“Find a way to get out, wit out a hit out. You dig in, you dig out, you get out. Ghettomusick, ghettomusick. Find a way to get in, to fit in the ghetto. You get out, wit out a dying. Ghettomusick, ghettomusick. Climbing out this hole (climbin’ out this hole). With a frown on my face. In the place to be, (in the place to be) and not to be at the same time. G-h-e-t-t-o-m-u-s-i-c-k stay down. O-u-t-k-a-s-t (oooh yeah) just know that we won’t play round. If it don’t stank like they stank then they can’t swallow dat down. Your battleship is sunk, I wish grandma could see us.”, OUTKAST, “Ghettomusick”, Speakerboxx, 2003.

TRUTH. Well, well. Here we are this morning with the world still turning.  Happy Monday everyone.

This weekend I took a trip down to Hilton Head, SC. It was a real quick last minute “vacation” to clear my head, get some sun, eat good seafood, and enjoy the serenity of the beach, the sound of the ocean, and the water between my toes as it poured ashore. On the way back, Kanye’s Dark Fantasy played and a conversation about his creativity came up. I threw out the statement, “He’s the closest we get to OUTKAST right now…minus the narcissism.” “You think so?”, one of my friends asked. I said “Yes. Outkast – Dre specifically – is the reason Kanye and other rappers, for that matter, sing as much as they do.

The Love Below [to] 808s and Heartbreak”, I surmised.  Then I got home, and watched some of last night’s Billboard Awards.  Groups like Far East Movement and One Republic reinforced my opinion.  Although I thought their performance was, well…, I think the reason we have an Asian rap group and a White band performing together is because of  three pivotal groups/MCs in hip hop history that took the overall aesthetic, philosophy, and social politics to the next level. By next level I mean worldwide – geopolitically and creatively. Those groups/MCs are: The Wu-Tang Clan, OUTKAST, and Kanye West.

And why does this matter? Well I think it matters because hip hop as a practice is about setting itself apart from the norm; an art form diverse generations and cultures can relate to. The Wu-Tang Clan, Outkast, and Kanye set themselves apart from the norm, pushed the envelope on content, connected to certain generations and cultures, and influenced and transcended the very space in which they work. In “Ghetto Musick” Big Boi talks about his purpose on earth, the effect of wack music, and his re-incarnation. Maybe OUTKAST will reappear again in a fresh new light? For the meantime, I rely on an artist like Kanye West – especially after seeing the Billboard Awards lastnight.

The DDR: As we go into our last full week of 30 Days of Outkast, I’d like to hear your opinion. Is Kanye the closest we get to OUTKAST right now? Are Wu-Tang, Outkast, and Kanye pivotal artists in the industry that have taken the overall aesthetic to the next level? And why do you think it matters…really?