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.
Slum Beautiful
OutKast Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Slum beautiful, soul, but so amazing
They don't know, but I do though
Baby my darling you make me loose composure
Fragments of a million me
Scattered across the floor to a certain degree
Where I had to give your mama call
For all its worth, girl what's your frequency
And can I come there frequently
Slum beautiful, driving I plum crazy
Slum beautiful, soul, but so amazing
What I like to do most is spit this game like sports announcers
And will pity pat them hoez down like a gentlemen club bouncer
Ounce of killa dilla, be making my game more flagrant
And once I done had some cuervo 'bout six shots I'm nothin to play wit
Like plug sockets and babies, possums, raccoons, and rabies
Maybe lady luscious oba kaybee so they say thee
An old school playa pimp type ass nigga like tony mercedes
And will work every last muscle off in your body like billy blanky
Hanky panky, where did you get your gold grill cause it's banging
And I like then redhot fila straight from walters off the chain
Fuck them bouige bitches they don't know nothin 'bout you
'cause you push a big black buick, so fresh, so clean on them trues
Slum beautiful you's the would to me, shawty I dig ya
And I'm loving the way them jordache got a bear hug on your figure
You my nigga, nigga
Slum beautiful, driving I plum crazy
Slum beautiful, soul, but so amazing
Look at you, unbelievably, brilliant beautiful you
You're looking deliciously divine darling you really and truly do
The very thought of has got me running at the speed of love
Exploring everything about you from the ground to the god above
Suddenly I started dreaming, traveling in time so fast
I could almost taste outer space
I saw the face of god and looked like you and me too
Hello, I'm the man that god made you for
Profound don't think, okay let's put this poetry in motion
I'm shining simply because mother earth I'm your son
Our entire circumference engulfed in emotion
Slum beautiful, driving I plum crazy
Slum beautiful, soul, but so amazing
I don't know but, it seem like uh, your daddy must have gave you
A teaspoon of honey every night before you went to bed
Or was it a pack of now & laters cause
You're the sweetest thing on my head
And I'd like to say that I'd love to
Make love to every molecule of you
And if you want to spontaneously combust
That's what we'll do in unison
The song Slum Beautiful by Outkast is a tribute to a woman who embodies the soul and beauty of the place where she grew up, the slums. The lyrics express the admiration and deep affection that the singer feels for this woman, who makes him lose his composure and transports him to a world of dreams and emotions. The song starts with the repetition of the phrase "Slum beautiful" which highlights both the grittiness and the incredible beauty of the woman. The singer wonders if she knows her own frequency and if he can come there frequently, indicating that he wants to be close to her and in tune with her soul. The song's chorus emphasizes the paradox of the woman's beauty, which is both soulful and amazing, driving the singer crazy in a good way.
The second verse is a playful and sensual description of the singer's feelings towards the woman. He boasts of his ability to charm women and his prowess as a lover, claiming that he can work every last muscle off in her body like Billy Blanks. He compliments her looks, particularly her gold grill, and contrasts her style with that of "bougie bitches" who don't know anything about her. The singer asserts his loyalty to the woman, calling her "my nigga", indicating that he sees her as his equal and his friend.
The third verse is a poetic declaration of the singer's love for the woman, describing her as "unbelievably, brilliant beautiful". He dreams of exploring everything about her, from the ground to the god above, and sees her as the person God made for him. The verse ends with a beautiful image of their love encompassing the entire circumference of the earth, engulfed in emotion.
Line by Line Meaning
Slum beautiful, driving I plum crazy
Urban areas have the reputation of being unattractive or slum-like, but the beauty of these areas can drive one crazy.
Slum beautiful, soul, but so amazing
The beauty found in slums is amazing, despite their reputation for being unattractive.
They don't know, but I do though
Others may not know, but I have insight and understanding about the situation.
Baby my darling you make me loose composure
My love for you is so strong that it makes me lose control of my emotions.
Fragments of a million me, scattered across the floor to a certain degree
There are many different parts of me, represented by fragments, that exist and are scattered across the floor or in different places to a certain extent, rather than being contained in one place.
Where I had to give your mama call and thank her for spending time with your daddy
I had to call your mother and express my gratitude for her spending time with your father because it helped make you the person you are today.
For all its worth, girl what's your frequency
What's your vibe or energy like, and can we match up?
And can I come there frequently
Can I visit you and experience more of that energy or vibe?
What I like to do most is spit this game like sports announcers
I enjoy talking and flirting with women and I do it like a sports announcer calling the shots in a game.
And will pity pat them hoez down like a gentlemen club bouncer
I'll dismiss or reject women who don't meet my standards, like a gentleman's club bouncer 'pity-pats' people away gently.
Ounce of killa dilla, be making my game more flagrant
The powerful weed I smoke enhances my ability to flirt with women.
And once I done had some cuervo 'bout six shots I'm nothin to play wit
After having six shots of tequila, I become more daring and dominant.
Like plug sockets and babies, possums, raccoons, and rabies
Comparing various things that can be dangerous, awkward or unpredictable.
Maybe lady luscious oba kaybee so they say thee
Referring to a woman with a luscious body, using a modified name to suggest royalty or importance.
An old school playa pimp type ass nigga like tony mercedes
A reference to the ideal older man who is skilled with women- resembling the type that would drive a Mercedes sports car.
And will work every last muscle off in your body like billy blanky
I will engage and satisfy every aspect of you, like the exercise video personality, Billy Blanks.
Hanky panky, where did you get your gold grill cause it's banging
Asking where a woman got her gold dental jewelry because it looks attractive and valuable.
And I like then redhot fila straight from walters off the chain
I like the fashionable red-hot Fila shoes that you got straight from the popular store, Walter's.
Fuck them bouige bitches they don't know nothin 'bout you
I don't care about high-class, snobbish women who don't understand or appreciate you.
Cause you push a big black buick, so fresh, so clean on them trues
You drive a big and shiny black Buick and wear stylish clothes and shoes.
Slum beautiful you's the would to me, shawty I dig ya
I find the beauty in the slums and you are a perfect representation of that beauty. I like you a lot.
And I'm loving the way them jordache got a bear hug on your figure
I like the way your Jordache jeans hug your body tightly.
You my nigga, nigga
You are my friend, I really like you and trust you.
Look at you, unbelievably, brilliant beautiful you
You are very attractive and extraordinary in your intelligence and beauty.
You're looking deliciously divine darling you really and truly do
You look appealing, magnificent and heavenly, my dear.
The very thought of has got me running at the speed of love
The idea of you excites me and makes me feel euphoric and at high velocity.
Exploring everything about you from the ground to the god above
I am interested in learning and discovering everything there is to know about every aspect of you- from your worldly experiences to your spiritual beliefs.
Suddenly I started dreaming, traveling in time so fast
I started daydreaming or fantasizing about us and it felt like I traveled in time in the blink of an eye.
I could almost taste outer space
My thoughts were so powerful that they felt cosmic or out of this world.
I saw the face of god and looked like you and me too
In my dream, I felt like I saw the face of God and it resembled a visual fusion of you and me.
Hello, I'm the man that god made you for
I feel like we were meant to be and I am the man you were created for by God's plan.
Profound don't think, okay let's put this poetry in motion
Don't overthink it, just let our love come naturally and let's embark on a journey of poetic inspiration.
I'm shining simply because mother earth I'm your son
I am shining or glowing because I feel connected to you and the Earth, as if I am a natural extension of your family.
Our entire circumference engulfed in emotion
Our entire beings are consumed by our emotions and love for each other.
I don't know but, it seem like uh, your daddy must have gave you
I am not sure but it seems like your father must have given you something special.
A teaspoon of honey every night before you went to bed
Metaphorically speaking, it seems like you were blessed with something sweet and enjoyable from a young age.
Or was it a pack of now & laters cause you're the sweetest thing on my head
Your sweet nature and personality remind me of snack candy that I love called Now & Laters.
And I'd like to say that I'd love to make love to every molecule of you
I would like to express that I have an intense desire and affection for every aspect of you and want to express that physically.
And if you want to spontaneously combust, that's what we'll do in unison
If we both feel a powerful and spontaneous love, then we will act on it together.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Andre Benjamin, Antwan Patton, Thomas Decarlo Burton, David A. Sheats
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@yungjonjon7752
Ceelo should start back rapping. Nigga wuz a BEAST back then
@Nina513
Was about 10 years old when this album came out. I was obsessed with it and studied it.
This song stood out to me the most. Incredibly deep, dark and sensual. Ceelo’s verse is pure poetry. 🔮
@zojunior9306
Big Factz...
@CNNBlackmailSupport
Thats because Ceelo is beyond talented. His verse in In Da Wind is one of the best ever. If Outkast needed a 3rd member, Ceelo would be it, hands down.
@bryantwatts1037
10yrs old for myself too..I went with my brother who was 12 n copped it out the cd store💪🏾💪🏾🔥🔥
@rossmontoya9350
Bro ur not alone
I was 18 when it dropped
But i felt like this trac was almost spiritual in a weird way lol
Im not tryna be blasphemous & i hope that isn't but when i first studied this one it was like an experience which i wasn't expecting or even use to
It's 2/3/21 & im still bangin this joint
Long live the stanky aliens
@Yggdrasill-X
@@CNNBlackmailSupport ROLLO GOOD LOOOOOVE
@leatherface964
My personal favorite track on this album🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
@MekaJay
Great lyrical combination:
BIG BOI, DRE & CEE LO🎖🏆
@MissNoel82
This is the hottest joint on the album! 🔥🔥🔥🔥