Outkast was nominated for the 2025 class of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The hip-hop duo, composed of Andre 3000 and Big Boi, will be inducted along with other notable artists like Cyndi Lauper, Soundgarden, and The White Stripes. The Inductees were determined by a 1200-member voting body. The official ceremony will take place in Los Angeles later this fall. To be eligible artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years ago. Outkast has been eligible since 2019.
Well, it IS about time. But don’t mind me, I am a superfan. … Let’s look at the facts!
Outkast is a hip-hop group with state-of-the-art innovation, proving that the “Dirty South” could compete with rap music’s long-standing East and West coast scenes. Outkast’s distinctive sound has a blend of funk, soul, and jazz with introspective storytelling. This helped them become one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful hip-hop groups of all time. With successful tracks like “Hey Ya!”, Outkast challenged every norm, defied every genre, and pushed every boundary.
André “3000” Benjamin and Antwan “Big Boi” Patton formed Outkast in 1992 as 16-year-old high school students in Atlanta. The duo would soon team up with local producers Organized Noize. Outkast and fellow schoolmates The Goodie Mob formed the Dungeon Family collective. Together, they elevated Atlanta and put it on the map! In 1992, Outkast signed with LaFace Records, becoming the label’s first hip-hop act. Their debut album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik (1994), featured the laid-back classic “Player’s Ball” and earned them Best New Rap Group at the 1995 Source Awards. This felt like a historic moment for hip-hop – as Benjamin famously said, “The South got something to say.”
Outkast’s next two albums – 1996’s ATLiens and 1998’s Aquemini – continued to expand their sound, introducing experimental and futuristic production. This era produced some of Outkast’s most critically acclaimed songs, including “ATLiens,” “Rosa Parks,” and “SpottieOttieDopaliscious.” In 2000, Stankonia evolved their sound again, with the deeply personal “Ms. Jackson” and the electro-influenced “B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad)” – a song Pitchfork called the number one song of the 2000s. Outkast would reach new heights with the release of 2003’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. The album earned a Grammy for Album of the Year as well as yielding two number one hits – “The Way You Move” and the famous “Hey Ya!”
Outkast comes from an area that has some other great artist such as an entire generation of ATL greats; The Dungeon family, Goodie Mob, Ceelo Green, Future, and Migos to name a few.
My selected favorites: “Player’s Ball,” Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik (1994) • “Elevators (Me & You),” “ATLiens,” ATLiens (1996) • “Rosa Parks,” “Da Art of Storytellin’ (Pt. 1)” (feat Slick
Rick), “SpottieOttieDopaliscious” Aquemini (1998) • “B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad),” “Ms. Jackson,” “So Fresh, So Clean,” Stankonia (2000) • “The Whole World,” Big Boi and Dre Present… OutKast (2001) • “Hey Ya!,” “The Way You Move,” “Roses,” Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003) • “Morris Brown,” Idlewild (2006) • “Int’l Players Anthem,” UGK – Underground Kingz (2007)
When I was younger, I would think of groups like The Beatles, The Who, and The Rolling Stones when I heard Rock and Rock Hall of Fame. However, many rap artists such as Missy Elliot, Grandmaster Flash, Run DMC, The Beastie Boys, Eminem, NWA, Tupac, and LL Cool J are inductees, so it is only right to add Outkast. This nomination is a testament to their enduring influence. Hip Hop royalty has once again secured its place in history.
Andre Benjamin and Big Boi also have successful solo albums, and their influence has extended beyond music. They transitioned into acting, showcasing their versatility and limitless talent. They have put in the work, and it has paid off with numerous nominations over the years. This one, by far, is historical for a group of teenage boys who loved to rap and turned their love into a legacy. Their music gave a voice to generations and has influenced countless artists who followed in their footsteps. From the first award nomination in 1995 to the current one, 30 years later, The South had something to say, and it’s been said very well. Outkast turned heads completely towards the South when much of Hip Hop’s attention was focused on the West Coast vs East Coast rivalry.
Only one rap group has received the Album of the Year Grammy and that was Outkast for their album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. Congratulations Outkast. I believe this is a well-deserved, long-awaited honor that has been bestowed upon you.
Just keep your faith in me, don’t act impatiently, you’ll get where you need to be, in due time. Even when things are slow, hold on and don’t let go, I’ll give you what I owe, IN DUE TIME. These lyrics are from Outkast’s song “In Due Time” (1997).
