Andre Benjamin (Dre) and Antwan Patton (Big Boi)
attended the same high school in the Atlanta borough of East Point, and several
lyrical battles made each gain respect for the other's skills. They formed OutKast,
and were pursued by Organized Noize Productions, hit-makers for TLC and Xscape.
Signed to the local LaFace label just after high school, OutKast
recorded and released "Player's Ball," then watched the single rise to number
one on the rap charts. It slipped from the top spot only after six weeks, was
certified gold, and created a buzz for a full-length release. That album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik,
hit the Top 20 in 1994 and was certified platinum by the end of the year.
Dre and Big Boi also won Best New Rap Group of the Year at the
1995 Source Awards. OutKast returned with a new album in 1996, releasing ATLiens
that August; it hit number two and went platinum with help from the gold-selling
single "Elevators (Me & You)" (number 12 pop, number one rap), as well as
the Top 40 title track. Aquemini followed in 1998, also hitting number
two and going double-platinum. There were no huge hit singles this time around,
but critics lavishly praised the album's unified, progressive vision, hailing it
as a great leap forward and including it on many year-end polls. Unfortunately,
in a somewhat bizarre turn of events, OutKast
was sued over the album's lead single "Rosa Parks" by none other than the civil
rights pioneer herself, who claimed that the group had unlawfully appropriated
her name to promote their music, also objecting to some of the song's language.
The initial court decision dismissed the suit in late 1999, but an appeal was
still pending when the group issued its hotly anticipated fourth album,
Stankonia, in late 2000.
John Bush, All Music Guide (UBL)
Big Boi: Real Name : Antwan Andre Patton Birthdate : Feruary 1, 1975 Birthplace : Savannah, Georgia Sign : Aquarius Height : 5’8 Child : Jordan Alexus Patton [pictured] |
Dre: Real Name : Andre Lauren Benjamin Birthdate : May 27, 1975 Birthplace : Georgia Baptist Hospital. Georgia. Sign : Gemini Height : 5’11 Child : Seven Sirius Benjamin |