Outkast’s ‘Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik’: All 17 Tracks Ranked

Atlanta strip membership tradition is the stuff of legend. However again in 1994 few outdoors of the A knew about it. This temporary skit gave listeners a peek into what it was wish to frequent one in every of Atlanta’s many well-known nightclubs.

All of the skits on this album ostensibly happen in Atlanta, however it is a scene that occurs each ‘hood throughout America. And that’s the genius of Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik: Two children telling tales that join with you no matter the place you name house.

This interlude tries to essentially drive house the concept that the Atlanta in Outkast’s music is completely different than that of their dad and mom. To take action, an airplane pilot highlights some factors and other people of curiosity to the passengers earlier than they land, operating off some names outsiders might not have heard earlier than — like “Robbing Crew” and the infamous R.E.D. D.O.G. (Run Each Drug Supplier Out of Georgia), in addition to extra family names like LaFace Data and Organized Noize Productions.

Earlier than they took the identify Outkast, Dre and Huge glided by 2 Shades Deep, after which The Misfits. Once they discovered that Misfits was taken they settled on the identify they’ve as we speak. However what does it imply? In keeping with Dungeon Member of the family Huge Rube, Outkast stands for Working Beneath The Krooked American System Too Lengthy. And should you thought Outkast stood for one thing else, effectively, Rube had some selection phrases for you.

You’d assume the primary voice an artist would need the viewers to listen to on their debut album can be their very own, however not in 1994. Each Nas and Biggie had intros on their debuts that didn’t contain them, meant to assist arrange the vanity of not solely the challenge, however the artist as a complete. Outkast determined to go that route, too, with an intro that includes the voice of Dee Dee Hibbler — the spouse of Organized Noize co-founder Ray Murrary — inviting listeners to an album that’s “phat like herringbone, tight like gnat booty.”

In-house vocalist Sleepy Brown remixed the group’s lead single to create one thing much more easy and playa. It’s admittedly an odd method to finish the album — “D.E.E.P.” would have been a extra becoming closing — however we’ll by no means flip down a possibility to listen to Brown over some smoothed out funk.

Primarily an album skit, this observe helped introduce Organized Noize member Sleepy Brown to the plenty, and confirmed simply how versatile the manufacturing collective could possibly be when left to their very own gadgets.

Constructed round a easy bass line and head nod-inducing drums, the duo use all of the open house to ship one in every of their finest lyrical performances on the album. There’s not a lot of a “music” right here, however on some hip-hop head s–t, this has turn into a cult basic.

look into how the duo would later go on to craft extraordinarily catchy hooks that get caught in your head, “Ain’t No Thang” differs from a variety of the album because of Huge Boi and Andre 3000 spending the entire observe detailing all of the methods they are going to rob and kill their enemies.

Over what at all times appeared like a Dr. Dre-inspired beat, half of Goodie Mob (T-Mo and Khujo) assists Outkast in operating down all of the methods the streets compel the youth to surrender their futures to run the streets and commit crimes. “However the query, ‘Ought to we take that bulls–t from them folks?’/ I’m makin’ 300 on my SAT, but I’m equal/ Ain’t no sequel, no saga, no manner out, I’m nervous/ I’ve had it as much as brow of suckers tryna serve us/ To graduate is absolutely becomin’ a really aggravating journey,” rhymes Andre 3000.

Outkast may by no means be described as gangsta rappers, however on this observe, the duo come shut — with them telling tales about numerous dope homes and carrying knives of their socks to highschool. Outkast’s model of actuality rap nonetheless comprises multitudes, although, as they warn listeners concerning the inherent risks that include residing the lives described within the music.

The true intro to the album kicks off with Huge Boi warning outsides to remain strapped, whereas Organized Noize lives up their identify with a beat that could be a lovely cacophony of sounds. No bass and booty shaking music right here. Simply sensible actuality raps. Andre spits one of the vital well-known bars of his profession when he says, “See that rap s–t is absolutely identical to sellin’ smoke/ If you happen to obtained some fly shit, yo’ n—as gonna at all times toke/ Dope just isn’t what I be slangin’ on this observe.” Jaz-O would pattern that bit for Jay-Z’s “Rap Sport/Crack Sport,” from 1997’s In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. The affect of this album ran deep.

Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik’s secret ingredient is Outkast’s honesty. Alongside the bragadocious bars and recycled 5 Percenter ideology, they slip in a bunch of truths that make the entire train much more relatable and plausible. Traces by Andre 3000 like “If a pair of Jordan’s got here out, y’all determine that I obtained ’em/ However no I don’t as a result of I don’t be havin’ funds/ The gold that I’m wearin’ is absolutely made out of bronze” present simply how deep and uncooked they had been prepared to get.

Organized Noize offers Outkast presumably the smoothest beat they’d ever made up till that time. With Sleepy doing his finest Curtis Mayfield impression, Outkast takes the chance to sluggish the movement down a slight bit, giving listeners a panoramic view of their world whereas they blow some herb.

If “Participant’s Ball” didn’t get compelled as a primary single, this is able to have been it. The title observe acts as a mission assertion of kinds for the group, explaining and displaying the whole lot they’re about: witty bars and nimble flows, funky manufacturing, and avenue sensible tales about two children who aren’t killers, however don’t push ’em.

A Dungeon Household basic, this observe options the opposite half of Goodie Mobb (CeeLo Inexperienced and Huge Gipp) and Outkast buying and selling bars concerning the battle to make it in life as a youngster with little to no prospects apart from unlawful narcotics. One of many album’s masterstrokes was ‘Kast’s capability to make it seem to be that they had this life factor discovered, whereas admitting that the whole lot round them is totally f–ked up.

First launched as a Christmas music for a LaFace Data vacation compilation album, Huge Boi and three Stacks nix normal yuletide celebrations and as a substitute spotlight how playas in ATL rejoice Jesus’s birthday. Sleepy Brown glides over Organized Noize’s funky fried manufacturing, serving to the observe peak at No. 37 on the Billboard Sizzling 100. Because the album’s lead single, that is the music that despatched Outkast on their method to stardom.