Outkast: Simply the Best
written by 4bars
written by 4bars
So I’ve had this debate with one of the other writers here at PTM; a queens native known to be close minded to anything not New York or ultra lyrical (ahem) and I usually think, “region haters, stop bein rapper racist” (hahaha, I had to). But when I think of all the “best rapper alive” and “king of ____” talk my mind always comes back to the duo who have constantly reinvented not only themselves but the way in which hip hop is interpreted and encompassed as a whole. Of course I’m talking about Daddy Fat Sacks aka Lucious Left Foot aka Francis the Savannah Chitlin Pimp (the f?) and his eccentric yet always relevant and accurate partner in rhyme Three Stacks, Ice Cold, Possum Aloysius Jenkins; if you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m talking about the dynamic duo Outkast. Ever since their debut in 1994, they’ve grown and expanded the boundaries that hip hop was believed to have and more importantly, they were from the “Souf”. Outkast is the only hip hop entity, to date, that is able to make countless smash hits that are also rich in content and commentary while, incredibly, always bringing along a revolutionary sound.
I don’t think there is any doubt that this is by far the best “rap group” of our lifetime (I cant compare the likes of the Furious Five, Sugarhill Gang, etc. because without the pioneers, there could be no Kast) but individually, has there ever been an instance where these two didn’t demolish whatever track was fortunate enough to have been graced? Clearly I’ma huge Kast fan and maybe a bit biased, but there have been two tracks where Big Boi joined the rapper widely regarded as the best ever, Jay-Z, yet in both instances Lucious Left Foot was clearly responsible for the best verse on the song. So I ask 2 questions: 1) Is there any argument that Outkast is the best rap group of our time (1990s-present)? and 2) Why are they not regarded as two of the greatest rappers of the same era when they clearly grade at the top of the class in any qualifying category you can think of? I leave you with one of my favorite A3K verses of all time off of Aquemini (a f’n MASTERPIECE btw).
Twice upon a time there was a boy who died
and lived happily ever after but that's another chapter
live from home of the brave with dirty dollars,
beauty parlors, baby ballas, bowling ball Impalas, street scholars
majoring in culinary arts
You know how to work the bread cheese & dough
from scratch but see the catch is you can get caught
Know what ya sellin' what ya bought so cut that big talk
Let's walk to the bridge meet me halfway
now you may see some children dead off in the pathway
it's them poor babies walkin' slowly to the candy lady
It's lookin' bad need some hope
like the words maybe, if, or probably more than a hobby
when my turntables get wobbly they don't fall
I'm sorry y'all I often drift I'm talkin' gift
so when it comes you never look the horse inside it's grill
of course you know I feel like the bearer of bad news
Don't want to be it but it's needed so what have you
Now question is every nigga with dreads for the cause?
Is every nigga with golds for the fall? Naw
So don't get caught in appearance
it's Outkast Aquemini another Black experience
8 comments:
I'll start this one off since i was, (Ahem) mentioned in this piece. My arguments w/ you have nothing to do with my region - I never disagreed with you on the greatness of Outkast. But when you say things like Illmatic and Enter the 36 Chambers "wasn't that good" and Big Pun "wasn't that nice", i have reason to believe you're buggin dunny (how's that for NY).
Having said that I love Outkast. I own all of their albums and that song off Aquemini is my favorite Kast song of all time. All of the things you've said about the contributions are true.
But when you say Greatest of all time, I'm not so sure. They're one of the greatest, no doubt. But when it comes to "groups". It's a much more complicated scenario. can we say without a shadow of a doubt that Kast is better than:
De La Soul
A Tribe Called Quest
EPMD
Wu-Tang Clan
N.W.A.
Run-DMC
Mobb Deep
See my Southern bretheren, it wasn't the Sugarhill Gang then Outkast, you skipped a few years in your Hip-Hop library.
In terms of them individually being the greatest rappers of all time. Till one of them holds down a classic solo album (and they can't sing on 80% of the album either) you can't put them in the argument. Being part of a group and having to draw 3 verses on 12 songs for dolo (how's that for regional).
Daddy Fat Sacks and 3 Stacks are legends and I can't wait till VH1 gives them their award.
You're not wrong here, but I ain't a "hater" or a closed minded "new yorker" cuz i won't jump off that ledge w/ you "gawd". (how's that for queens)
Fin.
Apologies, I cut the end of a sentence off...
*Being part of a group and having to draw 3 verses on 12 songs for dolo (how's that for regional), are completely different tasks. It's much harder when you're responsible for the whole thing.
It's funky like pooper scoop. Those muthaf---as could be from Australia and they'd still be dope, son! (Matter of fact ain't they from outerspace?!) Nothing tops hearing Dre say "continya" (continue).
By the way what the hell is up with Youngbloodz? Big Boi ripped the verse on 85.
And yes JusHH I was making fun of ya with that added son. But I can do that cuz I AM from NYC.
I do think there is a bias with some NY kats when it comes to answering the question of how great an artist is. I agree with a few things said about regional discrimination. Everyone likes to think the best comes from their area, but we need to consider why we think some of these artist are so great. Maybe our region has brought us up to appreciate lyrics over presentation. Some regions seem to appreciate beats over lyrics when they define greatness. But all this just goes back to our personal definition of what makes a great hip-hop artist. Its one large vicious cycle. It all depends on what we consider great
CHURCH ON THE MOVE!!!
F**k that! Lyrics come first! Always have and always will. Otherwise what the hell is the point? I might as well just listen to your instrumental.
When was the last time you heard someone say, "man, you heard that beat on that Luther Vandross joint?" or "son, marvin gaye ain't that hot, you can't play his stuff in the club". Rapper's rap, so if you are going to rate them, its all about lyrics.
What makes Outkast great is that they can SPIT. I said it on the Nyquil joint i put out weeks ago when i profiled "2 Dope Boyz".
I ain't gonna apologize for putting lyrics first and it ain't my fault that NY started and set the standards. My favorite rappers, no matter where their zip code is, are based on their ability to RAP, not picking beats.
Scarface can rap, Ice Cube can rap, Common can rap. Hell, I'll even take Trick Daddy on a good day (listen to some of his joints, he'll surprise you w/ his depth).
Judge producers on basslines and rappers on punchlines - period.
Lyrics didn't always come first. Hip-hop started with the DJ so technically the beat came first and the lyrics came after. It was about getting the crowd moving and breakers dancing. And that was important. Lyrical appreciation came after when people realized how much the lyricist could ADD.
There are more elements that make up hip-hop other than lyrics. SO IN MY OPINION its NOT all about the lyrics.
... wasn't talking about chronologically what came first. Yes the DJ's did run s**t first. I mean Run-DMC gave props to Jay all the time in their songs and Eric B. had 4 full instrumentals on Paid In Full.
You were talking about the artist. And if you are talking about the greatness of the artist, how can it not be about lyrics first?
But since it left, the parties (when DJ's were on top) and entered the recording studio, Lyrics have been and always will be #1
smiley face.
To an extent I have to agree w/ KStorm. I'm sure there are lots of cats that have hot lyrics that can't flow, ride a beat properly, or ick a beat properly. That's why we never heard of 'em. What makes Outkast so great is the total package. Their beats are all kinds of eclectic. Dre and Big Boi compliment each other beautifully because of their differences in flow and style. And both of 'em are sick bar for bar. Outkast, in my humble opinion, is the DJ Khaled of the hip-hop duo game (however, I don't think DJ Khaled is the DJ Khaled of the DJ game).
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