Antwan André Patton (born February 1, 1975), better known by his stage name Big Boi, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is best known for being a member of the
southern hip hop
Southern hip hop, also known as Southern rap, South Coast hip hop, or dirty south, is a blanket term for a regional genre of American hip hop music that emerged in the Southern United States, especially in Atlanta, New Orleans, Houston, Memp ...
duo
Outkast alongside
André 3000
André Lauren Benjamin (born May 27, 1975), better known as André 3000, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is best known for being a part of southern hip hop duo Outkast alongside fellow rapper Big Boi.
...
. Big Boi's solo debut album ''
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
''Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors'' is the second studio album by American rapper Big Boi, released on December 11, 2012, by Purple Ribbon Records and Def Jam Recordings. The album features guest appearances from Sleepy Brown, Phantogram, T. ...
'' in 2012. ''
Boomiverse
''Boomiverse'' is the third studio album by American rapper Big Boi. The album was released on June 16, 2017, by Epic Records. The album features guest appearances from Adam Levine, Jeezy, Killer Mike, Gucci Mane, and Curren$y. It contains pr ...
'', his third studio album, was released in June 2017.
Early life
Patton was born and spent the first half of his childhood in
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the British colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later t ...
, attending
Herschel V. Jenkins High School, before moving to
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
with his aunt Renee. He decided to pursue his interest in music at
Tri-Cities High School
Tri-Cities High School is a public high school in East Point, Georgia, United States. It is a part of the Fulton County School System. The school opened in 1988 under the leadership of principal Dr. Herschel Robinson. It was originally formed by ...
, a visual and performing arts
magnet school
In the U.S. education system, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities (usually school boards) as school ...
.
Patton credited his grandmother with getting him interested in music by sending him and his siblings to the store to buy
45 records. He further credited his uncle with introducing him to a wider variety of music, specifically
Kate Bush
Catherine Bush (born 30 July 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and dancer. In 1978, at the age of 19, she topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks with her debut single " Wuthering Heights", becoming the first female ...
, who he has described as his favorite artist.
Career
Outkast
Patton met André Lauren Benjamin (stage name
André 3000
André Lauren Benjamin (born May 27, 1975), better known as André 3000, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is best known for being a part of southern hip hop duo Outkast alongside fellow rapper Big Boi.
...
) while attending Tri-Cities High School. The two joined forces as
Outkast in 1992 and signed with
LaFace Records
LaFace Records was an American record label based in Atlanta, Georgia, that operated as a unit of Sony Music Entertainment from 2008 to 2011 and was historically a part of Bertelsmann Music Group from 1989 to 2004. It was most active and achiev ...
.
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
''Speakerboxxx/The Love Below'' is the fifth studio album by American hip hop duo Outkast. It was released on September 23, 2003, by Arista Records. Issued as a double album, its length of over two hours is spread across solo albums from both ...
'' 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
"The Way You Move" is a hip-hop and soul song performed by Big Boi of American hip hop duo OutKast. The song features OutKast mentor Sleepy Brown on guest vocals. Along with " Hey Ya!", recorded by OutKast's other member André 3000, "The Way ...
", featuring
Sleepy Brown
Patrick Leroy "Sleepy" Brown (born January 24, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter and record producer from Savannah, Georgia. He is one-third of the successful Atlanta-based production team of Organized Noize, which has created hits for act ...
, was originally supported by urban radio, but crossed over to pop charts, where it supplanted André 3000's "
Hey Ya!
"Hey Ya!" is a song performed by American hip-hop duo Outkast, specifically group member André 3000, who wrote and produced the song. Along with "The Way You Move", recorded by Outkast's other member Big Boi, "Hey Ya!" was released by Arista ...
" as the No. 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
"Love, Need and Want You" is a song recorded by American singer Patti LaBelle from her sixth studio album, ''I'm in Love Again'' (1983). The mid-tempo R&B song was written and produced for LaBelle by Bunny Sigler and Kenny Gamble, and was rele ...
".
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)
"International Players Anthem (I Choose You)" is a song by American hip hop duo UGK, released on June 6, 2007, as the second single from their fifth studio album '' Underground Kingz'' (2007). The song, produced by DJ Paul and Juicy J of Thre ...
", the first single from
UGK
UGK (short for Underground Kingz) was an American hip hop duo from Port Arthur, Texas, formed in 1987, by Chad "Pimp C" Butler and Bernard "Bun B" Freeman. They released their first major-label album, ''Too Hard to Swallow'', in 1992, followe ...
's album ''
Underground Kingz
''Underground Kingz'' is the fifth studio album by American hip hop duo UGK. The album was released on August 7, 2007, by Jive Records. The album includes collaborations with Z-RO, T.I., Talib Kweli, Rick Ross, Jazze Pha, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy ...
''.
In 2007, after ''
Idlewild'', the sixth official OutKast duo album, Big Boi announced plans to release a proper solo album. ''Speakerboxxx'' had been seen by many as a solo album (and it effectively was one), but it was still released under the OutKast name, which made ''
Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty'' his first "full-fledged" solo album. The album's first promotional single, "Royal Flush", was released in 2007, and featured
Raekwon
Corey Woods (born January 12, 1970), better known by his stage name Raekwon The Chef, or simply Raekwon (), is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as a founding member of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, which achieved mainstream success ...
and André 3000. Over the next few years the album was delayed many times, but multiple promotional and video singles were released, such as "Shine Blockas" (featuring
Gucci Mane
Radric Delantic Davis (born February 12, 1980), known professionally as Gucci Mane, is an American rapper and record executive. He helped pioneer the hip hop subgenre of trap music alongside fellow Atlanta-based rappers T.I. and Young Jeezy, ...
), "For Yo Sorrows" (featuring
George Clinton and
Too Short
Todd Anthony Shaw (born April 28, 1966), better known by the stage name Too Short (stylized as Too $hort), is an American rapper and record producer. He became famous in the West Coast hip hop scene in the late 1980s, with lyrics often based on ...
), and "General Patton" (featuring
Big Rube
Ruben Bailey (born September 27, 1969, Atlanta, Georgia), professionally known by his stage name Big Rube, is an American spoken word artist, rapper and hip hop producer. He is a first-generation member of the Dungeon Family and of Society of ...
). The first official single was "
Shutterbugg
"Shutterbugg" is a song by American rapper Big Boi, released in 2010 as the first single from his debut solo album, '' Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty''. The song features singer Cutty on the song's chorus. It was co-produced by Sco ...
", featuring Cutty, and the second was "Follow Us", featuring Vonnegutt. The album was formally released in July 2010. Guest artists included alternative urban singer
Janelle Monáe
Janelle Monáe Robinson (; born December 1, 1985) is an American singer, rapper and actress. She is signed to Atlantic Records, as well as to her own imprint, the Wondaland Arts Society. Monáe has received eight Grammy Award nominations. Mon ...
, who went on to be a famed actor and entertainer in her own right, as well as
T.I.,
B.o.B.
Bobby Ray Simmons Jr. (born November 15, 1988), known professionally as B.o.B, is an American rapper and record producer. Raised in Decatur, Georgia, Simmons was signed to Jim Jonsin's Rebel Rock Entertainment imprint in 2006. Two years later ...
, and, on a hook, Big Boi's old Dungeon Family friend
Khujo
Willie Edward Knighton Jr. (born March 13, 1972), better known as Khujo, is an American rapper. He is one-fourth of Goodie Mob (along with T-Mo, Cee-Lo, and Big Gipp), and one-half of The Lumberjacks (with T-Mo).
Life and career
Khujo was bo ...
. ''Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty'' was warmly received by most music critics, earning praise for its inventive sound, varied musical style, and Big Boi's lyricism.
[''Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty'' (2010): Reviews](_blank)
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
. Retrieved on July 5, 2010.[Dietz, Jason]
July's Best New Music
Metacritic. Retrieved on July 29, 2010.
![Big Boi Counterpoint](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Big_Boi_Counterpoint.jpg)
In a July 2010 interview for ''
The Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, th ...
'', Big Boi revealed that he was working on the follow-up album to ''Sir Lucious Left Foot'', entitled ''
Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors
''Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors'' is the second studio album by American rapper Big Boi, released on December 11, 2012, by Purple Ribbon Records and Def Jam Recordings. The album features guest appearances from Sleepy Brown, Phantogram, T. ...
'', stating that he was "maybe about six songs into it".
[Harvilla, Rob]
Big Boi Is Not Too Artsy
''The Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, th ...
''. Retrieved on July 6, 2010. It was released on November 13, 2012. The first single from the album was "Mama Told Me" featuring
Kelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene Rowland (born February 11, 1981) is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. During the gr ...
.
The album featured guest appearances from
ASAP Rocky
Rakim Athelaston Mayers (born October 3, 1988), known professionally as ASAP Rocky ( ; stylized as A$AP Rocky), is an American rapper, music producer and record executive. Born and raised in Harlem, he embarked on his musical career as a membe ...
,
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, homophonous with 'ludicrous' in American English), is an American rapper, actor, record producer and record executive.
Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludac ...
,
T.I.,
Little Dragon
Little Dragon are a Swedish electronic music band from Gothenburg, Sweden, formed in 1996. The band consists of Yukimi Nagano (vocals, percussion), Erik Bodin (drums), Fredrik Wallin (bass) and Håkan Wirenstrand (keyboards).
Little Dragon' ...
,
Phantogram, Kelly Rowland and
B.o.B
Bobby Ray Simmons Jr. (born November 15, 1988), known professionally as B.o.B, is an American rapper and record producer. Raised in Decatur, Georgia, Simmons was signed to Jim Jonsin's Rebel Rock Entertainment imprint in 2006. Two years late ...
.
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. He was featured on the ''Catch The Throne'' mixtape with the song "Mother of Dragons", it was released for free download on
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming s ...
by
HBO on March 7, 2014, to promote the fourth season of ''
Game of Thrones''.
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.
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
Michael Santiago Render (born April 20, 1975), better known by his stage name Killer Mike, is an American rapper, actor, and activist. Mike made his debut on Outkast's 2000 LP '' Stankonia'', and later appeared on their Grammy-winning single "T ...
and
Jeezy), would be released the following day. The track "All Night" from Boomiverse was used in the 2017 Apple
iPhone X commercial which saw
Alana Greszata lip syncing to the song for the "Animoji yourself" feature.
In 2018, Big Boi signed to L.A. Reid and Charles Goldstuck's new label Hitco Music.
In 2019, Big Boi performed at the
Super Bowl LIII halftime show. Along with other performers, he was criticized for agreeing to participate despite the
U.S. national anthem protests
Protests during the playing of the United States national anthem have had many causes, including civil rights, anti-conscription, anti-war, anti-nationalism, and religious reservations. Such protests have occurred since at least the 1890s, wel ...
by
Colin Kaepernick
Colin Rand Kaepernick ( ; born November 3, 1987) is an American civil rights activist and football quarterback who is a free agent. He played six seasons for the San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League (NFL). In 2016, he knelt du ...
and others.
In November 2021, Big Boi announced that he had recorded a song with the British singer-songwriter
Kate Bush
Catherine Bush (born 30 July 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and dancer. In 1978, at the age of 19, she topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks with her debut single " Wuthering Heights", becoming the first female ...
, who Big Boi has repeatedly expressed his admiration for throughout his career.
Acting
Big Boi appeared as a guest star on seasons 3 and 5 of
Nick Cannon
Nicholas Scott Cannon (born October 8, 1980) is an American television host, actor, rapper, and comedian. In television, Cannon began as a teenager on ''All That'' before going on to host '' The Nick Cannon Show'', ''Wild 'n Out'', ''America's ...
's ''
Wild 'n Out
''Wild 'N Out'' is an American sketch comedy and improv game show series that was created and is hosted by musician and comedian Nick Cannon currently airing on VH1. It debuted on July 28, 2005 on MTV.
In April 2019, the series had been rene ...
'', as well as guest-starring and appearing as a musical guest on ''
Chappelle's Show
''Chappelle's Show'' is an American sketch comedy television series created by comedians Dave Chappelle and Neal Brennan, with Chappelle hosting the show and starring in the majority of its sketches. Chappelle, Brennan, and Michele Armour were ...
'', 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
Wildlife refers to undomesticated animal species, but has come to include all organisms that grow or live wild in an area without being introduced by humans. Wildlife was also synonymous to game: those birds and mammals that were hunted ...
", which aired November 18, 2008. Big Boi played hip hop artist Gots Money. Big Boi appeared in an episode of the
horror anthology web television
Streaming television is the digital distribution of television content, such as TV shows, as streaming media delivered over the Internet. Streaming television stands in contrast to dedicated terrestrial television delivered by over-the-air ae ...
series ''
Creepshow
''Creepshow'' is a 1982 American horror comedy anthology film directed by George A. Romero and written by Stephen King, making this film his screenwriting debut. The film's ensemble cast includes Hal Holbrook, Adrienne Barbeau, Fritz Weaver ...
''.
Multidisciplinary collaborations
In 2008, Big Boi began a collaboration on a new show with the
Atlanta Ballet
Atlanta Ballet is a ballet company, located in Atlanta, Georgia. It is the longest continuously performing ballet company in the United States and the State Ballet of Georgia.
History
Atlanta Ballet was founded in 1929 by Dorothy Alexander as ...
. The show, entitled ''big'', premiered at the
Fox Theater Fox Theatre or Fox Theater or Fox Theater Building may refer to:
U.S.
* Fox Tucson Theatre (Tucson, Arizona)
*Fox Theater (Bakersfield, California)
* Fox Theatre (Fullerton, California)
* Fox Theater, Westwood Village (Los Angeles, California)
* Fo ...
in Atlanta, April 10–13, 2008. 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, as it was when the ballet created a live music/dance collaboration with the Indigo Girls.
Personal life
Big Boi and his ex-wife Sherlita have one son and one daughter; he has another son from a previous relationship. In June 2022, Big Boi divorced Sherlita Patton, officially bringing their 20 years of marriage to a close. In Patton's court filing, he stated there was "no reasonable hope of reconciliation" between Sherlita and him.
Big Boi is a registered
Pit bull
Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...
and
French Bulldog breeder, and owns a 40-acre ranch outside of Atlanta he calls "the Ritz Carlton for Dogs." He is also the owner of two owls named Hootie and Hoodini.
In 2009, together with Janice Faison Ahmed, Big Boi started Celebrity Trailers, an RV rental company created for professionals in the film, entertainment, and sports industries.
In August 2011, Patton was returning from a cruise when a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement drug dog at the
Port of Miami
The Port of Miami, styled as "PortMiami" but formally the Dante B. Fascell Port of Miami, is a major seaport located in Biscayne Bay at the mouth of the Miami River in Miami, Florida. It is the largest passenger port in the world, and one of the ...
alerted officers. Patton was arrested and charged with illegal possession of the controlled substance
MDMA
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly seen in tablet form (ecstasy) and crystal form (molly or mandy), is a potent empathogen–entactogen with stimulant properties primarily used for recreational purposes. The desire ...
(in powder form) and
Viagra
Sildenafil, sold under the brand name Viagra, among others, is a medication used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension. It is unclear if it is effective for treating sexual dysfunction in women. It is taken by ...
. Patton was released from the
Miami-Dade County jail on a $16,000 bond.
In 2013, while performing at the Summer Camp Music Festival, Big Boi did an air kick onstage and hurt his knee. Doctors determined that he tore his patella and did an operation to fix his knee. After the surgery, he had to postpone several tour dates, but promised he would be performing again in six weeks.
He appeared as Mayor Atkins in the
2018 remake of the classic 1972 blaxploitation film ''
Super Fly''.
Politics and endorsements
The City of East Point presented Antwan “Big Boi” Patton with the city's 2021 Global Icon Award and Key to the City for his contribution to the music industry and elevation of the City of East Point.
In an interview with
New York City's Hot 97, Big Boi stated that the day after the
2012 United States presidential election
The 2012 United States presidential election was the 57th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. Incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama and his running mate, incumbent Vice President Joe Biden, were re-e ...
, a woman approached him at an airport and congratulated him on "his win last night" (referring to
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...
winning re-election), to which Big Boi responded, "Bitch, I voted for
Gary Johnson
Gary Earl Johnson (born January 1, 1953) is an American businessman, author, and politician. He served as the 29th governor of New Mexico from 1995 to 2003 as a member of the Republican Party. He was the Libertarian Party nominee for Presid ...
."
In a video interview with the
HuffPost
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
in January 2013, he confirmed his
libertarian political ideologies.
In 2006, Big Boi founded the Big Kidz Foundation, a nonprofit organization to help youth in Atlanta. 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 started the Rene Patton Scholarship, named after Big Boi's late aunt, and the "Saving Lives Through the Arts Campaign.""
In 2010, Big Boi launched his custom Chuck Taylor sneakers with Converse. 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.
In early 2022, a new television advertisement from realtor.com featured rapper Big Boi welcoming a couple to their first “Big Boi House.” The 30-second (and 44-second) advertisements feature the Atlanta rapper accompanying a couple as they explore their new home, commenting on their “Big Boi kitchen,” “Big Boi vaulted ceilings,” and “Big Boi school district.” The advertisement is the first Big Boi has done since a 2011 NFL and Pepsi Max Commercial and is backed by his 2003 single “The Way You Move.”
Discography
* ''
Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty'' (2010)
* ''
Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors
''Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors'' is the second studio album by American rapper Big Boi, released on December 11, 2012, by Purple Ribbon Records and Def Jam Recordings. The album features guest appearances from Sleepy Brown, Phantogram, T. ...
'' (2012)
* ''
Boomiverse
''Boomiverse'' is the third studio album by American rapper Big Boi. The album was released on June 16, 2017, by Epic Records. The album features guest appearances from Adam Levine, Jeezy, Killer Mike, Gucci Mane, and Curren$y. It contains pr ...
'' (2017)
Filmography
Film
Television
Video games
References
External links
*
*
*
{{Authority control
1975 births
Living people
21st-century American rappers
African-American Christians
African-American male rappers
African-American male singers
African-American record producers
American hip hop record producers
American libertarians
American male singers
Christian libertarians
Dungeon Family members
Grammy Award winners for rap music
Musicians from Savannah, Georgia
Outkast members
Purple Ribbon All-Stars members
Rappers from Atlanta
Southern hip hop musicians