Big Boi - Boomiverse

Big Boi
Boomiverse
2017
Spotify

Big Boi is a legend, always will be and there is almost nothing he could do to tarnish that status. The man basically put Southern Hip Hop on the map and when others were comfortable staying in their lane Outkast were innovating. Big Boi's solo career has not been as epic as Outkast's best but his endearing style continues to keep him in the conversation. Boomiverse is not modern, it is not cutting edge but it is so fun from start to finish that none of that even matters. "Kill Jill" is the first sign of the weird things to come. Killer Mike and Jeezy feature on the track which uses an sample from an Hatsune Miku track. It gives the song this total electronic vibe, yet still grounded in Hip Hop. Boomiverse is not as wild as some of the previous stuff Big Boi has done, but it still has that spirit. Big Boi's lyrics are also razor sharp, with joke after joke after joke savagely ripping into their targets. This is also a record that features big time heavy hitters including Snoop, Kurupt and Gucci Mane just to name a few. These aren't the names that are going to ensure a track reaches number one, but they are the names you want to include if you are working on something timeless. These rappers may not have the ear of the youth like they used to but they still can put out a banger when duty calls. However big Boi still manages to find the space to let his voice dance flexing some of those legendary delivery skills. He sounds so at ease and so comfortable on "All Night" and the upright piano just sucks you right in.

There are times where not everything works however. "Mic Jack" sounds to much like an attempt at a banger rather than one in it's own right. All the bones are there with the inclusion of Adam Levine from Maroon 5 but that is exactly what sets it up for failure. "Get Wit It" is so classic Snoop Dogg, not G-Funk but a track where both rappers can lean back and let everything just roll out in front of them, it is pretty amazing. There are a few times where Big Boi does show his age by making some rather cringe observations about Bill Cosby and technology, but they are throwaway lines at best. What is pretty incredible is that some of these songs actually sound like they belong in Big Boi's already stacked catalogue. As artists age it seems less and less likely that their new stuff is really going to connect, but you just don;t sense that with Big Boi. "Chocolate" is so different but so fucking good a perfect compliment to some of Outkast's best. Calling this Dad Rap feels like an insult because while it is a more grown up Big Boi he is not any less wild or willing to take a risk. the real mistake would be to try and chase the Travis Scotts and Migos of the world something he would be bound to fail at. Boomiverse has it's highs and it's lows but in the end it is just nice to hear from Big Boi, everything else is just bonus.

8.0 out of 10