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And while fourth LP Stankonia made bona fide pop stars of the duo, it was 2003's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below–a double album showcasing the work of either artist on separate discs–which spawned an era-defining single in Hey Ya! and established Benjamin as a rakishly-dressed, latter-day Prince figure for the hip hop generation.
Unfortunately The Love Below was less focused than the comparison would suggest, and in fact it was Patton's Speakerboxxx which lent ballast to Dré's whimsical, intermittently inspired flights of fancy, turning in the kind of colourful hip hop productions that helped make OutKast's name in the first place.
Patton floated the idea of a solo record in 2007, but following issues with OutKast label LaFace/Jive he switched to Def Jam last year. Even worse, Jive decreed that tracks featuring vocals from Patton's erstwhile sparring partner be left on the cutting room floor, meaning 'net-leaked numbers Royal Flush and Looking 4 Ya are absent from Sir Lucious Left Foot. That's a real shame–both Big Boi and Dré kill it on the former, while the latter could almost be a laser-focused Kanye joint minus the woe-is-me ass-clowning.
Nonetheless Sir Lucious Left Foot is a potent reminder of one of the more consistently inventive forces in rap 16 years since his debut. Given Patton's rep as the conservative half of OutKast it's easy to forget how damn musical his ideas are, like the mellow Rhodes piano that underscores Turns Me On's supple west coast funk, or the horns that add cinematic gloss to the The Train Part 2's outro.
Shutterbugg's ice-cold electro is given a spacious, club-ready sheen by Scott Storch that'll have the track bouncing 'round your brain for months to come, while George Clinton even shows up on the Kraftwerk-gone-ringtone rap hokum of Fo Yo Sorrows. André 3000's sole credit is as producer on the un-Dre-like You Ain't No DJ, which has the coked-out, machine-funk feel of a Clipse track.
Meanwhile the heavyweight General Patton and heady, AOR-tinged Shine Blockas only confirm Patton as one of the best pop-leaning hip hop artists around. That OutKast comeback will surely be killer, but for now respect is due the way of this splendid solo adventure.
--Alex Denney
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Customer Reviews
The first half of the album consists of the more upbeat funky numbers, while the second half takes a more down-tempo route. The production is top-notch and there is just so much going on with layers upon layers of brilliant and wonderful sound. The music is simply superb!
I always (unfairly) thought Andre was the more talented half of Outkast. This album emphatically demonstrates just how wrong you can be. I would go as far to say that this up there with Prince at his most creative peak. If you like good music, not necessarily quality hip-hop, then this album is up there with one of the better albums you will hear this year. Well worth investing the time and money to get to know it.
Overall, I think the album is an excellent start. It's got Big Boi written all over it - very funky, with a smooth feel and an easy-going yet also assertive style of lyrical delivery. Big Boi isn't quite as experimental with his sound as Andre 3000, but he is still innovative, and the beats on this album will testitfy to that, as they are quite varied.
Lyrically, I felt that the album flitted between the sharp and observant and the more mundane. There's some great wordplay and humorous non-sequitors, but there are also bits that are less lyrically impressive. There's a fair dose of boastful bravado and lady-loving, but Big Boi doesn't let it doesn't drop too much into the gutter, unlike so many rappers today. His violence is mostly in the context of what he will do if you try and put him down, rather than boasting about fighting and killing every day. However, I will admit that I was a little disappointed that quite a few of the lyrics are dedicated to boasting, talking about how great it is that he is back and so on.
Having said that, his delivery throughout the album is superb. His rhymes are incredibly dexterous, and unlike some other rappers he never sounds strained, even when rapping extremely fast. His voice has rich, rounded sound which gives him a big vocal presence.
I think it's a shame that Andre 3000 couldn't appear on any of the tracks (apart from producing 'You ain't no DJ'). I heard that record label blocked any vocal appearance, though that may not be true.... Read more ›
I know Andre is the one known for pushing boundaries, but it was always Boi that was leading the way with real hip hop. He's just had a minor slip here.
Unfortunately, Andre 3000 does not appear on this album due to label politics, which kind of sucks, but the album's still great.
This album can't fail to disappoint, and offers everything you could want. I can only wait with excitement to see what the new Outkast album is like considering how good this is!
From start to finish this album oozes the class and originality you'd expect from one half of Outkast. Everything goes into the melting pot without affecting the album's continuity. Clever rhymes, great beats and all the guest artists compliment the songs instead of just being 'flavour of the month' features.
Big Boi is on top of his game and as he showed on Speakerboxxx he's got so much to offer when he steps out from the shadow of Andre 3000's larger-than-life persona. If you're a fan of Outkast you'll love this. If you're a fan of good hip hop then this is for you.
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