ATLiens

Did you know OutKast is from Atlanta?

Maybe it's just because I don't remember what it was like when they were in their heyday, but I always wondered how much the narrative of "OutKast were the first act in Atlanta" was hyperbole or revisionist history. From my understanding, it wasn't like Atlanta was a complete desert beforehand. Maybe someone can add more context and correct me on that. But, I understand the importance of this group in the grand scheme of things, given how popular they were, especially considering how important Atlanta became in Hip Hop.

I also understand how the group could still feel "alienated" or "outcasts" during this era of hip hop. There's no denying their ability to take risks and come up with ideas that no one else would even think of making. The flows are as fun and fresh as ever. The production really starts to develop into its own unique vibe with this album, which would carry on into their subsequent projects. I would even say that to this day I can’t even think of another album that sounds anything like this record, aside from maybe Aquemini. OutKast was truly one of a kind.

This is one of the best-produced hip hop albums of all time. So many songs on here I start to actually believe that they are aliens because who else could come up with this? Everything sounds so clean. I don’t even want to waste my time going through every track and pinpointing every highlight because this whole thing is basically a highlight. But to point out a few examples of just what I’m talking about – the breaths on E.T., the bubbly sound of 13th Floor/Growing Old, and “Y'all know what it is…” the sample on Mainstream. It’s really impressive how much creativity and personality is packed into this album while not losing the chill spacey vibe this album is known for. I’ve never seen anyone pull it off as well as OutKast.

Andre 3000 and Big Boi are both incredible writers too. Again, I don’t want to waste my time pointing out my favorite moments from this record because I’d be here all day. I’ll just say that in their discussions about identity, spirituality, and maturity, it is clear that they have thought a lot about what they’re writing about. Despite being the “outcasts” of hip hop, they are so comfortable with who they are. They don’t mind being the “Two Dope Boyz in a Cadallac” watching the rest of the scene fight for power through postering and maybe feeling a pressure to conform. OutKast’s lack of conformity might have left them feeling alienated, but it is also what made them who they were. And while many acts came and went, OutKast still has a special place in the music zeitgeist because of their unique ability to be unequivocally themselves.