Outkast: Difference between revisions

Patton and Benjamin met in 1992 at [[Lenox Square]] shopping mall in [[Atlanta]] when they were both sixteen years old.<ref name="Melody">{{cite web|url=httphttps://articleswww.latimes.com/2000archives/la-xpm-2000-oct/-22/entertainment/-ca-40125-story.html|title=Melody Makers of Hip-Hop|last=Guzman|first=Isaac|work=Los Angeles Times|date=October 22, 2000|access-date=January 20, 2012}}</ref> The two lived in [[Atlanta]] and attended Tri-Cities High School.<ref name="Melody"/> During school, Patton and Benjamin participated in [[rap battle]]s in the cafeteria.<ref name="Melody"/> 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. Patton and Benjamin eventually teamed up and were pursued by [[Organized Noize]], a group of local producers who would later make hits for the R&B girl group [[TLC (music)|TLC]].<ref name="ALLMUSIC" /> 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 a [[synonym]] for "misfit" in a dictionary.<ref name="notable bio">{{cite encyclopedia|title=OutKast Biography|url=http://www.notablebiographies.com/news/Li-Ou/OutKast.html|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of World Biography|year=2006|access-date=May 4, 2008}}</ref> Outkast, [[Organized Noize]], and schoolmates [[Goodie Mob]] formed the nucleus of the [[Dungeon Family]] organization.

The double platinum album, ''[[ATLiens]]'', was released on August 27, 1996. The album exhibited a notably more laid-back, spacey production sound, taking influence from [[Dub music|dub]] and [[reggae]].<ref name="aqueminirev">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/aquemini-mw0000043056|title=Aquemini – OutKast|last=Huey|first=Steve|work=[[Allmusic|AllMusic]]|publisher=[[Rovi Corporation]]|access-date=December 21, 2012}}</ref><ref name="OutKast">{{cite journal|last1=Pauley|first1=Jared|title=OutKast|journal=Oxford Music Online|date=January 13, 2015}}</ref> On ''ATLiens'', Big Boi and André 3000 abandoned the "hard-partying playa characters" of their debut album in favor of more spacey, futuristic personas, and produced many of the songs on their own for the first time.<ref name="sarig140"/><ref name="allmusicrev">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/atliens-mw0000175875|title=ATLiens – OutKast|first=Steve|last=Huey|work=AllMusic|publisher=Rovi Corporation|access-date=July 10, 2012}}</ref> Their tracks have an outer-space feeling to them- a feeling that, ironically, has warmed the community right up to them. Critics praised the group's maturing musical style on the record, which debuted at number two on the U.S. R&B/Hip Hop chart. The album would climb to number three on Billboard's top <ref>{{cite book|last1=Love|first1=Betina|title=Chapter Three: The New South Gone With the Beat}}</ref> [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] chart and sold nearly 350,000 copies in its first two weeks of release.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SJ&s_site=mercurynews&p_multi=SJ&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB71FFBDA46427F&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=Pearl Jam's 'No Code' to Top Albums Chart|work=[[San Jose Mercury News]]|publisher=[[MediaNews Group]]|date=September 7, 1996|access-date=March 5, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=httphttps://articleswww.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-09-15/entertainment/-ca-44034_1_keith44034-sweatstory.html|title=The Charts – 'ATLiens' Landing|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=September 15, 1996|access-date=March 5, 2011}}</ref> The single "[[Elevators (Me & You)]]" reached number 12 and spent 20 weeks on the [[Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] chart.<ref name="hot100">{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=outkast|chart=Hot 100}}|title=OutKast Album & Song Chart History – Hot 100|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|access-date=March 5, 2011}}</ref> ''ATLiens'' 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.<ref name="ALLMUSIC" />

Outkast's third album ''[[Aquemini]]'' was released on September 29, 1998. It was also certified double platinum and reached the number-two position on the Billboard 200 album chart in the United States; its title was a combination of the [[zodiac sign]]s of Big Boi (an [[Aquarius (astrology)|Aquarius]]) and André (a [[Gemini (astrology)|Gemini]]).<ref name="OutKast"/> Producing more material themselves, both Big Boi and André explored more eclectic subject matter, delving into sounds inspired by [[soul music|soul]], [[trip hop]], and [[electro music]]. The album featured production by Organized Noize and collaborations with [[Raekwon]], [[Slick Rick]], [[funk music|funk]] pioneer and musical forebear [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]], and Goodie Mob. Outkast forged the connections between Hip Hop and the black freedom struggle with their controversial song "[[Rosa Parks (song)|Rosa Parks]]" featured on the album.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Alridge|first1=Derrick|title=From Civil Rights to Hip Hop: Toward a Nexus of Ideas|journal=The Journal of African American History|year=2005|volume=90|issue=3|pages=226–252|doi=10.1086/JAAHv90n3p226|jstor=20063999|s2cid=141692523}}</ref>

Originally titled 'Sandbox', the pair's fourth album, ''[[Stankonia]]'' was released in October 2000 to positive reviews. The album was seen as a change in the group's musical style, as it had a more commercial and mainstream appeal, compared to their previous three albums which were darker, both tonally and thematically. It debuted at number two on the ''Billboard'' 200 in the U.S., and would eventually be certified [[RIAA certification|quadruple platinum]]. ''[[Stankonia]]'s'' first single was "[[B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad)]]", a high-[[tempo]]-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]]stand-in for Badu's mother. It was at this time that André changed his stage name to the current "André 3000," mostly to avoid being mixed up with [[Dr. Dre]].

In late 2013, it was reported that Outkast would reunite at the [[Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival]] in 2014. This was later confirmed on January 8, 2014, when it was officially announced that the duo would headline the festival on April 11 and 18.<ref>[http://www.vibe.com/article/outkast-reunion-confirmed-rico-wade Outkast Reunion Confirmed By Rico Wade]. Vibe (January 3, 2014). Retrieved on 2014-05-28.</ref> It was later announced on January 13, 2014, that Outkast would be performing at more than 40 festivals around the world throughout spring and summer 2014 to celebrate their 20th anniversary, including one of the largest festivals in the UK, [[Bestival]]. Outkast returned to Atlanta for their #ATLast homecoming shows over the weekend of September 26, 2014, selling out within minutes of tickets going on sale. The shows had a large variety of openers, including R&B singer [[Janelle Monáe]] and rappers [[Kid Cudi]], [[2 Chainz]], [[Future (rapper)|Future]], [[Bun B]], and [[Childish Gambino]]. Outkast's [[Dungeon Family]] associates [[Sleepy Brown]] and [[Big Gipp]] also appeared onstage with the duo, rapping and singing on their respective songs.<ref>{{cite web|last=Muhammad |first=Latifah |url=httphttps://www.bet.com/newsarticle/music/2014/02/19naqz83/big-boi-no-new-outkast-album.html |title=Big Boi: No New Outkast Album &#124; News |publisher=BET |access-date=July 11, 2014}}</ref><ref>[http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/5869587/outkast-tour-40-festivals-2014 Outkast Announce Tour of Over 40 Festivals]. Billboard (January 13, 2014). Retrieved on 2014-05-28.

Outkast's musical style and lyrical content have evolved throughout the group's career. ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' described their music as "idiosyncratic" and "inspired by the Afrocentric [[psychedelic music|psychedelics]]" of [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]] and [[Sly Stone]],<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/outkast|title=Outkast|magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref> and particularly by the [[psychedelic funk]] of Clinton's [[Parliament-Funkadelic]] collective.<ref>[https://www.mcall.com/entertainment/chi-lollapalooza-2014-review-20140803-story.html] {{Dead link|date=September 2023|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> The band's debut album ''Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik'' incorporates analog elements such as Southern-styled guitar licks, languid soul melodies, and mellow 1970s funk [[groove (music)|groove]]s.<ref name="Swihart">{{cite web|last=Swihart|first=Stanton|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/southernplayalisticadillacmuzik-mw0000624115|title=Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik – OutKast|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=November 20, 2012}}</ref><ref name="Hunt">{{cite news|last=Hunt|first=Dennis|url=httphttps://articleswww.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-06-26/entertainment/-ca-8562_1_debut8562-albumstory.html|title=Record Rack|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=June 26, 1994|location=Los Angeles|access-date=November 20, 2012}}</ref> It also features digital [[hip hop production]] elements such as programmed snare beats, [[Miami bass|booty bass]] elements,<ref name="Swihart"/> ''ATLiens'' and ''Aquemini'' feature outer space-influenced production with echo and reverb effects.<ref name=Allmusic>{{cite web|last=Huey|first=Steve|title=Aquemini – OutKast|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/aquemini-mw0000043056|work=[[AllMusic]]|publisher=[[All Media Network]]|access-date=September 13, 2013}}</ref> With ''Stankonia'', Outkast became the first hip-hop act to openly acknowledge [[Rave|rave culture]] as an influence.<ref name="Reynolds333">Reynolds, 2007. p. 333</ref> ''Stankonia'' and ''Speakerboxxx/The Love Below'' would draw on sources such as psychedelia, gospel, funk, [[techno]], soul, [[electro (music)|electro]], and rock music.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/speakerboxxx-the-love-below-mw0000226528 | title=Speakerboxxx/The Love Below – OutKast | publisher=[[AllMusic]] | access-date=July 1, 2015 | author=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas | author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine }}</ref> During the late 1990s, rappers tended to embrace slow, laid-back beats in their productions. On several tracks on ''Stankonia'', the group employed faster, more chaotic tempos to reflect rave culture and the introduction of new drugs such as [[MDMA|ecstasy]] into the hip-hop scene.<ref name="Reynolds333"/>

One central motif of Outkast's songwriting is the duality of the two members and their differing personalities, with Big Boi as "the player" and André 3000 as "the poet".<ref name=yaleherald>{{cite news|url=http://www.yaleherald.com/archive/xxvi/11.13.98/ae/outkasst.html|title=Records: OutKast's Aquemini|last=Austerlitz|first=Saul|access-date=May 10, 2014|work=[[Yale Herald]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151218064817/http://www.yaleherald.com/archive/xxvi/11.13.98/ae/outkasst.html|archive-date=December 18, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Big Boi generally covers the more conventional hip-hop topics such as his childhood in the South, sex, and partying, while André 3000 discusses more unorthodox themes.<ref name="citypages">{{cite web|url=http://www.citypages.com/1998-10-14/music/outkast-aquemini/full/|title=OutKast: Aquemini|last=Herrington|first=Chris|date=October 14, 1998|access-date=May 10, 2014|work=City Pages|publisher=[[Voice Media Group]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512223320/http://www.citypages.com/1998-10-14/music/outkast-aquemini/full/|archive-date=May 12, 2014|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> In contrast to much of hip hop music in the late 1990s, Outkast did not tone down its Southern regional qualities, like the [[harmonica]] break on "Rosa Parks" and distinctive [[Atlanta]] slang and diction throughout. The duo experimented with several delivery styles on the record, using "relaxed, hyper, distorted, speedy and conversational presentations."<ref name="LA Times">{{cite news|last=Baker|first=Soren|title=OutKast "Aquemini" LaFace/Arista|url=httphttps://articleswww.latimes.com/1998archives/la-xpm-1998-sep/-27/entertainment/-ca-26891-story.html|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=September 27, 1998|access-date=September 13, 2013}}</ref> Outkast often discusses the status of women in the South, and contrasts with the [[Misogyny in hip hop culture|misogynistic attitudes common in hip-hop music]]. In ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]'', Alex Abramovich praised the duo for "[tending] to shy away from the misogyny and violence rap is so often (and not always unjustly) condemned for."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2001/12/atliens_among_us.html |title=OutKast, the rappers who evolved. |last=Abramovich |first=Alex |work=Slate |date=December 14, 2001 |access-date=February 16, 2016}}</ref> In his book ''Classic Material: The Hip-Hop Album Guide'', Oliver Wang writes that songs such as "Slum Beautiful" and "Toilet Tisha" "reimagine 'round the way girls, not only as just more than one-dimensional accessories, but as objects of affection with lives and concerns that are worth exploring."<ref name="Wang133">Wang, 2003. p. 133</ref>