The group's original musical style was a mixture of Dirty South and G-Funk. Since then funk, soul, pop, electronic music, rock, spoken word poetry, jazz, and blues have been added to the group's musical palette. The duo consists of Atlanta native André "Andre 3000" Benjamin (formerly known as Dré) and Georgia-born Antwan "Big Boi" Patton.
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is one of only four hip-hop albums to be certified Diamond in the U.S. for shipping over 10 million units. Along with Outkast's commercial success, they have maintained an experimental approach in their music and are widely praised for their originality and artistic content.
Benjamin and Patton met while attending Tri-Cities High School, a Visual and Performing Arts School. Benjamin's parents were divorced and he was living with his father. Meanwhile, Patton had to move with his four brothers and six sisters from Savannah to Atlanta. Benjamin and Patton eventually teamed up and were pursued by Organized Noize, a group of local producers who would later make hits for TLC. The duo initially wanted to be called "2 Shades Deep" or "The Misfits", but because those names were already taken they later decided to use "OutKast" based on finding "outcast" as synonym for "misfit" in a dictionary. OutKast, Organized Noize, and schoolmates Goodie Mob formed the nucleus of the Dungeon Family organization.
OutKast signed to LaFace Records in 1992, becoming the label's first hip hop act and making their first appearance on the remix of label mate TLC's "What About Your Friends". In 1993, they released their first single, "Player's Ball". The song's funky style, much of it accomplished with live instrumentation, was a hit with audiences. "Player's Ball" hit number-one on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart.
Their debut album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, was issued on April 26th, 1994. This initial effort is credited with laying the foundation for southern hip hop and is considered a classic by many hip hop aficionados. Every track on Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik was produced by Organized Noize and featured other members of the Dungeon Family. Follow-up singles included the title track and "Git Up Git Out", a politically charged collaboration with Goodie Mob that was later sampled by Macy Gray for her 1999 hit "Do Something." On this early material, both André and Big Boi contrast lyrical content reflecting the lifestyles of pimps and gangsters with politically conscious material commenting on the status of African Americans in the South. OutKast won Best New Rap Group at the Source Awards in 1995. In the same year, the group contributed "Benz or a Beamer" to the popular New Jersey Drive soundtrack.
ATLiens was OutKast's second album, released on August 27th, 1996. The album exhibited more self-consciousness, and further solidified OutKast as the flagship representatives of the 1st generation Dungeon Family and the Southern hip hop movement. The album helped the group earn more recognition among East Coast hip hop fans in the East and West coasts.
For this album, OutKast joined with partner David "Mr. DJ" Sheats to form the Earthtone III production company, which allowed the group to produce some of their own tracks. "ATLiens" was the group's second Top 40 single (following "Player's Ball" from their first album), and reflected the beginning of André's increasingly sober lifestyle: "No drugs or alcohol/so I can get the signal clear," he rhymes about himself. "Elevators (Me & You)," OutKast's first self-produced single, became the group's first Top 20 hit the same year.
OutKast's third album Aquemini was released on September 29, 1998 and also reached the number-two position on the Billboard 200 album chart in the United States; its title was a combination of the zodiac signs of Big Boi (an Aquarius) and André (a Gemini). The album was widely praised as possibly the group's best material to date: when reviewed by popular hip-hop publication The Source, it received the much-coveted "5 Mics" (out of five) rating.
Producing more material themselves, both Big Boi and André explored more eclectic subject matter, delving into sounds inspired by soul, trip hop, and electro music. The album featured production by Organized Noize and collaborations with Raekwon, funk pioneer and musical forebear George Clinton, and Goodie Mob.
In 1999, OutKast and LaFace Records were sued by Rosa Parks over the album's most successful radio single, which bore Parks' name as its title. The lawsuit alleged that the song misappropriated Parks' name, and also objected to some of the song's obscene language.
The song's lyrics were largely unrelated to Parks, save for a line in the chorus: "Ah ha, hush that fuss / Everybody move to the back of the bus". The song, which OutKast maintained was intended partly as homage, only refers to Parks as a metaphor: the purpose of the song's chorus is to imply that OutKast is overturning hip hop's old order, that people should make way for a new style and sound. The initial lawsuit was dismissed. Parks' representation hired lawyer Johnnie Cochran to appeal the decision in 2001, but the appeal was denied on First Amendment grounds. In 2003, the Supreme Court allowed Parks' lawyers to proceed with the lawsuit.
In 2004, the judge in the case appointed an impartial representative for Parks after her family expressed concerns that her caretakers and her lawyers were pursuing the case based on their own financial interest. Later that same year, the members of OutKast were dropped as co-defendants, and Parks' lawyers continued to seek action against LaFace and parent company BMG. In 2003 André told UK journalist Angus Batey that, following a Detroit concert in the midst of the legal battle, relatives of Parks had approached him and implied that the case was less to do with Rosa than with the lawyers. The suit was finally settled on April 14, 2005, with neither OutKast nor their label having to admit any wrongdoing. The group did, however, have to agree to perform some sort of tribute to Parks.
Originally titled "Sandbox", the pair's fourth album, "Stankonia", was released in October 2000 to excellent reviews. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 in the U.S., and would eventually be certified quadruple-platinum. Stankonia's first single was "B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad)", a high-tempo jungle-influenced record. The second single, "Ms. Jackson," combined a pop hook with lyrics about divorce and relationship breakups, particularly André's breakup with singer Erykah Badu; the titular "Ms. Jackson" character being a doppelgänger for Badu's mother. It was at this time that André changed his stage name to the current "André 3000".
The single became their first pop hit, landing the number-one position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and the number-two position on the UK Singles Chart. The album's final single was the Organized Noize-produced "So Fresh, So Clean", featuring a credited guest appearance from regular guest vocalist and Organized Noize-member Sleepy Brown and garnered a remix featuring Snoop Dogg. All three singles' videos had heavy MTV2 airplay, and Outkast won two 2001 Grammy Awards, one for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Ms. Jackson", and another for Stankonia as Best Rap Album.
During the recording of Stankonia, OutKast and Mr. DJ began producing tracks for the artists on their Aquemini Records imprint through Columbia, including Slimm Cutta Calhoun and Killer Mike, who made his debut on Stankonia's "Snappin' & Trappin."
Webzine Pitchforkmedia.com named Stankonia the 4th greatest album released between 2000 and 2004 in its 2005 feature. In 2009, B.O.B. was chosen as the number one song of the decade.
In December 2001, OutKast released a greatest hits album, Big Boi and Dre Present...OutKast, which also contained three new tracks. One of these new tracks was the single "The Whole World," which won a 2002 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Killer Mike also was featured on the song, gaining some exposure among areas outside of his native Atlanta. The other two new songs were called "Funkin' Around" and "Movin' Cool (The After Party)"
The same year OutKast participated in the only Dungeon Family group album, Even in Darkness, along with Goodie Mob, Killer Mike, Sleepy Brown, Witchdoctor, and Backbone among others, and featuring Bubba Sparxxx, Shuga Luv and Mello. In 2002, the group and Killer Mike contributed the lead single "Land of a Million Drums" to the Scooby Doo soundtrack.
In September 2003, OutKast released a double album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. It is essentially two solo albums, one by each member, packaged as a single release under the OutKast banner; the two members also appear on each others' discs for a few songs apiece. Big Boi's Speakerboxxx is largely a funk and Dirty South blended party record; André 3000's The Love Below features only brief instances of hip hop, presenting instead elements found in funk, jazz, rock, electronic music, and R&B.
The album is also OutKast's biggest commercial success yet, having debuted on the Billboard 200 albums chart at number-one and stayed there for several weeks. The album eventually sold over five million copies, and, as double-album sales count double for Recording Industry Association of America certification, the album was certified diamond for 10 million units shipped in December 2004. Its latest certification, in May 2006, reaches 11 million copies in shipping.
The first two singles from the album(s), which were released nearly simultaneously, were Big Boi's "The Way You Move" and André 3000's "Hey Ya!" The video for "Hey Ya!" is based on The Beatles' landmark appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. The video's storyline has "The Love Below"—a fictional band with all members, through the use of special effects, played by André—performing in London. "Hey Ya!" was the number one song on the very final weekend of American Top 40 with Casey Kasem. It was also number one a week later on the very first weekend of American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest. The singles spent ten weeks at number one on the Hot 100 singles chart, with "Hey Ya!" spending nineteen weeks and "The Way You Move" briefly taking over in February 2004. These singles were seen as a breakthrough for the hip-hop industry, being among the first hip-hop songs to be widely played on adult contemporary radio stations.
OutKast's next official single was not released until the summer of 2004. "Roses", a track featuring both members from The Love Below half of the album, did not meet the level of success as either of its predecessors, but it became a modest-sized hit on urban radio and the American music video networks. The video for "Roses" is loosely based on the musical West Side Story and Grease. It featured sparring 1950s-style gangs, one representing Speakerboxxx, and one representing The Love Below, parodying the widespread arguing among critics and fans as to which half of the album was better and that the two members were estranged. The final singles were André 3000's "Prototype", which was paired with a science fiction-themed video about alien visitors, and Speakerboxxx's "Ghettomusick," which featured both members of OutKast and a sample from a song by Patti LaBelle, who also makes an appearance in the video.
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below won the Grammy Award for the 2004 Album of the Year, becoming only the second rap album to ever receive the honor (the first being The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill in 1999). OutKast was one of the headlining acts at the show, and gave two performances: Big Boi performed "The Way You Move" during a medley with George Clinton & P-Funk and Robert Randolph and the Family Band, while André 3000 performed "Hey Ya!" as the show closed. In February 2004, André 3000's performance, which featured female dancers moving wildly around a green teepee in war paint and feathered headdresses, was criticized by the Native American Cultural Center, who called for a boycott of OutKast, Arista Records, NARAS, and of CBS, the broadcaster of the awards show. CBS later apologized.
Between OutKast albums, Big Boi and André 3000 ventured into film projects. André co-starred in John Singleton's action film Four Brothers and also had a part in Be Cool, while Big Boi took a featured role in the T.I. movie ATL. Both members also began working on a joint film, Idlewild, directed by OutKast music video director Bryan Barber. Idlewild, a Prohibition-era musical film set to a blues-influenced hip-hop soundtrack, was released on August 25, 2006 by Universal Pictures. The Idlewild soundtrack was released August 22, 2006. Its lead single, "Mighty 'O'", features both OutKast members, and was briefly played exclusively on local Atlanta radio stations before being issued as a single in May 2006. They released and shot the video for "Morris Brown" instead. A video for "Idlewild Blue (Don'tchu Worry About Me)" soon followed.
Aquemini Records folded in 2004, and Big Boi founded a new record label, Purple Ribbon Entertainment, to be distributed by Virgin Records. Among its first signees were Sleepy Brown, Bubba Sparxxx, and Killer Mike, Big Boi has released a group album/compilation, titled Big Boi Presents... The Purple Ribbon All-Stars - Got Purp? Vol. 2.
One album remains on the band's LaFace contract. It was originally planned as a ten-track release called 10 The Hard Way; shortly after Idlewild was released, the duo confirmed the album is still in the works, though both have begun new projects without releasing any new information on the album. Due to both Big Boi and André's interest in separate projects such as movies, TV (André's Class of 3000) and solo albums, rumors of a split have turned up frequently in the media. André denied those rumors in a phone interview with MTV News, stating that even though they do not feel like performing on stage together, OutKast is "still tight". In an August, 2006, interview with UK journalist Craig McLean, after emphasizing that they would not split, the pair looked beyond music and film careers, Big Boi suggesting he may consider running for the job of Mayor of Atlanta in the future.
In 2007, Andre 3000 confirmed a new OutKast album would be released, but said that he and Big Boi released solo records first, stating the group album is still possibly two years away. Big Boi's solo album will be released first in June/July of 2009, with the first single, "Royal Flush" (also featuring Andre 3000, essentially making it an OutKast song), planned to have been released on December 31, 2007, but was not released on the announced date. Big Boi announced on his MySpace that the release date for Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty is now sometime in the summer of 2009.
On Nov 14, 2008, the Guardian reported that OutKast will release their follow-up to Idlewild in 2009 after Big Boi and Andre 3000 release their solo albums in the same year. As of August 2009, the albums have not yet been released.
E.T.
OutKast Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everyday the sun sets just like clockwork
To put the Glock to work
And putting the body to standstills
Man, it kills me
Taking that life is like taking a shit
Hit or miss, niggas are playing God
Trying to rob and steal
Like a barbecue 'cause them harming you
Are just like honeybees swarming you
Vocally arming you was my responsibility
It's killing me thinking that all these niggas see they flauging
Thinking they Steven Seagal and balling
Falling to the wayside when ya try to call, I've fallen
When we was little nappy headed niggas in the projects
But now they carjacks, wait on income tax and unsafe sex
Still yet they tend to flex like solo for tha lo-lo
Smoke same thing no-no, not this time
Niggas around my way can rhyme
So fuck that country shit we done a bunch of shit
And yes ya heard of this out of this world like E.T
Coming across your T.V
Extraterrestrial straight from ATL (know what I'm sayin'?)
Out of this world
Are you alien?
Out of this world
Are you alien?
Out of this world
Are you alien?
Out of this world
Right now I'm smiling, taking advantage of this moment
'Cause there might not be another soon
Holding on to memories like roller coaster handle bars
Tightly 'cause I'm slightly off my rocker
But to you, I may appear to be your average Joe
But little do you know that even Joe got problems that he gots to joust with
Floating in this game of life despite how out of place you may feel
In this race, oh, you just can't quit
Ain't that a bitch that be in heat
I'm on the beat like cops
Only cultivate the stable dirt when I skeet my drops
No concentrating knocking other niggas out the box
Why? 'Cause in a sense see we all be kind of fly
Just can't be scared to spread your wings, head to better things
Maybe the mockingbird and nightingale they want to sing
Keeping this thing alive, to the table's what we bring
We like hailstorms and blizzards in the middle of the spring
Extraterrestrial
Out of this world
Are you alien?
Out of this world
Are you alien?
Out of this world
Are you alien?
Out of this world
In the song "E.T.", Outkast explores themes of violence, mortality, and the struggle to maintain a sense of self in a world that can feel alien. The lyrics describe the daily realities of life in the rapper's hometown of Atlanta, where gun violence and crime are rampant. The chorus, "Out of this world, are you alien?" asks whether there is a way to survive in such a world without losing touch with one's own humanity.
The first verse describes the cycle of violence that plagues the community. The singer compares taking a life to taking a shit – something that is all too commonplace and mundane. He also notes the existential crisis that comes with the realization that "niggas are playing God" by attempting to rob and steal. The lyric "gotta guard ya grill like a barbecue" is a reference to protecting oneself from harm, while "them harming you are just like honeybees swarming you" paints a vivid picture of the relentless nature of violence.
The second verse takes a more introspective tone, with the singer reflecting on his own struggles with mental health and identity. Though he may appear to be an "average Joe", he is dealing with his own problems and anxieties. The lyric "floating in this game of life despite how out of place you may feel" speaks to the universal struggle to find meaning and purpose in life, even in the face of adversity. Ultimately, whether or not the singer is an extraterrestrial, the question of what it means to be human in a brutal, chaotic world remains at the heart of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Peep what I say
Listen to what I'm about to say
Everyday the sun sets just like clockwork
The sun sets everyday without fail
To put the Glock to work
To use a gun to kill someone
And putting the body to standstills
Killing someone brings their body to a standstill
Man it kills me
It saddens me
Taking that life is like taking a shit
Killing someone is as easy as taking a dump
Hit or miss, niggas are playing God
Killing someone is like playing God, but with uncertain outcomes
Trying to rob and steal
Attempting to steal from others
That's why ya gotta guard ya grill
You need to protect yourself
Like a barbecue cause them harming you
People who want to cause you harm are like bees at a cookout
Are just like honeybees swarming you
People who want to harm you will come at you in a group
Vocally arming you was my responsibility
As a rapper, it was my duty to provide you with knowledge and opinions
It's killing me thinking that all these niggas see they flauging
It upsets me that many people are pretending to be something they're not
Thinking they Steven Seagal and balling
Thinking they are tough and successful like Steven Seagal
Falling to the wayside when ya try to call, I've fallen
When people try to reach out to me, I may not always be available
When we was little nappy headed niggas in the projects
When we were young poor kids living in public housing
But now they carjacks, wait on income tax and unsafe sex
Now they commit car theft, wait for tax refunds, and have unprotected sex
Still yet they tend to flex like solo for tha lo-lo
Despite their struggles, they still like to show off their possessions
Smoke same thing no-no, not this time
Using the same drugs as before, but with different consequences
Niggas around my way can rhyme
People in my neighborhood are talented rappers
So fuck that country shit we done a bunch of shit
We have accomplished a lot and moved beyond our humble country roots
And yes ya heard of this out of this world like E.T
Our music has become famous and otherworldly like the character E.T.
Coming across ya T.V
Our music is on television for everyone to see
Extraterrestrial straight from ATL
Our music is otherworldly and comes from Atlanta
Right now I'm smiling, taking advantage of this moment
I'm happy and enjoying this current moment
Cause there might not be another soon
Because this happiness may not last
Holding on to memories like roller coaster handle bars
Holding onto memories tightly, like holding onto a roller coaster handlebar
Tightly cause I'm slightly off my rocker
Holding on tightly because I feel a little crazy
But to you I may appear to be your average Joe
To others, I may look like a normal person
But little do you know that even Joe got problems that he gots to joust with
Even normal people have struggles and battles to fight
Floating in this game of life despite how out of place you may feel
Trying to succeed and survive in life, even if you feel like you don't belong
In this race oh you just can't quit
In this competition, you can't give up
Ain't that a bitch that be in heat
It's frustrating like a female dog in heat
I'm on the beat like cops
I'm keeping up with the rhythm like a police officer
Only cultivate the stable dirt when I skeet my drops
I only focus on important things when I release my music
No concentrating knocking other niggas out the box
I'm not focused on competing or overtaking other rappers
Why? Cause in a sense see we all be kind of fly
Because we are all unique and special in our own way
Just can't be scared to spread your wings, head to better things
Don't be afraid to take risks and aim for a better future
Maybe the mockingbird and nightingale they want to sing
Even birds want to share their voice and be heard
Keeping this thing alive, to the table's what we bring
We keep this creative community alive and contribute to its growth
We like hailstorms and blizzards in the middle of the spring
We bring unexpected and powerful influence, like a storm in the middle of the season
Extraterrestrial
Otherworldly and unique
Out of this world
Something that is extraordinary and beyond the norm
Are you alien?
Are you different from what is typically known or understood?
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Andre Benjamin, Antwan Patton, Erin Johnson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TerrorizeSpeed
Track is extremely underrated. One of my favorites off the album
@mikoro88
No doubt. Classic Outcast! And I love it!
@aclockworkcranberry
Incredibly underrated track. Whole album GOAT
@animatedant
ARE YOU ALIENNNN?? OUT OF THIS WOOORRRLLLDDDDDDDD👽
@ReformedMunk
I can imagine how original and innovative this song was back in 96. You didn’t have many people in 96 making rap tracks with out drums, and on top of that with an alien, outer space, other worldly vibe to the melody.
@truthhurtz8517
Kings of the South.....💯💯💯
@barnesby9176
This past month I have really dived down some Outkast music and they're definitely top 5. The flow, lyrics, beats, everything is just amazing. I constantly find myself coming back to this album and Aquemini
@warraps277
No cap
@turtlehead2
Best rap duo because of the longevity and timeless classics.
My top 5 duos
1. Kast
2. A Tribe Called Quest
3. Mobb Deep
4. EPMD
5. UGK
@ryanhoward9030
My favorite off the album. Makes me get all in my feelings. Too fire. That rollercoaster line gets me every time