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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 early 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 their second and third number one singles: "The Way You Move" (performed by Big Boi) and "Hey Ya!" (performed by André 3000), respectively, 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. Coachella 2014 Lineup. Stereogum (January 8, 2014). Retrieved on 2014-05-28.
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 Media 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.
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 funk music 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 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 and 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.
The duo took the opportunity to recreate their image. On a trip to Jamaica with producer Mr. DJ, the two decided to abandon their Cornrows hairstyles in favor of a more natural aesthetic, vowing to stop combing their hair.Westhoff, 2011. p. 135 Dungeon Family member Big Rube observed an increase in the duo's confidence after returning from their first tour, remarking, "They started understanding the power they had in their music. They started showing a swagger that certain artists have—the ones that are stars."Sarig, 2007. p. 139 The two also became more accustomed to playing live, particularly Big Boi, and André 3000 significantly changed his lifestyle, as he adopted a more eccentric fashion sense, became a vegetarian, and stopped smoking marijuana.Nickson (2004), p. 46. The members also underwent changes in their personal lives; in 1995, Big Boi's girlfriend gave birth to their first child and André 3000 and Total's Keisha Spivey ended their two-year relationship.Sarig, 2007. p. 140
The double platinum album, ATLiens, was released on August 27, 1996. The album exhibited a notably more laid-back, spacey production sound, taking influence from Dub music and reggae. On ATLiens, Big Boi and André 3000 abandoned the "hard-partying playa characters" of their debut album in favor of more spacey, futuristic personas, and produced many of the songs on their own for the first time. Their tracks have an outer-space feeling to them- a feeling that, ironically, has warmed the community right up to them. Critics praised the group's maturing musical style on the record, which debuted at number two on the U.S. R&B/Hip Hop chart. The album would climb to number three on Billboard's top Billboard 200 chart and sold nearly 350,000 copies in its first two weeks of release. The single "Elevators (Me & You)" reached number 12 and spent 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. ATLiens further solidified OutKast as the flagship representatives of the 1st generation Dungeon Family and the Southern hip-hop movement. The album helped the group earn more recognition among East Coast hip-hop fans in the East and West coasts.
For this album, Outkast joined with partner David "Mr. DJ" Sheats to form the Earthtone III production company, which allowed the group to produce some of their own tracks. The double A-side "ATLiens" / "Wheelz of Steel" was the group's third Top 40 single (following "Player's Ball" from their first album and "Elevators (Me & You)" from ATLiens), and reflected the beginning of André's increasingly sober lifestyle:(September 18, 2005). Polly Vernon talks to Andre 3000. Retrieved April 12, 2008. "No drugs or alcohol/so I can get the signal clear," he rhymes about himself in the title track. Also at the time of the album's release, they were managed by Flavor Unit.
Outkast's third album Aquemini was released on September 29, 1998. It was also certified double platinum and reached the number-two position on the Billboard 200 album chart in the United States; its title was a combination of the of Big Boi (an Aquarius) and André (a Gemini). Producing more material themselves, both Big Boi and André explored more eclectic subject matter, delving into sounds inspired by soul music, trip hop, and electro music. The album featured production by Organized Noize and collaborations with Raekwon, Slick Rick, funk music pioneer and musical forebear George Clinton, and Goodie Mob. Outkast forged the connections between hip-hop and the black freedom struggle with their controversial song "Rosa Parks" featured on the album.
The single became their first pop hit, landing the number-one position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and the number-two position on the UK Singles Chart. The album's final single was the Organized Noize-produced "So Fresh, So Clean", featuring a credited guest appearance from regular guest vocalist and Organized Noize-member Sleepy Brown and garnered a remix featuring Snoop Dogg. All three singles' videos had heavy MTV2 airplay, and OutKast won two 2001 , one for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Ms. Jackson", and another for Stankonia as Best Rap Album.Cowie, Del F.. (May 27, 1975) OutKast – Brothers From Another Planet – On the Cover . Exclaim.ca. Retrieved on 2014-05-28.
Pitchfork named Stankonia the 4th greatest album released between 2000 and 2004 in its 2005 feature. Later on the webzine selected Stankonia as the 13th best album of the 2000s. And B.O.B. was chosen number one song of the decade by this same webzine. Staff Lists: The Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s: 20-1 | Features . Pitchfork (August 21, 2009). Retrieved on 2012-04-09.
In December 2001, Outkast released a compilation album, Big Boi and Dre Present... Outkast, which contained three new songs. One of these new tracks was the single "The Whole World", which won a 2002 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Killer Mike also was featured on the song, gaining some exposure among areas outside of his native Atlanta. The other two new songs were called "Funkin' Around" and "Movin' Cool (The After Party)".
The album was Outkast's biggest commercial success to date, debuting on the Billboard 200 albums chart at number-one and staying there for several weeks. The album eventually sold over five million copies, and, as double-album sales count double for Recording Industry Association of America certification, the album was certified diamond for 10 million units shipped in December 2004. By September 2023, the album was certified 13× platinum.
The first two singles from the album(s), which were released nearly simultaneously, were Big Boi's "The Way You Move" and André 3000's "Hey Ya!" The video's storyline has "The Love Below"—a fictional band with all members, through the use of special effects, played by André—performing in London. "Hey Ya!" was the number one song on the very final weekend of American Top 40 with Casey Kasem. It was also number one a week later on the very first weekend of American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest. The singles spent ten weeks at number one on the Hot 100 singles chart, with "Hey Ya!" spending nine weeks and "The Way You Move" taking over for one week in February 2004. These singles were seen as a breakthrough for the hip-hop industry, being among the first hip-hop songs to be widely played on adult contemporary radio stations.
Outkast's next official single was not released until the summer of 2004. "Roses", a track featuring both members from The Love Below half of the album, did not meet the level of success as either of its predecessors, but it became a modest-sized hit on urban radio and the American music video networks. The video for "Roses" is loosely based on the musicals West Side Story and Grease. It featured sparring 1950s-style gangs, one representing Speakerboxxx, and one representing The Love Below, likely parodying the widespread arguing among critics and fans as to which half of the album was better. The final singles were André 3000's "Prototype", which was paired with a science fiction-themed video about alien visitors, and Speakerboxxxs "Ghettomusick", which featured both members of Outkast and a sample from a song by Patti LaBelle, who also makes an appearance in the video.
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below won the 2004 Grammy for Album of the Year. OutKast was one of the headlining acts at the show, and gave two performances: Big Boi performed "The Way You Move" with the Outkast backing band during a medley with Earth Wind & Fire, George Clinton and Robert Randolph, while André 3000 performed "Hey Ya!" as the show closer after they had been presented with the Album Of The Year Award.
Originally planned for early 2005, Idlewilds release date was pushed to December 2005, before being delayed into 2006.Mitchell, Gail. Outkast's 'Idlewild' Bumped To Next Year. Billboard. Retrieved on May 10, 2010. The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart with first-week sales of 196,000 copies.Hasty, Katie. Danity Kane Sidesteps OutKast To Claim No. 1. Billboard. Retrieved on May 10, 2010. It also entered at number one on Billboard chartss Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Week of September 09, 2006. Billboard. Retrieved on May 10, 2010. at number one on the Top Rap Albums, Rap Albums – Week of September 09, 2006. Billboard. Retrieved on May 10, 2010. and at number two on the Top Digital Albums chart. Digital Albums – Week of September 09, 2006. Billboard. Retrieved on May 10, 2010. The album dropped to number seven on the Billboard 200, selling 78,000 copies in its second week.Hasty, Katie. Dylan Earns First No. 1 Album Since 1976. Billboard. Retrieved on May 10, 2010. It spent nine weeks on the Billboard 200.. Billboard. Retrieved on May 10, 2010. In the United Kingdom, Idlewild debuted at number 16 on the UK Albums Chart. Top 40 Official UK Albums Archive – 2nd September 2006. The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved on May 10, 2010. While it charted within the top-twenty in several other countries, the album spent a minimal number of weeks on most charts. Album Performance: Idlewild. Acharts.us Retrieved on May 10, 2010.. Allmusic. Retrieved on May 10, 2010. On August 26, 2006, the album was certified platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America, following shipments in excess of one million copies in the United States. Gold & Platinum: Outkast. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved on April 22, 2021. It was certified gold in sales by the Canadian Recording Industry Association in November 2006. Search Certification Database: Idlewild . Canadian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved on May 10, 2010.
The first single of the album, "Mighty 'O'", features both Big Boi and André 3000; the song takes its lyrical hook from the Cab Calloway song "Minnie the Moocher" ("Mighty-ighty-ighty O") and seems to be an example of the album's mix of hip-hop and more traditional American jazz and blues music. Next, similar to previous Outkast albums such as Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, two singles—one solely by Big Boi, the other solely by André 3000—were released simultaneously. The second single, almost exclusively featuring Big Boi, is the marching band–influenced "Morris Brown", featuring guest artists Sleepy Brown and Scar, both artists on Big Boi's Purple Ribbon label. The song's title is a reference to Atlanta's Morris Brown College, with the school's marching band providing the instrumentation.
The third single, André 3000's "Idlewild Blue (Don'tchu Worry 'Bout Me)" delves into the blues genre, complete with a blues-style acoustic guitar riff and a harmonica element reminiscent of Aquemini single "Rosa Parks". In tune with the film, Idlewild reflects OutKast's original style tempered by 1930s influences. The fourth single, "Hollywood Divorce" was released in November 2006, and features verses from Lil' Wayne and Snoop Dogg and is produced by André 3000.
André 3000 returned to rapping in 2007, after a hiatus from the genre, appearing on various , including: "Walk It Out", "Throw Some D's", "You", Jay-Z's "30 Something", and original songs such as UGK's "International Players Anthem", Devin the Dude's "What a Job", Fonzworth Bentley's "Everybody", and with Big Boi "Royal Flush" and the leaked single "Lookin For Ya". He also appeared on John Legend's album, Evolver, on the track "Green Light", which was released on October 28, 2008. Prior to the release, Benjamin commented: "It's going to be a surprise for a lot of John Legend fans, because it is a lot more upbeat than John is—than people think John is. I was actually happy to hear it. This is a cool John Legend song." Benjamin has stated that he is making a solo rap album, and that the response to his remixes is part of the motivation for it. In September 2011, it was announced that Outkast was moved to Epic Records following restructuring within Sony Music Entertainment. Epic Records is headed by LA Reid who has worked with Outkast in the past. Outkast, Ciara Headed for L.A. Reid's Epic Records, Sources Say. Billboard.biz (September 15, 2011). Retrieved on 2012-04-09. In 2012, André 3000 was cast to play Jimi Hendrix in a biopic film titled , which was later released on September 26, 2014.
At Atlanta's One MusicFest, the Dungeon Family, Goodie Mob, Organized Noise, Killer Mike, and Outkast appeared.
Outkast performed their final show at Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans on October 31, 2014. The group then resumed their hiatus.
In October 2020, it was announced that Stankonia would be reissued on October 30, 2020, to commemorate the album's 20th anniversary. The digital reissue saw the album expanded with previously unreleased remixes. The vinyl reissue features a new black and white galaxy gatefold double LP, as distributed by Vinyl Me Please.
Outkast was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2025.
One central motif of Outkast's songwriting is the duality of the two members and their differing personalities, with Big Boi as "the player" and André 3000 as "the poet". Big Boi generally covers the more conventional hip-hop topics such as his childhood in the South, sex, and partying, while André 3000 discusses more unorthodox themes. In contrast to much of hip-hop music in the late 1990s, Outkast did not tone down its Southern regional qualities, like the harmonica break on "Rosa Parks" and distinctive Atlanta slang and diction throughout. The duo experimented with several delivery styles on the record, using "relaxed, hyper, distorted, speedy and conversational presentations." Outkast often discusses the status of women in the South, and contrasts with the misogyny in hip-hop culture. In Slate, Alex Abramovich praised the duo for "tending to shy away from the misogyny and violence rap is so often (and not always unjustly) condemned for." In the book Classic Material: The Hip-Hop Album Guide, contributing author Tony Green writes that songs such as "Slum Beautiful" and "Toilet Tisha" "reimagine 'round the way girls, not only as just more than one-dimensional accessories, but as objects of affection with lives and concerns that are worth exploring."Wang, 2003. p. 133
In 2002, Outkast participated in the only Dungeon Family group album, Even in Darkness, along with Goodie Mob, Killer Mike, Sleepy Brown, Witchdoctor, and Backbone among others, and featuring Bubba Sparxxx, Shuga Luv and Mello. In 2002, the group and Killer Mike contributed the lead single "Land of a Million Drums" to the Scooby-Doo soundtrack.
On February 27, 2011, it was announced that Big Boi is creating a joint album along with Killer Mike and fellow Atlanta rapper Pill. Later that day, Big Boi posted on his Twitter account that he was mixing Killer Mike's album entitled, PL3DGE. Twitter / BigBoi: Mixing Killer Mike Album. Twitter.com (February 27, 2011). Retrieved on May 28, 2014
In 2010, André 3000 was featured on Ciara's remix for her hit single "Ride", from the album Basic Instinct. New Music: Ciara f/ André 3000 & Bei Maejor – 'Ride (Remix)'. Rap-Up.com. Retrieved on May 12, 2013. On January 14, 2011, a song with Ke$ha called "The Sleazy Remix" was leaked. Ke$ha f. Andre3000 – Sleazy Rmx | New Hip Hop Music & All The New Rap Songs 2011. HipHop DX (January 14, 2011). Retrieved on 2013-05-12. On June 7, 2011, Beyoncé's song "Party" was leaked, it features Benjamin, it is his first collaboration with the singer. It is also featured on Beyoncé's fourth studio album entitled 4 released June 24, 2011. On August 24, 2011, Lil Wayne's album Tha Carter IV leaked, featuring a song entitled "Interlude" with Benjamin and fellow rapper Tech N9ne performing. Also in 2011, André featured on Chris Browns "Deuces" remix as well as on a Lloyd song, "Dedication To My Ex (Miss That)", with Lil Wayne. In 2012, André also appeared on Drake's second album Take Care, on the song "The Real Her" which also featured Lil Wayne.
In 2012, André 3000 featured on the Gorillaz single "DoYaThing" with James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem. The song was released as a free download in February that year as part of a Converse promotion.
André 3000 was featured on Frank Ocean's 2012 album Channel Orange on the song "Pink Matter". On January 11, 2013, Big Boi appeared on a remix of the song, adding a verse before André's. In response to the added verse, André issued a statement on January 15 insisting that the track did not constitute an Outkast reunion. Andre 3000 Clears Up Rumors About 'OutKast Collaboration' (Exclusive) |. Spin.com (January 15, 2013). Retrieved on 2013-05-29. André 3000 also featured uncredited vocals on Ocean's 2016 album Blonde on the song "Solo (Reprise)" with his verse taking up majority of the track.
Phantogram revealed in an interview with Variance Magazine in February 2014 that they plan to release an EP with Big Boi. Phantogram Talks New Album, Future Big Boi Collaborations. Variancemagazine.com (February 3, 2014). Retrieved on 2014-05-28. The resulting album Big Grams was released in September 2015.
Big Boi appeared on Nick Cannon's Wild 'n Out Season 3 as one of the many guest stars, as well as guest starring and appearing as a musical guest on Chappelle's Show performing his song "The Rooster". He appeared in T.I.'s film ATL, Outkast's film Idlewild as Rooster and starring in Who's Your Caddy?. He appeared in the episode "", which aired November 18, 2008. Big Boi played hip-hop artist "Got$ Money".
The song's lyrics are virtually unrelated to Parks, except for a reference in the chorus: "Ah ha, hush that fuss / Everybody move to the back of the bus". The song, which Outkast maintained was intended partly as homage, refers to Parks metaphorically: the purpose of the song's chorus is to imply that Outkast is overturning hip-hop's old order, and that people should make way for a new style and sound. In the initial suit, the District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan at Ann Arbor granted summary judgment for Outkast.
Later on appeal, the issue of whether Outkast violated the Lanham Act for false advertising was reversed and remanded for further proceedings. This was based on the Court's determination that the title "Rosa Parks" had little artistic relevance, whether symbolic or metaphorical, to Rosa Parks the person. Parks' representation hired lawyer Johnnie Cochran to appeal the decision in 2001, but the appeal was denied. The judge ruled that while there was linkage between the song and Rosa Parks, the song was an "expressive work" and was therefore protected by the First Amendment. In 2003, the Supreme Court turned down an appeal to overrule the lower court's decision.
In December 2003, André told UK journalist Angus Batey that, following a Detroit concert in the midst of the legal battle, relatives of Parks had approached him and implied that the case had less to do with Parks than with the lawyers. In April 2005, the judge in the case appointed an impartial representative for Parks after her family expressed concerns that her caretakers and her lawyers were pursuing the case based on their own financial interest. The case was settled on 14 April 2005, with Outkast and the co-defendants, Sony BMG and its subsidiaries Arista Records and LaFace Records, admitting no wrongdoing but agreeing to develop and fund educational programs concerning Rosa Parks." Rap Group Settles Rosa Parks Lawsuit". New York Times. nytimes.com. April 15, 2005. Retrieved February 24, 2019." Rosa Parks: Biography", section "Outkast & Rosa Parks." Biography.com. A&E Television Networks. April 2, 2014; updated January 16, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
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