Big Boi 'Sir Luscious Left Foot' album

Seventeen years in the game and 25 million records sold as one half of a groundbreaking musical duo should just about qualify a man for the right though. Which is why Outkast's Big Boi can go that route on his upcoming solo album, Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty. Chico Dusty is in fact the name Big Boi's father earned after proving to be a man worthy of the same respect in his time. Like father, like son, like whoa.

With a track record on par with his flow-untouchable-there's not a doubt in anyone's mind that Big Boi is coming with that next level artistry on this release. Especially after checking the Andre 3000 assisted first single "Royal Flush" and its socially conscious follow up " Something's Gotta Give." Luckily we got the jump on the masses and reached out to the rap legend well in advance of the album's fall street date. During the conversation, he broke us off with wisdom about keeping your style fresh, family ties and a whole lot more.

Big Boi Interview
question [=q]: The title of this record that you've got coming out is a mouthful, Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty. Where did that come from?

Answer [=a]: Sir Luscious Left Foot, that's me. That's the grown-man version of Big Boi. The Son of Chico Dusty- that just goes deeper into who I am. Chico Dusty actually is my father, who is a bad bad man. Very smart, but a bad bad man. At the same time, I'm in my father's shoes, and I'm ready for whatever. Ya hear?

q: Okay, no doubt about that. You can tell that based on the first couple tracks, "Royal Flush" and "Sumthing's Gotta Give." I feel like you come in real strong lyrically on those two cuts. Are you coming out spitting like that the whole album?

a: I've been spittin' my whole life. What are you talking about? [laughs] Straight up. It's been like this forever. I think people have not been taking notes, since now it's me by myself. I've been killin shit my whole life. The album gets better and better homie.

q: How long have you been working on the record?

a: For like 19 months, man. I started recording on Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday last year. And it's been like 19 months. I'll be done with the record after the weekend. We're looking at a total release for real.

q: That's what I like to hear. Do you feel like this one came together real quick, or do you feel like it's been a long gestation period for you?

a: It's been about the same time. When we put out the Outkast records it was usually two-and-a-half or three years. We were slow cooking. We don't put anything in the deep fryer and give you the quick shit. We give you something that takes heart and soul.

q: Do you feel like its cause you've proven yourself for so long that the label gave you that rope, or could other artists take their time if they wanted to?

a: That's exactly what it is. When we made records, it's not done until it was done. We paid attention to deadlines, but we don't really pay attention to deadlines.

q: As far as production, your homies Organized Noize worked on the album. Did they do every cut on it or just most of the songs?

a: They did about half the album, and I did the other half. The other half of the album, I co-produced every song on the record. I put my hands on everything. Me and Andre have been producing since ATLiens. I wanted to concentrate more on the lyrics, and I co-produced with Organized Noize just to get the right sound. It was just fun, and the songs were made to fit. It was top notch.

q: When you sit down in the studio at the boards, do you come with a whole concept? How does it start with you?

a: I may have a certain beat, or I'll send it to Andre and see what he can do with it. It might just be a verse. Or I'll say I want to do a song about such and such. Only the best shit survives. That's what we set out to do: put together the best 15 or 16 songs. We just try to do the best songs we have over a two or three year period.

q: Some other rappers should take notes on that one. I don't need 22 cuts of nonsense and only two or three that are decent.

a: Yeah, that's exactly what happens. Quantity, not quality. We're all about quality. People have one super duper smash single and the rest of the album is garbage.

q: When you came in here to do this album, did you have a sound or a particular vision?

a: The sound is our sound. When people listen to it, then think this sounds like an Outkast album, that's because I'm one part of Outkast. Our music is free flowing. It's not something you can categorize. The only thing it sounds like is Outkast.

q: You're down in Atlanta and your crew is full of originators. Does the Dungeon Family all work together still?

a: Yeah, I got the whole crew on the album. From Organized Noize to Cee-Lo. I've got a sound that's crazy, and I just wanted them to come back and wrap that, so I can finish the album. I just wanted to keep that shit going.

q: I feel like brothers get a little change in their pockets and egos start up, then crews start falling out left, right and center. Dudes knew each other from knee high and all of a sudden they have arguments they can't talk through. How do you all avoid that?

a: That's why it's called the Dungeon Family. Family don't do that. Family will always be there. Some crews get together just to make the money. When we got together it was for the music. We were trying to achieve the music. It's bigger than that.

q: You've got a lot of cake right now, but do you think the industry is too focused on money and not on quality like you talked about earlier?

a: Oh yeah. It's been like that for the longest. That's why you've got to have groups, and artists and collectives of MCs that come together and are doing it for a purpose. You have people who have been doing it for years and haven't made anything off of it, but are doing it for the love of the art form.

q: You all come together, do your thing and then branch apart. Do you feel like having that freedom to branch out has helped to keep the creative spark alive?

a: You hit the nail right on the head. I think you're the only person who's thrown out some smart shit like that. When you've been with someone for so long, you can't expect to have the same interests for life. There are some people who want to act, do their own production company or design their own clothes. We can always come back and do an Outkast record. It's just the way that we are doing it.

q: You brought up everything outside of music you're into. Are there any other avenues you still haven't tackled that you want to try?

a: Not really. My main focus is the album right now. Now it's all about the music, and this is for real. This is what we do. We get better, and better, and better with time.

q: Every time you come out with music, it's something new and different. You've got to educate some ears with your music, which can be risky. Where do you find the courage to take those risks?

a: You just can't be scared. That's always been one of my personal things. You don't follow the norm. You never do what everybody else does. I could've easily done anything for the club or the radio, but it was my first responsibility as MC to give them something they have to think about. Something that can make their mind tingle. It's really to give back. That's why people stuck with us.

q: Speaking of giving back, you started the non-profit Big Kidz Foundation. Can you tell me a little bit about that?

a: It's a non-profit organization I started a few years back. I do things all throughout the year with kids by going to schools and group homes, doing Thanksgiving and Christmas, and speaking and granting wishes for different people. The reason you don't hear about it is because I don't call the news to see me help them out. It's not for the press to know. I do it out of the kindness and goodness of my heart. Eventually it'll get out, but I've been doing it for some years now.

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Big Boi - Sir Luscious Left Foot