Credit: Photo by Sandy Carson

Big Boi

Austin Music Hall, March 19

Even without Andre 3000, OutKast rapper Big Boi still brought the bangers. After assuring the modest crowd that his heavily leaked solo album Sir Lucious Leftfoot: The Son of Chico Dusty would be out soon, the man born Antwan Andre Patton offered a lesson in flow drawing heavily on early ‘Kast cuts. The billing of a live band as part of the venue’s AfroPunk showcase was an oversell; beats and orchestration remained dominated by DJ Cutmaster Swift. Yet “Ms. Jackson” and “The Way You Move” were off the hook, Big Boi demanding that the band and crowd “speed this up” for “Ghettomuzik,” which made clear he has few rivals when it comes to superfast flow. With the club rumbling like the trunk of an Olds 88, musicians from the wings presently joined Big Boi onstage for the set’s latter half. Hyped protégé Janelle Monáe lockstepped her way through a light-speed “B.O.B.,” and with a house party breaking out, it was hard to say whether the band or the audience was having more fun.

This article appears in March 27 • 2009.

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