OutKast

In addition, Outkast will be starring in a HBO movie, My Life in Idlewild and will be doing a movie soundtrack album based on the movie. They brought out a greatest hits package: Hits and organised a music festival: Auto (held at Rotherham's Magna centre) where they played their last gig before embarking on a temporary hiatus from the music industry. Intended as a throwback to the Southernplayalisticadillakmusic days, the album will feature ten songs, all strictly hip hop, and all produced by Organized Noise. In 2002 the band announced they were leaving their label, Island. The sixth OutKast album, 10 the Hard Way, is due for release in 2005. Produced by Scott Walker, it was a much happier and more popular album than Hardcore. Its first signees were Sleepy Brown and Bubba Sparxxx. Pulp then spent a few years in the wilderness before reappearing in 2001 with a new album, We Love Life, symbolising another new phase in Cocker and Pulp's development.

OutKast's Earthtone III recently founded Purple Label, an new imprint to be distributed by Virgin Records. Pulp also collaborated with Patrick Doyle on the song "Like A Friend" for the soundtrack to the movie Great Expectations. CBS later apologized. Many of the fans who had so enjoyed the happier, more amusing and light-hearted approach of Different Class were somewhat turned off by the darker tone of the new record. The Native American Cultural Center called for a boycott of OutKast and of CBS, the broadcaster of the awards show. The fallout of all of this, and the ensuing depression induced by finding the one thing he'd been after all his life (fame) and then deciding that it wasn't really up to much, was the subject matter of the follow-up album This Is Hardcore: a trawl through the seedy world of Soho, which during its more navel-gazing, depressed-singer-in-a-hotel-room moments stylistically approached Pink Floyd's The Wall. OutKast was one of the headlining acts at the show, and gave two performances: Big Boi performed "The Way You Move" during a medley with George Clinton & P-Funk and Robert Randolph and the Family Band, while André performed "Hey Ya" as the show closer. In February 2004, OutKast was criticized by Native American groups for André's performance, which featured dancers moving wildly around a green teepee in war paint and feathered headdresses. Cocker was also having difficulty with the celebrity lifestyle, resulting in the breakup of a long-term relationship.

Speakerboxx/The Love Below won the Grammy Award for the 2004 'Album of the Year. It was during this period of intense fame that long time member and major innovator in the band's sound, Russell Senior, decided to call it a day to spend time with his family (and out of the tabloid press). The final singles were André's "Protoype", which was paired with an unusual science fiction-themed video about alien visitors, and Speakerboxxx's' "Ghetto Musick", which featured both members of OutKast and a sample from a Patti LaBelle song. This incident propelled Cocker into even greater notoriety in the UK, and having spent the last 15 years trying to be famous, he grabbed the attention with both hands. "Roses", a track featuring both members from The Love Below half of the album, did not met the level of success as either of its predecessors, but it became a modest-sized hit on urban radio and the American music video networks. But domestic attention was never really equaled in the rest of the world, and if Pulp are known beyond the UK at all it is perhaps more likely the result of Cocker's antics at the infamous 1996 Brit Awards, when he invaded the stage in protest during Michael Jackson's performance (for which he spent the night in the cells on the ungrounded charge of having injured some of the children that Jackson was "healing"). Concerned with over-saturation, OutKast's next official single was not released until the summer of 2004. saw the opportunity to steal the crown, and "Common People" was arguably the stand-out single of the year, if not the decade.

Together, both singles spent over ten weeks at number one on the Hot 100 singles chart. While Blur and Oasis were fighting it out over which band were the true kings of Britpop, Jarvis Cocker and co. The digital video channels, MTV Jams and VH1 Soul also gave both videos the heaviest of play, MTV Jams having played each almost once an hour at their peaks. This album, with its disco-infused pop-rock, and the trademark sordid yet witty lyrics about sexual encounters and working class life, is for most fans what Pulp are about. Despite a fall release, the songs' music videos (which were often aired segued together) became two of 2003's most played on MTV, VH1, MTV2, and BET, both having entered heavy rotation on all four channels at one point or another. 1995 saw the peak of Pulp's fame, with the release of their No.2 UK Hit single "Common People", their much loved performance at the Glastonbury festival (standing in for the Stone Roses at the last minute) and their Mercury award winning album Different Class (the first album featuring Pulp fan-club president Mark Webber, who became a permanent member of the band on guitar and keyboards). "Hey Ya!" was also one of the first songs to become a hit on the Apple iTunes Music Store, replacing "Stacy's Mom" at #1 and staying there for months. This sudden increase in popularity was certainly helped by the massive media interest in a new wave of Britpop ushered by the likes of Suede and Blur, the latter of which Pulp supported on a US tour in 1994.

Both immediately exploded at radio: "Move" initially becoming enormous on urban radio, then later pop and rhythmic, and "Hey Ya" becoming a smash crossover hit on pop, rhythmic, hot AC, and alternative rock radio then later on urban stations. These were followed by the Ed Buller produced album His 'n' Hers which reached No.9 in the UK charts, and which, sonically, was not a million miles away from Suede. The first two singles from the album(s), which were released nearly simultaneously, were Big Boi's "The Way You Move" and André's "Hey Ya!". Island Records then released the singles "Do You Remember the First Time" and "Lipgloss", to modest chart success. The album eventually sold over five million copies, and, as double-album sales count double for Recording Industry Association of America certification, the album was certified diamond (10 million units sold) in December 2004. The three singles released on Gift were later compiled on the album Intro which was released when they were signed up by Island Records. The album is also OutKast's biggest commercial success yet, having debuted on the Billboard Albums Chart at #1 and stayed there for several weeks. Fire attempted to capitalise on this by finally releasing Separations.

Speakerboxx/The Love Below has received what is perhaps the duo's most rapturous critical reception to date; both discs were considered highly innovative and accomplished. Frustrated that Separations still hadn't been released, Pulp signed to Warp Records imprint Gift Records in 1992. André 3000's The Love Below is a sprawling and ambitious work that featured only brief instances of hip hop, presenting instead funk and pop music inspired by Prince, Rick James, Sly Stone, and Frank Zappa. In the meantime, however, in 1991, a 12" recording - "My Legendary Girlfriend" became music periodical The NME's single of the week, and it was this that ushered Pulp's first steps towards fame. Big Boi's Speakerboxxx is, for the most part, a joyous party record, tempered by more politically-minded tracks like "War". Like Freaks, its release was delayed, to an extent lessening the potential impact. It is essentially two solo double-albums, one by each member, packaged as a single release under the OutKast banner. This album, Separations, was a progression of the style of Freaks, with Leonard Cohen-esque ballads on side one and a more disco / Acid House infused track-listing on side two.

In September 2003 OutKast released a double album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. They recorded another album for Fire after a separate deal fell through. The following year, the group and Killer Mike contributed the lead single "Land of a Million Drums" to the Scooby-Doo soundtrack.. The fold was short-lived however, and a new line-up, consisting of Cocker, Senior, Candida Doyle, Nick Banks (drums) and Steve Mackey (bass) emerged. One of these new tracks was the popular single "The Whole World", which won a 2002 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. This gave Cocker ample time to consider his direction, and when, later, Freaks failed to be a success, Pulp folded, with Jarvis going off to London to study film. In December 2001, OutKast released a greatest hits album, Big Boi And Dre Present...OutKast, which also contained three new tracks. It was during this mid-80s period that Cocker fell out of a window while trying to impress a girl, and ended up in hospital, and temporarily wheelchair-bound.

DJ to form the Earthtone III production company, and began producing tracks for the artists on their Aquemeni Records imprint through Columbia, including Slimm Cutta Calhoun and Killer Mike, who made his debut appearance on Stankonia's "Snappin' & Trappin". It is either loved or hated by fans, and might be considered the antithesis of the happy and optimistic It. During the recording of Stankonia, OutKast joined with partner Mr. Its release ended up being delayed for a year, and the record was not well received. Jackson", and another for Stankonia as Best Rap Album. These releases were followed by an album, Freaks in 1986, recorded in one week due to pressure from the label. All three singles' videos had heavy MTV2 airplay, and OutKast won two 2001 Grammy Awards: one for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Ms. These tracks were much darker in tone than those on It, and often veered towards the likes of The Fall.

The album's final single was the Organize Noise-produced "So Fresh, So Clean", featuring a credited guest appearance from regular guest vocalist Sleepy Brown. Following her first performance with the band, they were signed to a label called Fire Records, and began to record a number of singles that were later released as the compilation album Masters of the Universe. The single became their first pop crossover hit, landing the #1 position on the US pop singles chart, and the #2 position on the UK pop chart. Having survived a number of ill-fated gigs, Allcard left to be replaced on keyboards by Doyle's sister Candida. Jackson" is Badu's mother. The three of them established a new, more experimental, artier, and noisier direction for Pulp, and were subsequently augmented by Peter Mansell (bass) and Tim Allcard (keyboards, saxophone, poetry). Jackson", was about divorce and relationship breakups, particularly André's breakup with Erykah Badu; the titular "Ms. He was all set to throw the towel in and go to university, when he decided to hold a practice with Russell Senior (violin, guitar, vocals) and Magnus Doyle (drums).

The second single, "Ms. But fame was still not knocking, and Cocker was becoming unhappy with his chosen musical direction, especially after being forced to cut a single in the style of the then prevalent pop-group Wham!. (Bombs Over Bagdad)", a high-tempo jungle-influenced record. This largely consisted of jangly, happy-go-lucky, folkish, romantic pop tunes, and was a change of direction from the Peel Sessions. It debuted at #2 on the album charts and would eventually go double-platinum. Stankonia's first single was "B.O.B. They managed to get enough local backing to record a mini-album in late 1982 entitled It. The pair's fourth album, Stankonia was released to excellent reviews in October 2000. A new set of musicians was gathered: Simon Hinkler (who later joined The Mission and produced All About Eve), David Hinkler, Wayne Furness, Peter Boam, Gary Wilson, and Cocker's sister, Saskia.

In 2003, the Supreme Court allowed Rosa Parks to proceed with her lawsuit; the members of OutKast were dropped as co-defendants, and Parks continued to seek action against LaFace and parent company BMG. Despite the exposure on national radio, success was not forthcoming, and most of the then line-up left for university. Parks hired lawyer Johnny Cochran to appeal the decision in 2001, but this too was denied, on First Amendment grounds. Amazingly they landed a Peel Session, and the tracks they recorded were pretty much in the typical Sheffield sound of the time (cf. Human League, Comsat Angels) - sort of electronic new wave. The initial lawsuit was dismissed. They played their first proper gig at Rotherham Arts Centre in July 1980, and made a demo tape the following year which they gave to the DJ John Peel. The song's lyrics were largely unrelated to Parks, save for a line in the chorus: "Ah ha, hush that fuss / Everybody move to the back of the bus". The first line-up was Cocker, David Lockwood (musician), Mark Swift and Peter Dalton, though this soon disintegrated into a fairly un-set membership of Cocker and whoever else was around at the time.

She felt the song misappropriated her name, and also objected to some of the song's obscene language. They are most famous in the UK, where their blend of disco-influenced pop-rock coupled with the amusing down-to-Earth kitchen-sink lyrics of lanky, rubber-limbed front-man Cocker, saw them become popular during the mid 1990s. In 1999, OutKast and LaFace Records was sued by Rosa Parks over the album's most successful radio single, "Rosa Parks". They were originally known as "Arabacus Pulp", but this was soon shortened. The album featured collaborations with, in addition to Organized Noise and the Goodie Mob; their infant son Seven is heard on the song "Slump".
The pop group Pulp were formed in Sheffield, England, in 1978 by then 15-year-old school-boy Jarvis Cocker (vocals, guitar). Both Big Boi and André explored more eclectic subject matter, and, producing even more of the album themselves, delved into more innovate sounds inspired by soul, trip hop, and electro music. Mark Sturdy, Truth & Beauty: The Story of Pulp (Omnibus Press, 2003) - comprehensive biography.

The album was widely praised as an innovative, unique and refreshing album full of hip hop with a progressive vision, both artistic and musically. April 2002 "Bad Cover Version" #27. OutKast's third album Aquemini (1998) also reached the #2 position on the charts; its title was a combination of the zodiac signs for Big Boi (an Aquarius) and André (a Gemini). October 2001 "Sunrise/The Trees" #23. "Elevators (Me and You)", the first single to be produced by OutKast themselves instead of Organized Noise, became the group's first Top 20 hit the same year. September 1998 "Party Hard" #29. "AtLiens" was the group's first Top 40 single, and reflected the beginning of André's increasing self-consciousness: "No drugs or alcohol/so I can get the signal clear", he rhymes about himself. June 1998 "A Little Soul" #22.

The album hit #2 on the US album charts, and helped the group earn more recognition among East Coast hip hop fans in the northern US, many of whom usually panned southern hip hop artists. March 1998 "This is Hardcore" #12. ATLiens was OutKast's second album, released in 1996. November 1997 "Help the Aged" #8. OutKast won Best New Rap Group at the Source Awards in 1995. April 1996 "Something Changed" #10. On this early material, both André and Big Boi contrast lyrical content reflecting the lifestyles of pimps and gangsters with politically conscious material commenting on the status of African Americans in the southern US. December 1995 "Disco 2000" #7.

Their full length debut, Southernplayalisticadillakmusik, was issued the next year); follow-up singles included the title track and "Git Up, Git Out", a politically charged collaboration with Goodie Mob that was later sampled by Macy Gray for her 1999 hit "Do Something". October 1995 "Mis-Shapes/Sorted for E's and Wizz" #2. The song's funky style, much of it accomplished with live instrumentation, was a hit with audiences, and "Player's Ball" hit #1 on the Billboard Rap Chart. June 1995 "Common People" #2. In 1993, they released their first single, "Player's Ball". June 1994 "The Sisters EP" (Babies / Your Sister's Clothes / Seconds / His 'n' Hers) #19. OutKast signed to LaFace Records in 1992, becoming the label's first hip hop act and making their first appearance on the remix of labelmates TLC's "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg". April 1994 "Do You Remember the First Time" #33.

OutKast, Organized Noise, and schoolmates Goodie Mob formed the nucleus of the Dungeon Family organization. November 1993 "Lipgloss" #50. They eventually teamed up, and were pursued by Organized Noize, a group of local producers who would later make hits for TLC and Xscape. Hits - greatest hits compilation (2002) #71 UK. Big Boi and André went to Tri-Cities High School together in East Point, Georgia, and battled each other lyrically on a regular basis. Countdown 1992-1983 (1996) #10 UK. OutKast is currently the most successful hip-hop group of all time, having sold 14 million copies of their six releases: four studio albums, a greatest hits release, and Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, a double album contaning a solo album from each member of the group. Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is one of only three hip hop albums to go diamond, the other two being MC Hammer's Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em and The Notorious B.I.G.'s Life After Death. Masters of the Universe - non-album singles compilation (1994).

The duo is André "André 3000" Benjamin (formerly known as "Dre") and Antwan "Big Boi" Patton, both from the Atlanta area. Intro - non-album singles compilation (1993). Their original musical style was a mixture of Dirty South and G-Funk; since then, funk, soul, electronica, and rock elements have been added to the mix. We Love Life (2001) #6 UK. OutKast is a popular and successful American hip hop duo based out of Atlanta, Georgia. This Is Hardcore (1997) #1 UK, #114 US. 2004: "Prototype" (André 3000). Different Class (1995) #1 UK.

2004: "Roses" (#9 US; #4 UK). His 'n' Hers (1994) #9 UK. 2003: "The Way You Move" (Big Boi featuring Sleepy Brown) (#1 US; #7 UK). Separations (1991). 2003: "Hey Ya!" (André 3000) (#1 US; #3 UK). Freaks (1986). 2001: "The Whole World" (featuring Killer Mike) (#19 US; #19 UK). It (1983).

2000: "So Fresh So Clean" (#30 US; #16 UK). Jackson" (#1 US; #2 UK). 2000: "Ms. (Bombs Over Bagdad)".

2000: "B.O.B. 1)". 1998: "Da Art of Storytellin' (Pt. 1998: "Rosa Parks" (#57 US).

1997: "Jazzy Belle" (#52 US). 1996: "Elevators (Me and You)" (#12 US). 1996: "ATLiens" (#35 US). 1994: "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik" (#74 US).

1994: "Git Up, Git Out". 1994: "Player's Ball" (#37 US). 2005: 10 the Hard Way. 2003: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.

2001: Big Boi And Dre Present...OutKast (greatest hits LP). 2000: Stankonia. 1998: Aquemini. 1996: ATLiens.

1994: Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. André 3000 and Big Boi just cut solo records, that's all." The last comment prompts one of the young adults, a blonde-bearded Caucasian, to say approvingly "alright" and to tap fists with Clark. "Well, to answer your questions, no, I would not have voted for the Iraq war… I am pro-choice and I am a strong believer in Affirmative Action… and I don't care what the other candidates say, I don't think OutKast is really breaking up. The young adults do not speak, but sit and listen as Clark appears to be answering their questions.

In the ad, Clark is sitting in a coffee shop with a dozen middle-class young adults of various American ethnicities. The reference was an attempt to get the attention of a much younger generation of potential voters. In a campaign commercial released October 30, 2003, the Wesley Clark presidential campaign made reference to OutKast. It featured sparring 1950s-style gangs, one representing Speakerboxxx, and one representing The Love Below, parodying the widespread arguing among critics and fans as to which half of the album was better.

The video for "Roses" is loosely based on the musical Grease. The video's storyline has "The Love Below" (a fictional band, with all members played by Andre with the use of special effects) performing in London. The video for "Hey Ya" is based on The Beatles' landmark appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.