Outkast

在美國(guó)東、西海岸說(shuō)唱占據(jù)主流的說(shuō)唱音樂(lè)市場(chǎng)中，Outkast是美國(guó)南方臟口說(shuō)唱中極少的既獲得商業(yè)成功又贏得評(píng)論界稱贊的說(shuō)唱樂(lè)團(tuán)之一。他們的說(shuō)唱不同于傳統(tǒng)的南方臟口，在他們的音樂(lè)中，在基于南方說(shuō)唱的原始思想上又大膽的進(jìn)行了變革，沒(méi)有了過(guò)多簡(jiǎn)單化的刺激性的內(nèi)容，轉(zhuǎn)而在旋律和內(nèi)容上作了大的文章，使音樂(lè)的旋律更加悅耳流暢，歌詞內(nèi)容上也更追求深層次，也更積極一些。
　　1992年，Outkast樂(lè)團(tuán)成員André3000，原名Andre Benjamin，又名Dre，另一名成員Big Boi，原名Antwan Patton，他們?cè)诿绹?guó)佐治亞州首府亞特蘭大市East Point地區(qū)的TriCities高中第一次相遇。兩名說(shuō)唱歌手開(kāi)始的時(shí)候各自為戰(zhàn)，相互競(jìng)爭(zhēng)，最終他們互相贊嘆對(duì)方的說(shuō)唱才華，所以決定以組合形式來(lái)表演，并把這個(gè)組合取名為Outkast。后來(lái)他們引起了曾經(jīng)為T(mén)LC和Xscape擔(dān)任制作的Organized Noize Productions的注意。在高中畢業(yè)后，他們和當(dāng)?shù)氐腖aFace唱片公司簽約。
　　1993年，在LaFace唱片公司，他們錄制并發(fā)行了第一支單曲《Player's Ball》，不曾想這支單曲在發(fā)行后迅速的攀升成為說(shuō)唱單曲排行榜的冠軍！并且很快就被美國(guó)唱片工業(yè)協(xié)會(huì)(RIAA)鑒定為黃金單曲。由于這出人意料的成功，使他們的首張專(zhuān)輯制作計(jì)劃列入日程。1994年，他們標(biāo)題沒(méi)有空格的第一張專(zhuān)輯《Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik》正式發(fā)行。這張專(zhuān)輯銷(xiāo)量成績(jī)喜人，沖入了Billboard 200排行榜的前20名，并且不久就被認(rèn)定為白金唱片。1996年和1998年，Outkast分別發(fā)行了第二和第三張專(zhuān)輯《ATLiens》和《Aquemini》，兩張專(zhuān)輯都成為了Billboard 200排行榜的亞軍，并且先后被認(rèn)定為雙白金專(zhuān)輯，并且這兩張專(zhuān)輯也初步贏得了評(píng)論界的贊譽(yù)，這為他們后來(lái)的發(fā)展奠定了基礎(chǔ)。但是在這順風(fēng)順?biāo)�的時(shí)候，Outkast卻遇到了麻煩。由于單曲《Rosa Parks》的名字，他們?cè)獾搅似鹪V，罪名是非法使用公民姓名權(quán)。
　　在擺平了這樁訴訟之后，樂(lè)團(tuán)投入到了新專(zhuān)輯的制作中，Andre Benjamin也把名字從Dre改為André3000。2000年10月31日，Outkast的巔峰專(zhuān)輯《Stankonia》正式發(fā)行。發(fā)行之后，評(píng)論界傳來(lái)了整齊劃一的贊嘆之聲，市場(chǎng)上也滿載而歸，不僅首周沖到了排行榜亞軍，而且在數(shù)月后的2001年2月6日被認(rèn)定為三白金唱片，同時(shí)專(zhuān)輯中的單曲《Ms. Jackson》也成為了Billboard Hot 100單曲榜的冠軍。
　　2001年12月，Outkast發(fā)行了一張新歌加精選的專(zhuān)輯《Big Boi and Dre Present...Outkast》。2003年9月23日，Outkast最新的雙CD專(zhuān)輯《Speakerboxxx/The Love Below》正式發(fā)售。
　　憑借著專(zhuān)輯《Stankonia》和其中的單曲《Ms. Jackson》，Outkast曾經(jīng)在2002年初的時(shí)候，分別獲得了2001年度第44屆格萊美獎(jiǎng)5項(xiàng)提名，并最終贏得了最佳說(shuō)唱專(zhuān)輯獎(jiǎng)(Best Rap Album)和最佳說(shuō)唱組合獎(jiǎng)(Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group)兩項(xiàng)大獎(jiǎng)，在今年初舉行的2002年度第45屆格萊美頒獎(jiǎng)中，憑借與Killer Mike合作的單曲《The Whole World》，Outkast再次獲得了最佳說(shuō)唱組合獎(jiǎng)。(CatCobain
by John Bush
OutKasts blend of gritty Southern soul, fluid raps, and the rolling G-funk of their Organized Noize production crew epitomized the Atlanta wing of hip-hops rising force, the Dirty South, during the late 90s. Along with Goodie Mob, OutKast took Southern hip-hop in bold, innovative new directions: less reliance on aggression, more positivity and melody, thicker arrangements, and intricate lyrics. After Dré and Big Boi hit number one on the rap charts with their first single, Players Ball, the duo embarked on a run of platinum albums spiked with several hit singles, enjoying numerous critical accolades in addition to their commercial success.
André Benjamin (Dré) 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 others skills. They formed OutKast and were pursued by Organized Noize Productions, hitmakers for TLC and Xscape. Signed to the local LaFace label just after high school, OutKast recorded and released Players 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. Dré 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 albums 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 albums 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 songs language. The initial court decision dismissed the suit in late 1999.
Dré modified his name to André 3000 before the group issued its hotly anticipated fourth album, Stankonia, in late 2000. Riding the momentum of uniformly excellent reviews and the stellar singles B.O.B. and Ms. Jackson, Stankonia debuted at number two and went triple platinum in just a few months; meanwhile, Ms. Jackson became their first number one pop single the following February. 2003s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, a double album, debuted at number one and spawned a pair of number one singles: the Dré-fronted Hey Ya and the Big Boi-fronted The Way You Move. Three years later, as breakup rumors continued to swirl, they returned with the feature film Idlewild and an accompanying soundtrack.