OUTKAST UBX Transcripts (AUDIO)

UBX – OutKast (Segment 01)

Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the last few years, you already know these gangsta funkin’, space alien, so fresh so clean, hip-hop legends from Stankonia! Antione “Big Boi” Patton and Andre “3000” Benjamin both hail from the state of Georgia. Growing up, their strong family values molded their very distinct personalities. Andre, a shy only child, grew up in Atlanta with his single mother, while the outgoing Antione, who was raised in Savannah, grew up in a busy home. The future partners met in 1990 while attending East Point’s Tri-Cities High School (ATL).

Outcasts in their own right, they noticed each other’s odd fashion sense before even meeting! While sportswear was the trend at the time, Andre once told Details Magazine that “we would be wearing flower print shorts” (VO). Battling each other in lunchtime ciphers at school, Andre and ‘Twan realized that they had an undeniable chemistry and decided to form a group called 2 Shades Deep, and hooked up with a local production team called Organized Noize, comprised of Rico Wade, Ray Murray and Pat “Sleepy” Brown. The young producers were often found crafting their sound in the red dirt basement of Rico’s home, lovingly called The Dungeon. With creative juices flowing, The Dungeon was their second home and along with MC’s T-Mo, Khujo, Big Gipp and Cee-Lo, also known as GooDiE MoB, the crew became known as “The Dungeon Family” (clip).

Dead broke, Dre and Big Boi were practically living in the Dungeon. Often sleeping on the couch, on the floor, in the dirt - just waiting in line to get a chance to get in the booth and spit. Making music with Organized Noize was soon all consuming and surprisingly, Dre dropped out of school in the 10th grade. Right on the fine line between getting succumbed by street life and a chance at fame and fortune, the two remained positive and focused on their music. In 1992, the group, now known as OutKast, took their demo out of The Dungeon and to the boardrooms of Atlanta based LaFace Records. Headed by Babyface and Antonio “LA” Reid, LaFace was a new label and was making a name for itself. Babyface was already an international superstar, and with releases by Damian Dame and albums by new acts TLC and Toni Braxton ready to go, LaFace was soon to be a legitimate force in the music business. LaFace loved the demo, especially the cut “Player’s Ball” that was already getting love in the streets. After having to wait a year to turn 18 (an order by their parents) OutKast officially signed with LaFace. In 1993, “Player’s Ball” was released as their first single, strangely enough, on the “A LaFace Family Christmas” album. The track, with its street tales of drug dealing and pimping had nothing to do with Christmas, except for a reference to there being no chimneys in the ghetto, so they re-did the chorus to give it some holiday spirit (clip).

Regardless, the single got a huge buzz going about OutKast. They repped Atlanta like no one before them and had everybody singing to a contagious hook. Building on the buzz from the successful single, LaFace released OutKast’s first album “Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik” on April 26th 1994. With hardcore tracks from the East (Wu) and West (Snoop) ruling Rap, the boys from ATL brought some southern style to the airwaves. With music by Organized Noize, Big Boi and Dre gave us a delicate balance of socially conscious, political and straight street lyrics, complimented by some unforgettable production. OutKast’s debut album went platinum and hit the top 20 on the pop charts (montage).
You’re inside the Unauthorized Biography of OutKast. From “Southernplayalisticadillacmusic”, with Sleepy Brown on the hook, here’s “Crumblin’ Erb ”.



UBX – OutKast (Segment 02)

With the release of their debut album, OutKast were the newest representatives of the Dirty South. Texas was held down by the Geto Boyz & UGK, Memphis had 8Ball & MJG, Florida had the 2 Live Crew, but other than Kriss Kross, Atlanta hadn’t had any major representation! All that was about to change, and a full-fledged movement out of Atlanta was about to kick off. OutKast won Best New Rap Group at The Source awards in 1995, and after being booed by the crowd, they let everybody know in their speech that while the East and West coasts were busy bickering. the Dirty South had something to say! Still teenagers, the dynamic duo were riding high with their success and with new management from Queen Latifah’s Flavor Unit camp, OutKast were in good hands. Dre was featured on TLC’s defining album “Crazysexycool” and they appeared on the “New Jersey Drive” soundtrack. Keeping with the momentum, work began on their second full-length album (clip).

ATLiens in 1996, saw OutKast get behind the boards and share production credits with Organized Noize. Together they would produce a futuristic sound machine, complete with bangin’ beats and space age instrumentation! The streets erupted when the haunting single “Elevators” was released and the album went all the way to #2 on the Pop charts (montage)! Critically acclaimed, ATLiens was literally “out-of-this world” and sounded like no other hip-hop album before it. Despite the success however, some fans didn’t know what to think about their drastic change in sound and content. With less playa talk, the album was intelligent & introspective and set them lightyears ahead of club bangin’ radio joints of the time (13). It was the outward appearance of Dre though, that really had people talking! The outrageous style that he is now famous for began when he returned home from a trip to Jamacia. He grew dreads, began wrapping them in silk turbans and traded in jerseys, sneakers and the thug life for dashikis and a vegan diet. People speculated everything from drug use to homosexuality to his relationship with Erykah Badu as the cause for his drastic change from thug to thespian (VO).

With some time to themselves after another successful album, Big Boi started Pitfall kennels, a Pitbull breeding company that services high profile clients. Dre started painting, and had a son named Seven with girlfriend Erykah Badu, and after OutKast appeared on the “Soul Food” soundtrack in ‘97, the poet and the playa would regroup and start work on their next album. In 1998, back when the record reviews in The Source actually meant something, Dre and Big Boi put out their 3rd album, Aquemini. Receiving a coveted 5 mic rating, the album was nothing short of spectacular and took their sound to another level once again. It was pimped out enough for the streets and experimental enough for their new, more diverse fanbase! The title, derived from Dre and Big Boi’s astrological signs, was a reference to them embracing their differences, only making them stronger in the process. Their production skills were getting tighter, and by staying true to their own musical vision, their fanbase and album sales were steadily climbing! Aquemini featured Goodie Mob, and other members of the Dungeon Family, the chef Raekwon, and the legendary funk hero George Clinton! The eclectic album was an instant success thanks in part to the single “Rosa Parks” and debuted at #2 on the Pop charts (montage).
You’re inside the Unauthorized Biography of OutKast. From “Aquemini”, here’s “SpottieOttieDopalisious”.



UBX – OutKast (Segment 03)

With the success of Aquemini’s first single “Rosa Parks”, the civil rights pioneer who refused to sit at the back of the bus, actually sued the group for allegedly wrongfully using her name to help sell records. Feeling disrespected, she was also unhappy with some of the groups content and the use of foul language in their music. The suit would last 7 years and they finally settled their differences by agreeing to become partners in developing programs for kids educating them about Rosa Parks’ role in the civil-rights movement (clip).

After 3 groundbreaking and critically acclaimed albums under their belts, numerous cameo and soundtrack appearances and millions of records sold worldwide, Dre and Big Boi could basically do whatever they wanted and had no plans to conform to hip hop boundaries any time soon. With a new millennium upon us, OutKast dropped their fourth album “Stankonia” in the year 2000, and brought a whole new funk with them. The duo hooked up with producer Mr. DJ to form a production team called Earthtone III, and handled work on most of the album. Named after their studio, “Stankonia” featured crazy programmed drums and psychedelic instrumentation. It was definitely still hip hop, and somehow the most innovative group in hip hop history had found a way to push the boundaries even more (montage). “Stankonia” completely crossed over to the mainstream thanks to their first #1 pop hit “Mrs. Jackson”, an ode to Erykah Badu’s mother after her and Andre split up (clip).

Contrary to mainstream belief, “Stankonia” is not the beginning of OutKast’s career and even though it gave them two Grammy’s, many fans wouldn’t put it close to “Aqemini” or “ATLiens” as their favorite OutKast album. In 2001, the duo put out a ‘best of’ album “Big Boi & Dre present…OutKast” to let their new fans know about some of their classic material. “The Whole World” was one of 3 new songs on the album and won them another Grammy (clip). The album was great to keep their name in the public eye while they worked on other things. Dre seriously got into acting, and together they formed a label called Aquemini Records that closed soon after (clip). Their personal projects didn’t stop any creative juices from flowing however, and in 2003 OutKast released the phenomenal double-album “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below”. Essentially two solo albums, the release showed fans that Big Boi and Dre wanted to realize their own musical visions but still remain under the OutKast umbrella, diminishing any thought that they were breaking up. Both albums were innovative in their own right, Big Boi staying raw and funky and Andre went Prince on us and created a masterpiece concept album with hardly any rapping on it. The album moved over 10 million CD’s, making it one of the few hip hop albums to be certified Diamond and for the first time in Hip Hop, won Album of the Year at the Grammy’s (montage).

It was official. 11 years into their career, groundbreaking album after groundbreaking album, OutKast was arguably the biggest group in the world. Changing their sound with each album, Dre and Big Boi refuse to conform to trends and they continue to push the musical envelope (VO). In ’06 after battling more rumours that the duo was breaking up, they finally released the long awaited OutKast movie Idlewild with the accompanying soundtrack, OutKast’s 6th album (clips). Although the ambitious project was creatively realized and critically acclaimed some felt it was over the heads of many but before Andre specifically completely lost touch with the younger generation he appeared on two of the biggest remixes of that year (clips). It’s safe to say that we are blessed to have experienced the musical genius that is OutKast. Arguably the greatest group in hip hop history and with no signs of the duo breaking up, we can be sure that OutKast will continue to create timeless material that fans of any musical genre can appreciate. You’ve been listening to The Unauthorized Biography of OutKast. From Idlewild, here’s “Hollywood Divorce” feat. Lil’ Wayne & Snoop Dogg.