Big Boi’s Collection Pet Owls Gives Fans Another Reason To Love The Rapper

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As much fuss is made about the post-Outkast antics of Andre 3000, in truth, both halves of the vaunted Atlanta rap duo have some pretty out-there hobbies. Big Boi, long considered the more down-to-earth member of the pioneering group, recently revealed that he’s gotten into falconry by way of some great big owls that he brought to Stankonia Studios. His post with his feathered pets — one of which is appropriately named Hootie — has rap fans going gaga over his unusual interest.

“Redman is a professional skydiver, Bun B is making award-winning burgers, [and] Big Boi is damn near an owl whisperer,” one fan wrote. “I love our OG’s.” Another noted that “Andre appears in random stores playing the flute like an elusive woodland sprite [and] big boi has domesticated owls as companions. I love it.” Yet another was amused at the juxtaposition between the two rappers’ reputations: “It’s interesting how Andre was always painted as the eccentric one when Big Boi is over here being a libertarian who’s obsessed with kate bush and has a pet owl,” they wrote.

That last comment was a commentary on the recently resurfaced Pitchfork video in which Big Boi discussed his love for Kate Bush’s 1985 hit “Running Up That Hill,” which itself experienced a resurgence in popularity due to its prominent appearance in the fan-favorite Netflix sci-fi show Stranger Things. He also recorded a song with the singer which has yet to see the light of day.