Home - Outkast GRAMMY-WINNING DUO TO PERFORM AT ATLANTA’S CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK ON SEPTEMBER 27 Public on-sale begins Wednesday, June 18 (10am EST) June 13, 2014 – The ingenious and iconic duo, Outkast (Antwan “Big Boi” Patton and André “3000” Benjamin) will forever be associated with the city of Atlanta and now, they’re coming home #ATLast. The revered group has confirmed that they will curate and headline a homecoming show in Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park on Saturday, September 27. Additional artists will be announced in coming weeks. The show’s supporting partners are Atlanta’s own V103 (WVEE FM), Creative Loafing, Rival Entertainment and Bowery Presents. Public on-sale begins Wednesday, June 18 at 10am EST via Ticketmaster. Additionally, a dedicated website has been launched to provide the most current show information as additional announcements are made: “It’s only right that we give the hometown what we’ve been giving the rest of the world, Atliens in ATL, homecoming!

Festival Killers!,” said Big Boi. “Coming from Atlanta gave us the freedom to be whatever we ever wanted to be because no one was paying attention. Now that everyone is, we want to say thank you,” said André 3000. Currently headlining festivals around the world, Outkast is celebrating their 20th anniversary. Since the announcement of their return to the prod, much speculation has been made about whether the duo would eventually reveal plans to appropriately pay homage to their hometown. Now, the official confirmation has been made #ATLast. It is impossible to quantify the creative impact and influence of Grammy-Award winning rap duo, Outkast, or the work of its members, André “3000” Benjamin and Antwan “Big Boi” Patton. Together and individually, they have set the bar for originality, blasting genre boundaries and combining mediums since their debut album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik was released in 1994. The seismic effects of their originality continued to be felt with each subsequent release and, globally, Outkast has sold more than 25 million albums.

Their critically lauded, Platinum-Certified sophomore album ATLiens (1996) was one of the rare works of art to be appreciated for being ahead of its time, in its own time. The double-Platinum Aquemini (1998) and quadruple-Platinum Stankonia (2000) received the highest praises from the loftiest critics to the most dedicated of Hip Hop fans. Both albums were ultimately enshrined in Rolling Stone Magazine’s definitive list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2012. The Diamond-certified Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003) was not only a massive commercial success, it also earned six Grammys, including Album of the Year, making Outkast the first rap group ever to win the award in that coveted category. In 2006, the duo again pulled off the unexpected with Idlewild, a film that both members starred in and the accompanying soundtrack, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Big Boi and André 3000 are also frequent collaborators with a multitude of artists.

In recent years, Big Boi has released two critically acclaimed solo albums, Luscious Leftfoot: The Son of Chico Dusty (2010) and Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors (2013). He has also appeared in feature films Who’s Your Caddy and ATL. In addition to a long and eclectic range of guest performances, André 3000 appeared in Be Cool, Semi-Pro, Four Brothers, and the upcoming Jimi Hendrix biopic, JIMI: All Is By My Side. Benjamin’s own high-end clothing line, Benjamin Bixby, debuted in 2010, at which time GQ Magazine named him “Best New Designer of the Year.” In January 2014, to celebrate Outkast’s 20th anniversary, the duo confirmed plans for a headlining festival tour that began at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and continues with dates throughout the summer.

# # # Outkast | Download Music, Tour Dates & Video | eMusic Group Members: Jagger & Jah Yut , Andre 3000 & Trapaholics , Big Boi , Big Boi, DJ Drama , Dre All Music Guide: OutKast's blend of gritty Southern soul, fluid raps, and the low-slung funk of their Organized Noize production crew epitomized the Atlanta wing of hip-hop's rising force, the Dirty South, during the mid to late '90s. Along with Goodie Mob, OutKast took Southern hip-hop in bold and innovative directions: less reliance on aggression, more positivity and melody, thicker arrangements, and intricate lyrics. After Dré and Big Boi hit number one on the rap charts with their first single, "Player's Ball," the duo embarked on a run of platinum albums spiked with several hit singles, enjoying numerous critical accolades in addition to their commercial success. André Benjamin (Dré) and Antwan Patton (Big Boi) attended the same high school in the Atlanta borough of East Point, and several lyrical battles made each gain respect for the other's skills.

They formed OutKast and were pursued by Organized Noize Productions, hitmakers for TLC and Xscape. Signed to Antonio "L.A." Reid and Babyface's local LaFace label just after high school, OutKast recorded and released "Player's Ball," then watched the single rise to number one on the rap chart. It slipped from the top spot only after six weeks, was certified gold, and created a buzz for a full-length release. That album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, hit the Top 20 in 1994 and was certified platinum by the end of the year. Dré and Big Boi also won Best New Rap Group of the Year at the 1995 Source Awards. OutKast returned with a new album in 1996, releasing ATLiens that August; it hit number two and went platinum with help from the gold-selling single "Elevators (Me & You)" (number 12 pop, number one rap), as well as the Top 40 title track. Aquemini followed in 1998, also hitting number two and going double platinum.

There were no huge hit singles this time around, but critics lavishly praised the album's unified, progressive vision, hailing it as a great leap forward and including it on many year-end polls. Unfortunately, in a somewhat bizarre turn of events, OutKast was sued over the album's lead single, "Rosa Parks," by none other than the civil rights pioneer herself, who claimed that the group had unlawfully appropriated her name to promote their music, also objecting to some of the song's language. The initial court decision dismissed the suit in late 1999. (The Supreme Court later allowed the lawsuit to proceed; the two parties eventually reached a settlement.) Dré modified his name to André 3000 before the group issued its hotly anticipated fourth album, Stankonia, in late 2000. Riding the momentum of uniformly excellent reviews and the stellar singles "B.O.B." and "Ms. Jackson," Stankonia debuted at number two and went triple platinum in just a few months; meanwhile, "Ms. Jackson" became their first number one pop single the following February.

Both of those major singles and most of the album material -- all but three contributions from Organized Noize, in fact -- were produced by a trio dubbed Earthtone III (aka André 3000, Big Boi, and David "Mr. DJ" Sheats). 2003's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, a double album, debuted at number one and spawned a pair of number one singles: the Dré-fronted "Hey Ya" and the Big Boi-fronted "The Way You Move." Speakerboxxx, more true to OutKast's past, could have been issued as a Big Boi solo album, while The Love Below, a diverse and playful affair, could have been an André 3000 release. Regardless of its dual nature, the set won the 2004 Grammy for Album of the Year. As breakup rumors continued to swirl, the duo returned with the feature film Idlewild -- a musical set in the Prohibition-era South -- and an extremely eclectic soundtrack billed as a proper OutKast album.

Big Boi issued a solo album, Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty in 2010, while André 3000 produced and/or appeared on a series of tracks by the likes of John Legend ("Green Light"), Beyoncé ("Party"), Lloyd ("Dedication to My Ex [Miss That])," and Young Jeezy ("I Do"). OutKast | Biography & History | AllMusic google+ Artist Biography by John Bush OutKast 's blend of gritty Southern soul, fluid raps, and the low-slung funk of their Organized Noize production crew epitomized the Atlanta wing of hip-hop's rising force, the Dirty South, during the mid to late '90s. Along with Goodie Mob , OutKast took Southern hip-hop in bold and innovative directions: less reliance on aggression, more positivity and melody, thicker arrangements, and intricate lyrics. After Dré and Big Boi hit number one on the rap charts with their first single, "Player's Ball," the duo embarked on a run of platinum albums spiked with several hit singles, enjoying numerous critical accolades in addition to their commercial success.

André Benjamin ( Dré ) and Antwan Patton ( Big Boi ) attended the same high school in the Atlanta borough of East Point, and several lyrical battles made each gain respect for the other's skills. They formed OutKast and were pursued by Organized Noize Productions , hitmakers for TLC and Xscape . Signed to Antonio "L.A." Reid and Babyface's local LaFace label just after high school, OutKast recorded and released "Player's Ball," then watched the single rise to number one on the rap chart. It slipped from the top spot only after six weeks, was certified gold, and created a buzz for a full-length release. That album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik , hit the Top 20 in 1994 and was certified platinum by the end of the year. Dré and Big Boi also won Best New Rap Group of the Year at the 1995 Source Awards.

OutKast returned with a new album in 1996, releasing ATLiens that August; it hit number two and went platinum with help from the gold-selling single "Elevators (Me & You)" (number 12 pop, number one rap), as well as the Top 40 title track. Aquemini followed in 1998, also hitting number two and going double platinum. There were no huge hit singles this time around, but critics lavishly praised the album's unified, progressive vision, hailing it as a great leap forward and including it on many year-end polls. Unfortunately, in a somewhat bizarre turn of events, OutKast was sued over the album's lead single, "Rosa Parks," by none other than the civil rights pioneer herself, who claimed that the group had unlawfully appropriated her name to promote their music, also objecting to some of the song's language. The initial court decision dismissed the suit in late 1999.

(The Supreme Court later allowed the lawsuit to proceed; the two parties eventually reached a settlement.) Dré modified his name to André 3000 before the group issued its hotly anticipated fourth album, Stankonia , in late 2000. Riding the momentum of uniformly excellent reviews and the stellar singles "B.O.B." and "Ms. Jackson," Stankonia debuted at number two and went triple platinum in just a few months; meanwhile, "Ms. Jackson" became their first number one pop single the following February. Both of those major singles and most of the album material -- all but three contributions from Organized Noize, in fact -- were produced by a trio dubbed Earthtone III (aka André 3000, Big Boi, and David "Mr. DJ" Sheats).

2003's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below , a double album, debuted at number one and spawned a pair of number one singles: the Dré -fronted "Hey Ya" and the Big Boi -fronted "The Way You Move." Speakerboxxx, more true to OutKast 's past, could have been issued as a Big Boi solo album, while The Love Below, a diverse and playful affair, could have been an André 3000 release. Regardless of its dual nature, the set won the 2004 Grammy for Album of the Year. As breakup rumors continued to swirl, the duo returned with the feature film Idlewild -- a musical set in the Prohibition-era South -- and an extremely eclectic soundtrack billed as a proper OutKast album. Big Boi issued a solo album, Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty in 2010, while André 3000 produced and/or appeared on a series of tracks by the likes of John Legend ("Green Light"), Beyoncé ("Party"), Lloyd ("Dedication to My Ex [Miss That])," and Young Jeezy ("I Do").

25 Facts You Probably Didn't Know About OutKast There was almost a third member of OutKast. He sang, rapped and had a sampler to make beats with. You might know him as CeeLo Green. Big Boi refused to skip work for OutKast’s first performance. A friend filled in with Andre for their appearance on a local TV station’s talent show. They got feedback from exactly one caller, who said they sounded terrible. Andre didn’t finish high school. Big Boi did, earning a 3.68 GPA while taking an interest in psychology. Andre would later go back to get his GED during the making of ATLiens. 7 Their first appearance as OutKast on wax came on the remix to TLC’s “What About Your Friends.” It marked their official debut in 1992, and Andre would later pay it back with a verse on TLC’s huge album, CrazySexyCool. Seven years later, they bought the studio where they laid those verses for TLC. It was the same studio where they’d recorded most of their first album, so it was only right to go back and do Stankonia there. Now the studio is named after that LP.

9 The first time they met Rico Wade, Andre and Antwan spit over Tribe’s “Scenario” in Big Gipp’s car. “They [rhymed] back-to-back for, like, eight minutes,” recalled Wade, the founder of the Dungeon Family. L.A. Reid did not want to sign OutKast when he first heard them. Reid had called the entire label’s staff into the room to watch them rap, but he wasn’t impressed until he heard of other labels, like Polygram, calling to sign the duo. Reid reconsidered and gave them a shot on the upcoming Christmas compilation in 1993. 11 The lyrical content of their first album was influenced by Geto Boys, Snoop Dogg and Dogg Pound. “Those were the people that we loved, and we wanted to be in that crowd,” Andre admitted. Andre gave up smoking and drinking after the first album dropped. He also became a vegan. Seeing audience members tell stories about how “Git Up, Git Out” changed their lives made Andre realize how much of an impact he could have on listeners. As early as 2000, Andre and Big Boi toured on separate buses.

This Vibe profile captures it perfectly: Big Boi’s bus was a party, and Andre’s bus was a sanctuary. Their early rhymes were influenced by the music of George Clinton and Parliament. The fly clothes, the pimp image, the spaceships – all P-Funk. The Source’s 4.5 mic review pointed this out in the last paragraph. It only features Cee-Lo and Big Gipp. 17 The duo wrote a script for a movie to accompany ‘Aquemini’ three months before the album came out. MTV liked it, but wanted to buy the rights and cast Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes instead because they had bigger star power. They continued to work on movie ideas until Idlewild was born. 18 Big Boi wanted ‘Aquemini’ to start with “Y’all Scared” instead of “Return of the G.” He missed his flight to the album mastering, and when he arrived, the tracklist had already been decided upon. 19 Three Stacks has a song called “Bow Your Head” that’s a counterpart to Big Boi’s “West Savannah.” Both were left off their debut, but while one made it to Aquemini, Andre’s track has never been released.

21 When Puff worked at Arista, he heard “Player’s Ball” and invited OutKast to open for Biggie in Washington, D.C. The show was at Howard University, and three years later Outkast revealed their nervousness about the show. Of course, she ended up on “Liberation,” so no complaints, but imagine if that collaboration happened. 20 The verse by Andre 3000 on “Mamacita” was inspired by a girlfriend who became a lesbian. “I was like, ‘What the f—k is this?’ So I think I was just being affected by it and it ended up coming out in my verse,” he explained. ‘The Love Below’ is a concept album about a one night-stand that becomes true love. Andre had to tone down the narrative on the album, but said, “If you listen closely to the interludes and pay attention to the lyrics, you can still follow the story.” 23 Andre says when he sent “Hey Ya” to radio, he purposefully didn’t tell people who it was by.

He told NPR, “If we had put OutKast on it, it would have been judged differently.” “Hey Ya” was inspired by Aretha Franklin’s “Say A Little Prayer.” Three Stacks told NPR it was kind of hard to explain, but the way the loop plays back on Aretha’s song was what he wanted to accomplish on “Hey Ya.” OutKast Members Andre 3000 & Big Boi Working On Solo Albums | HipHopDX OutKast Members Andre 3000 & Big Boi Working On Solo Albums January 21, 2014 | 4:40 PM 7 Andre 3000 and Big Boi are working on new material for respective solo albums in Atlanta, according to Mr. DJ, the duo’s DJ and one of its producers, a revolt.tv story says. Mr. DJ also said that he believes that Three Stacks will release his debut solo album this year. Mr. DJ also said that OutKast will go on tour , release their respective solo albums and then begin work on the next OutKast album, the revolt.tv story says.

“I get the feeling that the energy and camaraderie from the tour will bring everything full circle,” Mr. DJ said to REVOLT. “We may make it back in for an album following that.” Earlier this month, OutKast announced that it is scheduled to return to the stage for more than 40 concert dates. The announcement, which was made on the group’s official Facebook page, follows news that the OutKast emcees are slated to co-headline Coachella and the Governor’s Ball . “Outkast will return to the stage with a full festival run of over 40 dates to celebrate 20 years sinceSouthernplayalisticadillacmuzik,” the Facebook post reads. The official announcement also arrived with a statement from Andre 3000 about the group’s return. “Returning to the stage together is the most exciting way for us to thank everyone for their 20 years of supporting OutKast,” Andre said.

OutKast's Big Boi pursuing solo success - CNN.com OutKast's Big Boi pursuing solo success By Gavin Godfrey, CNN OutKast's Big Boi goes solo STORY HIGHLIGHTS Antwan "Big Boi" Patton is seeking solo success with his new album "Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty" is the debut from the OutKast member He admits to leaking his own music via social networking Label won't allow duet with fellow OutKast member Andre "3000" Benjamin on new album RELATED TOPICS Entertainment (CNN) -- Sixteen years ago, Antwan "Big Boi" Patton and his partner-in-rhyme, Andre "3000" Benjamin, single-handedly put Southern hip-hop on the map as the rap group OutKast with the debut of their album, "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik." In 2003, they released their biggest commercial and critical hit to date, "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below." Fast forward to 20 million albums later, and music pundits continue to put OutKast atop their lists of the genre's most influential groups of all time.

Despite the pair's undeniable mark on the history of hip-hop, Big Boi finds himself in a unique position: one-half of a legendary duo who has had success elude him so far as a solo artist. But Big Boi is hoping to change that. Forty months in the making, "Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty" is Big Boi's rap opus that he hopes will be a reintroduction to the self-proclaimed "funk crusader." "The people that have been down since 'Southernplayalistic,' they know the logistics of how the group works," Big Boi, 35, says responding to a review in The Guardian that suggests he's an "undervalued" part of the OutKast legend. "For some of the newcomers, they might not know what Big Boi's part in the group is, but they're going to know when this album drops.

It's dead serious." Originally slated for release on Jive Records four years ago, "Sir Lucious" hit a major roadblock when Big Boi's label suggested that he create his own version of Lil Wayne's "Lollipop." The idea insulted Big Boi and revealed what he views as an industry skepticism that has followed every step he has taken without his musical partner. According to Big Boi , he and Jive didn't see eye to eye on the finished product. "Jive Records -- they didn't understand my music," he now says. "They wanted me to do more cookie-cutter, radio-friendly type songs." Because of the back-and-forth with his label, Big Boi's fans had to be patient, similar to what they felt with oft-delayed OutKast albums. Some fans even went as far to say that "Sir Lucious" was Big Boi's "Detox," referring to Dr. Dre's forthcoming release that's been a decade in the making. A growing but warranted skepticism began to surround Big Boi's solo project, and some wondered if it would ever come to pass. It was then that the rapper decided to take things into his own hands and deliver his product directly to the people.

"The social networking media is so powerful, especially for an established artist, to where I can create a song a day and put it out through my Twitter account -- in 24 hours, it will get 4 million hits," he says. "I was just doing it myself. I think every artist should really take your destiny in your hands if you've got the product and the means and the know-how to market and promote yourself." Big Boi recently streamed "Sir Lucious" on his MySpace page, a move he announced via Twitter. He admits to leaking the songs "Royal Flush," (no longer on the album) "For Your Sorrows," "Shine Blockas" and "Lookin' 4 Ya" in the years and months leading up to the album's set release date. The latter tune is a collaboration with Andre 3000 barred from "Sir Lucious" by Jive, which owns the current rights to OutKast the group. "It's really blasphemy," Big Boi says of the label's keeping the pair from being featured together on his solo project.

"Hopefully, when I do see [Jive] again, and me and Dre get into the studio, they will let the creativity and the music be what it is -- just art -- and appreciate it for what it's worth." Released on Def Jam, "Sir Lucious" combines stories of everyday life, love and politics with rap, funk, jazz, rock and everything in between. And even though Big Boi knows how to show listeners a good time, one aspect of OutKast and the two men behind the music has been their ability to "educate and entertain," a theme that continues on "Sir Lucious." "I like to say little things to make the listener think," Big Boi reflects. "If you have the globe as your stage, why not spread something?" One thing the artist seems intent on spreading is his own brand. With forays into acting (films "Who's Your Caddy" and "ATL"), breeding dogs (Pitfall Kennels), running his own label (Purple Ribbon Entertainment) and foundation (Big Kidz), it would seem that the husband and father wouldn't have time for another OutKast album.

The group, however, owes Jive one more album, though in light of Big Boi's spat with the label, it's hard for fans to not doubt that OutKast will be back. "Yeah, there is definitely a reunion in the works," Big Boi says in response to a CNN iReporter's query about the future of OutKast. "I'm doing my solo album, Dre is working on his solo record, and then after that were doing an OutKast record." In the meantime, Big Boi is intent on scratching two items off his wish list. The first involves music . "Kate Bush -- that's my dream collaboration," he says adamantly. "I'd do a whole album with Kate Bush. I'm looking for her right now." The second goal is a little more close to home. "I just want to be happy," he says. "I want to make music, raise my kids and be a productive citizen -- basically, that's it." Share this on: News - Outkast News Friday: 2 Chainz, Janelle Monae, and Solange. The Outkast set will also feature Bun B. Saturday: Kid Cudi, Childish Gambino, and Raury.

Sunday: B.o.B. The Outkast set will include Killer Mike, 8 Ball and MJG, Bun B, K Camp, Devin the Dude, Kilo, Gipp Goodie, and DJ Unk. GRAMMY-WINNING DUO TO PERFORM AT ATLANTA’S CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK ON SEPTEMBER 27 Public on-sale begins Wednesday, June 18 (10am EST) June 13, 2014 – The ingenious and iconic duo, Outkast (Antwan “Big Boi” Patton and André “3000” Benjamin) will forever be associated with the city of Atlanta and now, they’re coming home #ATLast. The revered group has confirmed that they will curate and headline a homecoming show in Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park on Saturday, September 27. Additional artists will be announced in coming weeks. The show’s supporting partners are Atlanta’s own V103 (WVEE FM), Creative Loafing, Rival Entertainment and Bowery Presents. Public on-sale begins Wednesday, June 18 at 10am EST via Ticketmaster.

Additionally, a dedicated website has been launched to provide the most current show information as additional announcements are made: “It’s only right that we give the hometown what we’ve been giving the rest of the world, Atliens in ATL, homecoming! Festival Killers!,” said Big Boi. “Coming from Atlanta gave us the freedom to be whatever we ever wanted to be because no one was paying attention. Now that everyone is, we want to say thank you,” said André 3000. Currently headlining festivals around the world, Outkast is celebrating their 20th anniversary. Since the announcement of their return to the prod, much speculation has been made about whether the duo would eventually reveal plans to appropriately pay homage to their hometown. Now, the official confirmation has been made #ATLast. It is impossible to quantify the creative impact and influence of Grammy-Award winning rap duo, Outkast, or the work of its members, André “3000” Benjamin and Antwan “Big Boi” Patton. Together and individually, they have set the bar for originality, blasting genre boundaries and combining mediums since their debut album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik was released in 1994.

The seismic effects of their originality continued to be felt with each subsequent release and, globally, Outkast has sold more than 25 million albums. Their critically lauded, Platinum-Certified sophomore album ATLiens (1996) was one of the rare works of art to be appreciated for being ahead of its time, in its own time. The double-Platinum Aquemini (1998) and quadruple-Platinum Stankonia (2000) received the highest praises from the loftiest critics to the most dedicated of Hip Hop fans. Both albums were ultimately enshrined in Rolling Stone Magazine’s definitive list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2012. The Diamond-certified Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003) was not only a massive commercial success, it also earned six Grammys, including Album of the Year, making Outkast the first rap group ever to win the award in that coveted category.

In 2006, the duo again pulled off the unexpected with Idlewild, a film that both members starred in and the accompanying soundtrack, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Big Boi and André 3000 are also frequent collaborators with a multitude of artists. In recent years, Big Boi has released two critically acclaimed solo albums, Luscious Leftfoot: The Son of Chico Dusty (2010) and Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors (2013). He has also appeared in feature films Who’s Your Caddy and ATL. In addition to a long and eclectic range of guest performances, André 3000 appeared in Be Cool, Semi-Pro, Four Brothers, and the upcoming Jimi Hendrix biopic, JIMI: All Is By My Side.

Benjamin’s own high-end clothing line, Benjamin Bixby, debuted in 2010, at which time GQ Magazine named him “Best New Designer of the Year.” In January 2014, to celebrate Outkast’s 20th anniversary, the duo confirmed plans for a headlining festival tour that began at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and continues with dates throughout the summer. # # # January 13, 2014, 10:01am GRAMMY-WINNING DUO PLANS FESTIVAL TOUR TO CELEBRATE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR UNIQUE AND INFLUENTIAL SOUND Ingenious and iconic recording artists and performers, Antwan “Big Boi” Patton and André “3000” Benjamin today announced via Outkast’s social media platforms that their return to the prod celebrating their 20th anniversary will include festival dates around the world. After headlining performances at Coachella in April, the influential group will be the marquee act at over 40 festivals around the world throughout the Spring/Summer of 2014 (dates to be announced).

“It’s truly an honor to celebrate 20 years and still be free to do music the way we choose,” said Big Boi. “Don’t just think outside the box, know that there is no box. I’m looking forward to rocking the prod with my Bro Ski and to all the fans – stank you smelly much, this is for y’all!” “And imagine, all we wanted to do was rap! I am thankful to have been a part of a group that allowed me to explore anything that came to mind and have fun doing it. Returning to the prod together is the most exciting way for us to thank everyone for their 20 years of supporting Outkast,” said André 3000. It is impossible to quantify the creative impact and influence of Grammy-Award winning rap duo, Outkast, or the work of its members, André “3000” Benjamin and Antwan “Big Boi” Patton. Together and individually, these Atlanta natives have set the bar for originality, blasting genre boundaries and combining mediums since their debut album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik was released in 1994.

The seismic effects of their originality continued to be felt with each subsequent release and, globally, Outkast has sold more than 25 million albums. Their critically lauded, Platinum-Certified sophomore album ATLiens (1996) was one of the rare works of art to be appreciated for being ahead of its time, in its own time. The double-Platinum Aquemini (1998) and quadruple-Platinum Stankonia (2000) received the highest praises from the loftiest critics to the most dedicated of Hip Hop fans. Both albums were ultimately enshrined in Rolling Stone Magazine’s definitive list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2012. The Diamond-certified Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003) was not only a massive commercial success, it also earned six Grammys, including Album of the Year, making Outkast the first rap group ever to win the award in that coveted category.

In 2006, the duo again pulled off the unexpected with Idlewild, a film that both members starred in and the accompanying soundtrack, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Big Boi and André 3000 are also frequent collaborators with a multitude of artists. In recent years, Big Boi has released two critically acclaimed solo albums, Luscious Leftfoot: The Son of Chico Dusty (2010) and Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors (2013). André 3000 appeared in Be Cool, Semi-Pro, Four Brothers, and the upcoming Jimi Hendrix biopic, All Is By My Side. Benjamin’s own high-end clothing line, Benjamin Bixby, debuted in 2010, at which time GQ Magazine named him “Best New Designer of the Year.” In January 2014, to celebrate Outkast’s 20th anniversary, the duo confirmed plans for a headlining festival tour that will begin Friday, April 11 at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, then continue with dates throughout the spring and summer.

Big Boi | Red Bull Studios Los Angeles Tokyo Big Boi As a member of the Atlanta rap group Outkast, Big Boi (with Andre 3000) showed the world what Southern rap was all about. Almost two decades later, the legendary rapper, producer, actor isn't showing signs of slowing down. Big Boi began his music career in Outkast, one of the defining groups in rap history. As Outkast, Big Boi and Andre 3000 essentially introduced Atlanta rap to the nation with their debut album, 'Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik,' in 1994. Nine years later, the two released 'Speakerboxxx/The Love Below,' which was a double album that paired two solo projects. In 2010 -- after one more Oukast album in 2007 -- Big Boi released his first bonafide solo project, 'Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty.' The album featured rappers Raekwon, Janelle Monae, Gucci Mane and Too Short.

His second solo album, 'Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors,' released late in 2012, also featured a long list guests, such as T.I., A$AP Rocky, Kelly Rowland and Ludacris . Big Boi also found a successful acting career, as well, appearing in various TV shows and the feature film 'Idlewild.' However, he did make his way back into the studio and recently performed at Red Bull Studio LA hinting that a third solo album is in order. News OutKast | Atlanta, Georgia | Rap Group OutKast Biography Outkast (stylized as OutKast) is hip hop duo based in East Point, Georgia, consisting of Atlanta native André "André 3000" Benjamin (formerly known as Dré) and Savannah, Georgia-born Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. They were originally known as Two Shades Deep but later changed the group's name to OutKast. The group's original musical style was a mixture of Dirty South and G-funk. Since then, however, funk, soul, rock, electronic music, spoken word poetry, jazz and blues elements have been added to the group's musical palette.

After forming the group as high school students in 1992, Outkast released its debut album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik (1994), which gained popularity after the single "Player's Ball" reached number one on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart. The duo released ATLiens in 1996, which displayed stylistic differences from the band's debut and featured outer space-inspired themes. The albums Aquemini (1998) and Stankonia (2000) further expanded Outkast's musical experimentation. In 2003, the duo released a double album entitled Speakerboxxx/The Love Below , which featured the number one singles "Hey Ya!" and "The Way You Move". Speakerboxxx/The Love Below won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2004, the first and only for a hip hop group. Outkast next created the soundtrack for the 2006 musical film Idlewild , which they starred in. Since 2007, Outkast has been on hiatus and both members have pursued their solo careers, although the group moved to Epic Records in September 2011.

The duo is one of the most successful hip-hop groups of all time, having received six Grammy Awards. Over 25 million copies have been sold of OutKast's eight releases: five studio albums, a greatest hits release, and the Grammy Award-winning (for Album of the Year) Speakerboxxx/The Love Below , a double album containing a solo album from each member. Along with their commercial success, OutKast has maintained an experimental approach in their music and are widely praised for their originality and artistic content. Discography

Question: Big Boi and Andre 3000 are members of what rap group?
Answer: Outkast