Anyone who read my post about Outkast’s “Ms Jackson” will know that I have a lot of time for Big Boi. “Sir Lucious Left Foot… The Son of Chico Dusty” is an absolutely scandalous album. Big Boi does some crazy stuff, especially when you consider that it’s from 2010. The features are out of this world on multiple levels. There’s established heavy hitters as well as left field choices and up and coming artists of the time. A big part of what works so well is that the songs are rock solid. The production is incredible. The songs just sound so good. Even the skits are good and I hate skits in general.

“Shine Blockas” is a fucking great song. I only heard Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes “I Miss You” for the first time today and to pick the sample from that to make “Shine Blockas” is mind blowing. The vocal sample is so smooth. And then on top of it all Big Boi and Gucci Mane are in flying form. The rapping is perfectly measured, there’s edge and slickness in perfect balance.

I loved this album when it came out first and have come back to it a number of times over the last few years. I came back to it today for the first time in while. I’ve written before about how when you re-listen to an album that you love, you always always find something that jumps out at you. I always loved “Shine Blockas”, but it’s only reflecting today that I really realised what a belter it is.

You can listen to “Shine Blockas” by Big Boi feat. Gucci Mane here.