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.
Gasoline Dreams
OutKast Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Alright, alright, alright, alright, alright
Alright, alright, alright, alright, alright
Alright, alright, alright, alright, alright
Alright, alright, alright, alright, alright
Alright, alright, alright, alright, alright
Alright, alright, alright, alright, alright
Well, burn, motherfucker, burn, American dreams
Don't everybody like the taste of apple pie?
We'll snap for your slice of life, I'm tellin' ya why
I hear that mother nature now on birth control
The coldest pimp be looking for somebody to hold
The highway up to Heaven got a crook on the toll
Youth full of fire, ain't got nowhere to go, nowhere to go (woo)
Uh, all of my heroes did dope
Every nigga 'round me playin' married
Or payin' child support
I can't cope
Never made no sense to me, one day I hope it will
And that's that, sport, sport
Pray I live to see the day when Seven's happily married
With kids, whoa-whoa
The world is moving fast and I'm losin' my balance
Now, time to dig, low, low
To a place where ain't nowhere to go but up
Ya wit me, say, "shit, 'sho, 'sho"
Now let me ask y'all this
Don't everybody like the smell of gasoline?
Well, burn, motherfucker, burn, American dreams
Don't everybody like the taste of apple pie?
We'll snap for your slice of life, I'm tellin' ya why
I hear that mother nature now on birth control
The coldest pimp be looking for somebody to hold
The highway up to Heaven got a crook on the toll
Youth full of fire, ain't got nowhere to go, nowhere to go
It's shitty, Ricky Stratton got a million bucks
While my cousin Ricky Walker got ten years doing Fed time
On a first offense drug bust, fuck the ho-lice
That's if you're racist or you're crooked
Arrest me for this dope, I didn't weigh it up or cook it
You gotta charge the world 'cause over a million people took it
Look at me, I'm outta your jurisdiction, now you lookin' stupid
Officer, get off me, sir
Don't make me call L.A., he'll have ya walkin', sir
A couple of months ago, they gave OutKast the key to the city
But I still gotta pay my taxes and they give us no pity
About these youngsters amongst us
You think they respect the law?
They think they monsters, they love us, reality rappin'
And giving the youth the truth from this booth
And when we on stage, we scream
Don't everybody, everybody
Don't everybody like the smell of gasoline?
Well, burn, motherfucker, burn, American dreams
Don't everybody like the taste of apple pie?
We'll snap for your slice of life, I'm tellin' ya why
I hear that mother nature now on birth control
The coldest pimp be looking for somebody to hold
The highway up to Heaven got a crook on the toll
Youth full of fire, ain't got nowhere to go, nowhere to go
Yeah, huh, officer for the most high
You touch me, you touch the apple of this eye
If they kick us out, where will we go?
Not to Africa, 'cause nann one of them acknowledge us as they kinfolk
Still eatin' pork
Abomination, desecration for beating flesh
Penalty for violation is death (death)
Woe, woe, to the man that strive with his maker on judgment day
Hip-hip-hooray
Mystery, Babylon the great
The mother of heartless is falling, prophecy must be fulfilled
The lake of fire is callin'
Don't everybody like the smell of gasoline?
Well, burn, motherfucker, burn, American dreams
Don't everybody like the taste of apple pie?
We'll snap for your slice of life, I'm tellin' ya why
I hear that mother nature now on birth control
The coldest pimp be looking for somebody to hold
The highway up to Heaven got a crook on the toll
Youth full of fire, ain't got nowhere to go, nowhere to go, woo
The song "Gasoline Dreams" by OutKast is a critical commentary on American society, particularly its tendency towards ignorance, racism, and greed. The song's title is a metaphor for the rampant consumerism that dominates American culture, as the smell of gasoline is a common representation of excess and waste. The song also touches on themes of socioeconomic inequality, police brutality, and the struggles of young people searching for their place in a world that offers few options.
The chorus of "Gasoline Dreams" asks a rhetorical question: "Don't everybody like the smell of gasoline?" This question serves as a framing device for the rest of the song, as each verse explores a different aspect of American life in which excess and waste are celebrated, but the consequences of those behaviors are ignored. The lyrics reference apple pie, a quintessential American food, and the metaphorical "highway up to Heaven" as examples of this culture of excess. However, the song also condemns this way of life as unsustainable and harmful, particularly to those who are marginalized and oppressed.
Throughout the song, OutKast also references the struggles and injustices faced by black people in America. The lyrics mention "dope" and drug busts, which highlight the racial disparities in drug enforcement and sentencing. The song also references police violence, with the line "fuck the ho-lice" expressing anger and frustration at a system that perpetuates racism and corruption. Overall, "Gasoline Dreams" is a powerful critique of American society that challenges listeners to examine their own values and behaviors.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't everybody like the smell of gasoline?
Isn't the smell of gasoline appealing to most people?
Well, burn, motherfucker, burn, American dreams
The American way of life is marked by flames of destruction and chaos.
Don't everybody like the taste of apple pie?
Isn't apple pie everyone's favorite?
We'll snap for your slice of life, I'm tellin' ya why
We'll fight for the chance to live our lives the way we want to.
I hear that mother nature now on birth control
The world's natural resources are dwindling rapidly and it seems like it's intentional to some.
The coldest pimp be looking for somebody to hold
Even the most ruthless and cold-hearted people crave human connection and love.
The highway up to Heaven got a crook on the toll
The path to success and happiness is often run by corrupted people.
Youth full of fire, ain't got nowhere to go, nowhere to go (woo)
Young people who are full of passion and enthusiasm often feel stuck and aimless.
Uh, all of my heroes did dope
Many of the people I admire and look up to have indulged in drugs.
Every nigga 'round me playin' married
Everyone in my circle seems to be tied down by relationships and responsibility.
Or payin' child support
Or dealing with the consequences of having children.
I can't cope
I'm struggling to deal with the realities of adulthood.
Never made no sense to me, one day I hope it will
I don't understand why people are so caught up in settling down and having a family, but maybe one day I will.
And that's that, sport, sport
That's just the way it is, there's no changing it.
Pray I live to see the day when Seven's happily married
I hope to live long enough to see my friend Seven find true happiness in marriage.
With kids, whoa-whoa
And start a family of his own.
The world is moving fast and I'm losin' my balance
The pace of life is overwhelming and I'm struggling to keep up.
Now, time to dig, low, low
It's time to retreat and find some stability.
To a place where ain't nowhere to go but up
To a place where things can only get better.
Ya wit me, say, "shit, 'sho, 'sho"
Are you with me? Say yes, of course.
It's shitty, Ricky Stratton got a million bucks
It's frustrating to see certain people have everything handed to them.
While my cousin Ricky Walker got ten years doing Fed time
While other people struggle and suffer through harsh consequences.
On a first offense drug bust, fuck the ho-lice
The police can't be trusted and are corrupt.
That's if you're racist or you're crooked
If you're either a racist or a corrupt cop, then this applies to you.
Arrest me for this dope, I didn't weigh it up or cook it
I'm being punished for someone else's actions.
You gotta charge the world 'cause over a million people took it
You can't just punish one person when so many others are guilty as well.
Look at me, I'm outta your jurisdiction, now you lookin' stupid
You have no power over me and your actions are foolish.
Officer, get off me, sir
You can't just use your authority to bully me.
Don't make me call L.A., he'll have ya walkin', sir
I have connections that can help me fight back against injustice.
A couple of months ago, they gave OutKast the key to the city
We've been publicly recognized and celebrated for our art.
But I still gotta pay my taxes and they give us no pity
We may have achieved success, but we're still subject to the same unfair rules and regulations as everyone else.
About these youngsters amongst us
Let's talk about the young people in our community.
You think they respect the law?
Do you really believe that young people have respect for the law?
They think they monsters, they love us, reality rappin'
They see themselves as misunderstood and mistreated, while also loving our music because we speak the truth.
And giving the youth the truth from this booth
We use our music to educate and enlighten younger generations.
And when we on stage, we scream Don't everybody, everybody
We use our music and platform to bring people together and call for change.
Yeah, huh, officer for the most high
I answer to a higher authority than you.
You touch me, you touch the apple of this eye
If you mess with me, you'll feel the wrath of something greater than yourself.
If they kick us out, where will we go?
If we don't conform to society's standards, where will we fit in?
Not to Africa, 'cause nann one of them acknowledge us as they kinfolk
We can't go back to Africa because we're not accepted as part of their community.
Still eatin' pork
We still engage in behaviors that are detrimental to us despite our struggle for acceptance.
Abomination, desecration for beating flesh
Eating pork is a sin and a disgraceful act.
Penalty for violation is death (death)
There are consequences for straying from what is considered acceptable.
Woe, woe, to the man that strive with his maker on judgment day
There will be dire consequences for anyone who challenges the authority of a higher power.
Hip-hip-hooray
Ironically, we celebrate things like mindless consumerism and superficial success.
Mystery, Babylon the great
Our society is shrouded in mystery and filled with sins.
The mother of heartless is falling, prophecy must be fulfilled
Our society must fall in order for prophecy to be fulfilled.
The lake of fire is callin'
We're all on a path towards destruction and punishment.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Andre Benjamin, Antwan Patton, Willie Edward Knighton, David A. Sheats
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Carlos-xz3vi
One of the best opening album songs of all time.
@BeelySalasBlair-uy5wn
❤
@mikoro88
It's SO good! 😊
@coxjohn
The guitar on this track is straight fire
@josiahm.8711
Facts
@Carlos-xz3vi
I belive is Andre 3000 playing. Very Hendrix-like!
@GoldK4L
@@Carlos-xz3vi nah andre didn't do it check the credits
@BeelySalasBlair-uy5wn
💛🔥⭐
@leatherface964
This is how you open an album 🔥🔥🔥🔥
@BeelySalasBlair-uy5wn
💛🔥⭐