Outkast redefined hip-hop with their genre-blending sound and relentless innovation, proving the “Dirty South” could compete with rap music’s long-standing East and West Coast scenes. Outkast’s distinctive sound – a blend of funk, soul, and jazz with introspective storytelling – helped them become one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful hip-hop groups of all-time. With massive 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 and, along with fellow schoolmates Goodie Mob, they formed the Dungeon Family collective. Together, they elevated Atlanta as a cultural and musical hub. In 1992, Outkast signed with LaFace Records, becoming the label’s first hip-hop act. Their debut album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik (1994), featured laid-back classics like “Player’s Ball” and earned them Best New Rap Group at the 1995 Source Awards. This felt like a watershed 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 ubiquitous “Hey Ya!”   

The legacy of Outkast is vividly apparent in all pockets of contemporary hitmakers – the introspection of Kendrick Lamar, the afro-futurism of Janelle Monáe, the individuality of Tyler, the Creator – and an entire generation of ATL protégés including T.I., Ludacris, Future, and Migos.

Nominees: André 3000 (André Benjamin) and Big Boi (Antwan Patton)