Outkast have been around for a long time. Since the 1990s, the collective have continuously released compelling alternative hip-hop music that has remained unmatched. With origins in Atlanta, the duo have always been ahead of their time concerning music. However, their unique style makes it impossible to pigeonhole them, which has been crucial to their longevity as a double act.
The duo had a strange yet exciting rise to fame. With their origins firmly rooted in the early 1990s, the duo formed when Atlanta became a newly established hip-hop hub. Comprised of André 3000 and Big Boi, the duo met as teenagers in East Atlanta and through a mutual friend, the two had, they were granted access to an underground hip-hop studio known as ‘The Dungeon’.
They worked as producers and songwriters for an established Atlanta collective, Organised Noize but would also work on music as a duo on the side. Releasing music locally, they slowly but surely rose to become prominent figureheads with their Southern soul-infused music, and by the duo released Stankonia 2000, they were charting on the Billboard 200, managing to debut at number two.
Outkast performed all over the US at festivals such as Coachella and even award ceremonies like The Grammys. However, in 2004, the Aquemini collective rejected the opportunity of a lifetime to perform at the Superbowl Halftime Show, which draws in an average audience of 115million viewers, but in an appearance on the Dan LeBatard Show, Big Boi (real name Antwan Patton) explained why.
Explaining the story, Patton unveiled, “We were supposed to perform at the Super Bowl, but we had two songs, ‘The Way You Move’ and ‘Hey Ya’, and Andre didn’t want to split the songs up. He didn’t want to cut the songs. He wanted to do both songs. They was like, ‘Y’all can’t do it. ” He continued, “To this day, he’s like, his son tells him, ‘Dad, you should’ve performed at the Super Bowl,’” he says. “We look at it now, we laugh, but hopefully, they’ll invite us back.”
‘Hey Ya’ is one of Outkast’s most recognisable songs, so it’s unsurprising that Andre 3000 didn’t want only to deliver half of the track. However, it’s safe to say that the duo missed out on what could have been a massive amount of exposure for them and their brand.
Following the interview, Big Boi did end up securing a performance at the 2019 Superbowl, but not alongside Andre 3000 as Outkast. You can watch Big Boi perform alongside Maroon 5 in the video below.
