C'mon Big Boi - rapper is certainly no Outkast with debut 2010 UK solo dates

Big Boi

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'Hey ya!' - That's woken you up on this wet old Monday morning, I imagine the two halves of Outkast, Andre 3000 and Big Boi probably get that shouted at them quite often at their local Maccy-Ds, such is its popularity even several years later (I really liked the accompanying album myself - "Speakerboxx/The Love Below" won a Grammy, for once well-deserved).

Both members have engaged in solo activity before - well, sort of collaborative really - but Big Boi has racked up the award for 'most dabbling', counting Diddy, Chris Brown and Mariah Carey as previous acquaintances. Now he really has 'gone solo' with the recently released album, "Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son Of Chico Dusty" which has already spawned a UK hit in "Shutterbugg", narrowly missing the Top 30. Not bad for an album that started life in 2007 and fell foul to record-company/artist wrangling back-stage.

A new single, "Follow Us" is set to appear in September and behind it, in November, is a certain Big Boi himself. He has announced three dates (so far), starting with London's HMV Forum on the 1st (£25), Manchester on the 2nd (£22.50) and Glasgow on the 3rd, the latter Scottish date going on sale on Wednesday morning (also £22.50). Don't forget the fees!

Paul Pledger