OUTKAST – Aquemini

The Face

Strange lusty b-boys are roaming the community trying to revitalize a certain part of Hip Hop that had been running a flat line between artists and listeners for some time; so-called commercial Hip Hop, or simply ‘rap’ as it is used to be called lately, was really going strong because it was backed by a good quality of sounds and rhythms, but the Hip Hop that moves as much the nerve cells of the brain as the butts of the hard core of the environment was showing signs of subsiding. Now, however, it is time for the Southern States, and both Goodie Mob and their cousins Outkast are bringing a very pleasant new taste to the palates of fans: “Aquemini” is a true masterpiece (and this word is not used often or at random), for it receives top marks in every category by which an album can be sounded. Big Boi and Andre have done a perfect job without being distracted either by self-aggrandizement or the lure of the charts, delivering to the thirsty masses a product of continued auteurism. Usually the tracks worthy of mention are pointed out; here what can be done is to select that flawed piece that represents the exception. Hypnotic, original backing tracks, played completely live in large part, few samples and those few well selected and arranged, thousands of cues due only to talent and never to copying, deep and compelling lyrics, effective skits, engaging flow with southern cadence and very rich in detail the vivid images created by Big Boi and Andre's words. Anthology pieces, such as “Return Of The G,” “Skew It On The Bar-B” (featuring Raekwon perfectly, a gem!), “SpottieOttieDopaliscious,” “Slump,” “Da Art Of Storytellin’ (Part 1),” the electronic “Synthesizer” (featuring George Clinton) or “Liberation” (featuring Erikah Badu and Cee-Lo of Goodie Mob) make the future of global Hip Hop rosy. Should anything else be said? I feel sorry for those who do not yet have such a record in their discography?

By Paola “ZKR” Zukar

December 1998