Bobbito Plays the Tracks. Free States the Facts.


VIBE Magazine
February 2004

Bobbito plays the tracks. Free states the facts.


The fantastically funky-fresh female known to the world as Free has been a fire wire for BET. 106 & Park, which she cohosts with AJ, has been the No.1 rated video show in the country for four seasons. But Free (aka Marie Wright) is more than just a host-she actually got her start has a rap artist on "Patroits" from Canibus's first album, and will be picking up the mic again this year, rhyming and singing on her Elektra Records debut LP.

Helping the youth is also a mission of the multitalented Free. She recently produced a successful fund-rasier for the Free4Life Foundation, which sponsors teen programs for domestic-violence intervention and personal financial management.


> Kurtis Blow-"AJ Scatch"
(1984)
F
: The first thing i think of is a DJ and a block party. And Jheri curls! Ha! I sing this to my partner, AJ, messing with him, and he loves it.
B: I imagine your younger viewers don't know that there wa sa DJ named AJ from the early years of rap.
F: True, but we play it when we do old-school joints.

>Tamia-"Offically Missing You" (Midi Mafia Remix) (2003)
F
: Tamia has such a sweet voice. She seems like an all-around good person. Midi Mafia asked me to that verse on "21 Questions," by 50 Cent. Lil' Mo did a remix to it, and i rhymed on it. That's the first time a lot of people have heard me spitting.
B: The bucket drums on this flipped me out.
F: My favorite instrument is the drum.
B: Speaking of drummers...

>Phil Collins-"In the Air Tonight"(1981)
F
: Sexy. Erotic. You're killing me. I would play this record just to hear the drums in the beginning Ah! I was heartbroken when i missed an opportunity to see him live. You got me anxoius. Every record that's in this room comes from a special place in each artist. You have everybody's soul in this room. It's pouring out.

> ED O.G & Da Bulldogs-" Be a father to Your child"(1991)
F: Ed and I grew up next to each other in Roxbury, Mass.
B: Did you kick it to him?
F: No.
B: You used to have a crush on his cousin, right?
F: No! Why you bugging? I loved this LP but partically dug this song because it was so mature emotionally.
B: It was a good time for the postive expression in rap lyrics.