The renown production team, Organized Noize, has been breathing new life into BigBoi’s 2012 sophomore album Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors (third album if you count Speakerboxxx) for the rapper’s “Mash-up Monday” series. The album’s already eclectic guest list gets longer with records by Sade, Blue Oyster Cult, and Third World being fused in.
For the newly released mash-up, “Damaged World,” the Manahan Street Band’s music for “The World (Is Going Up In Flames)” gets smoothly paired with BigBoi’s “Tremendous Damage” vocal track. The result is an added dimension to BigBoi’s track from a solely somber affair into something hopeful.
HipHopDX gets an exclusive look into the creative mind frame of the new project, BigBoi’s upcoming album, and how much BigBoi has grown since the starter ATL days, from Organized Noize’s own, Ray Murray.
“Tremendous Damage” stands as one of BigBoi’s most personal tracks. How’d you go about choosing the Charles Bradley (feat. Menahan Street Band) track?
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I liked Charles Bradley when I first heard him. I had to go and get his single, “Strictly reserved”, and from there I found the instrumental L.P. by the the Menahan Band. When we decided to do these mix ups or mashups the soul of the song was what was most important rather than just being another beat and raps. Originally, I did this mash-up 2nd, but Gossip x Godzilla was so funky that we held on to this one.
The moment you heard the finalized mash-up, what did you feel “The World” added to “Tremendous Damage”?
BigBoi has so many under-heard lyrics that in the process of searching for the perfect accompanying track for his rhymes become more and more relatable. The track by Charles Bradley had the perfect melody to accompany his remembrance of growing up and his father.
Are there any plans to expand the Mash-Up Mondays to BigBoi’s Speakerboxxx and Sir Lucious Left Foot?
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Maybe we will continue through all of the BigBoi collection, but more importantly we are going to do more music – new music. Be on the lookout for The Art Of Organized Noize and the new BigBoi LP.
You’ve been working with BigBoi for over 20 years. What’s it been like watching him artistically evolve?
We have developed a family environment, where we are more brothers than producer and artist. His evolution from 16-year-old rapper to now has been amazing; his ability to tell the story has improved to where his lyrics are cinematic.
