Three years after the release of their groundbreaking Grammy-winning album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, OutKast is preparing an Aug. 22nd release of their heavily anticipated follow-up, Idlewild, which doubles as the soundtrack to their equally anticipated film of the same name, due in theaters Aug. 25.
The dates, finally confirmed Tuesday by Universal/HBO Films, had been pushed back and postponed on numerous occasions since news of the project first surfaced.
Set in a 1930s rural Georgia speakeasy known as The Church, Idlewild follows its two lead characters – lifelong friends Percival (Dre), the club's piano player, and Rooster (Big Boi), the club's lead performer and manager – through intersecting stories of love and ambition. The tone is driven by non-stop action, music and eye-popping dance numbers choreographed by legendary three-time Tony winner Hinton Battle.
Directed by veteran music video helmer Bryan Barber, Idlewild also stars Ving Rhames, Terrence Howard, Patti LaBelle, Malinda Williams, Macy Gray, Ben Vereen and Cicely Tyson.
"Mighty O," the soundtrack’s first single, was co-written by Dre and Big Boi and produced by Organized Noize. A second single, the Big Boi solo track "Morris Brown" (featuring Scar and Sleepy Brown), co-written by Dre and Big Boi and produced by Dre for Slum Drum!, features Eddie Ellis conducting the Morris Brown College Band.
The album is still in the final stages of production, however, other tracks expected on the finished product include "The Train" (featuring Scar and Sleepy Brown), "In Your Dreams" (featuring Scar and Janelle Monae) and "Don't Chu Worry 'Bout Me (Idlewild Blues)."
The dates, finally confirmed Tuesday by Universal/HBO Films, had been pushed back and postponed on numerous occasions since news of the project first surfaced.
Set in a 1930s rural Georgia speakeasy known as The Church, Idlewild follows its two lead characters – lifelong friends Percival (Dre), the club's piano player, and Rooster (Big Boi), the club's lead performer and manager – through intersecting stories of love and ambition. The tone is driven by non-stop action, music and eye-popping dance numbers choreographed by legendary three-time Tony winner Hinton Battle.
Directed by veteran music video helmer Bryan Barber, Idlewild also stars Ving Rhames, Terrence Howard, Patti LaBelle, Malinda Williams, Macy Gray, Ben Vereen and Cicely Tyson.
"Mighty O," the soundtrack’s first single, was co-written by Dre and Big Boi and produced by Organized Noize. A second single, the Big Boi solo track "Morris Brown" (featuring Scar and Sleepy Brown), co-written by Dre and Big Boi and produced by Dre for Slum Drum!, features Eddie Ellis conducting the Morris Brown College Band.
The album is still in the final stages of production, however, other tracks expected on the finished product include "The Train" (featuring Scar and Sleepy Brown), "In Your Dreams" (featuring Scar and Janelle Monae) and "Don't Chu Worry 'Bout Me (Idlewild Blues)."
