Outkast consists of rappers Big Boi and Andre3000 and is the undisputed best rap group of all time, and nobody even comes close. Outkast blew up in the 90’s and maintained a strangle hold on the rap game up until the early 2000’s. The group is responsible for putting southern hip hop on the map with their masterclass performances in the art of MCing and the experimental nature of their music.
I grew up listing to all sorts of music, but I of course recall what is quite literally one of the best songs ever made being Outkast’s “Hey Ya” and I recently tested the waters by listening through all of Outkast’s albums. With this piece I intend to do a deep dive into Outkast by listening through again and ranking each album from worst to best and giving each song a rating and some amount of reasoning. I will also list at least my top 5 from each album at the end and more if I cannot decide on a definitive 5.
I will be ranking each song and album in order but will also be giving each song a rating and using those to give the albums overall ratings. I will not give intros or interludes a rating unless I feel it’s good like a regular song. For my overall album score I will consider all the scores and move the score up or down based on the overall flow and feel of the album, so even if every song was 6/10, if I feel the album is complete and flows well it could end up being a 7/10, or if I don’t like it, it could be a 5/10.
* 6. Idlewild
This album has mixed reviews because it is their worst track but is essentially the soundtrack to their movie with the same title.
5.ATLiens
15 song with a 57 minute long run time.
You May Die (Intro) – Effective as an intro. Very calming.
Two Dope Boyz (In a Cadilac) – 8/10 – Starts out with the same voice line that came in the outro to their previous album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. Very lowkey and chill song. The instrumentals aren’t anything crazy and are rather simple, but Andre and Big Boi put on some great opening vocals. This song is simply good because of the constant flowing and catchy chorus; my only complaint is it’s just under 3 minutes.
ATLiens – 8.5/10 – My reasons for why I like this song are the same as for the previous song, but this song is an extra minute long and there are some moments where they kick it into high gear and spit a little faster to close out the bar. Overall, another very good and catchy song.
Wheelz of Steel – 8.5/10 – This song is the best on the album so far and the only reason the score doesn’t show that is because the chorus is kind of lame, not very catchy. This song has the best instrumentals and verses so far in the album but the chorus being such a letdown is very unfortunate. Overall, this song is very good.
Jazzy Belle – 7.5/10 – Exceptionally smooth and calming song. No real chorus just has some angelic “laaaaalaaaa” in the background and I do not mind because it’s beautiful. Overall, this song is very good but there isn’t really anything too special about it that sets it apart from others other than the more relaxing nature of the beat.
Elevators (Me & You) – 6.5/10 – Another very calming song with an even less loud beat. This song does have a chorus, but I don’t feel it’s super catchy because it’s very low energy and done in a whispery smooth voice by Big Boi. Overall, this song is pretty good, it just doesn’t do much to set itself apart.
Ova Da Wudz – 7/10 – The album did begin to lose me due to lack of interest in the songs i was listening to, but this song brought me back. This song has more energy than the last few so it’s like a breath of fresh air. The instrumentals aren’t super loud but are more alive and Andre 3000 and Big Boi have more energy. Overall, this song is a step back in the right direction for the album.
Babylon – 7/10 – Goes back to being very smooth and calm which is very nice at times but after the first three real songs on this album, i want more than this. Overall, this song is pretty solid and just feels very slow.
Wailin’ – 7/10 – Different sounding beat but still very calming. Very short but Andre and Big Boi get some pretty good verses off with what time there is. Despite being super slow like others, I do really like this one because the beat is slow but interesting, so it doesn’t just make their matching flow sound like they’re lacking energy. Overall, this song is solid, and I won’t complain about the length because if it was 4 minutes rather than 2, I’m not sure if I’d feel the same.
Mainstream – 7.5/10 – This song has unlisted features and they do very well. T-Mo Goodie is on the first verse and drops the best verse on the album since Wheelz of Steel. It’s crazy to say but i do believe Andre 3000 and Big Boi got carried on this song because Andre has the second verse and does very well, until Khujo Goodie comes onto the third verse and drops an even better verse than T-Mo Goodie. Big Boi has the closing verse and i do like his sound and flow better on this song over the other three but unfortunately, he doesn’t do enough to outshine the features. Overall, this song is good and i hope to see more of this but I don’t want to see Andre and Big Boi get outdone again.
Decatur Psalm – 7/10 – Unfortunately there are back-to-back songs where Outkast gets outdone by features. This time Big Gipp and Cool Breeze are dropping some pretty good verses and they honestly sound like the features from the previous song. Overall, this is a good song but i just want to see more from the core memebers of Outkast.
Milennium – 7.5/10 – Finally they are back to doing their thing themselves. Andre 3000 takes the first verse and it’s one of the best on the album in my opinion. Overall, this song is pretty solid as its very smooth and calm as are most on the album.
E.T. (Extraterrestrial) – 7/10 – This song is actually good but the whole song is spent waiting for a beat drop that never comes. Big Boi and Andre drop some solid verses and I was hoping for the beat to drop on Andre’s after not hearing it on Big Boi’s, but it never came. Overall, this song is good.
13th Floor/Growing Old – 7.5/10 – A longer song compared to the rest of the album. I honestly think this song should be either an Andre song or a Big Boi song, not both because they both come in to claim it as their own but although they have similar styles, they are very different, so they almost contradict each other. Overall, I do really enjoy this song but it’s not one I will seek out because their higher energy songs are better.
Elevators (Me & You) – ONP 86 Mix – 7.5/10 – Heavier emphases on the vocals and it’s easy to tell because the vocals are much louder than everything else and louder than the original. I am happy that the remix made the song better. Overall, it’s the same as the original but has a different mix and volume levels which make some parts stand out more.
Top 5
- Wheelz of Steel
- ATLiens
- Two Dope Boyz (In a Cadillac)
- Mainstream
- Elevators (Me & You) – ONP 86 Mix
Overall: 7/10
This album makes me a little sad because it is good but could have been better just based on the first three songs. This album allowed Big Boi and Andre to show their mastery in the art of mc’ing and gives us a glimpse of what would happen if they were blessed by some high-level production on the beats. Most of the beats were just boring and uninteresting which distracted from the vocal talent being displayed.
4.Aquemini
16 songs with a 1-hour and 14 minute long run time, this album is a follow up to an honest let down of an album.
Hold On, Be Strong – Intro to the album.
Return of the “G” – 8/10 – I really like the instrumentals on this song because Andre and Big Boi’s flows go so well with it, and he chorus with it just being the word “gangsta”. Andre and Big Boi drop some very good verses to start off this album and overall, this song is incredibly good.
Rosa Parks – 9/10 – This song is very catchy and super smooth. Big Boi does a great job on the chorus and manages to drop a very good verse. Andre once again does what he does best and drops a fire verse right after Big Boi and overall, this song is very good.
Skew It on the Bar (feat. Raekwon) – 8.5/10 – The chorus is another very catchy and memorable one. Raekwon’s voice and flow compliment Andre and Big Boi’s and adds some variety that is very much welcomed. Overall, this song is another showcase of how good Outkast is and has shown consistency with multiple exceptionally good songs in a row.
Aquemini – 8/10 – The slowest song on the album thus far and kind of had me losing interest until the switch up at 3:20 brought me back big time. The change wasn’t huge but the beat stopping then starting again felt powerful enough to hype me up. Overall, this song is very good.
Synthesizer (feat. George Clinton) – 8/10 – This album has been insanely consistent with very good songs only thus far. This song has some funky instrumentals and a pretty simple but catchy chorus. Overall, this song is once again very good.
Slump – 8/10 – The chorus isn’t quite as catchy as previous songs, but it does bring back the Hootie Hoo line which is a call back to their first album. This song is overall a very good song but it’s just crazy how every song has been good but different from each other so I’m not getting bored.
West Savannah – 7.5/10 – This song is pretty good, but it doesn’t have much special about it like previous songs. This is the “worst” song in the album so far and that’s crazy that it’s still a good song with a high score. Overall, this song is good.
Da Art of Storytellin’ (Pt. 1) – 9.5/10 – An absolute lyrical showcase from both Andre and Big Boi. The chorus is very catchy, and the beat is simple but very good. Andre and Big Boi use fictional comparisons to describe some trifling women from their pasts in a goofy way. Overall, this song is very good and has me excited for part 2.
Da Art of Storytellin (Pt. 2) – 8/10 – Andre and Big Boi take their lyrical ability from part 1 and use it to describe the end of the world rather than women. Overall, this song is solid, but I don’t feel it lived up to the hype from part 1.
Mamacita – 7.5/10 – The chorus is very catchy and kind of starts out of nowhere. Honestly there isn’t much special about this song, but it is pretty good overall.
SpottieOttieDopaliscious – 7.5/10 – I really like the trumpet instrumentals during the chorus because I feel like it ties it together nicely. This is a longer song being 7:06 but it isn’t fille to the brim with verses, so it does feel longer than that. Overall, this song is solid, but it could have used more rapping.
Y’All Scared (feat. T-Mo, Big Gipp & Khujo) – 7/10 – Very unfortunate but the features didn’t really do much here. I feel if the features weren’t on here then the song would be better and shorter but it’s okay because they do give the album some variety in voices. Overall, this song is alright.
Nathaniel – Interlude, sounds like a recorded phone call.
Liberation (with Cee-Lo) – 8.5/10 – Very catchy chorus and despite sounding very mumbly and low effort this song is very good. This song is longer than any song on the album at almost 9 minutes and is done perfectly. The beat doesn’t make me bored when there aren’t vocals, so it keeps me hooked. Overall, this song is very good and very smooth.
Chonkyfire – 8/10 – This beat is made for Andre with the electric guitar in the background and he literally says at the beginning that it’s his song, and despite that Big Boi still drops a very good verse to follow up. I feel this is a perfect way to end the album because it is as good as the rest of the album and does feel like the end of a story. Overall, this song is very good and a great way to end the album.
Top 5
- Da Art of Story Tellin (Pt. 1)
- Rosa Parks
- Liberation
- Skew It on the Bar
- Return of the “G”
Overall: 8.5/10
If I disregard everything and describe this album with one word it would absolutely be consistent. Every song on this album is good but not so super good that they outshine the rest of their discography but so good they show how much they improved from previous records. This album is perfect in every way except for a lot of the songs are an acquired taste you get through listening to their music that dedicated fans will love and someone hearing it for the first time might not care for it much. Overall, this album is very good and shows their growth as a duo.
3.Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik
Outkast’s debut studio album. 17 tracks with a 1-hour and 4-minute run time, this album is a very impressive debut album.
Peaches (Intro) – As an intro it’s kind of whatever. It doesn’t set the tone like Wesley’s Theory but it does have an effective transition into the first song.
Myintrotoletuknow – 5.5/10- Solid song that I treat as the other half of the intro. Big Boi starts the song off while Andre finishes. To me its one of those songs that plays and I acknowledge that its good but I don’t really remember much from it.
Ain’t No thang – 6.5/10 – Catchy chorus. This song is honestly a treat because it is an overall very good song that lasts 5:38. Andre and Big Boi go verse for verse and there is honestly nothing to complain about when it comes to the vocal performances or the beat, but I do know that they have better music.
Welcome to Atlanta (Interlude) – Just a skit welcoming the listener into the world that Outkast comes from, being Atlanta.
Southernplayalisticadilacmuzik – 6.5/10 – The chorus on this song isn’t quite as catchy as Ain’t No Thang, but it is very smooth and a joy to listen to. Andre and Big Boi essentially picked up where they left off before the interlude and spit smooth bars for another 5 minutes.
Call of da Wild (feat. Goodie Mob) – 6.5/10 – Honestly having Goodie Mob’s members highly in contrast to Andre and Big Boi’s flows was not that good of an idea and kind of ruined the song. Cee Lo Green is in the chorus, and he makes it a dread to listen to. Other than the feature this song is good.
Player’s Ball – 9.5/10 – This song is incredible and is even more impressive because its very early in Outkast’s career. Andre and Big Boi put on crazy good performances over a very bass heavy beat that is perfect. Sleepy Brown is on the chorus and does a perfect job of making it memorable. My only complaint is that the song feels short and doesn’t go on longer even though it’s almost 4 and a half minutes long. This song is the closest so far to feeling like Andre and Big Boi are trying to top each other with unbeatable performances but ultimately Big Boi has most of the speaking time, so he really takes this song over.
Claimin’ True – 6.5/10 – Very hard to follow up a song like Player’s Ball so this doesn’t hit as hard. This song is just another one where Big Boi and Andre do what they do and rap very, very well over a good beat, but it doesn’t feel like anything special.
Club Donkey A** (Interlude) -Sort of just interrupts the music.
Funky Ride – 7/10 – Very slow, smooth, and overall chill song. This song doesn’t even have Andre or Big Boi on vocals throughout its 6:30, instead Society of Soul takes over the entire song.
Film Flam (Interlude) – After such a long and slow song, an interlude to bring the audience back to being ready for some rap feels very appropriate.
Git Up, Git Out (feat. Goodie Mob) – 7/10 – Very long song being 7:27. Goodie Mob doesn’t ruin the song like last time and instead they make it a very good listen. Cee Lo Green sets the tone, and all 3 verses follow the same pattern and are very long which is very nice because we get to hear Big Boi and Andre spit for quite some time. Very smooth and chill instrumentals with a very good and deep lyrical performance from Andre, Big Boi, and Goodie Mob.
True Dat (Interlude) – Once against just interrupt the album but this time it gives some lore behind the name Outkast.
Crumblin’ Erb – 8.5/10 – Once again another incredible performance on the chorus by Sleepy Brown. Andre and Big Boi are talking about how there is violence going on and people should just chill and appreciate the short life they have. Overall, a very good and smooth song that I could listen to at any time.
Hootie Hoo – 7/10 – The build up with the hook then the drums coming in at 1:04 and the hook fading away is ear candy. Andre and Big Boi are in their bag again and make this song feel short because it is very good, although it doesn’t feel as special or significant to the track as others.
D.E.E.P. – 6/10 – The beat isn’t really anything too exciting but Andre and Big Boi make it worthwhile. It is a good song but once again it is nothing special, it does however start with the same voice line as the first song on their next album, ATLiens, which is a little cool moment.
Player’s Ball (Reprise) – 5/10 – Kind of weird, it is a remixed/continuation of Player’s Ball, but it’s placed with multiple songs in between the two so it feels like a repeat, but it is also very different because its way shorter and doesn’t have Andre or Big Boi rapping much at all. If this was how they wanted to end the album, then Player’s Ball should’ve been right before it, but I am happy the two songs are separate and not one song.
Top 5
- Player’s Ball
- Crumblin’ Erb
- Git up, Git Out (feat. Goodie Mob)
- Funky Ride
- Hootie Hoo
Overall: 7.5/10
This album is very good with the overall feel of the album. Outkast put out some of their best work with Player’s Ball and Crumblin’ Erb but also some pretty average songs for them which don’t feature very fun and funky beats like their best, but being average for them is still better than a lot of other artists best music. A very impressive debut album that led to a great career.
2 . Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
A whopping 40 songs with a 2-hour and 15 minute run time, this album is two in one and shows us what a solo album from both Big Boi (Speakerboxxx) and Andre 3000 (The Love Below) would look like. This albu is credited for having reviving alternative hip-hop as a genre as it had otherwise died off in the 80’s, ping the way for artists such as MF DOOM and Kanye West.
Intro – Almost tempted to give this a rating because I could listen to this itself.
GhettoMusick – 8.5/10 – The chorus on this song isn’t quite catchy because it’s a little hard to understand, but it makes me want to start moving which is just as good. Andre 3000 takes over most of the song except for the only actual verse which is Big Boi, and it is great. Big Boi’s tempo and the beat sync up perfectly and it flows so nicely. The bridge in between vocals is very smooth and slows it down just right. Overall, this song is very good and a very good way to start an album.
Unhappy – 7/10 – The first of the Speakerboxxx songs. I honestly feel like Big Boi is the lowlight of the song because the rest of the song with the bridge and chorus with Sleepy Brown, is very nice. Big Boi’s second verse is better than the first one because I’m better prepared for it knowing that his speed is going to sound weird. Overall, this song is pretty good but i don’t think Big Boi needs to rap so fast on every song he’s on even if he is good at it.
Bowtie (feat. Sleepy Brown & Jazze Pha) – 8.5/10 – This is like damn near the hundredth time I’ve heard Sleepy Brown does an amazing job on a Outkast track so it’s making me want to deep dive his career next. Big Boi’s fast flow doesn’t disrupt this song nearly as much and sounds nice, but it’s mostly Sleepy Brown on the whole song and so damn good because the incredible vocals are over some brass instrumentals. Overall, this is Sleepy Brown’s song, and it is very good.
The Way You Move (feat. Sleepy Brown)– 9.5/10 – One of the best choruses ive ever heard. This Sleepy Brown performance surpasses the Sleepy Brown performance on So Fresh, So Clean because he has a verse and isn’t just doing god’s work on the chorus. Big Boi’s wrapping does sound kind of weird in comparison to the chorus and rest of it with the singing, but it still sounds good because the beat is changed specifically to not sound super weird. Overall, this song is very good and one of my favorites from them by far.
The Rooster – 8/10 – This is easily one of the hardest Outkast songs to date and it doesnt have an extraordinary chorus to make it super good, instead it has Big Boi rapping about some of his real problems and it definitely sounds like a diss track. This song isn’t just Big Boi, but it is dominated by him, so it is the first to truly feel like his song. Overall, this song is very good.
Bust (feat. Killer Mike) – 7.5/10 – I really like the instrumentals and background vocals on this track. Both verses by Big Boi and Killer Mike are solid but Big Boi’s is better. Overall, this song is really good.
War – 8/10 – This song is almost 2 in one with each half being different and i definitely like the second half better. The instrumentals are very alive and Big Boi is in his bag. Overall, this song is very good.
Church – 7.5/10 – The instrumentals have one annoying sound that plays a lot but that’s my only big complaint about this song. Sleepy Brown is once again doing some great work on the chorus and Big Boi is giving a very good performance. Overall, this song is very good.
Bamboo (Interlude) – Very long interlude to have nothing happen, but the beat is good.
Tomp of the Boom (feat. Konkrete, Big Gipp & Ludacris) – 7/10 – I think all the features ruined what was otherwise a good song by Big Boi over a very good beat that continued off the interlude. Overall, this song is a waste of good beat but solid.
E-Mac (Interlude) – Deep and mysterious voice.
Knowing – 7.5/10 – Andre 3000 makes an appearance for the chorus and does well. I think Big Boi did very well on this song and there’s not much I can say. Overall, this song is solid but there’s nothing super special about it.
Flip Flop Rock (feat. Killer Mike & Jay-Z) – 7.5/10 – Jay-Z honestly has the best verse on this track but i feel its cause his voice goes with the beat much better than Killer Mike and Big Boi. Overall, this song is kind of disappointing because it has two features from some talented artists but didn’t end up being too special.
Interlude – Kind of trippy to listen to with spacial audio.
Reset (feat. Khujo Goodie & Cee-Lo) – 7/10 – Would be 7.5/10 but the spraqy paint can shaking sound is making me mad. In terms of features this song is okay but overall, it’s solid, it’s just nothing special and kind of just starts and finishes.
Last Call (feat. Slimm Calhoun, Lil Jon, Eastside Boyz & Mello) – 7/10 – I kind of like Mello on the chorus but Lil Jon’s adlibs ruin it. This is a lot of people to have on a 4-minute song i feel. Big Boi and Slimm Calhoun have good verses, but Mello’s first verse was weak, and his solid performance on his second couldn’t save this song. I think if Lil Jon wasn’t needlessly on it and if Mello’s first verse got taken out this song would be better. Overall, this song is okay but could easily be improved.
Bowtie (Postlude) – Concludes Speakerboxxx
The Love Below (Intro) – Starts The Love Below. Very smooth and pretty pleasant to listen to.
Love Hater – 8/10 – This is not a rap song and is instead funky Jazz, but I am here for it. Andre 3000 is so versatile he can even do jazz vocals. Overall, this song is a nice intro to the second half of the album and a nice listen.
God (Interlude) – 2:20 of prayer and it gets silly.
Happy Valentine’s Day – 8.5/10 – I really like the instrumentals, especially the electric guitar riff playing throughout the whole song. The beat for the most part stays steady the whole song but changes a little for the actual rap verse at the end which is very good. This song just makes me happy to be listening to it. Overall, this song is very good.
Spread – 7/10 – Andre’s vocal performance is very good, but the beat doesn’t really compliment him very well and sort of makes it sound like he’s fighting a current rather than flowing smoothly. Overall, this song is pretty good, but the instrumentals kind of lack luster.
Where Are My Panties – Very funny interlude that caught me off guard when listening to it.
Prototype – 7.5/10 – Very funky and sticky sounding beat. I like seeing artists experiment and have it work and seeing Andre successfully do jazz and now do this smooth R&B love song is incredible. Overall, this song is very good.
She Lives in My Lap (feat Rosario Dawson) – 7.5/10 – This is another love song, but Andre lets the feature do most of the work. Overall, this song is good but feels like a repeat of the last.
Hey Ya! – 10/10 – One of the best songs ever made. I don’t think there’s a sentient person alive who would hear this and say they’ve never heard it before because it’s such a huge hit. This is a song that will never be replicated, it is literally perfect. This song is perfectly playable everywhere but has a darker meaning behind it if you read it close. Andre really set himself apart as an artist with this song and cemented himself as one of the greatest artists to ever live. Overall, this song is perfect in every way.
Roses – 10/10 – Back-to-back 10’s is insanity. If Hey Ya! weren’t this album, then the chorus for Roses would be the catchiest on the album. Andre shows all his vocal talents on this song with most of it spent “singing” and a short section where he raps. Big Boi appears to drop an astronomically good verse I didn’t expect. Overall, this song is also perfect in every way but just isn’t as marketable as Hey Ya! because it’s not as positive and the chorus is rather silly.
Good Day, Good Sir (Interlude) – Another funny skit and Andre is acting like he’s in medieval times.
Behold a Lady – 8.5/10 – The beat is honestly holding this song back because it’s just too slow for Andre to break into a fast verse which would do the song beautifully. Overall, this song is good and has Andre displaying his talents for things other than just rapping.
Pink & Blue – 8.5/10 – This song is kind of mysterious because it doesn’t have much to the beat at all for most of the song. Andre once again shows that he is amazing by singing throughout the song. Overall, the song is great.
Love in War – 7/10 – After all the singing songs this song doesn’t hit as hard as the other ones because Andre doesn’t do anything special on it. Overall, this song is good but it’s kind of boring.
She’s Alive – 7.5/10 – This song is more of just Andre showing that he has range on his vocals. This song is almost like a fever dream because I don’t know what’s happening but I’m rocking with it.
Dracula’s Wedding (feat. Kelis) – 8.5/10 – Andre is singing and has a radio voice effect and his flow while singing is immaculate. This song is this good and I’m still disappointed that the beat never dropped to allow for a short rap verse. Once Kelis hopped on the mic the bass started making my ears itch in my air pods. Overall, I really like this song and I still think it has potential to be better.
The Letter – Just an interlude
My Favorite Things – This song is literally just Andre’s rendition of the song My Favorite Things by John Coltrane, and I kind of like it when I can tell what is happening.
Take Off Your Cool (feat. Norah Jones) – 7.5/10 – Kind of just feels sad because of the singing with background vocals over an acoustic guitar. Overall, this song is good, but it has very few lyrics to follow and is short.
Vibrate – 7/10 – Feels like it’s leading to a loud climax or quite conclusion to end off the album on the next track. Kind of weird and I would like it if it weren’t for the warpy instrumentals. Overall, this song is okay.
A Life in The Day of Benjamin Andre (Incomplete) – 8/10 – Andre is rapping on this track for most of the song. I nearly had a stroke just typing the title and the story the song tells is even more weird. Overall, I’m just happy to hear Andre use his lyrical talent to tell a story.
Top 5
- Hey Ya!
- Roses
- The Way You Move
- Bowtie
- Happy Valentine’s Day
Overall: 10/10
This album had a lot of very, very good songs but it all flows together so smoothly into one very large complete package. This is beyond a shadow of a doubt, one of the best and most influential rap albums ever made. This album contains a song that transcends being one of the best of its genre and is just one of the best songs ever made period.
1.Stankonia
24 tracks and a 1-hour and 3-minute run time, this album is one of my favorite albums of all time.
Intro – Introduces the listeners to Stankonia as if it’s a place.
Gasoline Dreams (with Khujo Goodie) – 8/10 – The little guitar riff at the beginning would get me so hyped if I heard it at a WWE event. Very, very good song. Andre takes over the first verse and the chorus, so I feel like it is his song. Andres vocals on the chorus sound like he’s a rockstar which is appropriate because the song has electric guitar instrumentals. Very high-energy, high-octane song with three good verses from Andre, Big Boi and Khujo Goodie.
I’m Cool (Interlude) – Kind of interrupts the momentum that Gasoline Dreams had but I’m not mad about it because it does it in an appropriate way.
So Fresh, So Clean – 10/10 – Sleepy Brown and Rico Wade put on a generational performance on the chorus, it is memorable and an absolute joy to hear. Speaking of incredible performances, Big Boi is the one on the first two verses and he is in his bag, rapping fast and clear for both verses and sometimes spits a few syllables faster at the end of some bars which sounds amazing. Andre 3000 takes the 3rd verse, and it is the easiest to follow because he isn’t trying to match Big Boi’s tempo, he then takes the bridge which is funky and wavy sounding which leads into the chorus playing on loop until it fades out. Easily one of the best songs of the 2000’s and one of my favorite songs ever made because I can listen to it at any time due to the mix of fast and clear pronunciation with a very funky smooth beat, and an incredible chorus.
Ms. Jackson – 10/10 – When people see the album cover this is the song most people think of. Transitions out of So Fresh, So Clean, and normally following up such an incredible performance is a curse, but this song shows up in the best way. This song has a near equal amount of vocals from Big Boi and Andre but I feel this song is remembered for Andre 3000. Big Boi’s faster rap style feels like an intermission between Andre 3000’s vocals and yet it doesn’t feel like he’s in the way because he adds to the song. Andre is simply so good that he can outshine an incredible performance, he is of course on the chorus which is the most memorable pat of this song, and I would say damn near everyone has heard it at least once, but he is also on the bridge and has his own verses which tie this song up beautifully. Having two 10/10 songs back-to-back is nasty work.
Snappin’ & Trappin’ (feat. Killer Mike & J-Sweet) – 5/10 – Killer Mike does okay on this song, but Big Boi’s vocals save this song and unfortunately it doesn’t have any amount of Andre 3000 on it. The song is good overall but I’m just not a very big fan of this song’s instrumentals and find the bubbly sound that plays throughout to be a little annoying. I also hold nothing against this song because it came after back-to-back 10’s.
D.F. (Interlude) – Came and went, just feels and sounds like a huddle in football.
Spaghetti Junction – 8/10 – Hearing Andre and Big Boi go back and forth every few bars or so is very cool and usually doesn’t happen. It has a very chill and low energy beat with verses that compliment it well, this song is overall very good but i feel if the chorus was better, it would be better.
Kim & Cookie (Interlude) – Kind of funny because of the vocalists harmonizing over regular comments.
I’ll Call B4 I Cum (feat. Gangsta Boo & Eco) – 7/10 – I feel this song could have gone without a verse from Big Boi because its beat isn’t complimented well by his fast-paced style. Andre 3000 does start this song off well and the features do add something to the song it needed because of the Big Boi verse. Overall, this song doesn’t have as much replay ability as previous songs and is more chill than those really good Outkast songs, but it is still a good song.
B.O.B. – Bombs Over Baghdad – 10/10 – This beat is one of those where Big Boi should shine on, but Andre 3000 put on one of the most impressive performances of his career on here. I almost feel bad for Big Boi for having to go after Andre, but he does still show up in a big way and do what I would expect him to do on such a song, this isn’t saying it wasn’t incredible, I was just mesmerized by Andre’s performance. The chorus is very catchy and even the last two minutes where its the same two phrases being repeated over and over is still amazing. Overall, this song is simple fun at its core and is one of the best rap songs ever made.
Xplosion (feat. B-Real) – 7.5/10 – Starts out sounding kind of mysterious on some vampire theme type of beat but then Andre starts rapping and has a weird effect on his voice, but it sounds good. The chorus is catchy and solid, not as good as So Fresh, So Clean or Ms. Jackson, but effective. B-Real had a verse that actually really belongs on this song because of his voice, so he does improve the song. Overall, this song is pretty good, it has a tough job of coming after a 10/10 song, but it doesn’t disappoint.
Good Hair (Interlude) – I honestly wish the instrumentals used on this were a full song.
We Luv Deez Hoez (feat. Backbone & Big Gipp) – 8.5/10 – Very funky beat and has a harder delivery in terms of the vocals. The chorus is very good and catchy because it is hard and not sung like they usually are. Every verse on this song is good and once again the features add something the song wouldn’t have had without them. Overall this song is very good and I love listening to it in the car while going along with the chorus.
Humble Mumble (feat. Erykah Badu) – 9/10 – Transitions out of the previous song very smoothly. Big Boi has the first verse and the beat hasn’t dropped yet so it just feels like a build up to the second verse where the beat drops as Andre 3000 takes over and drops one of the better sounding verses on the album because his flow matches the instrumentals so well. Erykah Badu has a sort of bridge sounding verse like Big Boi but it didn’t lead to another verse like his. Overall, this song is very good, and I wish that Big Boi had a verse over the same beat that Andre did because the beat was immaculate.
Drinkin’ Again (Interlude) – Sounds like something out of The Princess and The Frog minus the profanity.
? – 6/10 – I don’t mind this song but I would never find myself seeking it out. Andre 3000 just asks a bunch of questions about the world asking why people would want to do bad things and the beat is very fast paced so Andre matches it but I feel his voice doesn’t go super well with this beat, and the water flowing sample that plays is just weird. Overall Andre does spit some bars and I wish this was listed as an Interlude cause I don’t want to treat it as a normal song.
Red Velvet – 8/10 – I feel like this is what this album needed because almost every song on here is very high energy but still smooth whereas this song is very calm and still funky smooth. Every verse by Andre and Big Boi is extremely good and my only complaint about this song is that it wasn’t longer because the 4 minutes go by quick.
Cruisin’ In The ATL (Interlude) – Sounds like a commercial break.
Gangsta Sh*t (feat. Slimm Calhoun, C-Bone & TMO) – 7/10 – The chorus is very easy to follow along with, so it is catchy. The beginning where the chorus transitions seamlessly into the first verse was very smooth and had me make a gross face. Hard to pin what the best verse is because it’s between the first and last, but I can say I feel the third one ruined the flow of the song but didn’t destroy it.
Toilet Tisha – 7.5/10 – Very smooth and funky beat that is sort of like two songs in one with the same beat. The first half has smooth singing by Andre and the second half is Big Boi rapping and picking up momentum throughout, either of these could have been the full song and it would be good either way. This song is kind of what Funky Ride was on Southernplayalisticallacmuzik. Overall, this song is a not much needed, but very welcomed break from constant fire flowing from Andre and Big Boi’s mouths over harder instrumentals.
Slum Beautiful (feat. Cee-lo) – 7/10 – Very funky base lead instrumentals. Andre 3000 shines over Big Boi and Cee-Lo on here simply because of his voice. The chorus isnt super catchy but it is pleasant on the ears. Overall this song is good but there is better on this album.
Pre-Nump (Interlude) – Funny.
Stankonia (Stanklove)(feat. Big Rube & Sleepy Brown) – 8/10 – Sleepy Brown on the chorus always hits. Very smooth and funky song. Perfect way to end the album because the way its a already calm beat fading out. Overall a very nice listen.
Top 5
- So Fresh, So Clean
- Jackson
- O.B. – Bombs Over Baghdad
- Humble Mumble
- We Love Deez Hoez
Overall: 10/10
Stankonia is easily one of the best and most iconic rap albums ever made. Every song compliments each other perfectly and flows beautifully while delivering on the overall objective of bringing the listener on a journey to Stankonia as if it’s another place or dimension and not just an album. A lot of, if not all the songs on here have seen attempts to copy them but they can never replicate the absolute masterpieces on this album. Outkast simply took their previous success and improved upon them.
