Big Boi

JANUARY

January's "Who To Know", the first of 2013, is Antwan Andre Patton a.k.a. Big Boi. After beginning his rap career in high school as one part of the legendary duo, Outkast, Big Boi has pursued a solo career earning critical acclaim and a wide new variety of fans. Lyrically, he hasn't lost a single step, still flawlessly blending his smooth delivery with some of the most complex and brilliantly crafted rhyme schemes ever heard. However, this is not to say he hasn't changed it up a bit as well, recently dabbling in the electronic/indie rock scene, working with the likes of Phantogram and Little Dragon. He has also begun experimenting with more synth heavy beats of late, which has proved to be a perfect match for his voice. While Outkast fans the world over sit and wait for the two wordsmiths to reunite, solo work has done as good a job as possible to hold us over until then. While Andre has resorted, in large part, to being a guest feature, and a damn good one at that, Big Boi has spent his post-Outkast days putting out top shelf albums.

In 2010, he dropped Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty. Although Andre didn't appear on the album, nor will he according to his current stance on an Outkast reunion, he contributed to the production effort along with Outkast regulars Organized Noize and a few new faces. Big Boi's solo debut was met with a large amount of critical acclaim. Claire Suddath of Time described it as "an amalgam of beats, chants, and raps mixed together with exacting precision." Pitchfork Media ranked it as the number 4 best album of 2010, and Vibe ranked it in the 8 spot on a similar list. Singles like "Shutterbugg" proved, beyond a doubt, that Big Boi was more than capable of achieving massive success despite the absence of his counterpart; one of just many statements made both explicitly and not with the popularity of Sir Lucious.

But why now? What makes Big Boi the January 2013 selection for the "Who To Know" segment? The answer is simple. In December 2012, Big Boi, in my opinion, topped his debut with the release of his sophomore solo album, Viscous Lies and Dangerous Rumors. This album brings with it a wide variety of genres and guest features. The project dives into the fields of electronic, indie, and of course, hip hop, calling on newbies and veterans alike to round out the masterful release. Among the more unexpected guest contributions are Little Dragon, a downtempo/electronic band out of Sweden, Phantogram, an indie pop duo from Saratoga Springs, New York, and Wavves, an American surf rock band based in San Diego, California. Some of the more likely collaborators included T.I., Ludacris, Kid Cudi, and B.o.B. Kelly Rowland, Sleepy Brown, and Bosko also lend their vocal talents in spectacular fashion. In fact, throwing Kelly Rowland on a track is pretty much a sure way to get me to buy your album; not that I need much convincing when Big Boi's involved. Big Boi's creative approach to the album brought the best out of everyone involved, properly showcasing each individual skill set without allowing a single entity to be drowned out by the others. Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors is definitely a must buy, as is Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty. And yes, Big Boi was a shoe-in for January's "Who To Know".

(Mama Told Me - Big Boi feat. Kelly Rowland)

(In The A - Big Boi feat. T.I. and Ludacris)