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.
The Whole World
OutKast Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah, I'm afraid, like I'm scared as a dog
But I've got a new song, and I want y'all to sing along
Sing along
See this is the way that we walk on a sunny day
When it's rainin' inside and you're all alone
All alone, yeah!
(Bah bah-da, bah bah bah-da da!)
And the whole world loves it when you make that sound
(Bah bah-da, bah bah bah-da da!)
And the whole world loves it when you're in the news
(Bah bah-da, bah bah bah-da da!)
And the whole world loves it when you sing the blues
(Bah bah-da, bah bah bah-da da!)
Take a little trip, hater, pack up your mind
Look forward, not behind, then you'll see what you find
I caught a sucker dying 'cause he thought could rhyme
Now if his momma is a quarter, daughter must be a dime
I gotta meet her, don't take no shorts, I don't use abbrevi-
-ation, I don't even play the radio neither
Only if I need to know the sports or the weather
I'm a cool type of brother, but yep, your head I'll sever from the neck
See ain't nothing changed, hit the stage
Set a date, sucker, in battle we can engage
I'll slice you, wife you, marry you, divorce you
Throw the Porsche at you, is what I'm forced to do
With my back against the wall, crack his back, y'all
Naw, it ain't went nowhere like havin' hair with stylin' gel in it
Throw a curl in it
Dread that nappy shit up, throw a shell in it
Whatever floats your boat, or finds your lost remote
And this for them niggas workin' at the airport who got laid off
I take my shades off
If you look straight in my eyes, you still might see a disguise
Because the whole-whole world-world
'Cause the whole world loves it when you don't get down
(Bah bah-da, bah bah bah-da da!)
And the whole world loves it when you make that sound
(Bah bah-da, bah bah bah-da da!)
And the whole world loves it when you're in the news
(Bah bah-da, bah bah bah-da da!)
And the whole world loves it when you sing the blues
(Bah bah-da, bah bah bah-da da!)
Player, I grind, my focus is crime
Raw with the rhyme, I'm slick with the slime
My words are diamonds dug out a mine
Spit 'em, polish, look how they shine
Glitter, glisten, gloss, floss
I catch a beat running like Randy Moss
Ride that bitch off like a brand new horse
I'm rollin' my stone, gather no moss
Mommy, I'm coming, I hope you get off
Or rock your own boat like Aaliyah, then talk
Back, back, forth, forth
Get that sailor on course, course
Make that track a corpse, corpse
Rap, roll, utterly rocked
With my mouth to the mic and my hand on my cock
Cadillac OutKast, just won't stop
'Cause the whole world loves it when you don't get down
(Bah bah-da, bah bah bah-da da!)
And the whole world loves it when you make that sound
(Bah bah-da, bah bah bah-da da!)
And the whole world loves it when you're in the news
(Bah bah-da, bah bah bah-da da!)
And the whole world loves it when you sing the blues
(Bah bah-da, bah bah bah-da da!)
Turn on the TV and everything is lookin' dismal
Went in the bathroom medicine cabinet, Pepto-Bismol
Need it for my stomach 'cause my tummy kinda aches
Like a junkie on withdrawal, fresh up off the plate
Wait, back to the enemy of the state
Is the Republicans or Democratic candidate?
Debate, now even the black box hold the fate
Clueless like Shaggy and Scooby befo' commercial break
Hate, extreme prejudice, let's dismiss this
If you want to, you can dub it to your hit list
I know you goin' to, we in this to replenish yo' musical wish list
When it come to this music, we stay relentless
Pursuing all that's pursuable
Doing, God-willing, all things that are doable
The only liable limitation is yourself, Dre
Set it on the right and I'll set it on the left, 'cause
'Cause the whole world loves it when you don't get down
(Bah bah-da, bah bah bah-da da!)
And the whole world loves it when you make that sound
(Bah bah-da, bah bah bah-da da!)
And the whole world loves it when you're in the news
(Bah bah-da, bah bah bah-da da!)
And the whole world loves it when you sing the blues
(Bah bah-da, bah bah bah-da da!)
The lyrics to Outkast's "The Whole World" celebrate self-expression and individuality in the face of societal pressure to conform. The opening lines of the song express anxiety and fear but quickly shift to a celebration of a new song and the desire for others to join in the singing. The chorus emphasizes the idea that the whole world loves it when individuals are true to themselves and make their own unique sounds, even if it goes against the norm.
The rest of the lyrics continue with the theme of individuality and self-expression, emphasizing the importance of taking risks, trying new things, and breaking free from societal expectations. The lines "The only liable limitation is yourself" and "the whole world loves it when you don't get down" suggest that the only thing holding people back from expressing themselves fully is their own fear and self-doubt. The song urges listeners to be fearless and unapologetically themselves, even in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Okay, here we go
Let's begin, we're starting something new.
Yeah, I'm afraid, like I'm scared as a dog
I'm really nervous and anxious, like a frightened animal.
But I've got a new song, and I want y'all to sing along
Despite my fear, I have a new song and I want everyone to sing it with me.
Sing along
Join in and sing the song with me.
See this is the way that we walk on a sunny day
This is how we walk on a nice day when everything is going well.
When it's rainin' inside and you're all alone
But when you're feeling sad and lonely, even on a sunny day.
All alone, yeah!
Feeling isolated and alone.
'Cause the whole world loves it when you don't get down
The world loves when you're resilient and don't give up.
(Bah bah-da, bah bah bah-da da!)
This is a musical interlude that doesn't necessarily have a specific meaning.
And the whole world loves it when you make that sound
The world loves when you express yourself through music or other creative outlets.
And the whole world loves it when you're in the news
People pay attention to and are interested in those who are making headlines.
And the whole world loves it when you sing the blues
People relate to and appreciate the emotional depth of blues music.
Take a little trip, hater, pack up your mind
Don't be negative, change your attitude and mindset.
Look forward, not behind, then you'll see what you find
Focus on the future and what's ahead rather than dwelling on the past.
I caught a sucker dying 'cause he thought could rhyme
I saw someone fail because they thought they were talented at rapping.
Now if his momma is a quarter, daughter must be a dime
If someone's mother is average, then their daughter will be exceptional.
I gotta meet her, don't take no shorts, I don't use abbrevi- -ation, I don't even play the radio neither
I have to meet this girl, I don't take shortcuts or use slang, and I don't even listen to the radio.
Only if I need to know the sports or the weather
The only reason I would listen to the radio is for updates on sports or the weather.
I'm a cool type of brother, but yep, your head I'll sever from the neck
I'm usually pretty chill, but I won't hesitate to take drastic action if necessary.
See ain't nothing changed, hit the stage
I'm still the same person when I perform on stage.
Set a date, sucker, in battle we can engage
Let's schedule a time to battle, if you're up for it and think you can take me.
I'll slice you, wife you, marry you, divorce you
I'll metaphorically destroy whoever I'm battling, and then move on to the next thing.
Throw the Porsche at you, is what I'm forced to do
I don't want to, but I'll resort to drastic measures to defeat you.
With my back against the wall, crack his back, y'all
Even when I'm in a difficult position, I won't hesitate to take out my opponent.
Naw, it ain't went nowhere like havin' hair with stylin' gel in it
This style of music hasn't gone anywhere or lost its appeal.
Throw a curl in it, dread that nappy shit up, throw a shell in it
You can style your hair however you want, but this is a metaphor for doing your own thing.
Whatever floats your boat, or finds your lost remote
Do whatever makes you happy or helps you find what you're looking for.
And this for them niggas workin' at the airport who got laid off
This is for those who lost their jobs at the airport due to downsizing.
I take my shades off
I'm being serious and honest here, no more hiding behind sunglasses.
If you look straight in my eyes, you still might see a disguise
Even if you look me in the eye, you might not really know what's going on inside.
Because the whole-whole world-world
This is another musical interlude, the meaning isn't explicit.
Player, I grind, my focus is crime
I work hard and am focused on success, even though I may not always follow the rules.
Raw with the rhyme, I'm slick with the slime
I have a natural talent for rapping, and can be a little sly and sneaky to get ahead.
My words are diamonds dug out a mine
My lyrics are valuable and precious, like diamonds that have been mined from the earth.
Spit 'em, polish, look how they shine
I work hard to refine my lyrics and make them shine even brighter.
Glitter, glisten, gloss, floss
My lyrics are flashy and polished, like something you might put on display.
I catch a beat running like Randy Moss
My flow is fast and sharp, like former NFL player Randy Moss running down the field.
Ride that bitch off like a brand new horse
I'm taking control and leading the way, like riding a new horse into the sunset.
I'm rollin' my stone, gather no moss
I'm always moving forward and progressing, never standing still and gathering dust.
Mommy, I'm coming, I hope you get off
I'm on my way and hope you'll be ready when I arrive.
Or rock your own boat like Aaliyah, then talk
Do your own thing and don't let anyone else dictate your path, like late singer Aaliyah did.
Back, back, forth, forth
Another musical interlude with no specific meaning.
Get that sailor on course, course
Get things back on track and heading in the right direction.
Make that track a corpse, corpse
Destroy the competition and leave them in the dust.
Rap, roll, utterly rocked
I'm killing it with my rhymes and the crowd is feeling it.
With my mouth to the mic and my hand on my cock
I'm confident and in control, owning the stage and my performance.
Cadillac OutKast, just won't stop
We're unstoppable and won't slow down, like a Cadillac rolling down the highway.
Turn on the TV and everything is lookin' dismal
The news and media is full of negativity and bad news.
Went in the bathroom medicine cabinet, Pepto-Bismol
I need something to settle my stomach and calm my nerves, like Pepto-Bismol would.
Need it for my stomach 'cause my tummy kinda aches
I'm feeling anxious and nervous, and my stomach is hurting because of it.
Like a junkie on withdrawal, fresh up off the plate
I'm feeling restless and anxious, like someone who's just given up an addiction.
Wait, back to the enemy of the state
Let's get back to discussing the people in power who are causing trouble.
Is the Republicans or Democratic candidate?
Which political party's candidate is the real problem?
Debate, now even the black box hold the fate
There's a lot of uncertainty and debate around the election and its outcome.
Clueless like Shaggy and Scooby befo' commercial break
People are confused and unsure, like characters in a cartoon before a commercial break.
Hate, extreme prejudice, let's dismiss this
We need to get rid of hate and prejudice, it's not helpful or productive.
If you want to, you can dub it to your hit list
If it makes you feel better, you can add it to your list of things to be angry about.
I know you goin' to, we in this to replenish yo' musical wish list
I know you're going to be angry and add it to your list, but we're here to provide more music for you to enjoy.
When it come to this music, we stay relentless
We are passionate and dedicated to making music, and won't let anything stop us.
Pursuing all that's pursuable
We're chasing after everything that's worth chasing.
Doing, God-willing, all things that are doable
We're doing everything within our power and ability to make things happen, with faith in something greater than ourselves.
The only liable limitation is yourself, Dre
The only thing holding you back is yourself, Dre.
Set it on the right and I'll set it on the left, 'cause
Let's work together to accomplish our goals, no matter which side of the political spectrum we fall on.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Peermusic Publishing, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Antoine Patton, David Sheats, Michael Render
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TYfariguy
20 Years later and that man KILLER MIKE got himself ANOTHER GRAMMY LETS GO!!!!🏆🔥🏆🔥
@Bigchris19baby
3 more
@DetroitJaxn
Only haters are mad at that 😂
@Remysmartjr.-xp1uc
They slept on Travis Scott again
@TYfariguy
@@DetroitJaxn and the coming back to this catalog to complain 😂
@michaelgibsonjr67
3 to be exact!
@Brookline15226
That “I catch a beat running like Randy Moss” line is slept on
@IamThree3
Whole fax machine copy
@KiarRushing
Killer mike had the best verse on this record
@tj1338
Yeah that was always and still is one of my favorites