*Andre 3000 and Big Boi of OutKast take their audiences on a wild ride in their cross-cultural extravaganza, “Idlewild.” The setting is Idlewild, Georgia during the 30s and the prohibition era. Interestingly enough, before the John F. Kennedy International Airport renamed in honor of the assassinated president, it was called Idlewild Airport. At a recent press conference, The Film Strip and journalists from across the country and abroad talked to Andre 3000, Big Boi, Terrence Howard, Paula Patton, director Bryan Barber and producer Chuck Roven.
How close is this project to you?
Andre 3000: Honestly, I think anything we try to do, we try to make sure that we're being true to ourselves, but we also know that it has to sell. So, we want people to come to the theater to see it, but at the end of the day, if people just talk about it and say, ‘This is a necessary film and it's something that needed to be made,’ is good. It actually had to be made because all the chips were stacked against us. So, at the end of the day, if nobody comes to the theater, we just know we had a great time doing it, and somebody will be influenced by it. And this ain't no bullshit interview answer.
Big Boi: I concur. [Laughs]
In terms of the cultural synergies, what were the challenges?
BB: Well, I guess, one of the major challenges was, when we first started to shoot the film, we were like, ‘We don't have all the music ready. We really don't have it all together right now." They were like, ‘Well, don't worry about it. We'll work around it.’ So, as soon as we got on the set, they’d be like, ‘We need this song and y'all was going to give us time.’ But it worked out ok in the fact that we already had some songs already prepared.
A3: I think when Bryan was writing the script and he made it in the 30's, I think style wise, he knew that it would take the audience to a whole other world. I think it was a great choice because right now, in the times we're living in, especially as Black people, you don't get to see people with class on the screen. So, I think it was a great choice on his part to do it. As far as the music, we knew that it was 30s era, so we kept that in mind. Since we have a responsibility to live up to our fans, we had to make sure that it was modern as well. So, you do have Rooster break out into rhyming, on stage in the 1930's. Cab Calloway even did rhyme back in those days, but not quite the same rhythm
BB: We have been influenced by every musical genre and using every aspect of music in our records was an advantage. We were never biased to one particular type of music. We listen to rock, jazz, blues, pop, country, hip-hop and the whole nine yards, so to go back and throw a little swing in there [was no big thing].. Like Dre said, it’s the 30's, but we can still satisfy our fans by doing what we do best.
A3: It's called freakin' it. That's what you do.
BB: Freak that thang!
So what is the future of OutKast?
BB: We're glad you asked that question.
A3: As far as the future of Outkast is concerned, we're really not saying what we're going to do next. We're concentrating on what we're doing now, which is the 'Idlewild' movie and the 'Idlewild' soundtrack. As far as the rumors, I guess you've got to say that we've been doing it for 12 or 13 years. We ain't shot nobody, we ain't killed nobody, we ain't slapped nobody, we didn't go to jail, we ain't sleepin' with Paris Hilton, so what can you talk about? And, when people say, ‘Well, Andre, he's not going on tour,’ or ‘Andre don't want to be on a record label,’ or ‘He don't want to be in the music business. Him and Big Boi are driftin; apart.’ But, really, that's a personal choice and we both understand it. So, we most definitely are not breaking up or driftin'. We're grown men now. We don't hang out the same. We hang out, but we don't hang out every day, like we used to. We don't live in the same house, like we used to. It's kind of like your brother. You grew up with him and now y'all gotta go and get your own house, and you got your own family. You've got kids. I've got my son. It's a new game, but we still trip out like it's 10th grade.
BB: Yeah, exactly. That's one thing that a lot of people just don't know. Sometimes, for a minute, we'd get mad and be like, ‘Man, what the fuck are they sayin'?’ Somebody would come and interview us and just really try to paint their own picture. The whole time they're interviewing us, we're talkin' and laughin' and talking about shit that happened to us back when we were 17 or 18. Then they go back and write the story like, ‘Well, he was so distant and he was not really talking to him and I think he was drinking a Pepsi and he wanted the Coca Cola. [Laughs] It would be some dumb shit and we'd just be like, ‘Man, how can they do that? They take things you say and try to take it out of context, like ‘Well, maybe Dre's mad because Big Boi's married.’ Just stupid stuff. But, we've been saying for years, it's about the music. Our personal lives are our personal lives. Us, as far as individuals, the brotherhood we have, we had the brainchild Outkast. We made that idea and that principle has never left us. We created this, and nothing music or movies do can break this up. That's my dog, for life.
Terrence Howard walks in dressed to the nines in a fashionable suit and straw hat.
Are you outfitted to go along with the theme of the movie?
Terrence Howard: No, I just kind of liked it.
Can you talk about playing this character? He’s the nastiest yet.
TH: You've said it right, on screen. Because if you ask my kids, they'll say they'd rather have Trumpy as a father instead of me [laughs]. I mean, to play a guy that has no conscience, or has wider boundaries by which he lives under, you know, that's amazing. It's freedom, it's freedom, it's moral freedom.
Ten years ago a lot people said you stole the show in the film “The Best Man.”
TH: Spike Lee said I stole the movie. [Laughs]
How familiar are you with the culture of the 30s?
TH: Well you gotta think, Cab Calloway is my great grand uncle, and he was so beloved inside my family, and you know, we'd listen and hear talks of his stories about things that he'd be in. I grew up with my mom, my grandmother, my great grandmother, and my great great grandmother, and my great great grandfather. I grew up in a house where the '20s were still present to this day, you know
Director Bryan Barber joins the ranks of many who went from video to the big screen, one of the most successful being Brett Ratner. Expect to hear a lot more from the talented Barber.
What were the challenges of fusing two different styles?
Bryan Barber: The fusion was important to me, especially for a musical. I wanted the musical to transcend color lines even though they are all African American characters, but the fusion was important to transport the audience into the 1930s. Cab Calloway would have been the hottest star at that time. He would have been OutKast or Jay-Z I knew our fan base was going to be used to OutKast. So I felt that the music would crossover well especially with OutKast and their delivery has always been a "Call-Respond" feel good music that's really applicable and makes a connection with the audience. And if any group could pull it off, I knew that OutKast could do it. And also it was important, you know, that I kinda pay homage to Cab and Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith, and Jelly Role Morton because of their influence on American music. Their music set the pace for Bee-Bop, swing, jazz, blues, rock and roll, R&B, Hip-Hop and Rap. I think that idea has been lost. My 17 year-old daughter doesn't even know who Cab Calloway is. But after this movie, she might be a little more interest.
Who is Sally B. Sherman?
BB: My great Grandmother. She gave me my first camera when I was 11. A super 8 millimeter. The movie is loosely based on her life. She ran away from Louisiana to San Francisco and lied about her age and for was one of the first black female cable car operators, for a moment.
Producer Chuck Roven could be considered a visionary or dreamer after the box office receipts come in. He said he took the chance because he truly thinks OutKast is brilliant:
“Even before this film, they had had the ability to crossover and interest people from a lot of different demographics and age groups. I mean ‘Speakerboxx/The Love Below’ had a lot of different types of music on it. It wasn't just a rap album or just a hip hop album. If it weren’t for those guys, we wouldn't have had the idea to do the movie in the first place. But once you have them as the center, you have the opportunity to bring a lot of people that you wouldn't normally think would be interested and you have the ability to blend those genres. They break down the walls.
In the Crates
Before there was “Hustle and Flow” and “Crash,” there was “The Best Man,” which is worth a second look. Still fresh in the crates is “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” that stars “Idlewild’s” Cicely Tyson. Also starring in “Idlewild” is Ving Rhames. A must see film that should be bought or rented starring Rhames is “Rosewood.” And let us not forget his part in Tom Cruise’s “Mission Impossible” films on DVD, reprising Phil Morris’ role in the TV series.