OutKast

**OutKast** is a American hip hop duo which is composed of Big Boi and Andre 3000 who are both rappers from Atlanta, Georgia. The two formed the group while they were high school students in 1991. The duo is most known for popularizing Southern hip-hop while also experimenting with other genres such as funk, psychedelia, techno, and gospel. The duo has become one of the most successful groups of all time with winning 6 Grammy Awards and selling over 25 million records worldwide.

## History

Antwan Patton (also known as "Big Boi) and Andre Benjamin (also known as "Andre 3000") met each other at the Lenox Square Shopping Mall, when they were 16 years old. The two started participating rap battles in high school and eventually teamed up together when they were noticed by a group of local producers known as "Organized Noise", who became known as very known producers for the girl group, TLC. The two originally wanted to name themselves "2 Shades Deep" or "The Misfits" but since those names were already taken, they decide to stick with "OutKast". They were then signed to L.A. and Babyface imprint prior to their graduation.

Their first single "Player's Ball" was released on the "A LaFace Family Christmas" album to promote their debut album and became their first #1 single as it topped the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks for six weeks.

The two then released their debut album *Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik* on April 26, 1994. Since it's release, it has been considered a "classic" and also setting up the hip hop music scene for Atlanta and Southern hip hop as a whole. After the album went platinum, the two received more creative control and money for their second album "ATLiens". Their second album was released on August 27, 1996 as it showed a change in Andre and Big Boi's image especially with their production as they started to produce most of their songs for the first time. This album also showed the duo as representatives for the 1st generation of the Dungeon Family and the movement of the Southern hip hop scene.

The duo then released their third album *Aquemini* on September 29, 1998 and was called the duo's "best material to date" and debuting at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart.

The duo then released their fourth quadruple platinum-selling album *Stankonia* on October 31, 2000 and had a huge change in their musical style. The album was seen as more of mainstream and commercial appeal while their previous effects were more deeper and darker. The album would go on to have very successful singles such as their first single "B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad)" and then their second single "Ms. Jackson" became #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single also won "Best Rap Performance by a Duo or a Group" and the album won "Best Rap Album". The duo also released a greatest hits album, *Big Boi and Dre Present ...Outkast*, which also contained three new tracks.

The duo then spent 2 years working on their fifth album before releasing their diamond-selling double album, *Speakerboxx/The Love Below* and became their best selling album to date and debuted at #1 and stayed there for three weeks. The album also won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

In 2006, the duo released their Prohibition-era musical film called *Idlewild* on August 25, 2006 which was directed by Bryan Barber and also released their sixth studio album with the same name was released on August 22, 2006.

After the release of Idlewild, the two started to do their own solo projects; Big Boi had released his own solo album which was titled *Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty* which he released internationally on July 15, 2010 to critical acclaim from most music critics. Andre returned to rapping and has appeared as a guest artist on many various remixes. As said by Andre himself, he is currently working on a solo rap album and he also starred as the late Jimi Hendrix in the biopic film *Jimi: All By My Side*.

In 2014, the duo reunited at Coachella in 2014 and it was also announced later that they would be also headlining the event. Big Boi also announced that the two are not working an album together at the moment.

## Discography

* *Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik* (1994)
* *ATLiens* (1996)
* *Aquemini* (1998)
* *Stankonia* (2000)
* *Speakerboxx/The Love Below* (2003)
* *Idlewild* (2006)