Two of our youth broadcasters, V. Rizzy and Ander Dingus, are sharing the legacy of Outkast. This episode looks at how Big Boi and Andre 3000 pushed past East and West Coast traditions to help define the sound of Southern hip hop. From early releases to stand out tracks like Ms. Jackson and So Fresh, So Clean V Rizzy and Ander Dingus share their personal favorites, while reflecting on the group’s lasting influence.
Transcript:
0:02: Hello, this is DJ Ander Dingus, and I’m DJ V Rizzi, and you’re listening to KXCI Bonus Tracks.
0:12: And today we’re going to be talking about a hip hop group called Outkast.
music sample: (0:33) Outkast- Hey Ya , Speakerboxxx/The Love Below 2003 Arista Records
0:23: Outkast is arguably one of the most influential hip hop groups ever.
0:27: East and West hip hop groups both seem to have different tastes in music.
0:31: Outkast, unlike many other hip hop groups, had a very unique sound.
0:36: They were kind of making music beyond the generation that they were in.
0:46: Big Boi and André 3000 were both 16 years old when they formed in 1992 and met in Atlanta, Georgia.
0:53: Two years later, releasing their first album, which was immediately a hit.
0:57: I think the song named after the album Southernplaylisticadillacmuzik, was the best song in that album.
1:04: It had a good beat, but almost a jazzy feel.
music sample: (0:29) Outkast Southernplaylistcadillacmuzik 1994 Arista Records
1:28: Hi, this is DJ V Rizzy.
1:30: Before Outkast, rap music was dominated by the West and the East Coast rappers.
1:35: When Outkast made the music, it had a new rhythm.
1:38: You can truly tell the difference, especially with the vocals.
1:41: One thing I’ve noticed is that the vocals of André 3000 are at a much higher pitch than the East and West Coast rappers such as Tupac and Notorious BIG.
1:52: This is perfectly demonstrated in Ms. Jackson.
music sample: (0:33) Outkast- Ms. Jackson , Stankonia 2000 Arista Records
2:16: My personal favorite song from Outkast’s 3rd album is Rosa Parks.
music sample: (0:33) Outkast- Rosa Parks, Aquemini 2000 Arista Records
2:31: And from their 4th album, I like so fresh, so clean.
music sample: (0:33) Outkast- So Fresh, So Clean, Stankonia 2000 Arista Records
2:41: If I were to describe outcast music as food, I would say it is like a tasty sour candy.
2:49: This is DJ Andrew Dingus.
2:51: One of the most influential moments in Outcast history was the 1995 Source Speech Awards, where André 3000 famously said, “the South got something to say”, which was some legendary words against the hate on Southern hip hop artists.
3:07: I really like the song Love Below, even though it’s not a song I would typically like.
3:11: It seems to find a way through different sounds and vibes.
music sample: (1:28) Outkast-The Love Below, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below 2003 Arista Records
3:24: These men expanded hip hop more than I could imagine through bringing the South into hip hop and bringing different genres of music and combining it into one crazy thing.
4:01: They revolutionized rap and opened pathways for new artists and to think they were just teenagers.
4:08: You’re listening to KXCI Bonus Tracks.
4:12: Thank you.
———————————————————————————————————–
