Beyond Bling Bling - Page 2

“Speakerboxxx” is a much more impactive disc in the tradition of “Stankonia.” Big Boi begins with “Ghettomusick” that contains amped up beats with a sampled slow, sexy R&B tune inserted at the break and some chipmunk voices to add P-Funkish insanity to the proceedings. Even better is “The Rooster” which is about Big Boi getting stuck with the responsibility of single parenthood. “Ok, I start out all alone/’Cause my baby mama left me/Now there’s nobody at home/Beginning to feel like Ms. Jackson done got cloned!” Big Boi laments to a contagious beat backed by a rave-up horn section.

Also worth noting is “Flip Flop Rock.” This ode to casual dressing flies in the face of the traditional rappers with the gold chains, the guns, and no sense of humor. And although Big Boi may be chillin’ in his Gucci flip-flops doesn’t mean he isn’t willing to battle: “Overstand this young player’s line/I forgo’d the crime and focused on rhyme/Focused on every word and line/Like a young Cassius Clay in his prime.”

This double CD set is definitely worth checking out. Although Andre and Big Boi have set off in two different musical directions, they have concocted a contrary combination of fascinating tunes that mostly hit the mark. It will be interesting to see what they come up with in the future.

Article Author: Jane Ripley

I am a poet and a writer. I come from a long line of pen wielders, so I can't help but jot things down. I don't remember who said it, but I heard somewhere that a good writer is a trained observer.

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