Stevie G: Outkast deserve Hall of Fame nod
André 3000 and Big Boi of Outkast attend the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Peacock Theater on Saturday in Los Angeles, California.
They join hip-hop legends Grandmaster Flash, Run DMC, NWA, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Kool DJ Kerc, A Tribe Called Quest, Eminem, Jay Z, Public Enemy, Missy Elliot, Tupac, and Biggie on the list, and there is no doubt Outkast deserve it. One of the most popular groups in hip-hop history, Outkast are almost universally loved, and they remain adored on a street level as well as commercially, even many years after their last proper record together.
The story of Outkast is amazing, and I remember clearly being in the States the summer that came out. It was more than the long title which caught the eyes and the ears, and I was immediately fascinated by the accents, which were very different to what we had been hearing previously, in a hip-hop climate dominated by the East and West coasts of the United States. Sure we had Geto Boyz and 2 Live Crew, both of whom were huge, but Outkast were unique and different from the off, and really helped put southern hip-hop on the map in the 1990s.
Alongside Goodie Mob and production team Organized Noize, they ushered in a new era, and pretty soon they left no one in doubt about the fact that “the south got something to say”. This line, spoken after an awards ceremony, struck a particular chord with us here in Cork, who also have a sometimes southern chip on our shoulder when it comes to recognition in music. Outkast had followed their debut with , featuring the introspective radio jams and , both big jams for myself on Radio Friendly, and the huge title track. Then came , quite simply one of the best albums of that or any era, and a record which found Outkast working with a far more expansive live sound and influences.
First up, became a global smash, and an Irish Top 5 hit, a rarity for rap records of the time. It was number one in many other countries and it was played quite literally everywhere in the year 2000, with a powerful hook and propelling one of those rare rap records which didn’t have to rely on novelty value for its crossover success. soon followed, and as always, on the albums, the group stretched out even further, and became more experimental again.
A memorable Irish festival performance in Creamfields followed that year, but the biggest step of the Outkast journey was yet to take place. — a double album where each member shared a side — saw Outkast became a fully fledged pop phenomenon in 2003. It was even more experimental than their previous records, but again, the singles were huge; most particularly, , one of the catchiest and most ubiquitous records of the last 25 years. and were also gigantic, but the real joy in the record lies in the reflective jams such as for me.
Outkast had the world at their feet, and even though the misunderstood received a more muted reception, they continued to remain popular among all age groups. Their last visit to Ireland, at Electric Picnic in 2014, is likely to be their final one here, but it was a special evening, and they have always been one of hip-hop’s most exhilarating live groups. Big Boi has continued to release solo albums while André continues to steal the limelight in the odd guest spot, but he did release a well received jazz album in 2023.
Rap fans have been obsessed with trying to manufacture a reunion in the studio, but the two remain friends, and André has to be respected for following his own path and dreams. Regardless, Outkast has one of the most innovative catalogues in not just hip-hop but in music itself, and it’s remarkable that a group with so much musical integrity sold so many records along the way as well. They truly are one of the greatest groups of all.
