OutKast Biography

OutKast

Andre Benjamin (Andre 3000) and Antwan Patton (Big Boi), the members of this Southern duo, attended the same East Point, Georgia, high school, where they competed as rappers. They pooled their talents and recorded the 1994 single “Player's Ball,” which garnered the attention of the record industry. By 1995, they had signed with La Face Records and released their debut album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzic. The album went platinum and earned Outkast widespread critical success. Their sophomore effort, ATLiens, also impressed the critics, who praised its high production values. The band ran into legal trouble, however, with the single “Rosa Parks” on their third album, Aquemini. Rosa Parks sued the band for illegally using her name. With their next album, Stankonia, Outkast crossed over to pop, increasing their already broad fan base. The single “Ms. Jackson” topped the pop charts. The band broke new ground with Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. Big Boi and Andre 3000 each recorded his own album and released it as a double album. Andre 3000's “Hey Ya!” became ubiquitous on radio stations up and down the dial. Their 2006 album Idlewild, soundtrack to the film of the same name, hit number 2 on the U.S. charts.