Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot: Son of Chico Dusty

After releasing the jointly individually album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, it was only a matter of time until the Outkast duo released truly solo albums. Big Boi comfortably beat his partner to the punch with the release of Sir Lucious Left Foot in 2010, despite years of legal wrangles with their label.

In comparison with his earlier solo work Speakerboxxx, Sir Lucious is definitely a more rounded and well constructed album and a more enjoyable listen as a result. Big Boi himself co-produces eight tracks himself alongside regular Dungeon Family cohorts Organized Noise and Salaam Remi, Scott Storch and Lil' Jon. He shows he has a surprisingly good ear for smooth beats as the final five tracks, on which he co-produces all of them, are some of the strongest tracks on the album. The aforementioned closing tracks and the back half of the album in general, from Hustle Blood onwards are surprisingly mellow and laid back efforts compared to what many may consider to be typical Outkast production. Crunk king Lil' Jon even gets in on the laid back vibe by producing one of the albums best tracks, Hustle Blood featuring Jamie Foxxx.

Unable to invite Andre 3000 into the studio because of label drama, Big Boi keeps the number of guest appearances sensible, Too $hort, Yelawolf, T.I. and Gucci Mane crop up, but its usually the hook duty that Big Boi farms out to good effect using George Clinton (Fo Yo Sorrows), and B.o.B (Night Night) among some female vocalists.

Best guest: Jamie Foxxx

Stand-out tracks: Hustle Blood, Fo Yo Sorrows, Be Still

Best bars: (Fo Yo Sorrows)

Just to let you know that everything is straight,
I say stank you very much 'cause we appreciate the hate,
Now go get yourself a handgun, you f***in with a great,
Put it your mouth and squeeze it like your morning toothpaste,
Kill yo'self like Sean Kingston, suicidal for a title,
My recitals are vital and maybe needed for survival,
Like the Bible or any other good book that you read,
Why are 75% of our youth readin magazines?,
'Cause they used to fantasy, and that's what they do to dream,
Call it fiction addiction 'cause the truth is a heavy thing!,

'Member when the levee scream, made the folks evacua-ezz,

Yeah, I'm still speakin about it 'cause New Orleans still ain't clean,
When we shout Dirty South, I don't think that is what we mean,
I mean, it mean the rough, the tough, the dangerous, we reign supreme,
Can slaughter entire teams with the ink that my pen bleeds,
B-I-G, B-O-I ,n****, please!

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E-40 - The Block Brochure: Welcome To The Soil 3

After dropping a pair of albums on the same day in both 2010 and 2011, E-40 goes one better this time around with the release of his Block Brochure trilogy, all of which dropped on the same day. Now 44 years old, 40 Water deserves some serious props, not just for still producing albums, but the fact that he is producing more than ever before. Obviously these props would be dependent on the quality of the 60 songs being turned out across the three albums. Most artists probably select their album tracks from a similar number of recordings so it makes you wonder if 40's cutting floor is simply empty. I think the truth is a combination of an insane work ethic and no more filler than any typical rap album (although three times over).

Anyway, to Welcome To The Soil 3. After flirting with the Atlanta crunk scene in the mid-noughties, E-40 is definitely 100% back to the West Coast and within that his beloved Bay area. Snoop, Dogg Pound and Kendrick Lamar represent L.A. but after that guest spots are divided out to Bay area family B-Legit, Too $hort, Hieroglyphics and son Droop-E. 40 employs a wide range of producers, of eighteen tracks Rick Rock has the most input with four and there are thirteen different producers involved. As a result, the production seems uncohesive and surprisingly, distinctly similar. The best tracks hands down are those with Rick Rock or Droop-E in the studio. Too many of the beats are hard, dark and in places sinister sounding, maybe all the lighter production is found on Vol 1 or 2.

E-40 himself is on form, would you expect anything less, his rhymes and ''slanguages'' are as creative as ever. Album opener Jealous finds 40 reminding his listeners he's been around since 1988 and as with many West Coast artists he didn't ''come up under Dr. Dre, I came up under me''. He closes the track questioning why he has never received any love from the East Coast. What You Smokin' On is a classic West Coast smoking anthem featuring Snoop, Kurupt, Daz and Kokane. Other highlights include the very un-G-Funk Warren G produced What Happened To Them Days, although it is a bit cringing hearing Stevens rhyming Red Dead Redemption with PlayStation in his ode to today's generation and I Ain't Doin' Nothin'. Salute You is a heartfelt E-40 'Keep Ya Head Up' style tribute to the women of the world. 

All in all a reasonable album from E-40 but one that could easily be stripped of half of the weaker tracks and combined with the other Block Brochure volumes for a more rounded and greater album. Although loaded with some strong efforts, listening to Welcome To The Soil 3 certainly wouldn't make me reach for volumes 1 or 2 straight away.   

Best guest: B-Legit

Standout tracks: I Ain't Doin Nothin, What Happened To Them Days, Jealous, What You Smokin' On 

Best bars: (Jealous)
I do this from the heart, 
Vallejo, Calaharmonia is where I got my first start
Giant, Davis & Park
believe me when I say (say)
I didn't come up under Dr Dre, I came up under me
and the C-L-I-C
you could be MVP back in the day (day)
most valuable players way back in 1988 (88)
don't let these haters mislead you
I'm a for real street n***a, n***as be gettin' amnesia
my style is vertical, horizontal
all over the f***in' place (place)
this sh*t ain't for everybody my n***a
it's an acquired taste (taste)...
....E-40 slow it down man you hurtin' 'em
don't waste your time steppin' on these sucka's...
step over 'em

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