Big Boi News

Back in 2003, when the white-hot OutKast released dual solo albums - Big Boi's Speakerboxxx and Andr 3000's The Love Below - something peculiar happened: Big Boi arrived.

Big Boi, known for being Andre 3000's partner in Outkast and as one of the central members of the Dungeon Family, will perform with special guest Killer Mike.

BIG BOI, KILLER MIKE Outkast largely put itself on ice after 2006's Idlewild , but Big Boi has picked up the baton, releasing two high-powered albums that keep the group's signature Southern funk intact, and expanding.

Rapper Big Boi also is a song- writer/actor who has collaborated with many artists in his genre-busting career.

Academy Award nominated composer John Debney features world famous trumpeter Arturo Sandoval on his score for "Idlewild," a ragtime-inspired musical starring Andre Benjamin and Antwan Patton of R&B duo Outkast.

Big Boi is a serial collaborator, one of those endlessly curious artists who's always thinking "what if?" when he charges into a new project.

Sound Opinions at the Movies, hosted by Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis, takes on Wattstax , Mel Stuart's documentary about the 1972 Watts Summer Music Festival, the "black Woodstock." Catch it at the Music Box.

Antwan "Big Boi" Patton and "Andre 3000" Benjamin, collectively known as OutKast, are like the Hall & Oates or Sam and Dave of hip-hop. Their distinctly different styles complement the other's: Big Boi's gritty directness nicely counterbalances Andre 3000's trippy fluidity, and it all is anchored by adventurous, and often accessible, productions.