Listen: Big Boi's collab track with Andre 3000 sees light of day after all

Outkast pair triumph over 'stupid' label politics with 'I Been Lookin' For Ya,' plus 'General Patton'

By Katie Hasty Wednesday, Jun 9, 2010 1:28 PM

Big Boi

So, long story made short: Outkast is signed to Jive. Big Boi as a solo artist was signed to Jive, they ended up passing on his album "Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico," calling it more of an "art" album. He shopped it, found a taker in Def Jam, now Def Jam is releasing the album in July.

There's at least one catch: according to an interview with GQ, Big Boi claimed the track "Lookin' For Ya" from that set was prevented from being included; the song features Outkast partner Andre 3000 (and Sleepy Brown) and Jive wasn't gonna have any recordings of the pair out without their OK, even if its under featured names and not the Outkast moniker.

This morning, the tracklist for the final version of Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty hit the internet, and none of the songs you've recorded with Dré are on there. No "Royal Flush," and no "Lookin For Ya." What gives?
Well, basically it boils down to Jive Records. That's how they do it. Jive Records told me my album is a piece of art, and they didn't know what to do with it. So I moved it over to Def Jam. And now Jive is trying to block Dré from being on my record. We can't be on songs together now.

So because OutKast as a group is signed to Jive, they're able to legally block the two of you from working together?
Au contraire! They cannot block it. Au contraire. Either they're going to do it the right way, or they're going to do it my way. How you wanna do it? The fans thirst will be quenched. You know, I'm no stranger to that internet, baby. So you already know what time it is. The thirst of the fans will be quenched.

Can you speak a little bit about your frustration here? What you're saying is that you and your friend from high school can't rap on the same song and have it get an official release.
It's plain stupidity. It's stupid business and it's stupid politics... They told me to go in and make my version of Lil' Wayne's "Lollipop"! I... But how you gonna tell me to go bite another MCs style? How are you even going to open your mouth up to tell me to go and do that? That's the highest form of disrespect ever. So that's when I wanted to get off Jive. And the only honorable thing they've done is allow me to do that. So I've had nothing to do with them. Dré tried to have a talk with Jive and they said, "No, we can't. That's gonna make us look bad."

Rawr. Well, the result, then is the only reasonable one: release 'er to the internet for free.

So here we are with "Been Lookin' for Ya" floating around, or rather, "knee-deep inside it." Ouch.

Should you be lacking in sexual euphemisms, this be your one-stop shop. With glitchy, dark electronic sounds, the Outkast boys are taking us all to the boudoir.

Comment from Def Jam nor Jive had been received by press time.

Big Boi's song "General Patton" also "leaked" the other day, too, likely more of a promotional effort than a middle finger to any label in particular.

"Sir Luscious Left Foot" is out July 6.

Katie Hasty
Managing Editor

After five years as a columnist and editor at Billboard, Katie Hasty joined HitFix in 2009 for music and film reporting out of New York. The Midwest native has worked as a writer, music promoter and in A&R since 1999 and performs with her band Numbers And Letters.