PURPLE RIBBON
Never known to follow rules of any sort, musical maverick Big Boi is channeling the same risk-taking creativity that helped him and fellow Outkast Andre 3000 reach superstardom, into his newly formed imprint Purple Ribbon Entertainment.
More than just a cool name with a nifty logo, Purple Ribbon has a handful of interpretations. Big Boi, a devout pit-bull breeder, saw fit to name his company after the distinction of the highest pedigree of dog that can be traced for three generations. Purple is also the color of royalty, a hue often found on the crowns and robes of Kings and Queens.
Appropriately, the first offering is Big Boi PresentsGot Purp? Vol. II, the follow up to the streets-certified Aphilliates mix tape Got That Purp. Featuring a stable that includes veteran artists like Sleepy Brown, seasoned lyricists Bubba Sparxxx and Killer Mike, and newcomers Scar, Janelle Monáe and Konkrete; this is far from the prototypical compilation. Got Purp? Vol. II revisits the art of pooling unique talents destined to become industry royalty, ala Quincy Jones' The Dude.
"This is a spring board to their careers," adages Big Boi about the album that he nicknamed "The Different Faces of the Funk." "It shows the artists in their best light. You get to see everybody's characteryou can see the diversity. It's like you got ten bullets, you got a full clip."
Rather than impose his will on his artists, Big Boi has given the spotlight to his soldiers, appearing on only three songs out of the 23-track album. He spits his unorthodox flow on the Beat Bullies-produced lead single "Kryptonite (I'm On It)" featuring Killer Mike, Blackowned C-Bone of Konkrete and Rock D. He further exercises his lyrical depth on "808" with G-Rock, Big Gee of Boyz N Da Hood and Bun B of UGK. And lastly he appears on the follow-up single from sterling-voiced crooner Scar's "U Got Me!!!".
"This ain't the piggy bank service or the buddy system," explains Big Boi on why he's not on every song. "These artists have their own sh*t, all I'm here to do is accent what they do."
Joining Big Boi on the experienced artist end of this album's sonic spectrum is GOODIE Mob with their previously unreleased "Hold On," and Sleepy Brown. His slow-burning "Me, My Baby & My Cadillac" is reminiscent of the soulful-but-street sound that he and his Organized Noize production team ushered onto the scene in the early-90s.
"Sleepy is just so silky smooth, he has such a grown and wonderful sound," praises label mate Bubba Sparxxx. "He has the ability to sing on rap tracks and not make it sound R&B-With high-grade talent on this album, "Got Purp? Vol. II" is running neck and neck with "The Chronic" as it relates to musical potency. One major factor in that is the presence of Purple Ribbon's lone female artist, Janelle Monáe.
She flexes her songwriting skills on the euphoric track, "Lettin' Go," an up-tempo ditty chronicling the real-life experience of her job laying her off after realizing that she'd rather invest her energy in her music. Their loss was Purple Ribbon's gain.
Janelle also offers a flawless rendition of Debarges "Time Will Reveal." The melodic jam features producer Cutmaster Swiff brushing the antique dust off the delicate classic and adding plenty of bass-laden drum beats, creating the perfect backdrop for Monáe's crystal-clear vocals. "Being the only female artist on the label is a great feeling, I have to make sure that I do my best by bringing quality music," says the classical-trained singer. "Everybody here has their own special gift and does their own thing, well."
Proving that notion is Konkrete, the only multi-member act on the label. Known for their street-skewered material, Blackowned C-Bone, Supa Nate and Lil Brotha add just enough of a raw element to complement their label mate's seasoned and polished sound.
Their contributions "Shit Ya Drawers" produced by Carl Mo and the hypnotic "Lovin' This" featuring Pooh Bear capture the hustler's aesthetic better than any Kodak camera could. "It feels real good being around such high quality artists," says Lil Brotha about the elite company that they are a part of. "Even if I wasn't on there I would still think this album is a banger because there's a variety of music on it."
With an assortment of flavors on this album, one may find it difficult to sum up the album. But with quality being the common denominator, it's actually rather easy.Big Boi concludes, "The goal of this album is to make sure that when you push play, the only thing you gonna push after that is repeat."
