The future of rap and hip-hop looks bright following the release of “B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray,” the debut album of B.o.B, also known as Bobby Ray.

The 21-year-old rapper defiantly impresses on the album, which blends multiple genres thanks to B.o.B’s talent and the star studded list of featured performers.

Well known rappers T.I., Lupe Fiasco and Eminem appear along with Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo, Paramore’s Hayley Williams, Janelle Monae and the previously unknown Bruno Mars.

The album’s first single, “Nothin’ on You,” featuring Mars reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and went platinum before the album was even released. However, this is not even among the album’s best.

The opening track, “Don’t Let Me Fall,” may be the best of the album and B.o.B at his finest. He plays piano, guitar and drums while singing about wishing to not fall down from his rise to fame.

B.o.B’s diverse talent is also displayed in “Past My Shades” featuring Fiasco, in which the two respond to critics who don’t really know them, with an electric piano and electric guitar backing them.

Unfortunately, the song that stands out the most is “Airplanes, Part 2,” the sequel to an earlier track in the album. In it, Williams sings the chorus as she would in a song from her own band, while B.o.B and Eminem rap about what life could be like. Eminem’s verse, possibly his best in nearly eight years, returns to the sound that made him famous and seems to overshadow B.o.B in the song.

B.o.B also manages to get his message across without cursing or creating all his beats in a studio, something most rappers fail to do these days.

One could go on and on about each song and how distinctly different they are from the others, but listening to them is a must.

4.5 stars out of 5