OutKast was the Atlanta duo of Big Boi and André 3000, formed in East Point in 1991 and the foundational act of Southern hip hop. Aquemini (1998) and Stankonia (2000) are stone classics, and Speakerboxxx/The Love Below was the first hip hop album to win the Album of the Year Grammy. Browse OutKast vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
OutKast formed in East Point, Atlanta, Georgia in 1991 around Antwan A. Patton (Big Boi, born February 1, 1975, Savannah, Georgia) and André Lauren Benjamin (André 3000, born May 27, 1975, Atlanta, Georgia). They signed with LaFace Records (Babyface and L.A. Reid's label) and released their debut Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik (1994), establishing the Atlanta hip hop scene as a defining cultural force. They are widely cited as the foundational act of Southern hip hop and the Dirty South movement, with collaborative work with the broader Dungeon Family collective (Goodie Mob, Witchdoctor, Society of Soul, and others). Their 2003 double album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below - featuring Big Boi's funk-influenced Speakerboxxx disc and André 3000's soul/funk experimental The Love Below disc - won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2004 (the first hip hop album to win the category) and is widely cited as one of the most important commercial achievements in hip hop history. Their 2006 final album Idlewild was a mixed soundtrack/album for the same-titled film. The duo went on indefinite hiatus after Idlewild. André 3000 pursued acting (Be Cool 2005; Jimi: All Is by My Side 2013 as Jimi Hendrix) and has since released the unexpected solo flute meditation album New Blue Sun (2023) - his first album in 17 years and his first as a solo flutist. Big Boi has released multiple solo albums. Their foundational influence on Southern hip hop is widely cited as one of the most important contributions to the form.
OutKast's sound is foundational to Southern hip hop and Dirty South as recognized genres - combining hip hop, Southern hip hop, Dirty South, alternative hip hop, funk, soul, electronic, and progressive hip hop with Big Boi's distinctive flow (Southern drawl), André 3000's signature versatility (range from technical lyrical material to soul singing), and expansive compositional approaches. Their foundational influence on Southern hip hop and broader contemporary hip hop is widely documented.
LaFace Records, Arista, and Jive pressings of the OutKast catalog are foundational items in hip hop collecting.
Listeners new to OutKast typically start with Aquemini (1998) or Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003).
