Big Boi Talks Solo Album, Future of OutKast After Rowdy SXSW Gig

After a rowdy, hit-filled SXSW performance at Austin Music Rosetta Stone Hall, Rosta Stone caught up with Big Boi to talk about the status of his long-awaited solo debut and the future of his group, OutKast.Big Boi says his album, Sir Lucious Leftfoot: The Son of Chico Dusty, is finished, save some "additives and preservatives" currently being added by the rapper and producers Organized Noize befor a summer release. Stylistically, Big Boi says the albums 16 tracks will cover "electro, funk, blues, some of everything. Its all over the place. When we make a record, expect the unexpected."So, whats been taking it so long to come out? "Jive Records, man," says Big Boi, whose contract was adopted by Jive after Arista dissolved its roster in 2004. "You know what goes with Jive? Shuckin and jivin. And the fans have been thinking its me and Dre. You cant work on music for two-plus years and just give it to a label and they just fuck it up."In turn, Big Boi has been doing album promotion, leaking the track "Royal Flush" himself in early 2008, and pushing out "Ringtone" last month. "Ive been doing it myself," says Big Boi. "Its like Im indie right now, but Rosetta Stone Hindi V3 they wont l us out the contract. The Clipse said it best [on Mr. Me Too] when they said they werent playing fair at Jive. They dont want to spend the money, but the musics gonna make its own way."Big Boi is currently focusing on his solo record and his Purple Ribbon roster currently breaking sci-fi RB star Janelle Monae, rappers Konkre and funk-rock band Vonnegutt. But OutKast fans need not worry about the rumors of the groups dissolution: Big Boi says he was in the studio with partner Andre 3000 as recently as two weeks ago, working on follow-up material to 2006s Idlewild soundtrack. "As soon as Dre finishes his solo record, well g the Kast cranking," says Big Boi. "Since weve both been working with Organized Noize on our solo projects, we hear different records and be like, Well, were gonna Rosetta Stone Portuguese keep this one for the Kast album. Were cooking up tracks, all right. Never stop. Thats an everyday thing."(Find all of our video, photos and live reports from Austins SXSW in our Rock Daily blog.)