City Paper: What took you so long to drop Mr. Brown? We heard about it when it was at DreamWorks and called For the Grown and Sexy.

Sleepy Brown: Then Babyface took that title [laughs]. That's OK though. [The wait] had a lot to do with DreamWorks getting bought by Interscope. But, I wasn't even so sure it was going to come through after that. I was almost content to just let it fade away. So I stopped thinking about it. Then Big Boi started his company. I told him I'll wait on you, because I know it'll happen. You got to be patient. But he gets things done. So I'm here and it's ready to drop.

CP: You've been in this biz forever. Is that the best virtue to learn — patience?

SB: It's the first virtue, definitely. In this game you don't know when things are going to jump off. For some it's quick and early. Some take time.

CP: I know you and Pharrell are friendly. Mind if I draw a parallel? You both come from top productions teams. Both use falsettos to its best effect on other people's biggest songs. Both wait forever to drop a solo record — then do so within two months of the other. What up?

SB: It's just us. He's got his thing. I got mine. He's working with smaller equipment.

CP: That ain't right.

SB: [laughs] A keyboard, a drum machine! With me and Organized Noize, we got everything in the room.

CP: Organized Noize has always got Motown and Philly International in the music. By whose design?

SB: It comes down to that name. You'll hear a little Detroit and little Philly in our mix. It's a gumbo. But you got to put it in its place. Ray [Murray] brings the rock edge. Rico [Wade], the hip-hop. I'm the essence of soul. Together we're a three-headed monster.

CP: Do you think of yourself as an unofficial Outkast member? And is that necessarily a good thing?

SB: I'm almost an official member [laughs]. They've certainly hooked me up at award shows. Whether or not it's a good thing? Yes and no [more laughter]. Getting ready to do this solo — it's a good thing. People certainly want to hear more from me. Everyone's checking. I don't think the bad side has manifested itself yet.

CP: Mr. Brown is frisky and passionate. Elegant. Something for the not-so-grown and the old-head sophisticate.

SB: I really wanted to give the young crowd the beats they need while giving the heads melody. So much that's out there is so hip-hop driven, more about the 808s than real instruments. I wanted to bridge that gap. That's what I like about the new Beyonce record: It sounds live. "Margarita" sounds live, sounds like summer, beaches, women.

CP: I like to think of what you do — as a singer, a producer and through your persona — as "Southern gentleman ganstga." But you had to get audiences used to that smoother sound, didn't you? Poke and prod them with lushness?

SB: I love that gentleman-gangsta description. I do think we almost had to sneak up on audiences with our sound. We had to fool 'em. Sneak up on them with our hooks. "Players Ball." "The Way You Move." But my album had to be more about me — Mr. Brown — so to introduce myself — which is why I wanted to have less features [or extraneous peeps] on this record. There's a few guests, but not too many. The record's not about them. And not about Patrick. It's about Sleepy. And he's a cold soul-ass brother. Coolest brother on earth.

CP: And how's he drink his Hennessy?

SB: A shot — a couple of shots — on the rocks. Chilling. Shaking the glass as he's shaking his ass.

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)