Next year looks to be an active one for fans of Outkast’s Big Boi.
The Atlanta-based rhymesmith is putting an end to the delay of his long-awaited solo album as word comes that he has finished and turned in the project.
According to Big Boi, Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty will mark the beginning of a sting of musical offerings from him and fellow Outkast member Andre 3000.
“This is all in the next year or so, starting with my album coming at the top of the year, Dre 3000 right after me…and when the solo albums come out, depending on how the fans support them, then we’re gonna give them the Outkast album,” the rapper shared with Billboard.com.
The release of Sir Lucious comes more than a year and a half after material from the album was leaked to the public.
Among the songs previewed were the Andre 3000 and Raekwon-assisted “Royal Flush,” “Sumthin’s Gotta Give” featuring Mary J. Blige; “Dubbz” and “Fo Yo Sorrows” with George Clinton and Too $hort and “Shine Blockas” with Gucci Mane.
While leaked material could trigger feelings of stress among artists, Big Boi sees nothing but an upside in exposing listeners to what he has in store.
“It’s almost like giving them a little sampler from the album and showing how diverse it is,” the rapper/actor told Billboard. “Every song that I put out sounds totally different from the previous songs I put out. I slow-cooked this album and, man, I’m just so happy it’s about to come out. I cannot wait to give it to the fans.”
Acknowledging the “stops and starts” generated from the album, Big Boi revealed the challenge of releasing Sir Lucious stemmed from a strong desire for all aspects of the project to be in line with one another before unveiling it for fans.
In addition to Raekwon, Clinton, Gucci Mane, Too $hort and Blige, album collaborators include T.I., Lil Jon, Jamie Foxx and B.o.B.
“I’ve just been trying to make sure we’ve got the right avenues and the right brains and mindsets together to get the marketing and promoting behind it,” the entertainer stated. “When you work on something for, like, two years and 11 months, it’s like your baby. You want to make sure that everybody has taken the project the way they’re supposed to be taking it and the set-up is right.”
Big Boi’s Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty is slated to hit stores in 2010.