Bow Wow & Omarion: The Best of Both Worlds
Dynamic duo set to "face off" at the end of the year.
August 15th, 2007 • 5:35 PM
Although it didn’t work the first time around with Jay-Z and R. Kelly, Bow Wow and Omarion aren’t letting that stop them from hooking up to create a Best of Both Worlds-esque project due this December.
Aptly titled Face Off, the album, due December 4, will unite the two hip-hop heartthrobs on one album. However, this isn’t the first time the dynamic duo has worked together. GIANTmag.com recently caught up with Bow and O to talk about the album, a possible tour and finding the time to work together.
GIANTmag.com: How did you decide to get together for the record?
Bow Wow: I mean it was simple. Back in ‘05, we had the same opportunity as we have now. O was coming off his first album and his first two singles, “O” and “Touch.” I had “Let Me Hold You,” (see video on the next page) and O definitely guest appeared on that one. Then I dropped “Like You” second. On top of that we had one of the biggest arena tours of that year. We were going to do it then but O told me he wanted to do it but at the same time it was his first time out as a solo artist. He really wanted to solidify his spot and get people use to seeing him—being that he was always in a group. I definitely respected his space. I respected that decision and once he came back around with it again with “Icebox” and I had “Out of My System” and “Shorty Like Mine.” We had the same set up. Our albums came out one week apart from each other, then we said, “Man, it’s the time to do it and if now then when will it ever pop the way we want it to pop.” Then we are labelmates, which made it a lot easier and way simpler.
With your hectic schedules, how have you guys found time to record Face Off together?
Omarion: We both sat down and started brainstorming ideas in the studio. One thing we didn’t want to do is not be together when we are coming up with ideas. We both have a busy schedule; we both had shows in the midst of this recording process. But we decided that it’s very important that we would be together when we started recording. We 14 songs in deep, everything we have been doing man I feel really good so far. I can’t wait for the people to hear it because having to work with Bow to work like this with your brother or your family its not like work. We really having fun and we are in the studio, we doing what we do.
Have you guys picked the first single yet?
BW: To be honest with you, man… I’m not even going to sugarcoat it. I’m not saying this just because it’s our project but we are having a difficult time. We have four songs that have that No. 1 quality. As of right now, we kind of have it but we haven’t put the stamp on it officially. We are in a great position. If the album were to come out tomorrow, I could kick up with my feet and lean back and say, “I’m very comfortable with it.” I’m very confident with it. Once you guys get a glimpse of these first two records and hear it—y’all definitely going to feel how it needs to be felt. It’s definitely going down in a major way. Believe that.
Given your different styles, what does the album sound like?
BW: Us, right now. We finally have a chance to talk about things that are going on with us right now. I think that’s the great thing about it. We are not sugarcoating, its not what people are expecting. People are expecting a whole bunch of love songs and some little teenybopper songs like “Let Me Hold You.” It’s not the case, these are real records. Each record is different that one another and I think that’s what is pushing the envelope big time—very edgy. We are grown men now. Back then we could say, “Oh we are going to take a girl to Mr. Chow’s.” We could say that in a line, but now in a line we can say, “I’m going to take a girl to Mr. Chow’s and now we bout to go home and take a girl back to the room and show you what’s happening.” Its totally different now, a totally different ball game. I think that’s what the fans are interested in. They want to see us now. Another thing is our fans are grown now—freshmen and sophomores in college.
O: They got babies and all kind of stuff.
BW: If we can’t deliver the records that they relate to then they are definitely going to another artist to fill the void that Omarion and Bow Wow couldn’t fill. That’s what we’re doing right now, filling that void for them. This is something that the world has been waiting for us to do something like this. They are waiting for Bow Wow to rap likes and O to sing like this it’s totally different. Just expect the unexpected.
Are there plans for a “Face Off” tour in the works?
O: That’s automatic—we got to do it. Come on.
BW: That’s Automatic
Will it be a combination of solo stuff and the collabo stuff?
BW: See that’s probably going to take a month to do. Most of that will be the talking processes of what we are going to do. The next month will probably be just the records we are going to do. Being that O had two albums, and on top of that other albums and music he has done. On top of that five albums and five singles with that and other hot records that I’m featured on and O as well. That’s going to take a lot of strategizing and a lot of time to do. summertime, we going to own the summer. We are going to try to take over the ‘07 and all of ‘08.