ATLiens [PA] - Outkast

Released in 1996, "ATLines" was the second album relase by the pioneering Atlanta Hip Hop duo OutKast. It wasn't until much later on in 2001 when they released "Stankonia", coming out with singles such as "Ms. Jackson", "B.O.B." and "So Fresh, So Clean" when they received mainstream attention. I felt that in comparison to "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik", the debut record from them, this ...
...clear direction for them. This group pushed the Dirty South sound with other duos in the region such as 8Ball & MJG and UGK, and without them, we may not see the domaintion which the Dirty South may over Hip Hop today.

1. You May Die (Intro)

2. Two Dope Boyz

This is one of the best tracks off the album as we are taken on a strange little journey with "Two Dope Boyz In Cadillac", and the adventures ... more

Released in 1996, "ATLines" was the second album relase by the pioneering Atlanta Hip Hop duo OutKast. It wasn't until much later on in 2001 when they released "Stankonia", coming out with singles such as "Ms. Jackson", "B.O.B." and "So Fresh, So Clean" when they received mainstream attention. I felt that in comparison to "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik", the debut record from them, this was less experimental, showing that they had worked out a clear direction for them. This group pushed the Dirty South sound with other duos in the region such as 8Ball & MJG and UGK, and without them, we may not see the domaintion which the Dirty South may over Hip Hop today.

1. You May Die (Intro)

2. Two Dope Boyz

This is one of the best tracks off the album as we are taken on a strange little journey with "Two Dope Boyz In Cadillac", and the adventures which this duo of drug-dealers get up to. I felt that this was a strange foundation, but in made for a very strong overall tune.

You really get the sense that you are just cruising in the car with OutKast as they go about their daily activities, and the use of the West Coast-styled production from Organized Noise gives you the sense of being in a really laid-back atmosphere.

**Five Stars**

3. ATLiens

Clearly, this is the title track to the album and it allows OutKast to express what they are about by just rapping in the fashion which they feel most comfortable with. Unfortunately, this isn't often considered to be popular, and I don't see why as it's so original, and it shows how most of their infleunce hasn't been from the period which the were recording (at the height of the East Coast-West Coast rivalry), instead, they looked to the old school for inspiration.

You get a sense of the retro Hip hop revival in the chorus more than anywhere else as Big Boi signs "Wave You're Hands In The Ay-er" (a popular series of lines from back in the good old days of the genre. Apart from this, you get pure lyricism from the pair, nd they just flow about anything which fits in with how they feel at the time.

**Five Stars**

4. Wheelz Of Steel

I felt that this was a great display of how OutKast take influence from the music which they grew up with, to then create a track around it. Many of those who are into, or lived through the old school (1978-1988) of Hip Hop will really appreciate this modern interpretation of some of those ols approaches, such as Slick Rick's storytelling (which you have more of later on in the album).

The way in which OutKast use both their manner of presenting the lyrics, and scratch-filled production gives you a full retro experience, but through the path of the freshes region in Hip Hop; the Dirty South. I felt that the execution of this concept here was perfect, and I couldn't fault it in any way.

**Five Stars**

5. Jazzy Belle

If you say the title out loud then in may be able to work out what kind of person this track is directed towards. I felt that this tune sent out a strong positie message to young girls who persist on sleeping around dispite the dangers which they face. The theme does drift away fro this main idea at times, but this is where most of the focus is.

It's important to note that this album was released back in August of 1996, and there are several references to 2Pac, but they didn't concern his death at all, as he was killed in September of the same year. I felt that they increse the power of the raps which Big Boi makes as he talks on how East Coasters won't leave him alone and get about their own business.

**Four Stars**

6. Elevators

The alternative name for this is "Me & You" if that name sounds more familar to you. The beat is very strong and was extremely simple, which makes it one that I like so much. Also the artist get you into a serious mood with their raps which sound to be very anger-motivated.

The track forces you to sway from side to side and it is an example of the group experimenting with their style at the time. This is something they seem to have given up on doing unfortunately and I wish it did get continued.

**Four Stars**

7. Ova Da Wudz

We are given a track all about A-Town (Atlanta, Georgia) in this one, and OutKast tlak about how exactly life is differnt in the city, as opposed to all the other Hip hop capitals in the US. This was one of the earliest examples of when this was given for the Dirty South, as there wasn't much support until lately.

**Four Stars**

8. Babylon

There's a haunting female voice of Andrea Martin who hums a hook for the whole of this tune, and it compliments the minimalistic beat from Organized Noise. I felt that this made for the perfect foundations for the tune, as without them you couldn't get ino the spooky feeling on the tune. I didn't think that it was that over-bearing, but it would put a few off.

This one runs on the theme of having black people being brought down by the various things which other races have deceivingly presented to them to make them think they can do big things. I thought that hate way OutKast went about educating the young was admirable, and had a lot of potential.

**Four Stars**

9. Wailin'

This is a very short track, spanning exactly two minutes, and it's a chance for OutKast to show what they are capable of doing. You get an opportunaity to see just what each member has to offer as individulas as Big Boi comes with a street swag, and Andre 3000 displays incredible lyricism. You also have Cee-Lo Green of Goodie Mob (and currently Gnarles Barkley) performing too.

**Four Stars**

10. Mainstream

A couple of Goodie Mob mmebers, T-Mo Goodie, and Khujo rap alongside the main performers, and as they were part of another of the early Atlanta Hip Hop groups, their input to this album was seen to increase the potentila which the region had to advance in the game. It's a shame that only a few member of the rap supergroup Dunngeon FAmily went on to be mainstream successes, as Cee-Lo, Bubba Sparxx and OutKast will probably be the only ones which the mainstreamers will have hear of, but theey all had so much to offer, and this one highlights the talent which a couple of them had.

**Three Stars**

11. Decatur Psalm

This is another big collabration tune as a range of artist appear with OutKast for this particular track, and the cllectively make a great listen for all of those who are into this southern approach to Hip Hop MCing. I found that Goodie Mob's Big Gipp gave the best performance out of the six seperate acts who combine to make such a strong track for the album.

**Four Stars**

12. Millennium

All of the anxieties concering the Millenium are used to express how unstable society is, through the eyes of Andre 3000. I felt that he was extremely inventive by using this theme, what was quite a feared potential disaster at the turn of the millenium.

Although the whole of this album is about lyricism in the Hip Hop which they present, something absent from modern Southern rap, but here I thought that both mmebers were highly focused upon their task and united to push their message.

**Three Stars**

13. E.T.

This is purely a concep track, which leads on from the title of the record, but I didn't feel that the carried it through as well as expected from start to finish, but here they did make the most from this out-of -space theme. Had this one come out a few years later, I guarantee that it would have been produced by The Neptunes, as their style perfectly suits what this duo are about for this tune.

You may get the impression that they rapped as 'aliens', but this isn't the case, and it's not what the track is about; it's how they are perceived to be very alterantive in the ATL(anta), as Hip Hop of this time would never had made it big. The spacey sound effects are utilised to contiune the theme of them being outsider, hence their name OutKast.

**Three Stars**

14. 13th Floor

This one begins with a speech by Big Rube, who comments on the actions of African Americans who are holding back their race by performing ignorant actions, and preventing them from advancing to the "Presidential Level" which was aspired to get to; which we currently appear to be at the dawn of. Once this is over, we get into a proper track.

I found this to be a nice end to the album as Andre and Big Boi are put on a mellow Organized Noise beat, for which they push for the advancement of back people by saying "'96 gon' be that year" throughout the track. It's a calm, soft, and delicate approach to try to push such an important issue, but I felt it showed strength in OutKast's lyricism.

**Three Stars**

This is an essential album for the Hip Hop heads, those who expect some deep lyricism in their music. OutKast in their early years as an underground act are much better than when they went mainstream, and I do think that those who liked their later stuff may enjoy this too, but not to the degree tha those who prefer the hardcore East Coast raps would. This isn't to say there isn't a little of everywhere else, as a touch of West Coast and Mid-West Hip Hop is injected into this record too. 

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