Word: bois
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
With the recent release of their double album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, Outkast have become somewhat of a hip-hop R.E.M. The similarities speak for themselves: André 3000 and Big Boi have followed a path strikingly parallel to Michael Stipe and the boys—rising from underground success (both in the South, no less) to the top of the charts and pushing the boundaries of their sound even at the height of their popularity. Casual radio listeners are hooked by the catchy singles; more are captivated by their engaging lyrical content and constant musical experimentation; and college students everywhere...
Although there have been rumors of a feud, Outkast have dispelled any notion of a breakup, claiming instead that they had to keep their sound fresh by recording different albums. Although this “was a challenge” according to Big Boi, he overcomes it far more gracefully—albeit less experimentally—than his “eclectic” companion, the notoriously flamboyant Andr?...
...Boi takes a far more traditional path, but manages to show that there is plenty of room for creative expression within the “constraints” of hip-hop. From the opening shouts of “GhettoMusick,” it’s clear that his Speakerboxxx is a force to be reckoned with, with its frantic bassline accompanied by wailing synths and piercing organ. His flow is as smooth as ever—witness “The Way You Move”, which starts “ready for action...
...Speakerboxxx and The Love Below, Big Boi and Andre come together only briefly. (Andre co-wrote four tracks on Big Boi's album; Big Boi co-wrote and guest-raps once on Andre's.) Their synergy, on Speakerboxxx's Ghetto Musick and The Love Below's Roses, still produces OutKast's usual joyous, comic, hip-hop funk, with Andre's cross-genre futurism balanced by Big Boi's pop discipline. Separately, The Love Below rivals Prince's Black Album for both its exploration of Eros (a song called Spread) and its occasional self-indulgence (a Coltrane-inspired cover...
Neither man will speculate about the possibility of more OutKast albums. "We could come back and do other albums after this one," says Andre. "But I'd have to find new inspiration." Until then, Andre and Big Boi will just be riding around, circling each other...