Big Boi’s solo debut ‘Sir Lucious Left Foot…The Son Of Chico Dusty’ has spawned a dramatic saga that began in 2007 and includes several proposed track lists, release date and record label changes; leading to growing fears for the record being shelved. You may think that as half of one the biggest selling hip-hop acts in the planet the way may be already paved for him. But in the case of the Outkast star, his star status only worked as an obstacle putting enormous commercial pressure to deliver radio-friendly hits, which often compromised his creative ideas.
After a series of critically acclaimed singles that failed to make an impact in the charts, ‘Shutterbugg’ worked the miracle. Collaborating with rising Richmond rapper Cutty, its slick, electro-tinged production was suddenly hitting the waves all over the planet – which finally gave ‘Sir Luscious…’ the green light. A few months afterwards, when we are all looking back at our favorites, few are not featuring Big Boi’s record as one most accomplished of 2010; which, if nothing else, proves that sticking to one’s vision always pays in the end.
More than a year and multiple delays after its originally planned release date, the fans were beginning to think that the long awaited solo album by Outkast’s Big Boi would never happen. But maybe thanks to the recent success of ‘Shutterbugg’, one of his latest singles, ‘Sir Luscious Lef Foot: Son Of Chico Dusty’ is finally seeing the light of day.
Although a big part of the album’s content has been released over the last 12 months, with acclaimed tracks such as ‘Fo Yo Sorrows’ in collaboration with George Clinton and ‘Street Blockas’ featuring heavily in many best of 2009; the final tracklist is still being the subject of much speculation with rumours of the record company refusing to include the track ‘Looking 4 You’ recorded with the other half of Outkast , Andre 3000.
The album, though, is no ways short of stellar collaborations with some the most popular artists within the new crop of hip-hop crop including T.I., Gucci Mane, B.o.B and Yelawolf. It also counts with the talents of recent R&B stars such as Jamie Foxx or Janelle Monáe.
‘Sir Luscious…’ is available for streaming at Big Boi’s MySpace until it hits the shops on July 6th.
As one half of Outkast, Antwan ‘Big Boi’ Patton has continually proved to be one of the most exciting and forward thinking artists of his generation. A slew of great albums in the ‘90s culminated with the 2003 release of Outkast’s ‘Speakerboxxx/ The Love Below’; essentially two amazing solo albums from the respective members of the group packaged as one release.
Ever since then talk of a full Big Boi solo album has been bubbling and now, almost 7 years later, Big Boi finally seems ready to deliver his debut long player. Entitled ‘Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty’, early indications are that the album will follow Speakerboxxx’s fascination with gritty, electro-funk driven hip hop.
The latest track to emerge from the album is ‘Shutterbug’, a glorious blend of West Coast hip-hop, Roger Troutman style vocoder and electro drums that could have been stolen from the studio of The Egyptian Lover circa 1984. The production duties on ‘Shutterbug’ are taken care of by Scott Storch, a man who has been lending a veritable Midas touch to tracks for everyone from 50 Cent to Beyoncé in recent times.
With previous singles ‘Fo Yo Sorrows’, ‘Royal Flush’ and ‘Shine Blockas’ already confirmed for Big Boi’s album, excitement for the release of the ‘Sir Luscious Left Foot’ is understandably building.
