Arkansas Bo

Listening to Porch Thinkin’, you get the sense that Arkansas Bo was one of those cats that got along with everybody in high school. He’s witty, funny, intelligent and more fun to hang out with than pretty much everyone else. And that persona translates well to his debut disc. Although he may draw comparisons to Ludacris because of his deep voice, Southern drawl and rhyme style, Bo is much more versatile. On songs like “My Lord” and “Poe,” Bo humbly speaks of his life and struggles growing up in Arkansas. Meanwhile, on tracks like “Takeover” and “Arkansas’ Finest” he spits lyrical fire, shunning any notion that he can’t hold his own behind the mike. But even more impressive than Bo’s flow is the album’s production. The bass line and groove concocted by Akil on “Ladies Man” is too smooth, and Mic’s contribution for “Feelin’ Nat” will have heads bobbin’ for the entire four minutes. Even though Bo has only been in town for a couple of years, he’s a needed and welcome addition to the growing hip-hop scene in Denver (www.litesoutent.com).