Rapper/Producer/Actor: those are just a few of the many hats worn ever so proudly by Antwan André Patton. The globally revered recording artist, professionally known as Big Boi, along with his, nearly, life-long partner-n-rhyme, André "3000" Benjamin, have won numerous accolades; including six well-earned Grammy Awards, and are solely responsible for ultimately selling over 25 million copies worldwide. Now in 2008, the 33 year old ATLien is gearing up for his highly anticipated, soon-to-be-released "official" debut offering, the interestingly titled, Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty...

Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty — What does that title represent both to and for you?
Well, shit, Sir Luscious Left Foot is basically me. The more mature, global version of Big Boi, you know. It's actually just me all the way to the extreme, and, you know, it's a moniker that I used for years. There (is) just so many different emotions and personalities that I got, and it's just a frame of mind, and they bring out different types of music. So, really, I'm giving ‘em all of me. And, I am the son of Chico Dusty, that's my father. He actually was an Air Force pilot, and also a Marine. He served in the military, (and) he was a bad, bad man. Maybe one of the coolest, most smartest, guys that I've ever known. And, you know, I'm my father's son, following in his footsteps — Bigger, better, blacker, and deffer!

In terms of production, who all did you work with? And, how involved are you actually in that whole creative musical process?
Just the usual suspects, man, all the way down. I worked from Organized Noize; I co-produced like thirteen out of sixteen of the tracks. I also got production from Mr. DJ, you know him from the Outkast albums, as well as Boom Boom Room Productions, that's my production company. I got a squad of producers that I've been working with for years, and training ‘em, getting ‘em ready. So, it's just really just letting out production on this side. Also, Lil Jon and Scott Storch, they were the two goody goods.

When you're in the lab with someone such as an Organized Noize and/or a Lil Jon, etc., do you usually work together with them on the track or do you just kind of let them do their own thing?
Oh, it's definitely collaborative. Like even from working with Organized Noize, they'd give me a track, it has a vibe, and I come in, you know, and put that funk on it. All builds from an idea, and I just really know how to close things up.

Explain the process as to when you are coming up with your lyrical concepts and ideas...
Um...There's different ways. I can be riding in the car, and then something comes to mind and I write it down. Or, I got my trusty voice recorder, where I whisper notes in it all 24 hours a day. It just be little stepping stones and things, so when I get in the lab and actually sit down to write, like I got, you know, different ideas and topics to pull from. So, I mean, I just really kinda document my life.

What's going on with the label, Purple Ribbon?
My solo record is coming out Purple Ribbon/Jive, so this will be the next release off of that. Also, I just released with Puffy—a deal with Universal—Janelle Monae, (and) that's doing very good for us right now. Her EP just came out last week. If you ain't got it, it's on some super, psyched-out, psychedelic, real fresh music, man. Go get that Janelle Monae album! I also got a new group that I've been working with for a minute now, it's a four-man, grunge Hip-Hop Rock band type, called Vonnegut, and I'm about to get ready to close a deal on them this week. And, after that, I have Konkrete, and also got Backbone Fat Face 100, Dungeon Family, and I'm gonna put that out, too. So, you know, just really just grooming my artists, man, and getting ‘em ready.

I know this solo album doesn't signify the end of Outkast — So, when can we, the masses, expect the follow-up to ‘03's multi-platinum, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below?
Man, as soon as Dre gets finished with his solo record, man. When he finishes that, then we gonna do the Outkast album. But, I mean, we've already started, you know, picking out music for it. So, I'll be turning my album in next week, and then I'll get to work on my parts of the new Outkast record while Dre's working on his.

What do you actually make of all this illegal downloading, file sharing, bootlegs, etc.?
A lot of that has to do with, you know, the consumer being tricked back in the day. Where, you know, artists will put out one song and then the consumer will go buy the whole album, and the rest of the songs is garbage. So now, the consumer got a chance to check your whole project out, to know if he wants to go and buy it or not. And, at the same time, man, if you got some heat, they gonna go get it. The download(s) of course affect sales, but, you know, people hurting right now and they can't really afford to go out and get music. So, I mean, all you gotta do is just keep making music, man.

Do you have any message for your fans?
Ah, man, to all the fans, man, I love all y'all, man! To all the aspiring rappers and musicians, man, if it's in your heart, you know, go for it. Don't let nobody tell you you can't do it — Keep that shit moving!