Outkast's Big Boi performs unforgettable show

He threw up his hands.

He rounded his index finger and thumb as he began to conduct the orchestral intro to “General Patton” on Friday in the field near 17th Street and Jordan Avenue.

He soon busted out the verse “As one half of the Outkast return like ghost of
Christmas past.”

That one half is Atlanta-bred Big Boi, whose real name is Antwan Patton, hence the title to his song.

“Ya’ll got it crunk, I’m really diggin the energy,” Big Boi said to the crowd. “We’re having a good time no matter what.”

Although Big Boi was focused on having a good time, he almost didn’t make it on stage. His tour manager Angelo Redding came on stage declaring the artist had yet to be paid, but despite the delay, Big Boi performed his full set.

“They didn’t give me my bread, but fuck them, you showed up tonight,” Big Boi said.
It has since been confirmed that the balance owed was paid in full.
 
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Friday started off with a meet and greet that almost didn’t happen. Three minutes after announcing that Big Boi wasn’t going to be able to make it to the meet and greet at Dope Couture, owner Matt Fields, a 2008 IU graduate, was going to pick up the hip-hop artist.

“I got on twitter and told kids to come back,” Fields said. “I just didn’t want kids to wait around anymore so I told them to leave, but it was packed by the time I got back to the shop with him.”

Fields said Big Boi signed a lot of autographs, records and took photos with fans.
“‘ATLiens’ was one of my favorite albums from high school, so meeting him was very cool,” Fields said.

After the meet and greet, Big Boi headed to his tour bus stationed in the parking lot of the Marriott before his show. Louis Vuitton suitcases were carried out as his crew packed early for the 10-hour drive back to Atlanta, where he would perform the next day at the BET Awards.

***

Throughout Big Boi’s tour, Redding said the hip-hop artist’s performances usually consist of 60 percent new music and 40 percent old music, but they gauge it as they go from show to show.

Redding said older fans want to hear another Outkast record, but recently he can recognize the new fans.

“Watch the crowd when we do a new song and all the hands go up,” Redding said. “Soon Big won’t have to do any of the old Outkast stuff, we can survive without.”

Senior Alyce Bryant said she appreciated that Big Boi played Outkast songs, but wished he played more tracks from his solo album.

“I was screaming ‘Tangerine,’ but he didn’t play it,” Bryant said.

From his new album “Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty,” Big Boi performed “Shutterbugg,” “Daddy Fat Sax,” “Follow Us,” and “You Ain’t No DJ.”

***

As the night ended, Big Boi left Bloomington, but not before stopping at Red Lobster according to his Twitter.

He tweeted as a final farewell to his fans “Another Great Show !!! Stank U Indiana University.”

He showed up at the BET Awards Saturday wearing a Dope Couture jacket.
“Overall I had a blast and it was better than any other concert I’ve seen at IU so far,”
Bryant said.