LOS ANGELES – Just like the Hawks or the Falcons, Big Boi is a staple of Atlanta. The Outkast member, aka Daddy Fat Sax, aka Sir Lucious Left Foot, aka Billy Ocean, is often spotted wearing local sports gear, in attendance at big games, and reps the city proudly. Without Atlanta there is no Big Boi, but without Big Boi, there really is no Atlanta, at least not the Atlanta we’ve come to know and love.
So it’s no surprise he continues to be around in big sports moments. That led him to Exposition Park on Tuesday, just outside the Coliseum, as he and Sleepy Brown performed the MLS All-Star Concert presented by Heineken following the Skills Challenge. Sporting an Atlanta United hat and an All-Star jersey, Big Boi took a masked and raucous crowd through a medley of hits from his Outkast days and his solo career.
Big Boi and Sleepy Brown took a couple minutes to run through Dime’s “Seven Questions Or Less” series, as they showed love for Michael Jordan, pondered their favorite NBA villains, and more.
1. What is your favorite basketball memory?
Sleepy Brown: Favorite basketball memory? Shiiiit. Jordan.
Big Boi: Dominique Wilkins. Spud Webb in the Dunk Contest. Malice At The Palace. I just watched that on Netflix, when they were knocking motherfuckers out. How about that?
2. Favorite player growing up and why?
Sleepy Brown: Michael Jordan.
Big Boi: Michael Jordan.
Sleepy Brown: Period.
3. Most memorable game y’all have been to?
Big Boi: When we performed at the All-Star Game.
Sleepy Brown: Yes. That was amazing. With Kobe, and everything.
Big Boi: “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” was out. So, ’04. We killed that bitch.
4. What do you think about the Hawks heading into this season?
Sleepy Brown: The Hawks showed their ass last season. Very proud of them. I’m so excited for next season.
Big Boi: I’m glad they paid that money to our boy to stay. We’re building. We’ve got some good rookies coming in, so we’re looking good. Yessir.
5. Who was your villain growing up?
Big Boi: Shit, goddamned Dennis Rodman.
Sleepy Brown: But I used to like Dennis Rodman too.
Big Boi: Yeah, I don’t know if he’s “bad.” Isaiah Thomas though … Yeah, yeah.
6. Most surreal moment that you’ve had, either meeting a player or around a player?
Sleepy Brown: That All-Star Game, we was in the tunnel, and next thing you know everybody came out, Kobe, AI, it was everybody. We were standing there like ….
Big Boi: What about smoking cigars in Japan with Michael Jordan in the skybox?
Sleepy Brown: Oh yeahhhhhhh.
Big Boi: That was the coolest shit ever.