Released: September 29, 1998

Songwriter: Big Boi André 3000

Producer: OutKast

[Intro: Big Boi & André 3000]
Yuh
Uh-huh

[Chorus: André 3000]
Even the Sun goes down, heroes eventually die
Horoscopes often lie
And sometimes, "Y"
Nothing is for sure, nothing is for certain
Nothing lasts forever, but until they close the curtain
(Y'all know)
It's him and I: Aquemini

[Break: Big Boi]
Yeah

[Verse 1: Big Boi]
Now is the time to get on—like Spike Lee said, "Get on the Bus"
Go get your work and keep your beeper chirping—it's a must
Is you on that dust or corn starch? Familiar with that smack, man?
The music is like that green stuff provided to you by sack-man
Pacman, how in the fuck you think we gon' do that, man?
Riding round Old National on eighteens without no gat, man
I'm strapped, man, and ready to bust on any nigga like that, man
Me and my nigga, we roll together like Batman and Robin
We prayed together through hard times, swung hard when it was fitting
But now, we tapping the brakes from all them corners that we be bending
In Volkswagens and Bonnevilles, Chevrolets and Coupe de Villes
If you ain't got no rims, nigga, don't get no wood-grain steering wheel, for real (Real)
You can go on and chill out and still build
Let your paper stack 'stead of going into overkill
And pay your fuckin' beeper bill, bitch

[Break: Big Boi & André 3000]
Yeah
Yuh, yuh (Yeah)

[Chorus: André 3000]
Even the Sun goes down, heroes eventually die
Horoscopes often lie
And sometimes, "Y"
Nothing is for sure, nothing is for certain
And nothing lasts forever, but until they close the curtain
It's him and I: Aquemini

[Verse 2: André 3000]
Twice upon a time, there was a boy who died
Lived happily ever after, but that's another chapter
Live from "home of the brave," with dirty dollars
Beauty parlors, baby ballers, bowling-ball Impalas
Street scholars, majoring in culinary arts—
You know, how to work bread, cheese, and dough from scratch
But, see, the catch is you can get caught
Know what you selling, what you bought, so cut that big talk
Let's walk to the bridge—meet me halfway
Now you may see some children dead off in the pathway
It's them poor babies walking slowly to the candy lady
It's looking bad—
Need some hope like the words "maybe," "if," or "probably"
More than a hobby
When my turntables get wobbly, they don't fall
I'm sorry, y'all, I often drift—I'm talking gift
So when it comes, you never look the horse inside its grill
Of course, you know I feel like the bearer of bad news
Don't want to be it, but it's needed, so what have you?
Now, question: Is every nigga with dreads for the cause?
Is every nigga with golds for the fall?
Naww, so don't get caught up in appearance
It's OutKast, "Aquemini": another Black experience

[Break: André 3000]
Okay

[Chorus: André 3000]
Even the Sun goes down, heroes eventually die
Horoscopes often lie
And sometimes, "Y"
Nothing is for sure, nothing is for certain
Nothing lasts forever, but until they close the curtain
It's him and I: Aquemini

[Verse 3: Big Boi]
The name is Big Boi, Daddy Fat Sax, the nigga that like them Cadillacs
I stay down with these streets 'cause these streets is where my folks at
Better know that, some say we pro-Black, but we professional
We missed a lot of church, so the music is our confessional
Get off the testicles and the nutsacks, you bust 'round, we bust back
G—Get back for real niggas that's out here tryna spit facts
You 'ear that? You can't come near that, maybe you need to quit (Quit)
Because "Aquemini" is Aquarius and the Gemini running shit
Like this, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

[Verse 4: André 3000]
My mind warps and bends, floats the wind, count to ten
Meet the twin, André Ben', welcome to the lion's den
Original skin, many men comprehend
I extend myself, so you go out and tell a friend
Sin all depends on what you believing in
Faith is what you make it—that's the hardest shit since MC Ren
Alien can blend right on in with your kin
Look again, 'cause I swear, I spot one every now and then
It's happening again, wish I could tell you when
"André, this is André, y'all are just gon' have to make amends"

[Chorus: André 3000]
Even the Sun goes down, heroes eventually die
Horoscopes often lie
And sometimes, "Y"
Nothing is for sure, nothing is for certain
And nothing lasts forever, but until they close the curtain
It's him and I: Aquemini

[Skit: André 3000]
Master: Finally, Igor! We've done it, we've done it!
Igor: Yes, master! Yes, master!
Master: Igor, we've done it!
Both: Uh-oh
(*Woman screaming*)

OutKast

Atlanta, Georgia natives André “André 3000” Benjamin and Antwan “Big Boi” Patton are OutKast, one of the most successful rap groups of all time. Along with the production crew Organized Noize and the Dungeon Family collective, André and Big Boi helped popularize and expand the sound of rap in the “Dirty South.”

The duo connected at Tri-Cities High School and after the names “2 Shades Deep” or “The Misfits” didn’t work out, they went with OutKast as a synonym of “misfit.” They signed to LaFace Records in 1992 prior to finishing high school and their first official appearance came on a remix to TLC’s hit single “What About Your Friends.” This led into their debut single “Player’s Ball” being released in 1993 and their debut album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik following in 1994. They had a pivotal moment early in their career as they were named New Artist of the Year at the 1995 Source Awards, leading them to be booed by the New York crowd and André responding with his iconic “The South got somethin' to say.”

Their next two albums, ATLiens (1996) and Aquemini (1998), have sparked debates as to which album is superior. ATLiens saw the duo begin to produce their own music and increase their profile while Aquemini received a perfect “5 Mic” rating from The Source magazine. Their next album, Stankonia (2000), further solidified their superstar status with the hit singles “B.O.B.,” “So Fresh, So Clean” and “Ms. Jackson,” which won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group while Stankonia won a Grammy in the Best Rap Album category.