Planet Ill Breakdown: Big Boi-Shutterbug

Posted On: April 5, 2010
Posted By: odeisel
Comments: 2

By Odeisel

Alter egos are all the rage in music. Long before Beyonce’ discovered that she had another part of her personality, Hip-Hoppers have been doing it for years. Bushwick had Chucky, Redman had Reggie Noble and going way way back, Slick Rick had MC Ricky D. No ideas original as they say, but it’s not what you do but how it’s done. Big Boi, the underrated half of one of the best duos ever has adopted the mantle of Sir Luscious Left Foot for his upcoming Def Jam solo release Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son Of Chico Dusty.

Mr. Patterson has been a bit busy doing movies and running his own side businesses since his half of the ‘Kast album Speakerboxx, we haven’t heard as much of Big Boi on the mic as we would have wished. Left Foot brings a distinct departure from his traditional delivery. The deliberate extra southern drawl sprinkled over the Outkast albums is mainly stripped away. You can still tell he’s from the South but it is decidedly more even in tone. Definitely more East Coast. It works for him, as you can discern more of his lines and you can hear how nice he really is on the mic.

The production wise, there are step-beat drums similar to those in Stefani’s “Holla Back Girl” and The Clipse’s “Grindin.’” The chorus/break features a talkbox (not the same as autotune) and funk elements that echo that era but power the present. The past is also given a nod with Left Foot’s reverence for Geto Boys and UGK two early consistently quality southern Hip-Hop groups.

The delivery takes some getting used to, and the production is not as cutting edge as most of the music Big Boi generally raps over, but this is dope. If his album is more of this then he can consider it a victory. ATL stand up. You don’t gotta do no dance to this or sell crack to this. Just rock to it.

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