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.
Git Up
OutKast Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't let the days of your life pass by
You need to git up, git out and git something
Don't spend all your time trying to get high
You need git up, git out and git something
How will you make it if you never even try
You need to git up, git out and git something
'Cause you and I got to do for you and I
I don't recall, ever graduating at all
Sometimes I feel I'm just a disappointment to y'all
Every day, I just lay around then I can't be found
Always asking "gimme some", living life like a bum
Times is rough, my auntie got enough problems of her own
Nigga, you supposed to be grown
I agree, I try to be the man I'm 'posed to be
But negativity is all you seem to ever see
I admit, I've done some dumb shit, and I'm probably gon do some mo'
You shouldn't hold that against me though (Why not?)
Why not? My music's all that I got
But some time must be invested for this to be manifested
I know you know but I'm gon' say this to you I
Get high but I don't get too high
So what's the limit 'posed to be?
That must be why you can't get your ass up out the bed before three
You need to git up, git out, cut that bullshit out
Ain't you sick and tired of having to do without
Damn, what up with all these questions?
You act as though you know something I don't
Do you have any suggestions?
'Cause every job I get is cruel and demeaning
Sick of taking trash out and toilet bowl cleaning
But I'm also sick and tired of struggling
I never ever thought I'd to have resort to drug smuggling
Naw, that ain't what I'm about
Cee-lo will just continue traveling his route without any doubt
Or fear, I know the Lord ain't brought me this far so he could drop me off here
Did I make myself clear?
You need to git up, git out and git something
Don't let the days of your life pass by
You need to git up, git out and git something
Don't spend all your time trying to get high nigga
You need git up, git out and git something
How will you make it if you never even try
You need to git up, git out and git something
'Cause you and I got to do for you and I
Well, uh, get up, stand up, so what's said, you dickhead
See when I was a youngster, used to wear them fucking Pro Keds
My mama made me do it, but the devil, he made me smart
Told me to jack them weak ass niggas for they fucking Starters
In the middle school, I was a bigger fool
I wore with tank tops to show off my tattoo, thought I was cool
I used to hang out with my daddy's brothers, I call them my uncles
They taught me how to smoke herb, I followed them when they ran numbers
So in a sense I was Rosemary's baby
And then, I learned the difference between a bitch and a lady
Hell, I treat 'em all like hoes, see I pimped 'em
Bitch never had my money, so I never whipped 'em
See all the playas came and all the playas went
A playa ain't a gangsta but a playa can handle his shit bitch
You need to git up, git out, git something
Smoke out, 'cause it's all about money, money, money
Yeah I said it, a nigga sporting plaits and a Braves hat
I hang with Rico Wade 'cause the Dungeon is where the funk's at, boy
I'm true to Organized, 'cause they raised me
I'm also down with LaFace 'cause L.A. Reid, yeah, he pays me
And it's cool
Yeah, it's real cool, getting paid fat pockets
And all that other fat shit like that, ha-ha
You need to git up, git out and git something
Don't let the days of your life pass by
You need to git up, git out and git something
Don't spend all your time trying to get high nigga
You need git up, git out and git something
How will you make it if you never even try
You need to git up, git out and git something
'Cause you and I got to do for you and I
A lot of people in my past tried to do me, screw me
Throw me over in the fire, let me get chunky and charred
Like a piece of wood and them spirits got the mutant's mind
I'm getting paranoid and steady looking for the time
It's eight in the morning and ain't nobody up yet
I got my long johns, get my coat and throw on my ball cap
I'm headed out the door, to get off in my ride
I'm digging through the ash tray, hoping to have a good day
I had Jamaica's best and when I light it up, I hear a voice in my head
(You got to git up, git out and git something)
Now I know it's on, my day is finally started
Back up in my crib, eat my shit, break out quick, in my slick
'84 Se-dan DeVille, steady bouncing
Out the Point to Campbellton Road
The valley of the Southside flow
Everybody know about that killa that we call blow, so
Keep your eyes peeled for the COBRA unit
'Cause they known for jumping out of black Chevy trucks and through the fog
Here come the Red Dogs, I'm busting out around the corner in my hog
Dipping from the area, I'm scared
So one of these bitches might wind up dead
'Cause I have no time for jail; fuck Clampett cops; fuck Eldrin Bell
And crooked ass Jackson, got the whole country
Thinking that my city is the big lick for '96
'94, Big Gipp, Goodie Mo, OutKast, a vision from the past
Hootie Hoo, my White Owls are burning kind of slow
You need to git up, git out and git something
Don't let the days of your life pass by
You need to git up, git out and git something
Don't spend all your time trying to get high nigga
You need git up, git out and git something
How will you make it if you never even try
You need to git up, git out and git something
'Cause you and I got to do for you and I
Y'all telling me that I need to get out and vote, huh, why?
Ain't nobody black running but crack-kers, so, why I got to register?
I thinking of better shit to do with my time
Never smelled aroma of diploma, but I write the deep ass rhymes
So let me take ya way, back to when a nigga stayed in Southwest Atlanta, ay
Y'all could not tell me nothing, thought I hit that bottom rock
At age 13, start working at the loading dock
They laying my mama off of work, General Motors tripping
But I come home banked like Hank, from licking and dipping
Doing dumb shit, not knowing what a nigga know now
Yeah, that petty shit will have you cased up and locked down
I dips, over to East Point, still actin a fool
Wasting my time in the school, I'd rather be shooting pool
Cool is how I played the tenth grade
I thought it was all about macking hoes and wearing pimp fade
Instead of being in class, I'd rather be up in some ass
Not, thinking about them six courses that I need to pass
Graduation rolled around like rolly-pollies
Damn, that's fucked up I should've listened when my mama told me
That, if you play now, you gonna suffer later
Figured she was talking yang yang, so I payed her no attention
And kept missing the point she tried to poke me with
The doper that I get, the more I'm feeling broke and shit
Huh, but that don't matter though, I am an O-UT-KAST
So get up off your ass
You need to git up, git out and git something
Don't let the days of your life pass by
You need to git up, git out and git something
Don't spend all your time trying to get high
You need git up, git out and git something
How will you make it if you never even try
You need to git up, git out and git something
'Cause you and I got to do for you and I
The lyrics to Outkast's "Git Up Get Out" urge listeners to stop wasting their lives and start taking action to achieve success. The song's first verse implores the listener to "git up, git out, and git something," to stop trying to constantly get high, and to push themselves to accomplish more. The second verse features Andre 3000 reflecting on his own past mistakes and struggles, including feeling like a disappointment to those around him and engaging in dumb behavior. He defends his passion for music but acknowledges that success requires time and effort. The third verse is a nostalgic look back at the years before Outkast's success. This verse speaks to the importance of taking advantage of opportunities and not falling into wasteful habits.
Overall, the song celebrates the importance of hard work and perseverance against obstacles. It acknowledges that mistakes will be made, but that this is part of the learning process. The historical context of the song, its focus on self-improvement, and its emphasis on working towards success make it a timeless and relatable piece of music.
Line by Line Meaning
Nigga, you need to git up, git out and git something
You must take action and strive for success
Don't let the days of your life pass by
Don't waste time and miss out on opportunities
Don't spend all your time trying to get high
Don't prioritize getting high above everything else
How will you make it if you never even try
You won't succeed if you don't make an effort
'Cause you and I got to do for you and I
We are responsible for our own success and well-being
I don't recall, ever graduating at all
I never completed my education
Sometimes I feel I'm just a disappointment to y'all
I often feel like I let everyone down
Every day, I just lay around then I can't be found
I waste my days being unproductive and aimless
Always asking 'gimme some', living life like a bum
I rely on others and live a lazy, dependent lifestyle
Times is rough, my auntie got enough problems of her own
My family is going through difficult times
Nigga, you supposed to be grown
You should be mature and responsible
I agree, I try to be the man I'm 'posed to be
I acknowledge that I should be a responsible adult
But negativity is all you seem to ever see
You only focus on the negative aspects of my life
I admit, I've done some dumb shit, and I'm probably gon do some mo'
I accept that I've made mistakes and will likely make more
You shouldn't hold that against me though (Why not?)
You shouldn't judge me solely based on my past mistakes
Why not? My music's all that I got
My music is my only source of hope and success
But some time must be invested for this to be manifested
I need to put effort and time into my music to achieve success
I know you know but I'm gon' say this to you I
I understand that you are aware, but I still need to say it
Get high but I don't get too high
I use drugs, but I don't let them consume me
So what's the limit 'posed to be?
What is the acceptable extent of drug use?
That must be why you can't get your ass up out the bed before three
Your excessive drug use is preventing you from being productive in the mornings
You need to git up, git out, cut that bullshit out
You need to stop wasting time and make a change
Ain't you sick and tired of having to do without
Don't you want to improve your situation and stop lacking?
Damn, what up with all these questions?
Why are you asking so many questions?
You act as though you know something I don't
You seem to think you have more knowledge than me
Do you have any suggestions?
Do you have any advice or recommendations?
'Cause every job I get is cruel and demeaning
I always end up with jobs that are harsh and degrading
Sick of taking trash out and toilet bowl cleaning
I'm tired of doing menial and unpleasant tasks
But I'm also sick and tired of struggling
I'm exhausted from constantly facing difficulties
I never ever thought I'd to have resort to drug smuggling
I never imagined I would have to turn to illegal activities like drug smuggling
Naw, that ain't what I'm about
No, that's not who I am or what I believe in
Cee-lo will just continue traveling his route without any doubt
Cee-lo, a reference to a fellow artist, will keep pursuing his own path confidently
Or fear, I know the Lord ain't brought me this far so he could drop me off here
I believe that God has a plan for me and won't abandon me
Did I make myself clear?
Did I express my thoughts and feelings effectively?
Well, uh, get up, stand up, so what's said, you dickhead
Get off the ground, be proactive, and listen to what I'm saying
See when I was a youngster, used to wear them fucking Pro Keds
Back in my youth, I wore Pro Keds sneakers
My mama made me do it, but the devil, he made me smart
My mother influenced my choices, but I also made my own decisions
Told me to jack them weak ass niggas for they fucking Starters
I was influenced to rob and take from weak individuals for their valuable possessions
In the middle school, I was a bigger fool
During middle school, I acted foolishly
I wore with tank tops to show off my tattoo, thought I was cool
I wore tank tops to display my tattoo, thinking it made me appear cool
I used to hang out with my daddy's brothers, I call them my uncles
I spent time with my father's brothers, whom I referred to as my uncles
They taught me how to smoke herb, I followed them when they ran numbers
They taught me how to smoke marijuana and engage in illegal gambling
So in a sense I was Rosemary's baby
In a metaphorical sense, I was influenced by negative forces
And then, I learned the difference between a bitch and a lady
I eventually understood the distinction between disrespecting women and treating them with respect
Hell, I treat 'em all like hoes, see I pimped 'em
I admit to treating women poorly and exploiting them as a pimp would
Bitch never had my money, so I never whipped 'em
I never financially supported those women, so I didn't exert control over them
See all the playas came and all the playas went
Various players and hustlers appeared and disappeared
A playa ain't a gangsta but a playa can handle his shit bitch
A player is not a gangster, but they can handle their own responsibilities
You need to git up, git out, git something
You need to take action and strive for success
Smoke out, 'cause it's all about money, money, money
Indulge in drugs to escape the constant focus on money and materialism
Yeah I said it, a nigga sporting plaits and a Braves hat
Yes, I said it, I'm a black man with braided hair and a hat representing the Atlanta Braves
I hang with Rico Wade 'cause the Dungeon is where the funk's at, boy
I associate with Rico Wade because the Dungeon Family, a music collective, is where the true funk and creativity resides
I'm true to Organized, 'cause they raised me
I remain loyal to Organized Noize, a music production team, because they have shaped my music career
I'm also down with LaFace 'cause L.A. Reid, yeah, he pays me
I have a connection to LaFace Records because L.A. Reid, the co-founder, financially supports me
And it's cool
And that's fine
Yeah, it's real cool, getting paid fat pockets
Yes, it's really great to earn a lot of money
And all that other fat shit like that, ha-ha
And all the other luxurious things associated with wealth, haha
A lot of people in my past tried to do me, screw me
I have faced betrayal and mistreatment from many people in my past
Throw me over in the fire, let me get chunky and charred
They discarded me and allowed me to suffer and be damaged
Like a piece of wood and them spirits got the mutant's mind
I feel mentally distressed and affected by negative influences in my life
I'm getting paranoid and steady looking for the time
I'm becoming increasingly anxious and constantly checking the time
It's eight in the morning and ain't nobody up yet
It's early in the morning, and no one else is awake
I got my long johns, get my coat and throw on my ball cap
I put on my thermal underwear, grab my coat, and wear a baseball cap
I'm headed out the door, to get off in my ride
I'm leaving my house to get in my car and leave
I'm digging through the ash tray, hoping to have a good day
I search through the car's ashtray, hoping to find something positive to start my day
I had Jamaica's best and when I light it up, I hear a voice in my head
I have a high-quality Jamaican marijuana, and when I smoke it, I hear a voice in my mind
(You got to git up, git out and git something)
(You have to take action and strive for success)
Now I know it's on, my day is finally started
I feel motivated and ready to begin my day
Back up in my crib, eat my shit, break out quick, in my slick
I quickly go back home, eat my food, and leave looking stylish
'84 Se-dan DeVille, steady bouncing
I drive a 1984 Sedan DeVille, a car that bounces due to hydraulics
Out the Point to Campbellton Road
I drive from a location called the Point to Campbellton Road
The valley of the Southside flow
An area known for its unique music style and culture
Everybody know about that killa that we call blow, so
Everyone is aware of the drug dealing business we refer to as 'blow'
Keep your eyes peeled for the COBRA unit
Look out for the COBRA police unit
'Cause they known for jumping out of black Chevy trucks and through the fog
They are notorious for surprising people from black Chevy trucks in hazy conditions
Here come the Red Dogs, I'm busting out around the corner in my hog
The police are approaching, and I quickly escape in my car
Dipping from the area, I'm scared
I'm terrified as I flee the neighborhood
So one of these bitches might wind up dead
I fear that one of these women may end up getting killed
'Cause I have no time for jail; fuck Clampett cops; fuck Eldrin Bell
I don't have the patience for getting caught and going to jail; I disdain the police and Eldrin Bell, an Atlanta chief of police
And crooked ass Jackson, got the whole country
I criticize the corruption and deceit of public figures like Jackson, who mislead the nation
Thinking that my city is the big lick for '96
Lured by the idea of making easy money in my city in 1996
'94, Big Gipp, Goodie Mo, OutKast, a vision from the past
In 1994, Big Gipp, Goodie Mo, OutKast represented a significant movement from the past
Hootie Hoo, my White Owls are burning kind of slow
I'm smoking White Owl cigars, which are burning slowly
Y'all telling me that I need to get out and vote, huh, why?
You're telling me I should vote, but why?
Ain't nobody black running but crack-kers, so, why I got to register?
There are no black candidates running, so why should I bother registering to vote?
I thinking of better shit to do with my time
I'm contemplating more meaningful ways to spend my time
Never smelled aroma of diploma, but I write the deep ass rhymes
I never experienced the smell of a diploma, but I write meaningful and thought-provoking lyrics
So let me take ya way, back to when a nigga stayed in Southwest Atlanta, ay
Let me transport you back to the time when I lived in Southwest Atlanta
Y'all could not tell me nothing, thought I hit that bottom rock
I believed I had reached the lowest point and that no one could advise me
At age 13, start working at the loading dock
At the age of thirteen, I began working at a loading dock
They laying my mama off of work, General Motors tripping
They are laying off my mother from her job at General Motors, causing frustration
But I come home banked like Hank, from licking and dipping
But I come home with money, like Hank, from engaging in illegal activities
Doing dumb shit, not knowing what a nigga know now
I made foolish choices without knowing what I now understand
Yeah, that petty shit will have you cased up and locked down
Engaging in petty activities will get you arrested and imprisoned
I dips, over to East Point, still actin a fool
I go over to East Point, where I continue to behave recklessly
Wasting my time in the school, I'd rather be shooting pool
I waste my time in school; I'd prefer to play billiards
Cool is how I played the tenth grade
I acted cool during my tenth grade year
I thought it was all about macking hoes and wearing pimp fade
I mistakenly believed that success was about seducing women and displaying flashy hairstyles
Instead of being in class, I'd rather be up in some ass
Instead of attending class, I would prefer to engage in sexual activities
Not, thinking about them six courses that I need to pass
I neglect to consider the six courses I need to pass
Graduation rolled around like rolly-pollies
Graduation time arrived unexpectedly, like rolling insects
Damn, that's fucked up I should've listened when my mama told me
It's unfortunate that I didn't listen to my mother's advice
That, if you play now, you gonna suffer later
If you prioritize fun in the present, you will face consequences in the future
Figured she was talking yang yang, so I payed her no attention
I thought she was speaking nonsense, so I ignored her
And kept missing the point she tried to poke me with
I continued to overlook the message she was trying to convey
The doper that I get, the more I'm feeling broke and shit
The more I engage in drug use, the more financially and emotionally drained I feel
Huh, but that don't matter though, I am an O-UT-KAST
But that doesn't matter, because I am unique and independent
So get up off your ass
So stop being lazy and take action
You need to git up, git out and git something
You must take action and strive for success
Don't let the days of your life pass by
Don't waste time and miss out on opportunities
You need to git up, git out and git something
You must take action and strive for success
Don't spend all your time trying to get high
Don't prioritize getting high above everything else
You need git up, git out and git something
You must take action and strive for success
How will you make it if you never even try
You won't succeed if you don't make an effort
You need to git up, git out and git something
You must take action and strive for success
'Cause you and I got to do for you and I
We are responsible for our own success and well-being
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, MUSIC SERVICES, INC., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Andre Benjamin, Antwan Patton, Cameron Gipp, Patrick Brown, Raymon Murray, Rico Wade, Thomas Callaway
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ceo_felcone
Who’s listening to this in 2024? ✋🏽
@Itsjustme1982
me well drinking my 24 oucne hehe
@rocksofoffence.righteousam2422
You better believe it
@TheMsnikidavis
Me! Today is March 23 , 2024. I slept in today and my friend started playing this to get me out the bed 😂😂😂 Outkast is bomb
@nanakorang3482
Ceelo’s verse is one of the greatest Hip-Hop verses of all time
@rastafari7415
His Sesame Street verse even better
@slimese4748
“I know the Lord ain’t bring me this far so He can drop me off here, did I make myself clear” brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it. 😢
@NewtSean
Me too man
@nojudgement78
Me three
@murstenby2380
Me four