A Big Boi Party

Big Boi from the inventive hip/hop duo Outkast has been collaborating with the likes of Missy Elliot and fellow Outkast member Andre 3000 for years. He has produced some of the most infectious tunes including the 2003 hit from his first album “I Like The Way You Move.” With the release of his second solo effort on a new music label “Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty” Big Boi has set out to see just how far he can push the musical envelope.

From the “Feel Me” intro you know that this album is going to be special. Big Boi is the only one who can rhyme about the president and a prostitute and not have it be about a sex scandal. In “Daddy Fat Sax” rhythmic beats match wits with well placed lyrics that will renew your faith in hip/hop. “Turns Me On” featuring Sleepy Brown and Joi mixes big band rhythmic harmonies of the 1940’s with current topic lyrics. And the inventive jams just keep coming with “Follow Us” featuring Vonnegut. You begin to wonder if there’s nothing that Big Boi can’t do as he combines political ideology over yet another infectious beat.

If you think that Big Boi won’t go near rock, think again. There’s something about “Tangerine” with T.I. and Khujo that will remind you of a heavy metal track with rhythm & blues melodic undertones. Perhaps it’s the drumming or the guitar arrangement. Either way it’s an original track that will have you grooving. The lyrics are also some of the dirtiest you’ll hear, but you won’t care because the song is that good.

Because of record label constrictions Andre 3000 was not able to appear on this album, but that didn’t stop him from producing another solid song for it. While the lyrics for “You Ain’t No DJ featuring Yelawolf” are as top-notch as the other tracks on the album it’s the downbeat that seamlessly flows through the song that will have you continuously pressing replay on your mp3 player.

What Big Boi does with “Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty” is not only celebrate soul groups of the past such as Soul II Soul, genres of music such as Jazz and harmonies that come straight out of the church choir, he has infused these ideas into one of the most addictive albums this year. You will not have one favorite track – you’ll love them all.