The new drama "ATL" boasts an intriguing cast, with rapper Tip "T.I." Harris at the forefront playing a working-class kid trying to navigate through Atlanta's hip-hop playgrounds. Newcomer Evan Ross (Diana's son) plays his little brother who can't keep out of trouble, and Antwan Andrew Patton, better known as the "Big Boi" portion of the musical duo OutKast, makes his debut as a not-so-stereotypical drug dealer. Patton wasn't looking to make acting a regular thing, but he found it hard to turn down a request from one of rap's old-school superstars.

"After I finished 'Idlewild,' I was working on music to finish the movie," Patton says of the musical that co-stars his partner André "3000" Benjamin. "And they were like Will Smith called and asked if you could do him a favor."

Being a Georgia native made Patton's participation in the Atlanta-based project a natural fit.

"I was the good guy in 'Idlewild.' And this one was the bad-guy role, so I was like having fun with it," Patton says. "Music is my first love, but after doing this movie I can see how people can get addicted to it."

Whether Patton's acting career continues most likely rests on the box-office results for the long-anticipated OutKast picture. "Idlewild" was originally supposed to be released this month, but Universal moved the release date to the end of August. The Hitlist was puzzled to learn this movie would be released during a traditional box-office wasteland (the only notable hit during this time period has been "Jeepers Creepers") and asked Patton why they agreed to the move.

"What happened was it usually takes me and Dre a couple of years to get the music right," Patton says. "When we first started the movie, we didn't really have a whole lot of the music done. We had a couple of songs, but ... whether to rush it and to put out something not complete? We chose to wait."

Patton continues saying, "They said, we could come out these dates, but then you have 'Superman' and all these blockbuster movies coming out. They're like, 'You can be on 1,200 screens now or you can wait 'til August and be on 2,500 screens.' If it was on 1,200 screens, 300 would be in Utah somewhere."

OutKast's Utah fans shouldn't worry -- the movie will play their state and, from what Patton says, they should be fairly satisfied with the results.

"Now that we're waiting, the music is incredible," Patton says. "Dre and I are both pleased with it. The world is going to be shocked."

"ATL" opens nationwide March 31. "Idlewild" is scheduled to open nationwide August 25.