OutKast

Released: August 27, 1996

Songwriter: André 3000 Big Boi Organized Noize

Producer: Organized Noize

[Intro]
Greetings, earthlings

[Verse 1: Big Boi]
From the bottom of my lungs a nigga be blowing
Spitting his game
Coming up on ya from the South, the A-T-Liens ain't changed
Cooler than most players claim to be
A nigga that's from the A-Town see
The home of the Bankhead Bounce
Campbellton Road and other city streets
Enough of the verality, fallacy, butter we speak not fiction
Speaking of pulling yo girl looking at Jheri curls you bitches
Everytime I rhyme for y'all, I'm looking to prove a point
Kicking a freestyle every now and then
But mostly off the joint
See I smoke good cause see it go good wit them flows, bwoi
The nigga the B-I-G like Tony Rich nobody knows why
But me and my folks, cause y'all niggas jokes like the Joker
I'm sick of these wack ass rappers like I'm tired of hoes in chokers

[Hook: André 3000 & Peaches]
Who them boys that be having it crunk every occasion
This side niggas dusting, that side niggas lacing
But in the middle we stay calm, we just drop bombs
Asking where we come from? South Coast slums
It's just two dope boys in a cadillac
It's just two dope boys in a cadillac

[Verse 2: André 3000]
This ol' sucka MC stepped up to me
Challenged André to a battle and I stood there patiently
As he spit and stumbled over cliches, so called freestyling
Whole purpose just to make me feel low, I guess you wilding
I say, "Look, boy, I ain't for that fuck shit—so fuck this"
"Let me explain 'only child' style so you don't dis'"
I grew up to myself not round no park bench
Just a nigga busting flows off in apartments

[Hook: André 3000 & Peaches]
Now who them boys that be having it crunk every occasion
This side niggas dusting, that side niggas lacing
But in the middle we stay calm, we just drop bombs
Asking where we come from? South Coast slums
It's just two dope boys in a cadillac
It's just two dope boys in a cadillac

[Verse 3: Big Boi]
It goes Broughams to the Fleetwoods, Coupes to De Villes
Hitting Girbauds and off these flows we having the playa chill
In this atmosphere this ain't no practice here
We cutting the fool now
I'm doing ya at the house and throwing you out because I'm through now
Don't you love the way we claiming Bankhead, stankhead
Looking around the SWATS for the herb that's never tainted
Fainted when you heard the burban serving on the block
And all you biting individuals need to check yourselfs and stop

[Verse 4: André 3000]
Yeah, tight like nuts and bolts, sluts and hoes they get evicted
I'm dealing wit Queens in my castle—ain't worth it to risk it
Now tricks be looking at me like I'm they way up out the projects
Can't put you on my payroll, and no I ain't got no Rolex
Or no diamond; at the exit with a sign saying "We'll rap for food"
My face is bawled up cause I ain't in a happy mood
While my partner got the squeegee and the Windex
'Cause somewhere in my life I done went wrong just like a syntax error
Bring the terror to your dome like PE
Prone to finish this out cause this be a freestyle

[Hook: André 3000]
Now who them boys that be having the crunk every occasion?
This side niggas dustin', that side niggas lacin'
But in the middle we stay calm
We just drop–
(Explosion)

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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