On “You Ain’t No DJ,” one of the year’s best songs, Big Boi confidently raps his way through a slamming futuristic beat introducing himself with a swaggerific “Let’s be clear / I’m your leader / not your peer / valedictorian of this rap shit every year.” Accompanied on the track by budding rap star Yelawolf—an imposing presence on his own, an American Die Antwoord of sorts—Big Boi proves that the wait for his long-delayed solo album was more than worth it. Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty plays as a sort of “who’s who” in the hip-hop community in 2010 while also allowing Big Boi’s incredible skills as a rapper to shine through. On the subdued but catchy “Be Still,” the effervescent and talented Janelle Monae assists the rapper. “Fo Yo Sorrows,” a distinctly southern-feeling track, features Big Boi rapping faster than ever imaginable, reaching Busta Rhymes speed at times, while Too Short, Sam Chris, and the legendary George Clinton hum the chorus. One of the album’s best is “Tangerine,” a finger-snapping track featuring T.I. and Khujo. The chorus is one of the (intentionally) funniest of the year, as it goes “She said her name was Billie Jean / she said she wanna show me things / I pulled out a stack of green / she shakes it like a tambourine.” Chico Dusty is not without its weaknesses (any album that features Jamie Foxx earns an automatic black mark in my book). On the whole, Big Boi has delivered a refreshing album that never fails to acknowledge its deeply planted roots in early ‘90s style Georgia rap. Now could Andre 3000 just please finish his solo effort so the two can pump out another Outkast album?
Watch the video for "You Ain't No DJ" below:
No comments:
Post a Comment