Customer Reviews

Big Boi & Dre Present Outkast (Clean)

5 star:		(73)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Just Buy It. Why? Cause Its Outkast you fool. Almost all the classics are represented here. Aint No Thang, Rosa Parks, SouthernPlayalisticCadillacMuzik, Crumblin Erb, Player's Ball, Elevators, Git Up Get Out etc. The three new songs are pretty tight. Funkin Around is my favorite out of the three and it will definitely be a quick classic. Good Thing it was on this greatest hits album. The horns and the instrumental on this track is simply breathtaking. I believe they should have released this instead of Whole World. Whole World is not wack though but it is nothing great either. Movin Cool moves in the smae direction as Funkin Around. If their new album is anything like these two songs............man!

This cd is also great for new Outkast fans without all the albums and old fans such as myself. Most people are like "I can just burn my own copy of greatest hits with songs I think should be on there" Yes you could, but it takes away from the experience of ripping the plastic off, Outkasts funky artwork on the cd, the feeling of reading along with the rappers ( if you have not already memorized the songs)while they rip every song. I must admit I was disappointed that only one song off ATLiens was included and the TItle track from that album is nowhere to be found. ( Whats up with that) Also it would have been nice to include some other rarer songs such as Phobia or Sole Sunday.

To please all fans and capture all the hits Outkast would have to release a box set of all their albums because, realistically, any of their songs could have been on this. A Collectors Item from probably the Greatest Hip Hop Duo Ever. Not since EPMD has a duo innovated and expanded hip hop to this degree. Lyrics, beats, melodies, flow, choruses, voices, originality are all on point. A Must Have Masterpiece.

In an interview for Spin magazine earlier this year, OutKast's Dre3000 said that hip-hoppers, funkers, and rockers can all dig OutKast. He concluded by saying "Aliens dig us too." Well, he was right about that. I'm a heavy rocker by nature, with a real sickness for classic funk, and I'm attracted to acts that can bend the boundaries between different genres. I'm also interested in rappers who put a lot of effort into creating the musical aspect of their sound, like Dr. Dre or Public Enemy. For all these reasons, I just love OutKast. These guys aren't the best rappers in the world, but they are meticulous with their musical constructions and their lyrics are very clever and often insightful. For their entire four-album career, OutKast has successfully married basic hip-hop to Southern soul and classic funk (mostly the George Clinton variety, of which their knowledge is exhaustive), and this has given them a distinct and impressive sound. This musical expertise and creativity is OutKast's true strength. If you don't have all their original albums, this collection is a great representative sample, although fans may wonder why there is only one song form the 1996 album *ATLiens* (curiously, the liner notes incorrectly state that there are two). The three brand new tracks here are not too impressive either, and are basically experiments in P-Funksmanship. But other than those few weaknesses, you get the cream of the OutKast crop, with classics such as "Ms. Jackson," "Rosa Parks," "Player's Ball," and a good selection of their best album cuts.

Ever since the first day I heard "Player's Ball", I knew that this duo from the ATL had talent. When they came on to the scene in 1994, no one from the South was doing what Outkast was trying to do, and that was being good lyricists and at the same time, representing for the South. Their debut CD, "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik", definitely is in my top 15 of all time rap CDs. It spawned two more singles in the title track and "Git Up, Git Out" w/Goodie Mob. Outkast created a different style of rap music and they have created so many other groups since then just because they were able to maintain a distinctive and innovative sound. Organized Noise created the music and that allowed Outkast to concentrate on the lyrics and the quality of the material. Their next CD, "ATLiens", featured my favorite song of all time from Outkast, "Elevators" and that song was able to keep Outkast from suffering from the infamous sophomore jinx that some groups fall victim to. This is probably Outkast's most slept on CD. Outkast started producing songs and Organized Noise wasn't featured on as many songs as they were on the debut CD. Although their debut CD is my personal favorite, their 3rd CD, "Aquemini" probably is Outkast's most critically acclaimed CD. With songs like "Rosa Parks", "Skew It On The Bar-B" w/Raekwon, "Return Of The "G", the title track and "SpottieOttieDopaliscious", who can blame anyone for thinking this is Outkast's best CD. Their last release, "Stankonia" contained the breakout hits, "B.O.B", "Ms. Jackson", and "So Fresh And So Clean". With "Big Boi and Dre Presents... Outkast" the group is simply allowing their current fans who may have not followed Outkast from their "Player's Ball" days an opportunity to get all of their greatest hits, primarily from their first 3 CDs. Some people didn't start following Outkast until "B.O.B.". This CD does a good job of putting the majority of their greatest songs all on one CD, plus as an added bonus you get three new songs, the single, "The Whole World" w/Killer Mike, "Funkin' Around", and "Movin' Cool" (The After Party) w/Joi. Out of the three new songs, "Funkin' Around" is the best track. I agree with other reviewers in saying that this should have been the single instead of "The Whole World". All of their singles from their CDs are featured on this CD, as well as some hidden classics from their debut CD like "Crumblin' Erb" and "Ain't No Thang". The only thing disapointing about the Greatest Hits CD is that only one song from "ATLiens" is on this CD, which is the aforementioned "Elevators". "13th Floor/Growing Old", "Jazzy Belle (Remix) w/Babyface" and "Wheelz Of Steel" could or should be on here as well. The biggest exclusion on this CD has to be their classic track "Benz Or Beamer", which was on the "New Jersey Drive Soundtrack Volume 1". This song is classic Outkast and definitely deserves to be on this CD. However, even with the following exclusions, you should buy this CD if you are an Outkast fan. If you already have all of their CDs, you should still buy this CD for the three new songs.

James' Top 5

1. Elevators (Me & You)
2. Crumblin' Erb
3. Player's Ball
4. Git Up, Git Out w/Goodie Mob
5. SpottieOttieDopalicious

Yes I accidentally bought a clean cd. Don't ask. The point? Outkast doesn't need swears to distract the audience, like some other rappers* cough cough, ja rule * Rather, their beats and music are just superb. I've heard so many styles jam packed from over the years w/ them and what better way to do it then with this collection! I really love "Player's Ball"...their first hit. Some of the slower songs are kind of boring but the faster-paced ones really compensate... "B.O.B." wasn't what put them in mainstream terrirtory, even though it is still ag reat song. "Ms Jackson" however was the song that put them in mainstream territory, and also helped start the new pop hip hop trend. Who cant resist tappin their foot to the rodeo-inspired "Rosa Parks" or gettin down to the beats and lyrics of "So Fresh So Clean." In a world of depressing, cookie-cutter world of rap music that uses swears to coverup weak raps (Murder inc), Oukast really is a break from that. They're different, and always willing to stand out for the crowd, even if it does mean dying your hair white and wearing multi-colored velvet suits on stage. If you're a *real* hip hop fan then your collection will not be complete without "Big Boi and Dre Present...Outkast." A must own, an recieves an A+ rating from me.

How can you ask for more this is the greatest hip hop cd ever assembled Outkast is simply the most talented and creative Rap group ever. You wont ever hear them calling themselves god-mcs or talking about how much ice they have. They just hold it down with that southernplayalisticadililacphunkymusic that we have grown to love. Yall need to Check this out. The real Blue Print of Hip Hop.------G-Sharp

First and foremost, I'm a big fan of Outkast, so don't think I'm going to hate on them in anyway. When I first bought this album "Big Boi and Dre Present...Outkast" I was hoping to be remembered of the good times when I was a child listening to such albums as Southernplasticmuzik and ATLiens. Well, for the most part I got what I paid for. But here is the question: Why is it that most [rap] albums that try to showcase greatest hits, they don't put all of them on there? Looking through the albums that I'm pretty sure were hits are not on there. From the look of this compilation the gotten the correct hits from one out of the four albums that were released (Stankonia, 2000). It seems that they took the wront tracks from Aquemini (1998), not enough from ATLiens (1996), and did a decent job with Southernplayasticmuzik (1994). But I don't blame Andre and Big Boi for this fault, I should point the finger at Mr. Antonio "L.A." Reid for this shortcommings. Don't get me wrong, most of the tracks on this are nice, but it could have been better.

This is what I expect a greatest hits album to be:

From Southernplayaisicmuzik (1994):

1. Southernplayaisicmuzik
2. Git Up, Git Out (I don't mind it being the radio edit)
3. Player's Ball (the video reprise, the beat sounds so much better than the origonal)
4. Aint No Thang

From ATLiens (1996):

1. ATLiens
2. Elevators (Me & You)
3. Jazzy Belle (remix with the sung hook)

From Aquemini (1998):

1. Rosa Parks
2. Spottieottiedopalicious
3. Skew It On The Bar B
4. The Art Of Storytellin' (Part 3 with Slick Rick)

From Stankonia (2000):

1. So Fresh, So Clean
2. Ms. Jackson
3. B.O.B.

From some soundtracks:

1. Benz Or Beemer (NJ Drive Sndtrk)
2. Neck Ov Da Woods (The Wood Sndtrk)

As for the new tracks, I don't mind "Funkin' Around" and "The Whole World" to be on here, but the album could have done without "Moovin Cool" for could have been saved for "The Love Below" album.

Basically what I'm saying is that if people are going to make a greatest hits album, they need to put all of them on here, not just some here and there. But I recommend this to ALL Outkast fans, despite the shortcommings.

Lyrics: A
Production: A-
Musical Vibes: A
Overall: A (5 stars for the songs they are; 3.5 stars for it to be a "greatest hits" album, so 4 stars total)

Standout tracks: Funkin Around, Rosa Parks, Southernplayasticmuzik, Player's Ball, Git Up Git Out

I didn't like rap and then I heard this album man Outkast are the coolest this cd was perfect the songs on it and the ordering was perfect Outkast is probably the best rap group around and they are definitly my favorite

When I first got this I was'nt sure if it was gonna be too great, even though Outkast is one of my favorite groups. I was wrong. There are some really great songs on this c.d., and I'm not finished listening to all of them yet. Some of the really good tracks are: The Whole World, So fresh, so clean, and Ain't no thang(I don't recommend playing this one near your parents, even if it is edited). I really recommend this c.d. for anyone who enjoys rap, and can't get the unedited version.

Is it even a question if Outkast present us with a great compilation? Everyone knows the answer to this is NO, because Outkast are a group that can rap about a rock, and make it interesting. This album is a compilation of their greatest hits from Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, ATLiens, and Stankonia. The tracks are well chosen from their three past albums. I only wish that they would have had the track 'ATLiens' from the ATLiens album. It is such a good track and always gets the club bouncin when it comes on. 'Player's Ball,' 'B.O.B.,' 'Elevators, and 'Aquemini,' as well as the new track 'The Whole World,' make this album definetly worth the money.

If you are new to Outkast this is the PERFECT album to get so you can learn who these guys are and how their style matches no other rappers in the game. For the ones who have known these guys forever and even own all their previous albums, this is still a buyer. It is a great compilation of all the tracks that have been bumpin in your Cadi since the release of Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. Big Boi and Dre present Outkast and also present that they will be in the rap game for years to come.

Overall, an excellent collection, but too many tracks were included from Southernplayalistic. While those songs are quality, they are fairly standard hip-hop, especially when compared with the group's subsequent records. And why was the title track off ATLiens omitted? Inexplicable, especially since its listed among the liner notes. Guess you can't please everybody. As far as the new tracks go, none of them is particularly memorable. Funkin' Around and the After Party have strong jazz elements. The After Party seems like an afterthought best put on a B-side rather than an actual track. The raps in The Whole World are tight, especially Big Boi's, but what's up with Andre singing?! The hook is OK, but Dre's intro seems deliberately bad. Nonetheless, the album is a must for any Outkast fan.