With songs that would forever alter the hip-hop landscape, Outkast revolutionized 90s hip-hop and helped place Atlanta on the hip-hop map. One of the essential elements of success in the rap industry, as the duo has demonstrated, is allowing oneself to adapt.
Andre “3000” Benjamin and Antwan “Big Boi” Patton, two rappers from Atlanta who started Outkast while still in high school, were the group’s founding members.
The pair continued to perform and eventually released six albums. They are recognized as one of the greatest hip-hop groups to ever originate from Atlanta.
We list the five Outkast albums in this article in order of best to worst, starting with the worst. Continue reading, listening, and likely sharing your opinion of these outstanding albums with us.
1. Aquemini
Many Outkast fans would likely tell you that Aquemini is the album that made them become rabid Outkast fans if you ask them. Aquemini was a rap high point of the 1990s, a decade that saw several hip-hop peaks.
The album showed that Atlanta could produce good hip-hop music in addition to the East and West Coasts, which had previously dominated the genre. The 1998 album, which explores topics like relationships, human nature, and addiction, was released.
Numerous performers who would frequently enter and leave the studio during the album’s recording process affected it. Big Boi referred to the album’s live instrumentation, which includes guitars and pianos, as being highly experimental. Critics praised the album highly, with Steve Huey of AllMusic calling it “a stroke of brilliance.”
2. ATLiens
ATliens, the second studio album released by Outkast, not only demonstrated how the pair had progressed but also compelled hip-hop to advance. This album addresses a variety of topics, one of which is the duo’s existence in the city as hustlers.
Additionally, the album mixes aspects of gospel and dub music into its songs. The album received positive reviews from critics, who praised the album’s lyrical substance and praised its fantastic songs, such as “Jazzy Belle” and “Elevators (Me and You).”
It is generally agreed upon that ATLiens is one of the best hip-hop albums of all time, and it debuted at position two on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States.
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3. Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik
Unquestionably a classic and a turning point in southern rap, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik is still in existence today. When the album was released in 1994, the group made a statement about what it was like for African Americans to live in Southern suburbia.
The album, which contained repeating songs and Southern vernacular, was created when Big Boi and Dre were still teenagers. The album featured several successes, reached its high on the US Billboard 200 chart at position 20, and was given the platinum certification a year after it was released.
The songs on the album are enjoyable to listen to, and the majority of them have found a home in the ears and hearts of rap lovers. The duo’s debut single, “Players Ball,” which has since become one of their signature tunes, was a genuine hit.
The album’s lead single, with its streetwise Southern sound and universally relatable lyrics, also enjoyed substantial popularity. With its devastating lyrics, “Git Up, Git Out” turned out to be the duo’s most memorable piece on the album and demonstrated their maturation.
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4. Speakerboxx
It was never going to be easy to surpass Stankonia, especially at a time when the future of the band was in doubt. As a double album, Speakerboxx was released in September 2003. Its two hours are divided between the duo’s separate LPs. P-funk and Southern hip-hop influences were combined on the album.
Big Boi has consistently been the group’s underappreciated member, but with this album, we witnessed him mature and stand on his own. Big Boi invited other Atlanta rookies like Lil Jon and Ludacris, making the album a really Atlanta event.
Some excellent songs may be found on Big Boi’s side, like “I Like The Way You Move,” which includes Sleep Brown and has amazing street rhyme lyrics of a very high caliber.
Dre, on the other hand, explored themes of love and relationships while also performing instruments on his side, which was much more experimental. At the 2004 Grammy Awards, the album took home the Best Rap Album Grammy Award, and the song “Hey Ya!” received Best Urban Alternative Performance.
5. Stankonia
Outkast didn’t have much to prove by the time they released this album. They demonstrated their knowledge of hip-hop on the record. The album, which was released in 2000, stayed committed to hip-hop while also portraying a lighthearted view of contemporary American culture.
Newer musicians like Kanye West and Janelle Monae contributed experimental rock and rave-inspired sounds to the album. Stankonia, the duo’s final collaboration album rather than their combined solo albums, was jam-packed with hits.
The excellent chemistry between Dr. Dre and Big Boi is audible throughout the song. BOB, a politically motivated song with fiery vocals and swashbuckling guitars that gave the impression that the pair was trying to challenge the hip-hop formula, appeared on the album.
Ms. Jackson, a song about Dr. Dre’s breakup with his reported girlfriend Erykah Badu, was the album’s most well-liked track. One of the best hip-hop albums ever made is considered to be Stankonia since it stood out on its own.