Bobby Bishop

Take a walk through the inner city. Stop and look around for a moment. What do you see? Everywhere you look you can find another broken home and another broken dream. Leave your comfortable and contented life for a moment and place yourself in the shoes of the single mother selling dope or the father working four jobs just to feed his children. Take a second and listen to the teenager out on the streets, living a constant battle of survival. This side of society is often overlooked and avoided, but that's not what God tells us to do. Who's going to share God's love with those in desperate need of the truth? Enter Bobby Bishop, an emcee with a focused game plan.

>From the very start, Bobby Bishop pulls no punches and makes his mission perfectly clear. "For nearly ten years, the youth of my city were my heart's burden," begins Bobby. "I rose in the morning and retired at night thinking, praying, and strategizing about the most effective ways to win them over, teaching them about their Savior and His desires for their lives." And because Bobby was born and raised in the suburbs, his music has the unique quality of appealing to both those in the burbs and those in the city. "Having been raised in a suburban environment, I fell in love with what I perceived as urban culture at a very young age," continues Bobby. "I drank up every drop of anything urban I could get my hands on! This was slightly confusing to my family and community, but God brought it all together when He called me to minister to urban teens years later. As a rap artist, music has always been an ice breaker for my ministry. The liberty of giving a teenager a CD with my name on it has been invaluable to me. God used it to open doors I would never have imagined myself walking through, and ultimately I have witnessed countless teens surrender their lives to Christ in the process."

Representing the fair city of Lynn, Massachusetts, Bobby Bishop has made it his daily goal to reach the world with his music. His latest offering, the One Shot EP, is much more than just another five hip-hop tracks. One Shot overflows with his raw energy, and he uses this energy to tell a unique story that pulls the listener in. Songs and interludes are carefully and passionately woven together to form a complex type of art that Bobby refers to as "hip-hopera."

"One Shot is my most evangelistic tool to date," shares Bobby. "It was inspired by years of ministering to people suffering from addictions and other social issues present in urban America. I pray the intensity of the story convicts people to evaluate their position with God!" The One Shot EP is currently being packaged with the re-release of Government Name, Bobby Bishop's Beatmart Recordings debut.

What makes Bobby's EP so unique? The project opens with "One Shot", an interlude and verse that shows you a struggling father and the decisions that lead him to become involved with pushing drugs. Over steady synthesized keys, Bobby Bishop flips his flow into a rapid-fire delivery and begins the hip-hopera in first person, telling the story as if it was straight out of his personal experiences. As "One Shot" closes, Bobby's persona makes a defining decision that eventually reaps unexpected events.

As the drama continues, Bobby unveils "I'm On The Run", a pounding track with plodding base that has just a hint of old school laced in its veins. "I'm On The Run" takes Bobby's rapping to a new level; you've never heard him this intense. As the song plays out, you begin to understand more and more of the father's life and the draw of the streets. Bobby's alter-ego carries his piece, protects his territory, sells his dope, and dodges the cops. However, far from glorifying a criminal lifestyle, "I'm On The Run" gives the listener an insight into the pain felt by the hardest of thugs. Bobby Bishop tells us that no one is as confident as they might seem.

One of the most emotional and honest hip-hop songs Bobby Bishop has ever done, "Where Were You?" paints a tragic picture of a son's bitter memories of his abusive and alcoholic father. Accompanied by Fort Minor-esque piano, a haunting and atmospheric hook sharply contrasts with the anger and sorrow of Bobby's verses. This graphic portrayal of a broken home and the consequences that follow concludes with a prayer for the strength to forgive.

Bringing it back with another interlude, we soon learn that not all is well in Bobby's alternate reality. His choice to run the block eventually leads to clashes with the law and finally imprisonment. Fellow Beatmart Recordings artist Soul P. briefly joins Bobby's world and ministers to the broken man that Bobby has become. Soul P. effortlessly compliments Bobby on the "One Shot" beat, adding yet another point of view to the still developing hip-hopera.

Introduing a new character to the EP, "I'm Trying" reveals life on the other side of the coin: the horrible experiences of the chronic addict. She's a social worker by day, fixing families that have been torn apart by a drug-affected lifestyle. But outside of her job, she slips into her other world and shoots up to escape reality. While the bouncy beat and radio-friendly hook might seem out of place, "I'm Trying" has a hope for the future. Despite her addiction, she truly wants to let go of what holds her and asks God to help her out of despair.

"Jump Off" closes One Shot with an anthem for those turning their lives around. Bobby Bishop controls the track, dominating the gritty rhythms and mournful organs. How does One Shot end? It's safe to say you won't see it coming, and Bobby makes the sorrowing point that we never know how or when human lives will interact. Quite simply, the One Shot EP is by far Bobby's most personal and intense work to date, raising the bar for storytelling in hip-hop.

With so much experience under his belt, how did Bobby Bishop's journey through hip-hop begin in the first place? A decade ago Bobby started rhyming and recording in his college dorm, following in the footsteps of all commited independent emcees. As the years passed and Bobby's skills continued to improve, he began garnering attention from the industry. In 1999, he was second runner-up in the Cru-Vention / BET Soundstage / House of Blues new artist showcase. The following year, Bobby began working with the producer Deftone and made his underground debut on ReServed Records. After releasing several projects independently and collaborating with Christian hip-hop phenom KJ-52, Bobby Bishop was ready for the mainstream. Beatmart Recordings featured Bobby on the first DJ Morphiziz mixtape. Following up this project in 2005, Bobby Bishop and Beatmart Recordings gave the market Government Name, a major label debut that is masterfully produced by none other than Todd Collins.

Government Name contains a wide variety of hip-hop material, including the certified club bangers "Government Name" and "Get Down." Showcasing Bobby's versatility, "Song For Amy" and "He Won't Leave You" bring out a more relaxed and emotional side of Bobby's music. From the club to the church, Bobby Bishop can hold his own without breaking a sweat. "I'm attempting to release a versatile record," explains Bobby about Government Name. "One that any kid from my neighborhood can connect with. Government Name is my Beatmart debut. It is a culmination of years of ministry, and a balance of conviction, truth, and fun music."

Throughout his ever-growing career, Bobby Bishop has been able to connect with a wide range of hip-hop artists and producers, including notables such as GRITS, KJ-52, Pigeon John, Sev Statik, DJ Maj, Pee Wee Callins, Verbs, Fresh Digress, Tony Stone, Deftone, and many more. Whether running the underground or shining before thousands, Bobby Bishop is consistently driven by a love for the youth in his surrounding community and will tell you unashamedly that God loves them.

"I just want to help and inspire others," shares Bobby. "I'm just a guy God is using to share what I've learned about myself and the world so far." Will you listen to what Bobby Bishop has to say?