Mama Told Me

Album: Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors (2012)
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Songfacts®:

  • The first single from Outkast member Big Boi's second solo album, Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors, is a collaboration with Kelly Rowland, who provides vocals on the hook and bridge. It was originally Yukimi Nagano that sung on this electro-funk groover and she, along with the rest of her group, Little Dragon. performed the song with Big Boi in Austin, Texas, at an August 2012 event hosted by The Fader. The Swedish songstress explained why Little Dragon were removed from the track in favor Rowland in a statement (via Billboardmagazine). "The whole collaboration was an amazing creative experience," she said. "Unfortunately, business terms out of our control got in the way, and an agreement couldn't be reached in time for our version of the track to be released."
  • Big Boi explained to The Boombox that the Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors album title is a dedication of sorts to his recently deceased grandmother. "She was the matriarch of our family," he said, "She used to always say, 'If you gon' tell it, you've gotta tell it all. Might f--- some households up but you've got to tell it all, because it's a lot of s--- floating around.' That was gonna be the name of her book or movie that she did. This album's really a search for the truth and I am that."
  • Speaking on MTV's RapFix Live, Big Boi called this track, a "feel-good ode to your momma."

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