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My iPod #47: Big Boi – Apple of My Eye

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Yeeeah. Antwan André Patton (The Only One) aka Daddy Fat Sax aka Sir Lucious Left Foot aka Big Boi in the hizz-ouse.

I’m only joking.

You all know him as one half of the influential hip-hop group, OutKast, along with André 3000.

OutKast released their most recent album, ‘Idlewild’, in 2006 which received positive reviews. The film it was released alongside, however, did not fare so well. After enjoyable single releases such as ‘Morris Brown‘ and ‘Idlewild Blue (Don’tchu Worry ‘Bout Me)‘, OutKast faded away but it was okay, because they only faded away to record their next album, right?

WRONG. Since 2006, no new material has been released under the OutKast name. André has featured on various songs here and there but hasn’t released any solo albums. We still love him though. He’s so classy. Have you seen that Gillette advert? Mmm-mmm-mmm.

Big Boi stepped up to the plate and unveiled his debut ‘Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty‘ to the world in 2010, which got everybody worried because they were still waiting for the new OutKast album, but was eventually recognised to be one of the best hip hop albums of that year. Then My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy came out, and everyone was less hyped about Lucious.

I downloaded ‘Left Foot‘ in summer last year, and I found it rather enjoyable. The beats were huge, Big Boi’s lyrics and flow were on par, full to the brim with hubris. Big Boi was at the top of his game, and if he wasn’t getting enough respect already I would assume that he only received more after such a confident debut.

The album became one of my favourites, hip-hop wise, and it got me wondering when he would release his sophomore. As I said, I listened to the full album two years after it was released so something would have been coming soon.

It came as a surprise to me. In December 2012, I go onto Spotify to listen to an album and there under ‘WHAT’S NEW’, I see it:

BIG BOI – VICIOUS LIES AND DANGEROUS RUMORS

I am British, so ‘rumours’ without the ‘u’ looks quite weird but it’s fine.

“Ooh! Let’s listen.”

So I did. Annnnnd it was good. ‘Apple of My Eye’ was the song that really caught my attention. Booming bass, the lyrical delivery, the chorus is an ear worm if there ever was one. I know he released ‘Mama Told Me‘ as the first official single, maybe just because of Kelly Rowland’s appearance and because it is probably the song most suited for radio play from the album. Despite this, ‘Apple of My Eye’ could have been that first single. It’s got everything you want, a great song with only Big Boi at the reins and the soulful chorus. I would have chosen it as my first single, I’m just saying.

Overall, ‘Vicious Lies‘ wasn’t as positively greeted as ‘Left Foot‘ was upon its release. I feel the same way too. I don’t know what it is. It’s hard to explain. Maybe you can have a listen to both albums, and comment on how you feel about them.

Until next time.

Jamie.

My iPod #19: Kanye West – All of the Lights

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WARNING: This video has been identified by Epilepsy Action to potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.

Please take heed of that warning, seriously.

‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’, the fifth album by Kanye West. The one which received positive reviews from every music magazine and website you could imagine. The one with the controversial artwork. The one which had a film released along with it. The one that gave rise to memes such as ‘Yeezy taught me’, ‘No one man should have all that flour’ and ‘Let’s have a toast to the douchebags’. What made it so good?

Well, it was his first album after 808s & Heartbreak, for a start.

But real talk, it was the return of a Kanye (the rapper) that the world had never witnessed before. Remember what he did to Taylor Swift at the 2009 VMAs? Yeah, well no one liked him after that. Beyoncé was shocked, Pink was outraged, even the President had a few words to say about him.

So what did Kanye do? He only went into some sort of exile to Hawaii and recorded his, arguably, best work of ALL TIME. ALL TIME.

‘All of the Lights’ is preceded by its short interlude, a cello/violin and a piano play the melody of the intro. Then the main song starts, “ALL OF THE LIGHTS”, triumphant horns set up the scene, a crescendo of strings build up the mood, Rihanna sings the post-chorus, “Turn up the lights in here baby etc etc.” Then the beat kicks in, and it’s just awesome from then on.

The song kicks arse. It’s a highlight for me from the album. It’s just the rapid drums and bass, the horns, Kanye’s rhymes and delivery. It’s such an adrenaline rush, I don’t think anyone could sit calmly in a chair and bob their heads. No! You’re headbanging, you do a forward roll and you flail about when there’s no one else in the room with the lights flickering on and off. That’s what you do!

Another thing that’s great about the song is also the number of guests he gets on it. No, this song doesn’t just feature Rihanna. You’ve got Kid Cudi in the first bridge, “Getting myyyyyyyyyyyyy eh, you should go and get your oowwwwwwwwwwwwn,” Fergie-Ferg from the Black Eyed Peas in the second bridge, Alicia Keys AND Elton John at the end, and even La Roux. La Roux! How? Why? When?

The song just gives off a sense of glory. “Lights, Cop lights, flash lights, spot lights, strobe lights, street lights, ALL OF THE LIGHTS ALL OF THE LIGHTS, fast life, drug life, thug life, Roc life, every night, ALL OF THE LIGHTS.”

If you don’t have ‘MBDTF’, I suggest you get it. It is probably one of the best hip hop albums released in the last five years.

Who even likes Taylor Swift now anyway?

Until next time.

Jamie.