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Album Review
by SashaS
29-12-2003
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| OutKasts's 'Speakerboxxx/The Love Below' |
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OutKast: 'Speakerboxxx/The Love Below'
(Arista)
Slipped disc #7: OutKast’s double act
With 50 Cent selling 6 million albums of his ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’’, with additional two million that his side-proj G-Unit shifted, plus plethora of Awards of every kind and description, he’s become the undisputed champion of Hip-hop 2003. The nu-skool appears to rule but the old one ain’t giving up the fight just yet and veterans of the Gang Starr calibre, and bloody good to have Ice Cube back with his Westside Connection, OutKast have almost matched the 50’s disc-pile.
And, it somehow feels rather right because there were so many rumours about this twosome we don’t know what to believe anymore. [Anything, at all?] ‘Speakerboxxx/The Love Below’ proves that OutKast are certainly at the top of their game. If The Neptunes have got the production side of things on lock‘n‘repeat button, then surely it’s OutKast who are the most innovative and daring rhymers in the Hip-hop business right now.
Essentially, Andre ‘Dre 3000’ Benjamin and Antwan ‘Big Boi’ Patton take one CD - of the double disc set, as all the future release will be – each, giving each the space to express themselves fully whilst remaining faithful to the OutKast legacy. And, yes, Dre features on Boi’s disc and vice versa. The lead hit single ‘Ghettomusick’ blasts at the place No. 2 on ‘Speakerboxxx’ and gets you hooked like a bloody fish! And, it grows to be an addiction to quality, which is to be hailed as the Roman conquerors used to be upon their return to the Eternal City.
‘Ghettomusick’ is as invigorating as a cold dip at the Serpentine on a New Year’s morn, as frenetic/cool/catchy as anything they’ve done up to now (think ‘Bombs Over Baghdad’ but faster and more darn funky). Other songs that have made great singles, ‘Hey Ya!’ and ‘The Way You Move’, are great indication of what awaits on this double polymer package.
Overall, the most striking is the sheer breadth of the ‘Speakerboxxx/Love…’ set - from musicals [‘West Side Story’-esque] to jazz and electronica - that leaves competition holding their heads in amazement and despair. Theme-wise, it is similar story, there is no shirking from issues and dreaming of the ‘greenies’ and songs entitled ‘War’, ‘Church’, ‘Love In War’ mean business and aren’t here just for the image-value. [Check out the bonus on ‘The Love…’, it is a brilliant example of a sci-fi sonicarium !]
The colossal musical moves are also complimented by choice guests and there is none of that ‘fellow mega-rappers’ malarkey but a list of people relatively unknown… aside Jay-Z, that is. The other name guests are Ludicrous (on the same, Boi side) and Kelis (‘Dracula’s Wedding’) on the 3000’s sector; Dre also has a very unusual guest, Ms Norah Jones who, unfortunately, is only a player on the cooking jazz workout ‘Take Off Your Cool’.
Whilst there are those who may baulk at a Hip-Hop double album or speculate about a rift between the duo and this only being done to complete the contract, it’s the quality, power, expanse and downright style of ‘Speakerboxxx/The Love Below’ set that will silence all doubters. Permanently. Boi and 3K make, for instance, Black Eyed Peas sound like playground rappers.
OutKast’s album is one true gem Hip-hop bros dropped this year, realised without additives such as - selling souls to the satanic Sultan of Bling.
9/10
SashaS
29-12-2003
OutKast’s album ‘Speakerboxxx/The Love Below’ is available now on Arista
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