December 21, 2007 @ 10:16 am

Hood Holidays: Bobby Valentino

by: Brad Wete

Down and out on Xmas: musicians share their holiday memories and reflect on 2007. This edition: Bobby Valentino tells VIBE how he's more Santa Claus than Scrooge McDuck. 

Atlanta R&B star Bobby Valentino is way more like Santa Claus than Scrooge McDuck. Whether he's giving out turkeys or keys to a convertible, the 27-year-old singer is definitely not stingy with his shillings. While at home preparing to croon for his U.K. fans overseas, Bobby took some time out to reflect on how jolly old Saint Nick and company blessed him annually, the year that was, and the new things 2008 will bring for him.

VIBE: What was your favorite Christmas experience as a kid? 
BOBBY VALENTINO: I think the best one for me was, I wanted a motorcycle all year, and I woke up that morning and I had the dirt bike that I wanted. I had been begging my parents the whole year and they really tricked me and told me I wasn't getting it, they couldn't afford it, and all this other stuff - and they had it for me. I think that might have to be my best Christmas. I was 13 or 14.

Was there anything you wanted for Christmas that you never got? 
Man, really, I was truly blessed with all of my Christmases. First, to have two parents in my home growing up and second, to always be able to get what I wanted. There was never a Christmas where I really asked for something and didn't get it. They tricked me for a long time until I was about 14 or 15. I believed in Santa Claus for that long. So I actually thought he was real, up until I got a little older.  They did a good job of making me think that Santa was bringing me all those gifts, but really it was them.

What's the biggest gift you've given for Christmas?
I bought my mom a car. That was the probably most expensive gift - it was a Lexus coupe. And I'm working on my foundation. It's called the Bobby Valentino Foundation and I'm giving to needy families. I've adopted about 100 families for the holidays, basically. For Thanksgiving, I gave them turkeys and dinners and for Christmas, I'll give away toys and bicycles to all the kids.

Is there any one thing that you're looking forward to receiving for Christmas?
Man, I'm so blessed. I really have everything. I actually bought myself another car. That's really what I wanted. I didn't need it, but I could afford it. So I just went ahead and bought a Range [Rover].

What do you have planned for 2008?
I'm trying to get in to the movie thing. I'm still working on my Bobby V. Jeans for women. And I'll be putting out another album entitled Underground Love, out in either April or May of next year.  

Article tags: Bobby Valentino, Hood Holidays 

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