There isn’t a group or duo in hip hop better than Outkast. There isn’t a more consistent act or even a more outstanding act than Andre 3000 and Big Boi. Bad music isn’t in their repertoire; neither is lackluster, lazy, boring, or unpolished. The fact is: Outkast is the greatest act in hip hop history, bar none. Sure, it seems like a bold statement, acts like De La Soul, Tribe, EPMD, Gangstarr, and Wu Tang might contend, but given the resume, the consistency, and the quality of Outkast, it is a contest they win.
With all that said comes one of the best albums to ever hit the hip hop shelves: ATLiens. A front to back gem that includes top notch production from the extremely underrated production team, Organized Noize, as well as Earthtone III. Even though this album did debut fairly high on the charts, it wasn’t until Stankonia that the group got the recognition that they truly deserved since 1994. The production is necessarily diverse ranging from the Cadillac cruising “Two Dope Boyz”, to the mellow story of “Jazzy Belle”, to the jazzy spaced out “Mainstream”. The album touches plenty of topics, which displays the range that Big Boi and Andre have. Rarely can a group make it look so easy (if you look at some of my past reviews, my biggest issue is that they do not focus on one particular area, but rather, float all over the place).
The title track is an outstanding joint that provides one of the most unique beats hip hop has heard. It also shows the two trading punches and matching each other verse for verse making all other emcees foam at the mouth because of how flawless it all is. Lines like “I’m cooler than a polar bears toenail” and “My oral illustration be like clitoral stimulation” are punchlines rappers like Fabolous and Jeezy dream of. The heat continues with “Elevators”, which shows Andre and Big Boi speaking of their rise (or drop?) to fame via hip hop’s elevators. The last verse by Andre is considered to be one of the best he’s dropped. “Wailin” is a 2 minute lyrical slaughterfest that is clear, concise, and to the point. It might pass you by at first, but those two verses will have you rewinding for days.
“Ova Da Wudz” and “Two Dope Boyz” display Andre and Big Boi as aggressive emcees, but on the contrary, this entire album is rather laid back with fierce lyricism. It is great to hear the ying and the yang of Outkast. The pimp hand that Big Boi holds and the magical wand that is held by Andre allow Outkast to distribute the best that can possibly be delivered. It provides for an explosion of flavour in the ears of listeners, but it all combines into one hearty and wholesome meal.
The Dungeon Family is all over this album, which may be the only negative. Ideally, Andre would be on “Decatur Psalm” and more Andre would appear on “Mainstream”. The Dungeon Family held their own, but there can never be enough Andre 3000. This leads to somewhat of an overload of guest appearances towards the end of the album over great production that Big Boi and Andre should be ripping apart on their own.
All in all, it is great to go back and review this album because it allows everything to sink back in. Buff1, during an interview with Kevin, stated that he felt that ATLiens is the best album ever. You know what Buff, you just might be correct. We value Andre so much more now because he does not rap as much (and when he does…wow), and we are able to appreciate Big Boi now, because while every rapper might attempt the same lyrical content that he lays out, none can pull it off like he can. We also appreciate Outkast more because we know that this chemistry is unparalleled any other pair. Rarely are listeners treated to one dynamic MC for an hour, so adding another MC will only encourage eargasms. With that said, kings do ride Cadillac’s.
Overall Score: 93.5/100
Standout Tracks:
ATLiens
Wailin
Two Dope Boyz
Millenium
{ 45 comments… read them below or add one }
I must say I have never heard this entire album. This came out when I was giving my unwavering support to NY hip-hop. With that being said I did like the elevators joint. Outkast is definitely one of the most innovative groups in hip-hop history. right now i’m pumpin their morris brown joint which i thought was a slept on classic.
Earlier outkast was dope, but stankonia and especially Big Boi’s side of the double joint was trash. Can’t hold a torch to Public Enemy, Pete & CL, or of course the Wu
Bags, I think the fact that this album for me was such a standout amongst a New York dominated era in hip hop was another big deal why I put it amongst hip hop’s elite. It was a statement. I don’t think it is up for debate, but if people want to attribute the South’s rise to a particular album or time… I’ll point right at this album
Trapper,
What didn’t you like about Speakerboxx? Usually, I hear the opposite and people can’t digest the Andre which is understandable. Big Boi shined all over SBxx though, his skills were first on display and not being overlooked.
To say they ‘cant hold a torch’ is another bold statement. And Pete and CL have dropped 2 albums and dismantled, can’t say too much about their Chemistry away from the studio can it? And Wu… I made a discussion topic the other day that explained why Wu Tang as a clique is not better than Outkast as a group.
Considering that most of the lp’s you would measure up to Outkast’s Discog come from one artist (GFK), its silly. Its silly to compare a band of 9 members, to a duo, and even so I still think the duo wins.
“Buff1, during an interview with Kevin, stated that he felt that ATLiens is the best album ever. You know what Buff, you just might be correct.”
I’d have to agree with this statement, or at least say it’s top 3 all time. Friends of mine know that ATLiens has been one of my favorite albums ever, and I have been a huge NY/WU head since 93-95. Front to back, this album is a conceptual masterpiece. The depth of lyricism is unattainable by standards held today in the industry, and the flow and delivery were perfect with the backdrop laid out by the genius orchestration for the concept album.
I guarantee that if you give the album two good listens (once to absorb the overall feel and the second to focus on the depth of the lyrics), you will be hooked. Hands down. Great review Deez!!
Deez I plan on purchasing ATLiens 2day to give it a listen. From my time fully supporting NY hip-hop I have opened my mind 2 other hip-hop artists I get that hip-hop has grown. Feel you on speakerboxx/love below. That lp really was good. I applaud 3stacks for taking the risks he did and big boi is a great maker of music. After all it won record of the yr at the grammy’s which validated hip-hop to the wine and cheese crowd per se. You really can’t front on the consistency Outkast has shown. Most hip-hop artists are 1-2 lp’s and outta here.
Great to hear Bags.. I hope the review helped influence your purchase. I’m pretty sure they still will give you the comic within the booklet too. Great story.
and no.. Outkast is timeless… and every LP they do will be solid, that is a given
Very solid review Deez! I have to admit that I have never really given the album a true listen. I’m a NY hip hop head and have slept on most stuff coming out of the south, with the exception of the Carolinas now. I do bump Outkast’s compilation LP, but have never really experienced ATLiens.
Think I’ll go out and cop this one too and give it a spin!
Deez your review did influence me. You’ve been on point on all your other reviews
Nice review. For me, it’s Jazzy Belle & Elevators, but like you said, front to back it’s solid. To those new to Outkast, or a bit behind, check out the first LP, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. That one will never get enough rotation.
No i’m comparing the Wu as a group albums collectively. Enter The Wu, Wu-Tang Forever, The W. I didn’t care for the production on Big Boi’s side. CL & Pete dropped non-debatable classics though. Stankonia was horrible, I was dissapointed
Now I again repeat, this was their best album to me followed by Aquemini
Trapper:
“Stankonia was horrible, I was disappointed”
This almost made me cry
And sure, if you wanna do Wu collectible albums, I think you are only making it easier for Outkast to win
Wu have put out 1 Classic, one debatable classic, a bunch of mediocre albums and a really bad one.
But to each’s own.. sort of
You think stankonia was dope? Wu-Tang Forever is a debatable classic, who can debate that it wasn’t? The W & Iron Flag are far better albums than Stankonia
Deez picked up that ATLiens joint. I gave it one listen to get a feel for music. I’ll give you my honest opinion after I listen to it again.
One of the best hip hop albums period!! Remember it like yesterday came out summer of 96′ before the album dropped you couldn’t go anywhere without somebody bumpin’ Elevators. My brother to this day still has the cassette single of the Jazzy Belle remix!!
To jump into this Wu/Kast convo I have to agree with Trapper Stankonia was wack!! Wu-Tang Forever was wayyyy better! Everyone knows it’s hard to follow up a classic and they did and with a double album. Outkast put out 2 classic albums, 1 mediocre alubm, 3 bad ones Stankonia, the whole double album thing maybe some people are into the sound they were going for not for me though and Idlewild.
Greatest group of all time though is RUN-DMC!!! If it wasn’t for them there would be no Outkast!
lol… These comments are giving me a migraine. THREE bad albums?
How is Stankonia bad? It has some of their best work on it. BOB, Ms. Jackson, Gasoline Dreams, Humble Mumble amongst others. Not only that, I’m pretty sure it was one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the year:
“It was critically well-received, obtaining high marks from publications such as Rolling Stone and The Onion. It was also voted as the best album of the year in The Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics poll and it was ranked 23 in Spin’s “100 Greatest Albums, 1985-2005″. In 2003, the album was ranked number 359 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. In 2006, Time magazine named Stankonia as one of the 100 best albums of all time.”
I really have no idea where this is coming from. I’m more or less stunned at the Stankonia hate. And Jayski, while RUN DMC’s legacy is timeless, they’re music making isn’t. Their style would not bode well now and would be much too simplistic. Even back then, they were edgy, but at the same time very trendy. They had no competition and it was easy for them to be the best. Rev Run or DMC wouldn’t be top 10 lyricists either, where as both of these MC’s possibly could qualify easily.
I feel your pain, Deez! Stankonia was and still is the shiznit! But the question really is: How can you guys even compare an Outkast album to a Wu joint? They are like day and night! Sure, it all falls into the same genre, but I’m sure everyone will agree that the styles are very, very different! And don’t pretend ya’ll weren’t screaming : “I’m sorry Ms.Jackson,…” at the top of your lungs while you were out with with the goons getting drunk!
One Mic over and out!
OK Deez I gave ATLiens three listens and It is a classic album. While listning though I started to think about (if you will) mainstream rap. Most of today’s hip-hop I just can’t get into a bunch of today’s artists are just oversaturated i.e. lil wayne and the like I tried to give a lot of these artists a fair and objective listen but I just can’t get into them. I mean how many remixes or guest spots can you get on.
I am a old head i’m 44 but I still love hip-hop music. I’m just waiting for the next shift in our genre however, when it come to artists thats out now I really like Bun B’s music RIP Pimp C.
Just want to give ONE MIC some props I enjoyed all the remixes you did in the remix contests
i was listening to my outkast albums yesterday, and i think you’re right about they being consistent. Every album they released was awesome, even the not so great Idlewild. Andre 3000 is for sure, one of the top 3 best mc’s alive. Great review
, i would love to see more outkast here ^^
Thanks, bags. That means a lot to me! There is some more coming!
How can Andre be top 3 and he drops a couple 16’s a year? BOB was wack, just because it’s diff. doesn’t make it dope. The Wu has legendary status that can’t be matched. You can go beat for beat or song for song and the Wu smashes Outkast and this is coming from a guy living in the South and loved the earlier Outkast, but when I heard the Wu it was a wrap
I can’t see how BOB is wack…
how can Rakim be one of the best ever if he hasn’t dropped anything in the last 5-6 years? How can Nas be the greatest if he hasn’t matched the potential of his debut album? etc etc
I can’t support some of these absurd statements… but thanks for reading the review
Whoa,Whoa Deez! I’m a Outkast fan,and they’ve had more hits than misses,but let’s not talk bad about RAKIM!!!!!!! He was before his time and is the true meaning of an emcee.He has legandary status!!!! If he never rhymes again,his lyrics have been prolific.His style of flow will still match up to todays flavor.20 years later,you still have kids paying homage to his work!
I agree with S.T.T.R.E.S.S., Rakim was ahead of his time. Andre has had one solo album, majority of singing, if you want to call it that. Nas Untitled was better than you rated it. Nas is top 5 period. Outkast hasn’t left a mark up to par with Nas, Rakim, or the Wu
Outkast is a very good, not great group. I say not great because on their best albums Big Boi was thoroughly outshined by Andre and when he stepped his game up was around the time Andre started dressing like a sharecropper
And called himself singing or whatever!
I didnt want to turn this review into a debate.I’m a Nas head since he rocked on Live at the BBQ and I have EVERYONE of his albums,but i’m with Deez on this one.Trapperjohn,if you are a true Nas fan,then you will know that this was the most dissapointing album that Nas ever made.I’m sorry,but you cant just sell albums off of lyrical content,especially nowadays.You got to have some good production to keep a crowd that dont know you as well,in place,long enough,to hear what you have to say.Case in point.Go and look up a song by suzanne vega-toms diner.this song was done by a folk singer,but it was one of the hottest songs out at the time in urban music.My point is,if she wouldnt have brought the heat with the beat,nobody that likes hip hop would have took the time to hear what she was saying.Yo Deez,keep doing your thing,critics are a part of the game.
Peace!
S.T.T.R.E.S.S I’m with you on this. I’m a huge Nas fan however I haven’t been happy with Nas’ choices of production on his last few Lp’s. He’s had some good cuts but no keep the whole cd in the player joints in a minute.
*head explodes*
I’m gonna try real hard to avoid a lot of opinions that I just want to attack and I’ll be good for now. But this debate made me get to work on another piece.
And stop acting like whenever Andre drops a verse that it isn’t the best of the year, because all 5 of the verses he dropped last year were verse of the year material.
Oh no doubt Andre has skills, but you can’t be considered in the greatest and you’ve haven’t a RAPPING CD. I thought debates were good? In the end the Wu or PE are the greatest. They have had the greatest influence in rap history. Stankonia was just that Stank!
Deez I have no prob with 3stacks he’s legit. I like the chances he takes with his music and he’s been successful with that. Who else in hip-hop would’ve made a Hey ya’and made it work.
Thanks Deez for the time you put into your reviews I enjoy reading them and they shed a different light on artists.
Run DMC had a huge influence. Doesn’t mean I’d put them in my top 5 trio’s of all time.
Influence doesn’t necessarily mean good. A guy made lead the way because he speaks first in the class, but the 4 people after him speak more coherently, technically, and poetically than he did. So who’s better?
Don’t get influence and skill confused, PE are great, but did they really ever expand beyond politics? They were more or less experts in that field. I’m not gonna say Wu isn’t a great group, because they are, but when you have 6 out of 9 rappers who are dope, you still have 3 mediocre mc’s remaining, does that not take quality away? And its not like their discography is impressive. Frankly, a lot of people NEEDED 8 Diagrams because that has been their best album since Forever, its not like they were dropping ridiculous heat between that time span. Any Wu head will be the first to admit the albums in between were soft, because a lot of them as solo artist sucked ie. Method Man, at that time.
Apparently you are in the minority with Stankonia, it was one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the year be just about everyone. To whoever said BOB was ass, REALLY got on my nerves:
“be whatchu wanna be
Long as you know consequences, to give and for livin’
The fence is too high to jump in jail
Too low to dig, I might just touch hell
HOT! Get a life, now they on sale
Then I might cast you a spell, look at what came in the mail
A scale and some Arm and Hammer, soul gold grill and some baby mama
Black Cadillac and a pack of pampers
Stack of question with no answers
Cure for cancer, cure for AIDS
Make a nigga wanna stay on tour for days
Get back home, things are wrong
Well not really it was bad all along
before he left adds up, to a ball of power
Thoughts at a thousands miles per hour
Hello, ghetto, let your brain breathe,
believe there’s always more, ahhhhh!”
yeah, terrible
Wow, hostility, hostility! Lol Let’s state the facts:
1. ATLiens was a CLASSIC album. (In my top 5 all time personally)
2. Outkast, Wu and PE are contenders for top 3 groups as far as outreach, content and longevity (order obviously up for debate lol)
3. Deez gives us solid reviews that spark mad interest in the given topic.
Thanks for bringing light to one of my favorite albums Deez, and I can’t wait for future reviews!
This discussion has really gotten amazing. I really hadn’t expected a review of an album that over a decade old to cause so much debate. Honestly I think the comparisons between Outkast and the Wu-Tang are crazy. They are two totally different groups… like comparing apples to oranges. Run-DMC? I guess a little closer, but still too different genres of hip hop.
Here’s a comparison up for debate… Outkast and Kids In The Hall. I’m not saying Kids In the Hall are in any sort of league close to Outkast, but some could call KITH sort of a new school Outkast. Who else has Outkast paved the way for?
I will say that Outkast was definitely one of a couple of groups that paved the way for the dirty south,and especially for ATL.There’s a big possibility that there wouldnt be a southern movement like it is,without one of the hardest hitting albums to come out to break open the regional barriers:Southernplayalistic!!!!That album was so hot,you couldnt help but love it,and really before that,i swore to up north hip hop,on the real!!If i can remember correctly,it was only 2 groups that were repping the south that hard.Outkast,which was putting it down for ATL and MJG & Eightball,which was repping Memphis.
What 3 are mediocre? I’m assuming you will say U GOD, who has maybe the best individual lyrics spit on their albums(i.e.-Triumph and Black Jesus). I agree he’s lost his mind lately, but he spit hard on the albums. Masta Killa, both of his albums are dope, especially No Said Date, a definite banger. Who’s the third, Cappadonna, who’s first in Winter Warz is arguably one of the best spit lyrics in history. His first CD was dope also.
Interesting debate I might say!
I Meant Verse
I’m a hip hop head thats been in the game when ppl was home on fridays using bent wire coat hangers in their boomboxes for antennas. Went from that to mixtapes w/ my ppl to now being a historian… and I honestly like experiencing Outkast is just like experiencing De La, Tribe, Wu, PE, Gang Starr and Cypress Hill. You cant fairly compare any of these groups ( or a numbers of the groups from back in the day) because they were “broadcasting” individual statements. No A-alikes. It makes no use for me to hold any sort of order of favorite emcees because I will be naming for days. For example, Rakim, KRS, Pharoah, Andre 3000, QTip, Posdonus, Ras Kass, Ice Cube, MC Ren, Sadat X, Black Thought, Mad Skillz, Phonte, Ghostface, GZA. Would you like me to keep on….. Big Gipp, Cee Lo, Nas, Raekwon, Freddie Foxxx(Bumpy Knuckles), Mos Def( he has been in the game earlier than many even know…remember the group UrbanThermoDynamics- Pay day Records), Redman, M.O.P, Busta, Craig Mack, Biggie, Souls of Mischief.
What I’m getting at is that each MC served their own purpose. An outright Top 5,10 or 20 wouldn’t work.
And the awkward thing about me is I’m in the center of Georgia, a little spot called Macon, Ga, home of Otis Redding, James Brown, yeah I said it James Brown. Geography ain’t the issue either ppl, its where your head is at.
Deez, a dope song isn’t just the lyrics, something that you clearly stated when mentioning Nas. The track wasn’t banging!
Reggie, great post my man, I agree entirely from a different perspective. I am a man of absolutes though, but I totally see your perspective
Trapper on the other hand….
Yo Deez very well written review. I liked the way you pointed out that it was masterpiece that was laid back with fierce lyricism. Dre and Big Boi dropped a lot of knowledge. “they dont feel like marching cause they shoes is over run” is deep on so many levels. This was one of those albums that really makes you think about life deeply. Truly a great album. One of the best ever in hip hop.
Now there is a lot of controversy sorrounding your statements. I think you wilded out by sayin that Wu only have 1 classic. Damn son the solos have to count in their catalog cause those were Wu albums too. Even with the group projects they were on another level. The level of intelligence the Wu brought to hip hop was enough to help cats graduate college just by studying the references they made. They were a lot more aggressive and ignorant but thats what made the knowledge they dropped more interesting.
The same way you defend Stankonia and the Love below/spaekerboxx is the same way heads defend the W ( i see you goon good looking out for the set ), Wu Tang forever and Iron flag. I aint trying to get you to change your mind on what you like ( you know my policy about that ) But the Wu put in way too much work in this rap shit to be played like that.
Anyway dope review still. It actually has me about pop the cd in the system again to bump it.
One
Don’t get me wrong, ATLiens is a jam. But where is the Aquemini Love? Aquemini is hands down the greatest OutKast album, and possibly top 10 hip hop albums ever made. Stankonia is the shit, but that was when Dre and Big Boi started doing their own thing. If ATLiens gets a 93.5 (well deserved), Aquemini should be a 95+.