Big Boi is back in a big way—the Atlanta legend's next album, BOOMIVERSE, is due out in June. Two singles have dropped thus far, "Mic Jack" with Adam Levine and "Kill Jill," featuring longtime Dungeon Family affiliates Killer Mike and Jeezy.
Both songs confirmed what we already knew: Big Boi knows how to choose his singles. And while we enjoyed his more experimental turns, like 2015's Phantogram collaboration Big Grams, it sounds like BOOMIVERSE is a return to hip-hop and R&B.
The biggest change may be the artist's reunion with L.A. Reid, the Epic Records exec behind Outkast's early success and Big Boi's masterful first solo album, Sir Luscious Left Foot...The Son of Chico Dusty. After a seven year hiatus (Reid switched jobs), the two are back under the same label umbrella, and it sounds like they're making magic.
When Big Boi stopped by the studio, he laid out a list of surprising collaborators: DJ Dahi, Scott Storch, and lesser-known names like Eric Bellinger and Sean Douglas all contributed to the album, which the rapper recorded between Atlanta and L.A.
One thing that didn't change this time around was how Big Boi chose his singles. There are listening sessions, of course, but it's his children that really tell the rapper when he has a hit on his hands. Watch our interview above, and look out for Big Boi's BOOMIVERSE in June.
