Yeah, okay. Look, B.o.B., or Bobby Ray, or whatever you prefer, artists are always changing their names for some reason, and frankly, sir, this is a trend you want no parts of. Just stick with B.o.B until your as yet untitled debut LP comes out or you drop that iTunes EP. Once that happens, then maybe, just maybe, you can do what the artists below have done.
Untitled by Prince
His Mother Called Him: Roger NelsonYou Called Him: Prince
But Please, Call Him: Some symbol (but now you can call him Prince again)
First Album Released Under New Name: Untitled (commonly referred to as The Love Symbol Album) (Warner Bros./Paisley Park
Game Behind the Name: No matter the name, the Purple One is always a beast, and his years of going by some unpronounceable symbol were no different. But Prince still wanted to make life difficult for all those announcers who didn’t know what to call him. Eventually, fans came to a consensus that we would call him The Artist Formerly Known as Prince. And even though he’s changed from the symbol back to Prince since 2000, we’re still trying to figure out what to call that thing.
Bow Wow's "Unleashed"
His Mother Called Him: Shad Gregory MossYou Called Him: Lil’ Bow Wow
But Please, Call Him: Bow Wow
First Album Released Under New Name: Unleashed (Sony/2003)
Game Behind the Name: A classic case of growing up too fast. In 2003, Bow Wow abandoned not only his stage name, he also abandoned Jermaine Dupri, the man responsible for making Lil Bow Wow a big name in the music industry. Unfortunately, "Lamborghini Moss" (a recent nickname he gave to himself) failed to be as big as he was before he dropped the Lil. Back to the drawing board, Bow Wow kept the name but went back to his old ways and reunited with Jermaine Dupri for 2005’s Wanted (Sony).
Snoop Dogg's "Da Game is to be Sold, Not to be Told"
His Mother Called Him: Calvin BroadusYou Called Him: Snoop Doggy Dogg
But Please, Call Him: Snoop Dogg
First Album Released Under New Name: Da Game is to be Sold, Not to be Told (No Limit/1998)
Game Behind the Name: New label, new name, but downsizing from the tongue-twisting Snoop Doggy Dogg to the concise Snoop Dogg, was the only improvement for L.A.’s biggest rapper. The real problem was Snoop over No Limit production. It would be two years – 2001’s Tha Last Meal (Priority) – before our dog would come home.
Diddy's "Press Play"
His Mother Called Him: Sean CombsYou Called Him: Puff Daddy/P. Diddy
But Please Call Him: Diddy
First Album Released Under New Name: Press Play (Bad Boy/2006)
Game Behind the Name: To this day, Diddy’s name change is a thorn in people’s side. True Story: Even the VIBE research staff went through years of back-and-forth with Sean Combs’ people, verifying what exactly he felt like being called from one month to the next. After coming into the game as Puff Daddy and releasing two albums under the name – 1997’s No Way Out (Bad Boy); 1999’s Forever (Bad Boy) – and one under P. Diddy – The Saga Continues… (Bad Boy/2001) – Diddy, finally dropped the P all together. The saga finished.
Makaveli's "The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory"
His Mother Called Him: Tupac ShakurYou Called Him: 2Pac
But Please, Call Him: Makaveli (but everyone still calls him 2Pac)
First Album Released Under New Name:The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (Death Row/1996)
Game Behind the Name: Having lost their star player in a tragic murder, Death Row decided to stew up even more controversy with the release of this 2Pac album, approximately two months after his death. Released under the name, Makaveli, The 7 Day Theory is, for many conspiracy theorists, the beginning of their case for why 2Pac is still alive, which, by the way, he isn’t.
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