OutKast is an American hip-hop duo from Atlanta, Georgia, United States. T… Read Full Bio ↴OutKast is an American hip-hop duo from Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The duo is one of the most successful hip-hop groups of all time, having received six Grammy Awards. Over 25 million copies have been sold of Outkast's seven releases: six studio albums—including one double album—and a greatest hits release.

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.

Gangsta Sh
OutKast Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Some of that uh, LTD Lincoln Town Car
Some of that El Dorado funk, know what I'm talking about
Gangsta Shit, you know, lay back, cool out, yeah
You know, we keep it crunk around here, A-town style
Getting head on the highway,s yeah, but this what I wanna know

Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?

Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Outkast, Goodie Mob and the Dungeon clique
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Dirty South nigga we straight gangsta pimps

O-U-T-K-A-S-T, O-N-P, G-Double O-D-I-E
So fresh, so clean, back with Stankonia, Dungeon Family
Pearl Cadillac on D's and Vogues, flip flops, T-shirts and Dickies
It's the return of Billy Ocean, Cuervo is my drink
Stank, stank means you got the funkiest, dopest heat on the streets
Three G ski, Slimm, Big Boi and this is C B-O-N-E
If you need some back-up, find your own
Your girl gonna give you grief at home
Just tell her these hoes wanna be on the same team that she's playing on

Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Outkast, Goodie Mob and the Dungeon clique
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Dirty South, nigga, we straight gangsta pimps

Dope boys in the trap like to stack the dough
If beef come around, can't let it go
When my funds turn legit, I'ma let you know
Ridin' rims real good down Old National
It's trappable, two bed, Jacuzzi bath, it's natural
Puttin' cheese in the stash, un-taxable futhermuckers get mad
Steady watching myself, got eyes in my back
Don't take no slack, when you managing the trap
If your front work out, gotta get it right back
I trap by day, boy, rap by night
C-Bone in this bitch, College Park trump tight

Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Outkast, Goodie Mob and the Dungeon clique
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Dirty South, nigga, we straight gangsta pimps

I'm pimp tight, give a fuck, niggas know what's up
It's T-Mo and Outkast in the back of my truck
We gotta simple little problem that we got to solve
It like it ain't about the money, we got to handle the job
No colors or rags, just guns and masks
We not scared to blast, then dip off fast
With the Dungeon clique, just pulled a lick
Now what you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?

Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Outkast, Goodie Mob and the Dungeon clique
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Dirty South, nigga, we straight gangsta pimps

Back on the scene, a sack of green sitting on chrome and rubber bands
Paint looking like Candyland, it's Slimm, the southpaw triggerman
Flippin' work and whippin' weight, rock up, roll and get the papes
Chop them hoes and then you skate, back to the block with the flakes
Grams to O's, slabs to wholes
A young nigga holdin', big face foldin'
Pimps are known for catching runaways
A good hustler's known to keep his gun away
First nigga run up and try to jack mine
First nigga fuck up to get flat-lined
Pack still stainless, Coupe and Verts brainless
Y'all don't wanna fuck wit' we
The trunk be bangin', off the chain danglin'
Y'all know that I'm from CP
(When do ya shoot, boy, shot don't reverse)
(Send for the downtown, send for the nurse, sing)

Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Outkast, Goodie Mob and the Dungeon clique
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit?
Dirty South nigga we straight gangsta pimps

OutKast with a K, yeah, them niggas are hard
Harder than a nigga tryna impress God
We'll pull your whole deck, fuck pulling your card
And still take my guitar and take a walk in the park
Anyd play the sweetest melody the street ever heard
Now bitches sucking on my nouns and I'm eating their verbs
Get full, and niggas, niggas
Pop, pop, lock, lock to the, to the beat, beat
As if pitbulls went out of style, made a vow to myself
If it's for the wealth, I'll stop, well, put it like this
It's like me selling some dope because my girlfriend wants to shop
Wrong reason, whatever the season, hey winter, spring, summer or fall
I don't stall, slow drag wit' your brain against the wall
Yeah, nigga, nah, we lean to the side don't fall
All y'all fuckboys, tuck toys inside your pants
Just to pull it out, point it at the ground and make a nigga wanna dance
Now what that be for? You're on that reefer and on that 2Pac

In front of them ooh-wops, trying to show out, that's the ho route
Talking loud talkin' 'bout that's gangsta shit

Overall Meaning

In Outkast's song "Gangsta Shit," the group makes it clear that they want to convey their knowledge of some of the gritty and dangerous elements of living in the South, specifically Atlanta. In the first verse, the group sings about the types of cars and lifestyles that are associated with being part of the gangsta culture. They also mention how they keep it "crunk," meaning they maintain a level of energy and excitement within their community. The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song, where they rap about topics such as trapping drugs, building a reputation, and fighting for their street cred.

The chorus of the song repeats multiple times and asks the listener if they really want to know about some gangsta shit that Outkast and the Dungeon clique have experienced. The lyrics suggest that this lifestyle is not for everyone and that it takes a lot of work and risk-taking to gain respect in these circles. The second verse features Slimm Calhoun rapping about his own experiences selling drugs and making money off of his illicit activities. T-Mo of Goodie Mob describes how he and Outkast are working on taking care of business, which is implied as being violent.

Overall, "Gangsta Sh*t" is an unapologetic and sometimes graphic portrayal of the harsh realities associated with gang culture in the South. It is a reflection of the difficult circumstances in which many people in the region find themselves and the lengths they will go to survive and thrive in the face of adversity.

Line by Line Meaning

Some of that uh, LTD Lincoln Town Car
We ride in luxury cars like the LTD Lincoln Town Car

Some of that El Dorado funk, know what I'm talking about
We enjoy the funky style of the El Dorado car, you know what I mean

Gangsta Shit, you know, lay back, cool out, yeah
We make gangsta music that you can relax and vibe to

You know we keep it crunk around here, A-town style
We always keep the energy high and maintain the A-town style

Getting head on the highways yeah, but this what I wanna know
We're driving fast on the highways, but I have a question

Do you really wanna know about some gangsta shit
Are you genuinely interested in learning about gangsta lifestyle

Outkast, Goodie Mob and the Dungeon clique
These are the rap groups associated with gangsta music

Dirty South nigga we straight gangsta pimps
We represent the Dirty South and embody the persona of gangsta pimps

O-U-T-K-A-S-T, O-N-P, G-Double O-D-I-E, so fresh so clean
We spell out the names of our groups and emphasize our fresh and clean style

Back with Stankonia, Dungeon Family-ee
We're back with Stankonia and represent the Dungeon Family

Pearl Cadillac on dics and vogues, flip flops, t-shirts and Dickies
We ride in a flashy Pearl Cadillac with accessories like rims and Dickies clothing

It's the return of Billy Ocean, Cuervo is my drink
I'm back like Billy Ocean and Jose Cuervo is my preferred choice of alcohol

Stank, stank means you got the funkiest, dopest heat on the street
Being 'stank' means having the most funky and impressive music in the streets

Three G ski, Slimm, Big Boi and this is C B-O-N-E
We're three gangsta individuals: Slimm, Big Boi, and C-Bone

If you need some back-up find your own
If you need support, you should find your own backup

Ya girl gonna give you grief at home
Your girlfriend is going to cause problems for you at home

Just tell her these hoes wanna be on the same team that she's laying on
Let her know that other girls want to be part of the same team she's involved with

Dope boys in the trap like to stack the dough
Drug dealers in the neighborhood enjoy collecting money

When beef come around can't let it go
When there's conflict, we can't just ignore it

When my funds turn legit I'm gonna let you know
When I start earning legitimate money, I'll make sure you're aware

Ridin rims real good down Old National
We ride with impressive rims on the streets of Old National

It's trappable, two bed, Jacuzzi bath, it's natural
Our lifestyle includes trapping, living in a two-bedroom place with a Jacuzzi bath is normal for us

Puttin cheese in ya stash, un-taxable futhermuckers get mad
We keep money hidden away, avoiding taxes and irritating others

Steady watching myself, got eyes in my back
I'm always cautious and aware, even watching my own back

Don't take no slack, when you managing the trap
When you're in charge of the drug operation, you can't tolerate any laziness

If you work out, gotta get it right back
If you put in effort, you expect a return on investment

I trap by day boy, rap by night
During the day, I'm involved in illegal activities, but at night, I'm a rapper

C-Bone in this bitch, College Park trump tight
C-Bone is here, representing College Park with great precision

I'm pimp tight, give a fuck, niggas know what's up
I'm extremely confident and don't care about others' opinions

It's T-Mo and Outkast in the back of my truck
T-Mo and Outkast are chilling in the back of my truck

We gotta simple little problem that we got to solve
We have a minor issue that needs resolving

It like it ain't about the money, we got to handle the job
It's not just about the money, we have to take care of business

No colors or rags, just guns and masks
We don't focus on gangs or fashion, only on weapons and disguises

We not scared to blast and dip off fast
We aren't afraid to shoot and quickly escape the scene

With the Dungeon clique, just pulled a lick
With our group, we just completed a successful robbery

Now what you really wanna know about some gangsta shit
So, what do you truly want to learn about the gangsta lifestyle?