They were the exception, the group that refused to be pigeonholed in any way. It was like: Cool, but why now? Why this song?īut also: Why not? Disorientation was always a big part of Outkast’s whole appeal. So when Outkast did suddenly surge their way to the top of the pop charts, it was a little disorienting for those of us who’d already been paying attention. Your mileage may vary, but you can’t deny that Outkast had already etched their place in rap without ever pandering to crossover audiences. I would argue that Outkast had already become the greatest rap group in history. They’d established a persona, and then they’d complicated and consciously undermined that persona. They’d helped bring Southern rap to the center of the world, and they’d given the first great soundbite on behalf of a whole new generation of regional rappers. In The Number Ones, I’m reviewing every single #1 single in the history of the Billboard Hot 100, starting with the chart’s beginning, in 1958, and working my way up into the present.īefore they reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, Outkast had already released three full masterpieces.
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