October 11, 1996

OutKast hones their hip-hop to an edge

When he's not brewing beats or writing rhymes, Big Boi breeds pit bulls.
"I have 21 pups and 13 adults," says one half of OutKast, the Atlanta-based hip-hop crew, over the phone.
Big Boi, who's at the Opera House Wednesday with partner in rhyme, Dre, is tired of folks dissing pit bulls.
"Yeah, they have a bad rep," he says nonchalantly. "Just like black folk.
"People discriminate against them before they even get to know them," he says, his voice rising. "It's like how white women clutch their purse when they see a black man walking toward them.
"She don't even know you but she's scared of you."
White women, dogs and black men aside, it's the ominous beats and music on the crew's just-released second CD, ATLiens, that's got hip-hop heads hyped.
ATLiens doesn't only fly on the musical front. Jams like Elevators (Me And You), the dub-inflected Ova Da Wudz, and Babylon contain warnings from people who've been there, done that.
"Everybody wants to get signed/We're here to tell you record companies act like pimps, getting paid off what we made," goes one line.
Dre says, "This industry's more f----- up than the dope gang (selling drugs). At least when you're selling drugs you know you're getting messed up.
"We feel it's mainly black kids getting shafted," he adds. "We were like that at first. We didn't know the business side of things. We just wanted to make music that means something to us, get on stage and rock the crowd."
Now that OutKast has met its mandate, there's a different attitude to contend with.
They rap in Elevators (Me And You): "Kept asking me what kinda car you drive, I know you're paid."
Says Dre: "Kids see you on TV so they figure you're paid and everything. They think it's all about sipping champagne and having all these girls. But there's a lot more to it."
The two agree the majority of hip-hop videos don't only present a contentious, one-dimensional view of black life, but fool kids into believing the rap game's glamorous.
The trippy video for Elevators -- which shows black people milling around the Pyramids -- is OutKast going against the grain in fine style.
"We could've made a video with fancy cars and girls but that wouldn't have added anything to the song," says Dre.
Talk inevitably turns to Tupac Shakur.
"It was, like, really ... it was a loss," Dre says. "We don't get to hear any more music from that man.
"What I liked about his music was he told black kids they don't have to slang or bang," he adds. "We do the same thing. We tell 'em what we've been through and what we think about certain issues."
QUOTE UNQUOTE: "A studio gangster can't outrhyme a bullet. And real gangsters rarely outlive them. Tupac Shakur -- gifted black artist, reckless young man, and now the hip-hop James Dean -- always knew both of these things. Guess he just ran out of time to do anything about it. May God bless his divided soul." -- prominent African-American cultural critic Nelson George, in the Village Voice.

PHOTO: STRAIGHT TALK ... Outkast tells is like they see it on their new CD ATLiens, the hip-hop crew's second release.

CANOE home | We welcome your feedback.
Copyright © 1997, Sun Media Corporation and BCE Media Investments.
All rights reserved. Please click here for full copyright terms and restrictions.