OutKast

Released: August 22, 2006

Songwriter: André 3000 Big Boi

Producer: André 3000

[Intro: Trumpet, Percy Jr.]
Hey Percy Jr., Percy Jr... wha-wha-what's that
What's that you playin?
Workin on somethin new
Sound like some bullshit
I mean you really think the audience is gonna appreciate that?
Well, Rooster say I can play what I wanna
No, never mind anything that Rooster tell ya
You gonna play the stuff I like, okay?

[Verse 1: André 3000]
Ain't nobody like my style, yeah
I light my fire, yeah
(I light my fire, I light my fire!)
They blow it out, yeah
(They blew it out, they blew it out!)
And don't nobody gonna feel like that, no
Monkeys on my back crawl
Now watch them all fall
Gon' fall! Look out!

[Hook One: André 3000]
Nobody wanted to dance
When I had a lot of time on my hands
Now I gotta lot of hands on my time
And everybody wanna be a friend of mine
Whoa, whoa! I wouldn't mind a friend
The fellas back home all tryna win
Moon keeps shining on bootleg bottles
Cops in the street, keep yo' feet on the throttle
Sellin' what you got, can't afford they model
Yellin, "Go PJ, go!"

[Verse 2: André 3000]
Ain't no Idle; everything is Wild, yeah
You can be here now, yeah
(Sometimes you turn around)
Be in the ground, yeah
(Or die six feet underground)
And ain't no bible at this here church, no
You won't find God, no
Might meet Him first, oh
Oh, God! Look out!

[Hook Two: André 3000]
Nobody wanted to leave
House so packed that we couldn't even breathe
And ain't no better place to fall in love
Angels sent from heaven above
Swing down! They gon' change ya life
You might make a baby, might meet ya wife
But one sure thing that you gonna say
Deep down south rustling in yo' place
Them Idlewild cats man they don't play
Don't make me send the telegram to Rooster, he'll shoot ya

[Break: Taffy]
You better come harder than that sweetie!
This ain't no mortuary!

[Verse 3: Big Boi]
And you don't wanna take it to the gat so soon
Stinkin to ya Jenkins, waiting in the upper room
Tell ya maker, say ya prayers, we some playas but you made us
Mashed potatoes, bad potato, blast you hater, blast the gator
So you might just wanna kick back and drink roots
Take hat to ya woman, relax, break loose
Cause pret' soon if she choose, she gon' walk away from you
Straight to the Rooster cause he's cock-a-doodle poo
What they do fool?
Who's tryna run a small time crap shooting
All time fat chewing, hats got the matching suit and lens
All cats pursuing, kinda wild, it's Idlewild
Time to break it on, break it on down now
Percival take it on out!

[Refrain: André 3000]
Say whoa Mammy!... whoa Mammy!
Say whoa Pappy!... whoa Pappy!
Say whoa Mammy!... whoa Mammy!
Say whoa Pappy!... whoaaa!
Everybody get up! Aww, naw, naw, naw, get down!
Everybody get up! Aww, naw, naw, naw, get down!
Everybody get up! Aww, naw, naw, naw, get down!
Everybody get up! Aww, naw, naw, naw, get down!
Everybody get up! Aww, naw, naw, naw, get down!
Everybody get up! Aww, naw, naw, naw, get down!
Everybody get up! Aww, naw, naw, naw, get down!
Everybody get up! Aww, naw, naw, naw, get down!
[Horn sounds play 'til fade]

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.

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