April 26th marks the 16th anniversary of Bobby V's debut album, Disturbing Tha Peace Presents Bobby Valentino. Weeks after its release in 2005, the gold-certified album peaked at #1 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart.
Bobby says it took a lot of God, talent and support from his family to remain a staple figure in the world of R&B for almost two decades.
"A lot of it is God. A lot of luck, too, and you have to have some talent," Bobby tells ABC Audio. "You have to be somebody that's open to be able to take criticism. You also have to just be somebody that has a good foundation as well, like I do. I always refer to my family because that is my foundation through the good, the bad. They are always there."
The "Slow Down" singer says today's artists can benefit from having a strong family foundation since the music industry "can really mess with your brain because it's a rollercoaster ride."
"I'm sure that's with every job," he continues. "But I've really been blessed to be able to tour, to have a great career, maybe not have as many accolades as I want, but to be able to be in a position to still be able to get those accolades is truly a blessing. And I don't really take anything for granted."
"I've just matured. I have a daughter now. She'll be four this year," says Bobby about his daughter, Lilac. "I think that as you just get older, you travel the world, you just become a lot more wiser....[and] learn more about the industry and the business that you're in. I think that most of all, I've just become a wiser person."