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.
Mighty "O"
OutKast Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Ode-ode-ode-O
Ode-ode-ode-O
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Ode-ode-ode-O
Ode-ode-ode-O
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Ode-ode-ode-O
Ode-ode-ode-O
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Ode-ode-ode-O
Ode-ode-ode-O
You ain't a hater can't tell
Either wish me well, go to hell or go to Yale
Study human behavior so that you know who the hell
You dealin' with ain't nutty but the study gon' unveil
My relative in jail, ha, stay engaged
To whatever make money now he married to that cage
Divorce is not an option and prenuptial is void
Eat up whatever after but I'm tangled in my cord
Bored, kind of like a knight with the sword
Without dragon to battle so I'm running from a shadow
An impossible feat and I repeat
An impossible feat and I repeat
An impossible feat and I repeat
The damsel's in distress but they a mess
They only like my armor, and that I'm a performer
They read one magazine and wanna think they gettin' warmer
They only getting colder hell, maybe I should throw
A double diamond party in the north pole
Invite all the writers and journalists
Even biters will turn up man, to see who can be me
Better than me it's a permanent, smile on my face
Because you said you don't like my style
But that's ok but just make sure you don't touch that dial
And we'll be cool, touch it and you's a fool
Look, I'll get you hooked, ya'll crooks might even move
To Atlanta, Georgia, get a wife and daughter
Start a new life, and all that wrong you do you make it right
But hell, all a dream, I wear the crown, I'm king
Respect this mandatory, end of the story
Go fly a kite, category ain't got none
You know I'm right
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Ode-ode-ode-O
Ode-ode-ode-O
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Ode-ode-ode-O
Ode-ode-ode-O
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Ode-ode-ode-O
Ode-ode-ode-O
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Ode-ode-ode-O
Ode-ode-ode-O
Congratulations I'm a player
I thought you were one too but now I hear you loud and clear
Subliminal, criminal minded niggas so be aware
Black dog broke out the bitch until yo' ass it's ?bout to tear
Intended for anyone filling out this application
An estimate is needed for your under-estimation
I'm firing on the spot go back and check your calculations
Like a sniper in the bushes with that rifle, I've been patiently
Waiting, now that's a virtue
'Cause pussy nigga, I'll hurt you
Like the president's approval rating by serving your ass with words fool
Slam yo' back to the curve bra, like sanitation worker
'Cause ya trash, I'm taking out the trash and all trash
Get mashed and compacted because it's no longer valid
Go head recycled, repackaged and put it back in my cabinet
Boy that's germs, I'm fresh up out the store e'ry time
That nigga that be-I-g, go hard e'ry rhyme
Crowns all around I'm right after Martin Luther
No Jr. senior ?cause Bamboo is Antwan Junior
Dungeon Family and biologicals intact
Talk bad about the fam test diabolical attack
No gats or no raps, you get slapped about that
As a matter of fact, not fiction
Rumpelstiltskin you wack
Decipher words is like the code of Da Vinci
Don't go against me, Cain
I want you to go out there and kill them marks boy, is you with me?
Mighty-ighty-ighty-ighty-ighty-ighty-O
The worse thing since crack cocaine distributed to the poor
By the government, oh I meant, don't nobody know
Conspiracy theory? You be the judge, nobody's slow
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Ode-ode-ode-O
Ode-ode-ode-O
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Ode-ode-ode-O
Ode-ode-ode-O
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Ode-ode-ode-O
Ode-ode-ode-O
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Ode-ode-ode-O
Ode-ode-ode-O
The song "Mighty O" by OutKast features playful repetitive lyrics that serve as a backdrop to Andre 3000's raps about societal issues including human behavior, incarceration, and the government's involvement in distributing crack cocaine to the poor. The chorus, consisting of simple chants of "Mighty-ighty-ighty-I" and "Ode-ode-ode-O," creates a catchy and infectious melody that contrasts with the deeper and more complex lyrics of the verses.
Andre 3000 raps about the challenges of dealing with people who are not what they seem to be, saying "You ain't a hater, can't tell, either wish me well, go to hell, or go to Yale," showing how people can come in different shapes and forms. He also touches on his family's experience with incarceration, saying "My relative in jail, ha, stay engaged, to whatever makes money now he's married to that cage." Towards the end of the song, he speaks about the possibility of a better life but acknowledges the limitations of that dream in his reality, and encourages those who want to criticize or hate to do so constructively, without turning it into a personal attack or a meaningless endeavor.
Overall, "Mighty O" offers a powerful and multifaceted commentary on society and human nature that is both deep and complex.
Line by Line Meaning
Mighty-ighty-ighty-I
Introducing the song with a playful and energetic opening line
Ode-ode-ode-O
Adding to the energetic tone of the song with a catchy repeated phrase
You ain't a hater can't tell
Saying that even if someone doesn't like them, it's hard to tell because they keep it to themselves
Either wish me well, go to hell or go to Yale
Listing the three options for how someone can react to them: wish them well, dislike them silently, or achieve academic success
Study human behavior so that you know who the hell
Encouraging people to study human behavior to better understand who they're dealing with
You dealin' with ain't nutty but the study gon' unveil
Saying that the people they're dealing with might not be crazy but studying them will reveal their true nature
My relative in jail, ha, stay engaged
Acknowledging that they have a relative in jail but they won't let that stop them from being focused and involved in their own life
To whatever make money now he married to that cage
Noting that their relative is now dependent on making money and stuck in a cycle of incarceration because of it
Divorce is not an option and prenuptial is void
Saying that they can't escape their current situation and even if they tried to prepare beforehand (with a prenuptial), it wouldn't matter
Eat up whatever after but I'm tangled in my cord
Admitting that they might have to deal with the consequences of their choices but they feel stuck and unable to escape their current situation
Bored, kind of like a knight with the sword
Comparing their lack of excitement in life to a knight with a sword who has no one to fight
Without dragon to battle so I'm running from a shadow
Saying that they feel like they have no real challenges to face so they're running from imaginary threats
An impossible feat and I repeat
Acknowledging that what they're trying to do is difficult and saying it again for emphasis
The damsel's in distress but they a mess
Referring to people who need their help but also are causing problems
They only like my armor, and that I'm a performer
Saying that some people admire them but only for superficial reasons like their appearance or performance skills
They read one magazine and wanna think they gettin' warmer
Implying that some people only have a shallow understanding of them and their work
They only getting colder hell, maybe I should throw
Saying that instead of trying to win over people who don't appreciate them, they'd rather focus on having their own fun
A double diamond party in the north pole
Describing an extravagant and exclusive party in an unusual location
Invite all the writers and journalists
Saying that they want to invite people who write about them to their party
Even biters will turn up man, to see who can be me
Suggesting that even people who copy their style might attend their party out of curiosity
Better than me it's a permanent, smile on my face
Saying that there will always be people who try to be better than them but they don't let it affect them
Because you said you don't like my style
Responding to someone who doesn't appreciate their style or music
But that's ok but just make sure you don't touch that dial
Saying that it's okay for someone to not like them but asking them not to change the station when their music comes on
And we'll be cool, touch it and you's a fool
Warning someone not to change the station because they'll be missing out on good music
Look, I'll get you hooked, ya'll crooks might even move
Saying that their music is addictive and might even convince criminals to make positive changes in their life
To Atlanta, Georgia, get a wife and daughter
Saying that their music might inspire people to move to their city and start a family
Start a new life, and all that wrong you do you make it right
Encouraging people to make positive changes in their life and fix past mistakes
But hell, all a dream, I wear the crown, I'm king
Admitting that this might be a fantasy and that in reality, they are successful and in control
Respect this mandatory, end of the story
Saying that people should respect them and their work without question
Go fly a kite, category ain't got none
Telling someone to go away and that their criticism doesn't matter
You know I'm right
Asserting that they are correct in their beliefs and opinions
Congratulations I'm a player
Bringing attention to their success and skill in their field
I thought you were one too but now I hear you loud and clear
Suggesting that someone who doubted their abilities is finally starting to understand their success
Subliminal, criminal minded niggas so be aware
Warning people to be careful around potentially harmful or manipulative individuals
Black dog broke out the bitch until yo' ass it's ?bout to tear
Using a metaphor to describe the power and aggression they possess
Intended for anyone filling out this application
Addressing anyone listening to the song and about to make a decision
An estimate is needed for your under-estimation
Saying that people underestimate them and their abilities
I'm firing on the spot go back and check your calculations
Challenging those who underestimate them to reconsider their opinion
Like a sniper in the bushes with that rifle, I've been patiently
Comparing their waiting and observation to that of a sniper aiming at their target
Waiting, now that's a virtue
Saying that waiting can be a good thing and can lead to better outcomes
'Cause pussy nigga, I'll hurt you
Threatening those who doubt them or cross them
Like the president's approval rating by serving your ass with words fool
Using another metaphor to describe the power of their words in harming others
Slam yo' back to the curve bra, like sanitation worker
Using another metaphor to describe how they will defeat their enemies
'Cause ya trash, I'm taking out the trash and all trash
Saying that they will eliminate not only their enemies but all negativity and waste in their life
Get mashed and compacted because it's no longer valid
Saying that negativity and waste will be eliminated and won't be important anymore
Go head recycled, repackaged and put it back in my cabinet
Saying that anything negative or waste that remains will be dealt with and stored away
Boy that's germs, I'm fresh up out the store e'ry time
Saying that they are always fresh and clean, unlike negativity and waste
That nigga that be-I-g, go hard e'ry rhyme
Saying that they always give their best effort in their music
Crowns all around I'm right after Martin Luther
Using a metaphor to describe their status as a respected leader
No Jr. senior ?cause Bamboo is Antwan Junior
Explaining that they don't have a specific type of title like junior or senior, but instead use their real name
Dungeon Family and biologicals intact
Saying that they are close with their family and work closely with their music group
Talk bad about the fam test diabolical attack
Saying that anyone who speaks badly about their family or group will face consequences
No gats or no raps, you get slapped about that
Saying that they don't need weapons like guns or threats to defend themselves or their group - just their own abilities and words
As a matter of fact, not fiction
Saying that what they say is true and not made up
Rumpelstiltskin you wack
Calling out someone for being terrible or incompetent
Decipher words is like the code of Da Vinci
Suggesting that their words and lyrics are complex and difficult to understand, like a code
Don't go against me, Cain
Using a reference to the biblical story of Cain and Abel to say that going against them is a mistake
I want you to go out there and kill them marks boy, is you with me?
Using a quote from a gangster movie to further assert their power and influence
Mighty-ighty-ighty-ighty-ighty-ighty-O
Repeating the opening line to close the song with the same energy and tone
The worse thing since crack cocaine distributed to the poor
Saying that something is very bad, using a metaphor to compare it to the negative impact of crack cocaine on poor communities
By the government, oh I meant, don't nobody know
Suggesting that some bad things are done by the government but people don't know about it or are unable to stop it
Conspiracy theory? You be the judge, nobody's slow
Leaving it up to the listener to decide whether or not they agree with the idea that the government or other groups might be responsible for negative actions
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANDRE BENJAMIN, ANTWAN PATTON, PATRICK BROWN, RAYMON MURRAY, RICO RENARD WADE, DAVID JOSEPH ROBBINS, CAB CALLOWAY, IRVING MILLS, CLARENCE GASKILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
la Son
on Mainstream
@23 references psalm 23
A healthy portion of this song on all verses spits on spiritual