Big Boi

Fun Fact: Big Boi also goes by the aliases "Daddy Fat Sacks", "General Patton", "Sir Lucious L. Leftfoot", "Billy Ocean", "Hot Tub Tony" and "Francis the Savannah Chitlin' Pimp".

Claim to Fame: After four increasingly successful albums as a duo, Benjamin decided to make a solo album as a side project(Even though Big Boi was on some of The Love Below as Andre 3000 was on some songs in Speakerboxx). Patton also produced a solo effort, and the two albums were packaged together as Speakerboxxx/The Love Below in 2003. Speakerboxxx featured a style similar to OutKast's previous efforts, while The Love Below explored more offbeat territory. One song from each album was released in September 2003 as a single.

Antwan André Patton, better known by his stage name Big Boi, is an American rapper, song-writer, record producer, actor, and one half of the alternative hip hop duo Outkast.


Patton was born and spent the first half of his childhood in Savannah, attending school before moving to Atlanta with his Aunt Renee to pursue his interest in music at Tri-Cities High School, a Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School. He had a strong interest in hip hop music, and met André "3000" Benjamin while attending Tri Cities High School in the early-1990s. Originally Andre and Big Boi did not get along and considered each other "rivals".The two eventually joined forces as Outkast and signed with LaFace Records.

In contrast to his more sedate, philosophical partner, Patton's on-record persona enjoys partying. Patton has often used his lyrics to criticize the problems that plague both the African American community and the world. An example is 2003's "War", a scathing attack on the Bush administration and the War on Terror. Another example is 2008's "Sumthin's Gotta Give" with Mary J. Blidge talking about the state of America and Barack Obama.


In addition to his work on much Outkast and Dungeon Family-related material, Patton has also been featured on other artists' tracks without André 3000. His most notable guest appearances were on the 1999 Missy Elliott hit, "All N My Grill", the YoungBloodZ' "85 South", and Trick Daddy's 2002 single "In Da Wind". He is also featured in "Hood Boy" by Fantasia Barrino.

After four increasingly successful albums as a duo, Benjamin decided to make a solo album as a side project. Patton also produced a solo effort, and the two albums were packaged together as Speakerboxxx/The Love Below in 2003. Speakerboxxx featured a style similar to Outkast's previous efforts, while The Love Below explored more offbeat territory. One song from each album was released in September 2003 as a single.

(read more @ wikipedia.org)