Big Boi's stellar Future Proof performance met with fist pumping, polite nodding

Uncertainty enveloped me as I sipped my Stella Artois while standing in the grass before last week's Big Boi concert in Huntington Beach, California.

I was worried that the thousands of Future Proof 2022 attendees wouldn't be getting an authentic Daddy Fat Sacks experience at the world's "first wealth management festival." And at first blush, the crowd did little to signal that was what they were after.

Instead of pushing to center stage just before showtime to get the best possible view of the looming rap legend in action, those in the early audience fought for the edges and filled in the margins. They hugged the nonexistent walls of the dance floor like nervous middle-schoolers at their first boy-girl party.

Ashley M. Mack

Some of my worries began to melt away as the rest of the biggest Big Boi fans at the festival poured in from nearby food trucks and pop-up bars where they stocked up on complementary fried chicken sliders and MacAllan 12. And within minutes, the familiar smells of countless rap shows I've been to in the past as both an emcee and an attendee began to fill my nostrils. 

Concertgoers in overpowering body sprays and colognes were soon standing shoulder to shoulder as the scent of stale beer and locally sourced sativa stung the night air. Glowsticks not provided by festival staff began making the rounds. Grayscale-branded lanyards provided with every Future Proof registration swung left and right as the DJ ran through a playlist of early 2000s hits, eliciting a barrage of fair to middling dance moves from the crowd. 

But the uncertainty remained. What songs was the rapper — known for his slick tongue and "southernplayalistic" lifestyle — even going to do on a stage that just hours earlier played host to a fintech demo presentation and a thoughtful keynote about social justice investing? And would just rapping along with some of the lyrics get you hauled into HR? 

My remaining concerns evaporated as "Downtown" Josh Brown of Ritholtz Wealth Management and John Swolfs of Advisor Circle took the stage to make a few remarks before bringing Big Boi out. 

Brown, in honor of the ATLien about to take the stage, was draped in a white Chipper Jones jersey. And as he raised the mic to his mouth, he did so with the confidence and swagger of the Hall of Fame Atlanta Braves slugger back when he used to knock the cover off of poorly placed fastballs in Turner Field circa 1999.

Brown, sensing that the crowd was ready for the first bass drop, kept his address short and semi-sweet.

"When we announced this conference … festival. Festival," he said to the crowd, reminding himself of the event's unorthodox billing. "The No. 1 thing we heard was Fyre Fest 2.0. Raise your hand if you tweeted that shit!

"I think we exceeded expectations, and it's because of you."

Justin L. Mack/Financial Planning

As the hosts exited, Big Boi appeared, and an opening salvo of bass hit the crowd chest level. I took a swig of my Stella and cheered, flanked on stage right by Financial Planning chief correspondent and fellow hip-hop head Tobias Salinger; and my wife, Ashley. 

Joining Big Boi on stage was oft collaborator and crooner Sleepy Brown of the Atlanta-based production group Organized Noize. Die-hards know Sleepy Brown — no relation to Josh Brown, obviously — as one of the men responsible for crafting the sound that made dirty south ensembles like Outkast, Goodie Mob and other members of the Dungeon Family collective household names dating back to the early '90s.

But most of the people in the Future Proof crowd likely knew him as the cool guy with the sunglasses who sang the infectious hook on Big Boi's biggest smash, "The Way You Move." Either way, his participation was a nice surprise and one met with great enthusiasm.

And Big Boi wasted no time setting the tone and providing that authentic experience I feared would be neutered when rap icons and wealth managers collide on the beach. The early part of his more than 40-minute set included the beloved Outkast classics "Rosa Parks," "So Fresh, So Clean," and "Ms. Jackson." 

Justin L. Mack/Financial Planning

The crowd, erupting at each song's familiar opening chords, was eager to sing along when the hook rolled around. And Sir Lucious Left Foot, still sharper than a tack and cooler than a polar bear's toenails, didn't miss a beat. Big Boi rapped with dizzying precision, tearing through the rapid-fire delivery of his "B.O.B" verse with ease. 

No lip syncing in sight, and no effort to tame it down for the business casual crowd. 

But the deeper into his catalog Big Boi dove, the wider the chasm grew between the utterly confused and those in the know. As he launched into "Chocolate," the ninth song of his 18-song set and a personal favorite from his 2017 solo album "Boomiverse," I took a quick scan of the crowd. It had devolved into one part first bumping and one part polite nodding.

The rest held cellphones high into the air to snap pictures and videos for Instagram and LinkedIn use at a later date.

That chasm revealed itself again during "The Whole World," the 15th song of the show. With an earworm of a chorus sung by André 3000, the song's refrain features a section where the crowd is invited to sing along.

As the DJ dropped out the beat and Big Boi held out his microphone to the crowd so they could sing their part, there was silence, save for the voices of myself, Tobias, Ashley and a few others who were ready for their moment.

In response, Big Boi and Sleepy Brown simply smiled at one another and shared a laugh. That's not how that usually goes, I imagine they said. But then again, the Future Proof Ocean stage wasn't your usual rap venue. 

The show ended by bringing those who may have felt disregarded by the middle of the set back into the fold. "The Way You Move," "Kryptonite," and "Int'l Players Anthem" playing during what felt like a planned encore sent the crowd home happy. 

And as quickly as he arrived, Big Boi was gone. As the crowd cleared in orderly fashion, some  made their way back to the food trucks and free MacAllan. Some leveraged the networking done earlier in the day to meet Big Boi backstage. And some had no idea what they just witnessed.

Justin L. Mack/Financial Planning