Big Boi - Mixtape For Dummies: Guide to Global Greatness (2010) [Crooks & Castles] // Grade: A-

Outkast have reached the nirvana of rap, they’re universally respected and have had unparalleled commercial success. They’ve made classics that get bumped by trap boys and Becky from Ohio just the same. While concurrently missing out on being hated on by any large contingency — A Tribe Called Quest might be the only other group I can think of that’s reached this level. Seriously, I can’t ever remember a conversation, internet argument or general bullshitting session that didn’t get Outkast ranked at least as “a’ight”. To play armchair musicologist for a second, I’d imagine it’s because Big Boi and Andre 3000 balance each other out so well — to say nothing of their southern G Funk production (shotout to The Dungeon Family). Just when Big Boi might go on a little too long about dope boy freshness there’s Andre to come through and rap about spaceships or organic vegetable aisle hookups.  Dope beats, spaceships, fair trade romance and fresh gear. What more could you really want?

So with Outkast being so ubiquitous why do we need this mixtape that’s essentially a short Big Boi “Best of” record? Well, if we’re to go strictly pragmatic, it’s because Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty dropped this week and it’s never bad to remind people why you’re great when you have an album dropping. If we want to look beyond the marketing reasons for dropping this, the tape is necessary because a lot of more cursory Outkast fans sleep on Big Boi. Andre is flashier, weirder and the first dude to rap while dressed like Haji from Johnny Quest — obviously people are going pay attention to him. But much like Scottie Pippen on the championship Bulls, Big Boi is ridiculously nice in his own right.

This tape by DJ X-Rated and DJ Esco serves as a great 101 to why Big Boi is more than just the dude in Outkast whose not Andre 3000. The tape quickly touches on all the high points of Big’s career.  We get classics from yesteryear that burn slow and showcase Big Boi’s narrative skills like “Playa’s Ball”.  We also get the grown folk two step, dance floor packer “The Way You Move” –  you have to be completely socially inept not to at least feel up on a booty if this song plays post 1 AM.  There’s also a fair share of new jam’s from the upcoming album like the Ginuwine sampling, Chris Brown featuring “Hold Up” and the catchy and head nod inducing “Shutterbugg”.

If you’re an Outkast fan this mixtape isn’t giving you anything new or exclusive. What it does do is serve as a great refresher course before the album drops. If you’re new to Outkast — where the he’ll you been? — this tape makes a really cohesive and compelling case as to why Big Boi is your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper. For either ear the tape flows expertly, good music is good music. Besides the tape being timed well for the release of Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty, let’s not forget it’s summer. With it being the height of summer you could do a lot worse than to bump a concise history of the man who is cooler than a polar bear’s toenails.

Download Big Boi’s Mixtape For Dummies: Guide to Global Greatness

- Behold the Destroyer