Big Boi

Antwan André Patton (born February 1, 1975), better known by his stage name Big Boi, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor and record producer, best known for being a member of American hip hop duo Outkast, alongside André 3000. Outkast released six studio albums; Big Boi's solo debut Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty was released in July 2010 to critical acclaim. He released his second studio album, Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors in 2012. Boomiverse, his third studio album, was released in June 2017.

Not to be confused with DJ Big Boy.

Big Boi
Big Boi performing in 2006 in Atlanta, Georgia
Background information
Birth nameAntwan André Patton
Born (1975-02-01) February 1, 1975
Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
OriginSavannah, Georgia, U.S.
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
  • actor
  • record producer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • keyboards
Years active1992–present
Labels
Associated acts
Websitebigboi.com

Early life

Patton was born and spent the first half of his childhood in Savannah, Georgia, attending Herschel V. Jenkins High School,[1] before moving to Atlanta with his aunt Renne. He decided to pursue his interest in music at Tri-Cities High School, a visual and performing arts magnet school.

Career

Outkast

Patton met André Lauren Benjamin (stage name André 3000) while attending Tri-Cities High School. The two joined forces as Outkast in 1992 and signed with LaFace Records.[2]

Solo career

After four successful albums, Big Boi and André 3000 chose to make two solo albums, and release it as a double album under the Outkast name, as Speakerboxxx/The Love Below in 2003; Big Boi recorded Speakerboxxx, André 3000 recorded The Love Below. Speakerboxxx featured a style similar to Outkast's previous efforts, while The Love Below explored a more offbeat territory, with André 3000 mainly singing rather than his usual rapping.

Big Boi released two of his songs as singles. "The Way You Move", featuring Sleepy Brown, was originally supported by urban radio, but crossed over to pop charts, where it supplanted André 3000's "Hey Ya!" as the #1 song. The second single from Big Boi was "Ghetto Musick", which featured both members of Outkast and a sample from Patti LaBelle's "Love, Need and Want You".

In November 2005, Big Boi released a mixtape/compilation album, Got Purp? Vol 2, in conjunction with the Purple Ribbon All-Stars through Purple Ribbon Records. The first single from the album was "Kryptonite", which reached 35 on the Billboard Hot 100. Outkast was also featured on the song "International Players Anthem (I Choose You)", the first single from UGK's album Underground Kingz.

In 2007, after Idlewild, the sixth album under the Outkast name, Big Boi announced plans to release a full-fledged solo album. While he had released a previous solo album in Speakerboxxx, it still was under the Outkast name. The album was titled Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty. The album's first promotional single, "Royal Flush", was released in 2007, and featured Raekwon and André 3000. Over the next few years the album saw many delays, but multiple promotional and video singles were released such as "Shine Blockas" featuring Gucci Mane, "For Yo Sorrows" featuring George Clinton and Too Short and "General Patton" featuring Big Rube. The first official single was "Shutterbugg" featuring Cutty and the second "Follow Us" featuring Vonnegutt. The album was released in July 2010. Guest artists include alternative urban singer Janelle Monáe; Big Boi's own new group Vonnegutt; plus rappers T.I. and B.o.B.[3] Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty received general acclaim from most music critics, earning praise for its inventive sound, varied musical style, and Big Boi's lyricism.[4][5]

Big Boi at Counterpoint Festival 2012

In a July 2010 interview for The Village Voice, Big Boi revealed that he was working on the follow-up album to Sir Lucious Left Foot, entitled Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors, stating that he was "maybe about six songs into it".[6][7] It was released on November 13, 2012.[8] The first single from the album was "Mama Told Me" featuring Kelly Rowland.[9] The album featured guest appearances from ASAP Rocky, Ludacris, T.I., Little Dragon, Phantogram, Kelly Rowland and B.o.B.[10]

Later in 2012, Big Boi revealed that he had written ten songs for his third studio album. He reiterated his plans for a new studio album in January 2014.[11][12] He was featured on the Catch The Throne mixtape with the song "Mother of Dragons", it was released for free download on SoundCloud by HBO on March 7, 2014 to promote the fourth season of Game of Thrones.[13]

Big Boi had signed a management deal with Jordan Feldstein's Career Artist Management in 2014, same year inked a record deal with Epic Records.[14][15]

On April 19, 2017, Big Boi revealed that his third studio album would be titled Boomiverse, and that two singles, "Mic Jack" featuring Adam Levine and "Kill Jill" featuring Killer Mike and Jeezy, would be released the following day.[16]

In 2018, Big Boi signed to L.A. Reid and Charles Goldstuck's new label Hitco Music.[17][18]

In 2019, Big Boi performed at the Super Bowl LIII halftime show.[19] Along with other performers, he was criticized for agreeing to participate despite the U.S. national anthem protests by Colin Kaepernick and others.[20]

Acting career

Big Boi appeared on Nick Cannon's Wild 'n Out Season 3 and Season 5 as a guest star, as well as guest starring and appearing as a musical guest on Chappelle's Show performing his song "The Rooster". In 2006, he branched into feature film acting, appearing in ATL and Idlewild, followed by a starring role in 2007's Who's Your Caddy? He appeared in the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Wildlife", which aired November 18, 2008. Big Boi played hip hop artist Gots Money.[21] Big Boi appeared in an episode of the horror anthology web television series Creepshow.[22]


Also featured in several episodes in season 6 of girlfriends

Multidisciplinary collaborations

In 2008, Big Boi began a collaboration on a new show with the Atlanta Ballet. The show, entitled big, premiered at the Fox Theater in Atlanta, April 10–13, 2008.[23] The show was performed by Atlanta Ballet dancers, local youth and talent, as choreographed by Lauri Stallings. Music may be performed live onstage during the performance,[24] as it was when the ballet created a live music/dance collaboration with the Indigo Girls.[25]

Personal life

Big Boi and his wife Sherlita Patton have one son and one daughter. He has another son from a previous relationship. His wife was co-owner with Tracy Valentine of a clothing boutique in Atlanta, Georgia called PValentine. The ties to Big Boi attracted many music artists and other celebrities to the store. It was featured on an episode of MTV's My Super Sweet 16 when R&B artist Chris Brown went for a birthday gift from Big Boi.

Big Boi is a registered Pit bull and French Bulldog breeder, and owns a 40-acre ranch outside of Atlanta he calls "the Ritz Carlton for Dogs."[26] He is also the owner of 2 owls named Hootie and Hoodini. [27]

In August 2011, Patton was returning from a cruise when a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement drug dog at the Port of Miami alerted officers. Patton was arrested and charged with illegal possession of the controlled substance MDMA powder and Viagra.[28] Patton was released from the Miami-Dade County jail on a $16,000 bond.[29][30]

Established in 2009, “Big Boi” partnered with former assistant Janice Faison Ahmed and started Celebrity Trailers, an RV rental company created for professionals in the film, entertainment, and sports industries.[31]

Politics and endorsements

In an interview with New York City's Hot 97, Big Boi stated that the day after the 2012 United States presidential election, a white woman approached him at an airport and congratulated him on "his win last night" (referring to Barack Obama winning re-election), to which Big Boi responded, "Bitch, I voted for Gary Johnson."[32][33][34] In a video interview with the HuffPost in January 2013, he confirmed his libertarian political ideologies.[34]

In 2006, Big Boi founded the Big Kidz Foundation, a nonprofit organization to help youth in Atlanta.[35] The Foundation's mission is to provide culturally diverse experiences in the field of humanities while helping create socially conscious youth. In January 2010, Big Boi and the Executive Director, Jennifer Shephard Lester launched the Big Kidz Foundation in Savannah, Georgia. Lester also stated the Rene Patton Scholarship named after Big Boi's late aunt and the "Saving Lives through the Arts Campaign."[36]"

In 2010, Big Boi launched his custom Chuck Taylor sneakers with Converse.[37] The shoes feature the title of his Def Jam solo album debut: Sir Lucious Left Foot on the left, and Son of Chico Dusty on the right. His Big Boi logo is featured on the tongue of the shoe.

In 2015, Big Boi announced on the Rap Radar Podcast that he supported Bernie Sanders for President.[38]

Discography
Main articles: Big Boi discography and Outkast discography

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2004 20 Funerals Lucious
2006 ATL Marcus
2006 Idlewild Rooster
2007 Who's Your Caddy? Christopher "C-Note" Hawkins
2017 Baby Driver Restaurant Patron #1
2018 Superfly Mayor Atkins
2019 The Trap Himself

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2006 King of the Hill Reverend Nealy (voice) Episode: "Church Hopping"
2006–2007 Girlfriends Himself 3 episodes
2008 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Gots Money Episode: "Wildlife"
2010 Freaknik: The Musical The Preacher Television film
2011 The Cookout 2 Peanut Television film
2012 The Playlist Remix Victim - ScreenWerks Episode: "Instruments of Destruction"
2012 Single Ladies Himself Episode: "Slave to Love"
2017 Star Himself Episode: "Next of Kin"
2017 Animals Fox 2 Episode: "Pigeons"
2019 The Bobby DeBarge Story Berry Gordy Television film
2019 Scream Police Officer 2 episodes
2019 Creepshow Pawnbroker Episode: "All Hallow's Eve/The Man in the Suitcase"

Video games
Year Title Role Notes
2007 Def Jam: Icon Himself (voice)
2013 Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel Charles "Chuy" Rendall (voice)
gollark: Sorry, I understand no numbers except those relating to production of materials.
gollark: @MinerMan132 Factorio.
gollark: @Luca_S you're banned?
gollark: @MinerMan132 it would never have worked.
gollark: @MinerMan13 Factorio

References
  1. "Antwan 'Big Boi' Patton". Flixster.com. Archived from the original on July 31, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  2. Andrew Gill (July 20, 2010). "Big Boi does the Wikipedia Files". wbez.org. Chicago Public Radio. Archived from the original on August 25, 2010. Retrieved September 28, 2010.
  3. Big Boi interview by Pete Lewis, Blues & Soul, July 2010
  4. Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty (2010): Reviews. Metacritic. Retrieved on July 5, 2010.
  5. Dietz, Jason. July’s Best New Music. Metacritic. Retrieved on July 29, 2010.
  6. Harvilla, Rob. Big Boi Is Not Too Artsy. The Village Voice. Retrieved on July 6, 2010.
  7. "Twitter / BigBoi: Breaking News !!!!! Title of". Twitter.com. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
  8. "Big Boi Sets Release Date for Upcoming LP". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
  9. "Big Boi Pushes Album to December, Reveals Cover Art". Retrieved November 1, 2012.
  10. "Big Boi Reveals Features From "Vicious Lies And Dangerous Rumors"". Archived from the original on November 11, 2012. Retrieved November 10, 2012.
  11. "Big Boi Reveals He's "Ten Songs Deep" Into His Third Solo LP". Retrieved November 29, 2012.
  12. "OutKast's Big Boi confirms new solo album | News". Nme.Com. January 23, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
  13. "Big Boi – Mother of Dragons". indieshuffle.com. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  14. "Big Boi Signs New Management Deal: 'We Have a Lot of New Material Coming' (Exclusive)". Billboard. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
  15. Paul Cantor (May 10, 2014). "Big Boi Announces New Record Deal | Paul Cantor". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
  16. "Big Boi Announces New Album Boomiverse, New Songs With Adam Levine, Killer Mike, and Jeezy". pitchfork.com. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
  17. Karp, Hannah. "L.A. Reid's Hitco Ramps Up With 25 Hires and Handful Of New Acts". billboard.com. Billboard Magazine. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  18. Halperin, Shirley. "L.A. Reid's First Post-Sony Signing Is Outkast's Big Boi (EXCLUSIVE) – Variety". variety.com. Penske Business Media LLC. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  19. Caramanica, Jon (February 3, 2019). "Maroon 5 Barely Leaves a Mark at the Super Bowl Halftime Show". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  20. "Maroon 5 to perform Super Bowl despite controversy". January 14, 2019. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  21. Big Boi on Law & Order (VIDEO) StraightFromTheA.com (November 18, 2008)
  22. BloodyDisgusting.com (June 20, 2019)
  23. "Ballet Performances – Atlanta Ballet Tickets – Atlanta Ballet". Archived from the original on January 31, 2010. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
  24. Big Boi Collaborates with Atlanta Ballet | Spin Magazine Online
  25. McLendon, Sherri L. (2002). "Indigo Girls Complement Atlanta Dancers. – Atlanta Ballet performs multimedia dance work – dance review". Dance Magazine. Archived from the original on July 9, 2012.
  26. Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me (March 14, 2020). "'Wait Wait' For March 14, 2020, With Not My Job Guest Big Boi". NPR. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  27. "Big Boi Wants to Keep His Owls Forever-Ever". RollingStone.com. November 9, 2019.
  28. Antwan "Big Boi" Patton Arrested! StraightfromtheA.com (August 7, 2011)
  29. "OutKast member Big Boi arrested in Miami on drug charges". Miami Herald. August 7, 2011. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  30. Campbell, Janie (August 7, 2011). "Outkast's Big Boi Jailed On Drug Charges in Miami". NBC Miami. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  31. "Janice Ahmed owns 'Celebrity Trailers' with business partner Big Boi of OutKast". Rollingout.com. May 17, 2018.
  32. "Rapper Big Boi: Trashing Obama, praising Gary Johnson · Hammer of Truth". Hammeroftruth.com. December 13, 2012. Archived from the original on July 28, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  33. "Big Boi's Post-Election Racist Moment: "I Voted for Gary Johnson" – Hit & Run". Reason.com. December 29, 2012. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  34. "WATCH: Big Boi Explains He Didn't Vote For Obama". Huffington Post. January 11, 2013.
  35. "The Official Site of Big Boi's Big Kidz Foundation". Retrieved September 9, 2015.
  36. "Big Boi's Big Kidz Foundation's 'Celebrity Weekend' kicks off Friday| Savannah Now |". savannahnow.com. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
  37. "Big Boi Creates Classic Fashion with Converse! Sneaker Honors Star's Unique Style!". UrbLife.com. August 13, 2010.
  38. "Big Boi Supports Bernie Sanders, Stands by Second Amendment". radio.com. September 29, 2015.
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