Bubba Sparxxx : White Rapper Whose Songs Deal With Life in Rural America
In fact many people believed Sparxxx was black until they saw the video for "Ugly," which featured him riding a tractor. Warren Anderson Mathis, aka Bubba Sparxxx, was born on March 6, 1977, in the small rural town of LaGrange, Ga. Sparxxx was introduced to rap music by his best friend growing up who was black. His early influences were West Coast hardcore rappers such as Ice Cube, N.W.A., Ice T and Too Short.
A keen football player in high school, Sparxxx played tight end and linebacker and won All-Region honors. But when his football career failed to take off and he dropped out of college, Sparxxx turned to rap. He got his big break when he met Shannon Houchins, a staff member of Jermaine Dupri's So So Def record label. Sparxxx collaborated with Houchins on the independently released album "Dark Days, Bright Lights," which turned out to be a surprise success.
The album eventually fell into the lap of Jimmy Iovine at Interscope Records. He liked what he heard and flew Sparxxx out to California. After teaming with Interscope and producer Timbaland, "Dark Days, Bright Lights" was re-released and debuted at no. 3 on the Billboard charts. Sparxxx followed up his breakthrough album with "Deliverance" in 2003. The album was a critical success but did not do well commercially. However, Big Boi of the Atlanta rap duo Outkcast liked it.
He signed Sparxxx to his new Purple Ribbon label and released the rapper's third album, "The Charm," in 2006. The first hit single of Sparxxx's latest album is "Ms. New Booty." As part of the promotional campaign for the song Sparxxx's asked female fans to send shots of their derrieres which he posted on his website. The winner will be officially declared "Ms. New Booty."
Published by G.A. Afolabi
GA Afolabi is a freelance writer based in Southern California. View profile
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- People thought he was black until they saw the video for "Ugly."
- His first hit album was originally released independently