“Somebody take me back to the days … when ain’t nobody listened to my mixtape,” B.o.B raps on “Airplanes,” a track from his latest album, B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray. B.o.B was unknown a few months ago, but now he is killing it on the pop charts.
It’s a battle to survive in the rap world, and every rapper has his humble beginnings.
Take J. Ferb — whose real name is Jamal Ferby — a rapper with roots partly here in College Park. Ferby opened Wednesday for J. Cole at Stamp Student Union in the First Come First Heard show, which was sponsored by the university chapter of the NAACP, the Latino Student Union and the Maryland Music Business Society.
Ferby grew up in Memphis, Tenn. and originally came to this university to study business. Plans changed, however, when he landed a show on the university’s WMUC 88.1 FM and realized what he really wanted to do was work in the music business.
In spring 2009, Ferby left the university for St. Francis College in New York. That summer, he went on tour with Memphis rapper Yo Gotti.
According to Ferby, it was “more a music internship than me going on the road performing with somebody.”
Ferby is now back in this state, solidifying his fan base and pursuing music in earnest.
“I’m just going to build up from here,” he said.
While Memphis is his home, this state was where J. Ferb’s passion for music began.
“Down south, music is more of a way out of life,” he said. “Up here, music is a way of life.”
Ferby seems to have enough ambition to comfortably accommodate at least three people. Part of the reason he is not attending school stems from that.
“I’m going to chase the dream, no matter what,” he said. “I’m not going to halfheartedly do school and halfheartedly do music. I’m going to chase what I want.”
And his enthusiasm for music has garnered him some recognition.
Ferby was covered by MTV UK’s website and signed to an agency. He released a project called Chase the Dreams, Not the Competition on April 20.
His risk-taking was not without consequences, however.
“Some things in life, you have to take a sacrifice to do,” he said. “It might not be what someone else likes, but you still have to do it if you want to get there.”
Citing influences as far and wide as Amy Winehouse, Mos Def and Miles Davis, Ferby certainly takes a different approach to music than most rappers. He prefers what’s timeless rather than what’s hot at any given moment.
“I love music that generations have passed on,” he said. “A lot of modern-day hip-hop artists are concerned with being contemporary. I like to inspire and evoke thoughts.”
At Wednesday’s show, Ferby had his heart in his performance. He faced a challenge that all opening acts face: a crowd thirsty for the main act. He battled a faulty sound system and prowled the stage to keep the excitement going.
The girls loved him — screams could be heard when he started his song “Watermelon.” By the time his act was over, sweat dripped down his face onto his gray Alife T-shirt. It was a performance that embodied Ferby: confident, enthusiastic and ambitious.
Ferby is a man with a dream. Maybe one day he’ll get the recognition he wants.
diversions@umdbk.com
