B.o.B talks about “Airplanes” with Eminem.
B.o.B recently sat down with HipHopDX’s Jeremy Hecht for a new interview where he talked about his incredible career, hit-making, flat earth, new music, and much more. They talked about his previous albums, including ‘The Adventures of Bobby Ray‘ which had Eminem on ‘Airplanes‘ remix with Haley Williams. “You had Eminem on the ‘Airplanes’ Remix, that was crazy, he went deep, how did you guys get in contact, when you first heard that verse,” asks Jeremy Hecht.
“I was on the way to do a college show, and we played it in a car,” says B.o.B. “The college kids picked us up in the van and we played it and they get to hear before anybody else. The only reason why I had two ‘Airplanes’, is because somebody said Eminem wasn’t gonna do the video, so we need to make a version without him, and when I met him, he was like I never said that and I was like who the f**k said that.”
“So Eminem was supposed to be on the original ‘Airplanes’ and you only did the remix because word got to you, that he won’t do the video,” says Jeremy.
B.o.B continues, “Right, the one with the Eminem was the first version I recorded, then I had to do another version.”
In another interview, B.o.B recalled the studio session with Shady and the first thing he told him. “That was crazy,” he said. “I remember the first time I met Eminem was at his studio in Detroit. I remember getting into the studio, Of course, it’s exactly what you think Eminem’s studio will be. It’s f**king late, it’s spacious, the couches are red, and there are plaques on the wall. There is a refrigerator full of diet coke cause he loves diet coke. And he got Arcade games in this s**t. So I’m over by the arcades and we just waiting on them to get there.”
The one with Eminem was the first version we recorded. And then I had to do another version. I guess it’s just because at that time he was coming out of rehab, I guess they did not want his first look to be a feature. I think that’s what it was.
In its first week, “Airplanes” sold 138,000 digital downloads and debuted at number five on Billboard’s Hot Digital Songs list. The song debuted at number twelve on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming B.o. B’s highest debut on the list and Williams’ first solo entry. The song climbed the charts, peaking at number two in its sixth week, losing the top spot to Usher’s “OMG.” The song “Airplanes” charted on several Billboard charts, including the Pop Songs and Rap Songs lists, where it reached number two.
On June 27, 2010, B.o.B, Eminem, and Keyshia Cole (stepping in for Hayley Williams) performed the song in a medley with Eminem’s “Not Afraid” at the 2010 BET Awards. On Eminem’s Home & Home Tour, B.o.B performed the song with him. Despite not being released as a single, “Airplanes, Part II” garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.
Watch it below.
