Sun’s out. It’s fuckin hot! Which is something to actually be excited about—unlike all these halfway-ass rappers clogging up all the bullshit no-taste-or-perspective-having-ass blogs writing love songs to their weed and shoes (though a couple of those dudes are aiight), or these unimaginative street dudes flashing racks in videos that for some reason look like they were made on a Motorola Razr (ditto). I see all this. I read blogs, I eat lunch, and I despair. The new jacks getting pumped up are good for the quick fix, but they leave you burnt in the long run. Most of the vets are straight washed-up like Puget Sound driftwood. So it makes me absolutely jubilant to say it: Dungeon Family still got it.
So for those asking—Big Boi‘s album Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty is what I’m listening to. Bold styles abound, skittering funk is the norm, and well-honed perspective is everywhere on this long-awaited solo step-out. Shit, “long awaited” doesn’t even do it justice for me—it’s been years since the jaw-dropping “Royal Flush” with Raekwon and Andre 3000 first popped up, and I been clanging my tin cup for more ever since. I so loved Speakerboxxx, Boi’s (underrated, IMO) half of the diamond-selling OutKast double-header from 2003(!), but with a few exceptions, I tend to ignore that Idlewild ever happened. I definitely hunted down both of those Purple Ribbon comps (Got That Purp and Got Purp? Vol. II), definitely bemoaned them losing Killer Mike, definitely threw that Janelle Monae song “Lettin’ Go” on repeat, not realizing she was due to become the shit in just a few years. I mean, have you heard her album? It’s fantastic. She’s Dungeon Fam once removed, but The ArchAndroid is very much in their mold and very much the business.
But back to Boi—ol’ boy hasn’t lost a step (or even a pair from his prodigious sneaker collection), and while Jive sucks a veiny one for blocking his brother Andre 3000’s vocals on the LP, Andre still produces one of the best joints: “You Ain’t No DJ” targets sucka rappers and the fake DJs behind them, with Yelawolf riding shotgun, blowing smoke rings through motherfuckers. (Yela will be at Nectar on July 16, by the way, so go see what the hype swirling round this fast-talking Alabamian is all about. I missed him at every turn at SXSW, but heads I trust like what they saw.) There’s even a couple excellent Khujo Goodie appearances on Lucious, which makes my heart swell.
Speaking of the good ol’ Goodie Mob, Cee-Lo is working on his next solo (non–Gnarls Barkley) album, Lady Killer, which I suspect will be huge, judging from his beautiful cover of once-locals Band of Horses‘ “No One’s Gonna Love You” and the material to be found on his Stray Bullets mixtape, which, despite its combative rap title, is pretty light in the actual rap department. What it’s heavy in is great listening, with Carlito Green acing everything from funky R&B standardizing to elegant baroque pop. I never thought the dude who couldn’t get out of bed in the “Git Up Git Out” video would somehow become an international pop star. But I bet you never thought you’d be what you are today either, huh? 