I should let you know this up front: this
review is biased. Anyone who knows
me will definitely know one thing about me – that dude is an OutKast fan. I have been down with the ATL duo long
before I could vote, buy cigarettes, or drink alcohol. In high school and college, I was their
biggest promoter, letting people know well in advance when an OutKast album would
be released. The easiest way to
piss me off is to say, “OutKast is wack!”
I had no problem getting in your face to let you know the absolute
falsity of your statement, and I will not let up until you are defeated. Well, not really. Most friends usually said just to rile
me up because it was funny to them.
Nevertheless, no one who knows can deny OutKast’s impact on my life, and
I am not alone. Since their debut,
OutKast has released six albums selling at least a million copies, released a
handful of hit singles, and won multiple awards. Critics often praised their work for their originality,
lyrical substance, and song writing abilities. In fact, OutKast is also one of two hip-hop artists to win
the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
It was a proud moment as a fan, even though I did not watch the Grammys
that year (still think that they are full of shit).
Despite OutKast’s commercial and critical
success, the group has struggled to get respect from their contemporaries. Since their debut album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik in 1994,
many hip-hop enthusiasts dismissed OutKast as not being “real hip-hop.” Big names in the industry (Def Jam
founder Russell Simmons initially comes to mind) did not look at them as being
part of the culture. At the time,
OutKast seem to have a lot going against them. First, they used mostly live instruments as opposed to jazz
and funk samples to craft their music.
Second, many of their choruses had more of an R&B influence, which
ended up being largely ahead of its time.
Third, they were on LaFace Records, a predominately R&B record label
based in Atlanta, Georgia. In
addition, OutKast was not from either New York or Los Angeles, two of the major
media hubs of the country. They
were straight Southern-fried and did not hesitate to embrace their Southern
roots.
However, because they sounded like nothing
else on the radio, OutKast lived up to their name and became “outcasts” of the
industry. It was never more
apparent after the infamous 1995 Source Awards where OutKast was booed when
accepting an award and Andre made an ominous prediction of the South’s eventual
rise to prominence. Even though,
Andre’s prediction came true in the late 1990s, no one gave OutKast props for
opening the door for the Southern hip-hop. Critics paid more attention to the gimmick groups like
Master P/No Limit, Cash Money, Pastor Troy, Miracle, Drama, and other
forgettable artists that came out.
Instead, many critics tried to separate them from their Southern roots
due to their tendency to experiment with different sounds on each album and
their dedication to lyricism. In
other words, people did not consider them “southern.” Luckily, the lack of respect just motivated them to make
better music. Even now, the media
does not acknowledge the group’s accomplishment, at least compared to other
rappers. Why? I blame the bias New York and Los
Angeles media that always prop up their hometown heroes, whether good or
bad. I also blame OutKast
themselves, for they have remained humble throughout their career and have not
made narcissistic pleas to the media to consider them the greatest rappers in
the world (unlike Jay-Z, Kanye West, Dr. Dre, among others). As time marches on, more new artists
are citing them as influences, but with so many forces against them in the
beginning, the chip on their shoulder still remains visible.
Now in viewing what OutKast went through in
their career, imagine what Big Boi has gone through. Even when OutKast got attention, Mr. Antwan Patton always plays
second fiddle to Andre Benjamin aka Andre 3000. Many considered Dre as the breakout star that should go solo
and Big Boi as the guy living off of Andre’s talent. That was SO far from the truth, in my opinion. Lyrically, Andre does have an edge over
Big Boi, but he has an edge on everybody with which he raps. It not easy to be compared with an
emcee with Andre’s lyrical prowess, but I always thought Big Boi was the better
one as a pure emcee. Flow and
delivery is just as important as lyrical content, and Big Boi’s was always
amazing. As a result, Big Boi is
really the only rapper besides Cee-Lo (in his Goodie Mob days) that could hang
with Andre on a track. Being
underrated did not deter Big Boi from making music after OutKast went on its
self-imposed, seemingly infinite, hiatus in 2006. So far, Big Boi has released two solo albums: 2010’s
critically acclaimed Sir Lucious Leftfoot: The Son of Chico Dusty and the subject of this review.
Upon the first listen, Vicious
Lies and Dangerous Rumors might disappoint you because it sounds nothing
like his previous album. If you do
feel that way, then you know nothing about OutKast. If an album sounds the same as the previous one, then
something is wrong with them. Big
Boi continues to push past his own boundaries and make some quality music for
new and old fans alike.
After the intro “Ascending,” “The Thickets” gets things
going. While I’d like to give
Organized Noize credit for the beat, but Chris Carmouche and Big Boi have their
fingerprints on this, flipping a Jodeci sample in a real nice way. In fact, Chris Carmouche is all over
this album as a producer and executive producer with generally positive
results. Sleepy Brown does kill
the hook, though, which is something he has done since Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. The album does not pull you in as rapidly as the previous
one did, but Big Boi lets you know that nothing has changed as far as his
lyrical prowess:
Yeah, it seems just like yesterday, where did the time go?
I'm giving you the best that I got, Anita Baker rhyme flow
It's time for that new, new shit that y'all been dying fo'
Divine flows, the radio got y'all like zombies
Come alive, hoes, like a litter full of puppies
Or a baby with a onesie on, your old lady clumsy, holmes
That means she's falling for Daddy Fat Sax, wanna show me some
Sweeter than some honeycombs, she wanna be the queen bee
The numero uno sitting on her throne next to me but ain't gotta
be easy
Why I got a seat for her, right in my naked lap
Reverse cowgirl, she ride it then make her booty clap
I'm breached birth, feet first, nigga with each verse
Been ten toes down to those familiar with the sound
So Shazam me, and then you Google Dungeon Family
And when you do you will understand I'm buku outta my noodle
With this pad and pen, and boy you penciled in
You're temporary substitute, and we can't fit you in…
Let's begin
Throughout the album, Big Boi surprises you
with his willingness to go out of his perceived comfort zone. American indie pop group Phantogram is
prominent on this album, making three appearances as well as producing the
track “Objection Sexuality.” The
way the track starts never let you suspect that Big Boi would be coming in to
drop, but he sho’ nuff does – and it works. They also work well together on “CPU,” which has one of the
catchiest choruses of the entire CD. Big Boi even flexes his crooning muscles on
“Raspberries” along with Mouche and Scar, who continues makes great appearances
but have yet to drop his own record.
“Apple of My Eye” also pushes Big Boi to uncharted territory, despite
having longtime collaborator Mr. DJ behind the boards. It starts off slow with some spacey
keyboard notes but eventually drops into a swing beat mixed with some funky
organs. You don’t hear as much
from Big Boi as you would expect on this track, but as always, he makes sure
you know that he’s here with his rhymes:
Some say the preacher's daughters are some of the freakiest ones
They been deprived of fun and now they just wanna cut loose
like everybody else, they wildin' try to find theyself
And by the time they do, they barely have nobody left… over
Feeling empty and alone, cause the youth is gone
The thrill has been killed so let the truth be told
Look in the mirror, my dear, and it appears
that the eyes are the window to the soul, oh!!
I do notice that Big Boi is not throwing 50
bars in every song, and one might think that it is due to his comfort rhyming
with someone else. At this point,
he has to be used to flying solo, so I think it is for other reasons. For one, as GZA from Wu-Tang once said,
a rhyme half the length can have twice the impact. Furthermore, the best artists can put their egos aside and
contribute only what is necessary to make the song better. Big Boi is not afraid to step aside and
let Jake Troth do his thing on the song, and I wish more artists would do the
same (you listening, Kanye?).
Even while experimenting, Big Boi isn’t
afraid to get down and dirty. The
slow-flowing “Thom Pettie” will definitely rattle the car trunk, and having
Little Dragon and Killer Mike on it just makes it even better. Phantogram shows up for the third time
on “Lines” with Organized Noize providing the out-of-this-world thump for this
track. Up and coming emcee A$AP
Rocky also drops some nice rhymes, and his performance makes me want to check
out his debut album. “She Said OK” is
technically a bonus track since it is only part of the deluxe edition of the
album. It is a welcome inclusion
despite being tragically good; while it has the funkiest beat that I have heard
since OutKast’s first album, the chorus, “Let me see your titties . . . Let me
see your pussy, She Said OK” is lowbrow and unexpected from any member of the
Dungeon Family, let alone Big Boi.
However, Big Boi does provide a certified banger with the single “In The
A” featuring T.I. and Ludacris.
All emcees bring the heat, but Big Boi starts rhyming, he is spitting
molten lava:
King shit, Buckingham Palace
Til I'm bucking on a muthafuckin' beat goddammit
I...ain't lost a step, but some of y'all niggas flaw to death
Since "Player's Ball," I was called the best
And now they only call me Daddy Fat Sax
The Cadillac-a with the diamond in the back
with the sunroof top
My daddy said I'm lackin' the vitamin D, the sun won't stop
Shine brighter, rhyme tighter
than anybody in your top ten my nihga, my nigga
Like a postman, I deliver
See I'm the letter with the anthrax in it, pass that, hit it
Sniff it, snort it, then goin' take a bump shawty
Uh, take a number cause I'm serving the chumps
That wanna "jump up and get beat down," I'm Brand
Nubian
Brand new again, never get old
When I was little, boy they said I had a old soul
Old gold
Riding with some pimps on a ho stroll, now that's loco
And you're local, and I'm global
That means worldwide like a rising tide
I'm gonna subside and rise again like clockwork
C-Bone is gonna show you how the Glock work (BRRAT!!)
Props to DJ Aries and C-Bone for the beat
because it is definitely a keeper.
It is also nice to see some ATL heavyweights together on the same track
(although I wonder whether Ludacris’ last line is directed at T.I., which could
re-ignite their feud with each other).
Big Boi definitely provides a lot to
satisfy your appetite with this album.
I will say that it takes a few listens to get into it, but the music is
good enough to draw you in for more.
It’s good that Big Boi is talented enough to not rely on Autotune for
his singing, but I hope he is not thinking about entire album of it (he sounds
too much like Lil Wayne singing, though Wayne needs Autotune to sound
tolerable). Nevertheless, Big Boi
deserves the same respect that his partner gets, as he continues to provide
fans with quality albums. He
probably never will, but this chip on his shoulder will keep him hungry and
motivated to make better music. At
least he can boast about one thing: Big Boi - 2, Andre 3000 – 0. Say somethin’!
