Bobby Wilson, known by his stage name, Bobby Valentino, is a musical artist from Atlanta, Georgia.  He is known for his R&B music.  He started out as a member of youth quartet called Mista.  They recorded and released a debut album entitled Mista, which spawned one hit, Blackberry Molasses.  

Bobby Valentino

I have been blessed to be in the music industry for over 10 years, and my past endeavors have been great learning experiences. Now I have the opportunity to step out on faith and use the knowledge and experience that I have gained to take my career to the next level.

Getting Started

Bobby Wilson, known by his stage name, Bobby Valentino, is a musical artist from Atlanta, Georgia.  He is known for his R&B music.  He started out as a member of youth quartet called Mista.  They recorded and released a debut album entitled Mista, which spawned one hit, Blackberry Molasses.  

The group split up, but Bobby continued to record on his own.  Once he had recorded three albums worth of demos, he began actively seeking a recording contract.  He attracted the attention of Puff Daddy, who put him in touch with Ludacris and Disturbing the Peace president Chaka Zulu.  Bobby Valentino became the first R&B artist to signed with Disturbing the Peace Recording, and was almost immediately featured on Ludacris' single, Pimpin' All Over the World.  

The Recording Years

Valentino's debut album, Bobby Valentino, was released in 2005.  Grammy-Award winning songwriters Tim Kelley and Bob Robinson wrote and produced most of the material on the album, and the first single, Slow Down, became a Top 10 Hit on the Billboard Top 200 and went to #1 on the R&B chart.  In May of 2005, the single was #3 on Nielsen Soundscan's Top 100 most requested mp3 downloads.  The album sold 850,000 copies, certifying gold.  He embarked on Scream Tour IV with Lil Bow Wow, B5, Omarion, and Pretty Ricky.

His second album, Special Occasion, was met with mixed critical reviews; despite this, however, the album rose to #1 on the R&B charts.  He followed this up with The Rebirth in 2009.  The album debuted at #7 on the R&B charts, later climbing to #1, and sold 64,000 copies in the first week.  The album was recorded on the EMI label.  Valentino had split with Def Jam and Disturbing the Peace before beginning work on this album.

What's Next

Fly on the Wall, Valentino's next album is due out in the spring of 2010.  His first single from the album will be Stilettos and T-Shirt, featuring rapper Nicki Minaj.  According to Bobby Valentino, the album is about his life as a recording artist and a performer.  He is also opening his own recording company, Blu Kollar Dreams, which will be an imprint within EMI Records.

In 2009, Valentino won two Urban Music Awards for Best R&B Artist and Best Male Artist.  He has been nominated for a number of NAACP Awards, Soul Train Awards, and a Vibe Award.  He is currently wrapping up a tour, performing in cities across the United States.

Did you know . . .

1. Bobby Valentino auditioned for the first season of American Idol, but was rejected by Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson.

2. Valentino takes his stage name because he was born in Valentine's Day.

3. In the United Kingdom, Valentino is known as Bobby V or Bobby V-Tino because of a law suit involving a British musician who has been using the name, “Bobby Valentino” since 1975.

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