OutKast

Released: August 22, 2006

Songwriter: Big Boi Mr. DJ Slimm Jim

Producer: Slimm Jim Mr. DJ

[Intro]
"Can I dance?" {*echoes*}
[Unfamiliar voice]
Awww shit {*echoes*}
{*whispered*} Big Boi! Big Boi!

[Verse 1: Big Boi]
What if everything you ever knew or known was lost?
The knees'll tend to freeze you when you gatherin yo' thoughts
You pause for the cause, try to recall and remember
But the train is in reverse and the caboose is in the center
Cause ya mind ain't free
Constricted by the muthafuckin boundaries, an ounce of weed
Or a pound of 'dro couldn't place you on the planet where I'm transmitting
Life from Bro, Bra, bruh, Brother, Bro-ham
Cadillac on vogues, strike a pose, then the door slam
Wham nigga, wham! Don't they say that in their show, dad?
Fo' sho' man, you acting like a tadpole out of gonads
You know OutKast the truth, hit the booth, be makin' more jams
Spreading strawberry preserves on ya nervous program
(Fuck the learning curve) We took our ramp to No Man's Land
Hello? Is anybody home? Is anybody giving dome?
Serve me up, I want some

[Hook]
Buggface, toe jam
(Frown ya face up, cause we don't give a jam)
Jam to the jam, go jelly to the jam
(Imagine me not jamming, shove it up ya monkey jam)

Buggface, toe jam
(Frown ya face up, cause we don't give a jam)
Jam to the jam, go jelly to the jam
(Imagine me not jamming, shove it up ya monkey jam)

[Verse 2: Big Boi]
When I'm left alone, I get to thinkin to myself
The mind is a terrible thing to waste, so use it 'til none left
Like everything is alright, clearly tight to def
I can see clearly now, analyzing every step (step)
Clearly you can feel me cause it's beating through yo' chest (chest)
And you can see me clearly through the window, paint drip but wet
With no tint, not deject.. clearly I'm a vet
And not no veterinarian but clearly pit bulls are the best (are the best, are the best)
Like the O.U.T.K.A.S. clearly nigga you know the rest
And if you actin like ya don't, then clearly nigga you tryna test
Crystal clearly I confess and I suggest you clear the runway
Cause the ticket is a one-way, (clearly) back we won't be coming
Bugg!

[Hook]
Buggface, toe jam
(Frown ya face up, cause we don't give a jam)
Jam to the jam, go jelly to the jam
(Imagine me not jamming, shove it up ya monkey jam)

Buggface, toe jam
(Frown ya face up, cause we don't give a jam)
Jam to the jam, go jelly to the jam
(Imagine me not jamming, shove it up ya monkey jam)

[Outro]
"Can I dance?" {*echoes*}
Oh shit, Bamboo! You gonna break.. get outta here, you 'bout to break somethin!
(Stop!) Y'all just playing around now.. y'all just playing around
Come on Cross! (what?) You can hear the music from there

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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