us go through. There's something for the streets, for the clubs, for the ladies, and real life situations." Bolo is also unafraid to make listeners think, as he notes "I have a lot to say in my music, and it can get deep."

I Believe There's a French Word for That: Not every night can make a person feel like a superstar, but Bolo can recall one in particular that did. "I remember one night out performing in Virginia Beach at a club with one of my goons and we left out of there with two bad honeys. We sippin that Patron, my man falls out, bada boom bada bing, I wake up with two bad broads in my arms." Yeah, so that's Bolo, not SOLO!

To check out or listen to Money Music, click here.

[Tags] Hip Hop, Rap

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