What's Up With Outkast?

by GM

Now to some people north of the Mason Dixon line this is news to you, but to the music fans who don't discriminate based solely on location or music genre (hip hop)- knows that Outkast is the Greatest Rap Group of all time. I know...I know I heard the screams for Tribe Call Qwest, EPMD, NWA and Public Enemy and even the delusional fans who believe that Mobb Deep, and Bone belong in the group. (Which of course they don't)... Truth be told hip hop has never seen a group as versatile and prolithic as Outkast. Don't believe me Just Listen to their album catalog and don't base it on records sales even though Outkast has outsold any hip hop group with 21million record sales on 6 albums. Not to mention that Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is one of only four hip hop albums to go diamond, the other three being MC Hammer's Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em, The Notorious B.I.G.'s double-album Life After Death, and Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP. But what makes Outkast special is not the record sales or mass appeal, but the simple fact that each album they release is a completely new groundbreaking style. They are not afraid to push the envelope and in fact there latest and rumored final project is the soundtrack to the movie Idlewild. So name one group that can try multiple styles and are yet still successful?

But let's take it a bit further and ask the real question. Why is the best group ever disappearing when their star is the brightest?

This is the question that all fans, music executives and concert promoters are scratching there head over. Sure we know Andre 3000 is probably a lyrical genius that should be mentioned with the likes of Nas, Notorious Big, Rakim and others, but is he the reason Outkast is fading away? The answer to that question is of course Yes! And No! If you're an Outkast fan from jump street then you watch the duo evolve stylistically from album to album. In fact by the time Aquemini came out Andre was wearing blonde wigs, skirts, feathers and other flamboyant wear to differentiate himself from his music partner Big Boi. Maybe Outkast fell victim to what mostly every musical group seeks - Individuality. This was further supported by their highly successful double CD- Speakerboxxx/Love Below which both demonstrated the individual styles on lets face-separate albums. They don't record together in the same studio, Andre turned down millions to pursue acting instead of touring after the worldwide success of Speakerboxxx/Love Below.

Or maybe the reason is just to try something new? The acting scene worked very well for Will Smith and even Ice Cube, but at least they still release albums from time to time. Ok...Ok... so Will Smith's "Getting Jiggy with it" is not a mirror of his old "Parents Just don't understand" works and Ice Cube is long way from "Predator" Album but they do take the effort to give there fans an album to listen too and a concert to bob your heads to. According to sources Outkast is just about to go their separate ways after the Idlewild movie /soundtrack. But hell they wouldn't be labeled Outkast if they didn't do the unexpected or unpopular.

So ask yourself-do you go against the grain? Are you not afraid of challenging the norm? Or charting your own course? If the answers to these questions are yes then you too are an Outkast. But will they return to stake their claim amongst the musical elite. I hope so, boy oh boy does the Music Industry hope so b/c the world of music needs a little Outkast to vibe too.

Visit www.musiklot.com for more news, searches and much more.....

About the Author

A huge music fans that hopes to build his music site www.musiklot.com to a premier site, but as with any dream it takes hardwork, and a lot of luck.