Outkast

Outkast (sometimes written as OutKast) was an American hip-hop duo formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1992, consisting of Big Boi (Antwan Patton) and André 3000 (André Benjamin, formerly known as Dré). Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential hip-hop acts of all time, the duo achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s, helping to popularize Southern hip-hop with their intricate lyricism, memorable melodies, and positive themes, while experimenting with a diverse range of genres such as funk, psychedelia, jazz, and techno.

Patton and Benjamin formed Outkast as high school students. They released their debut studio album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik in 1994, which gained popularity after its single "Player's Ball" peaked atop the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart. The duo further experimented and honed their sound with their second and third albums ATLiens (1996) and Aquemini (1998), both of which were met with critical acclaim. They then achieved mainstream recognition and continued acclaim with their fourth album Stankonia (2000), which was supported by the singles "B.O.B." and "Ms. Jackson", the latter of which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and won Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards.

The duo then released the double album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003), their only album to debut atop the Billboard 200. It received Diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), was supported by the number one singles "The Way You Move" (performed by Big Boi) and "Hey Ya!" (performed by André 3000), and won Album of the Year at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards. Outkast starred in the 2006 musical film Idlewild and recorded the film's accompanying soundtrack, which was released as their final album three days before the film's release. The duo split the following year, and both members have pursued solo careers. Outkast temporarily reunited in 2014 to celebrate their debut album's 20th anniversary with performances at more than 40 festivals worldwide, beginning at the Coachella Festival in April 2014.

Along with being one of hip-hop's most influential acts, Outkast is also one of the most successful, having certified sales of 20 million records between six studio albums and a compilation album, as well as having earned six Grammy Awards. In 2015, Rolling Stone ranked them No. 7 on its list of the "20 Greatest Duos of All Time", while publications such as it and Pitchfork have listed their albums among the best in all of hip-hop and of all time. Outkast was selected for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2025.

Antwan Patton and André Benjamin met in 1992 at Lenox Square shopping mall in Atlanta when they were both sixteen years old. The two lived in Atlanta and attended Tri-Cities High School. During school, Patton and Benjamin participated in rap battles in the cafeteria. 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. The duo was initially called "2 Shades Deep", however a local singing group already had the name "4 Shades Deep". The duo then decided on the name Outkast because they had a unique fashion style among their classmates. Patton and Benjamin originally performed under the stage names of Black Dog and Black Wolf, respectively. Outkast, Organized Noize, and schoolmates Goodie Mob formed the nucleus of the Dungeon Family organization.

Outkast signed to L.A. And Babyface imprint prior to graduation which would later become LaFace Records in 1992, becoming the label's first hip-hop act and making their first appearance on the remix of labelmate TLC's "What About Your Friends". During the holiday season of 1993, they released their first single, "Player's Ball". The song's funky style, much of it accomplished with live instrumentation, was a hit with audiences. It hit number-one on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart. "Player's Ball" also topped the R&B chart for six weeks.

Their debut album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, was issued on April 26, 1994. This initial effort is credited with laying the foundation for southern hip-hop and is considered a classic by many. Every track on Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik was produced by Organized Noize and featured other members of the Dungeon Family. Follow-up singles included the title track and "Git Up Git Out", a politically charged collaboration with Goodie Mob that was later sampled by Macy Gray for her 1999 hit "Do Something." On this early material, both Big Boi and André contrast lyrical content reflecting the lifestyles of pimps and gangsters with politically conscious material commenting on the status of African Americans in the South. OutKast won Best New Rap Group at the 1995 Source Awards. Within the context of the East Coast – West Coast feud, André came up on stage followed by boos from the crowd and said, "But it's like this though, I'm tired of them closed-minded folks, it's like we gotta demo tape but don't nobody want to hear it. But it's like this: the South got something to say, that's all I got to say." As said by Atlanta native rapper T.I., "Outkast, period. Outkast. That's when it changed. That was the first time when people began to take Southern rap seriously." In the same year, the group contributed "Benz or a Beamer" to the popular New Jersey Drive soundtrack.

After Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik was certified platinum, LaFace Records gave Outkast more creative control and advanced money for their follow-up album, which they recorded from 1995 to 1996.