These days rappers have traded in their 40s for Cristal, and their fixed-up Impalas for Escalades with spinning rims. Shallow materialism has compromised the integrity of a genre that remade the music industry in the ‘90s. OutKast’s last was one of the most relevant albums the hip-hop genre: the content of their songs eschewed the high-life consumption of their rapper compatriots with such lyrics as, “I love who you are / I love who ya ain’t /you’re so Anne Frank.” That OutKast can maintain its creativity in the face of such shallow materialism is certainly admirable, thus the loss of this band would be a serious blow to rap world. And it very well could be its last album, considering each disc of Speakerboxxx/The Love Below functions like a solo-project.
Speakerboxxx is Big Boi’s contribution to OutKast’s latest double album. Compared to the band’s Grammy-winning smash Stankonia, the differences are evident. Big Boi doesn’t focus on on political ideas but more so on the hooks. Speakerboxxx also lacks the entertaining, though skippable, interludes that were fixed throughout Stankonia.
Big Boi’s single “Ghettomusick” is a bipolar, synthesized rave-up. Fast paced, and more like something you’d hear off a Paul Oakenfold album, its two sections are complete opposites and feel like two different song fragments pieced together. The high-speed hook contrasts with a slow groove, organ washes, sexy female vocals and Big Boi’s calm reassurance “feeling good / feeling great/ how are you?,” before launching back into the frantic melody. Although “Ghettomusick” isn’t nearly as catchy as Andre’s eccentric “Hey Ya,” it will undoubtedly remain fresh to those growing sick of hearing “Hey Ya” emanating from every dorm and every party in the months to come.
“Bowtie,” featuring Sleepy Brown and Jazzy Pha, is a groovy Parliament-Funkadelic throwback, without the distinct Bootsy Collins bass. The horn arrangements compliment the tight raps. These guest appearances allow Big Boi to relegate rapping duties to his guests while he gets to keep his attention on the hooks, all while keeping rapper cred.
“War” is the only intensely political track on the album, which makes it an acerbic standout. “W-A-R/ There’ll be no tomorrow/ But sorrow and horror will follow the hollow harsh battle for dollars,” Big Boi raps over vinyl scratches (which now are almost obsolete on any hip-hop album) and minor-key synthesizers. The lyrics and lack of sleek production mean you probably won’t hear “War” bumping from anyone’s speakers.
Which is too bad because there are some notable tracks on the b-side. “Reset” revolves around the main riff: slinky Rhodes keyboards and glossy femme-vox. “D-Boi” is a funny anecdote about a drug addict: “One time my homeboy fronted me an 8-ball at 3 o’clock and at 4:30 he wanted the money back.”
But the later tracks still aren’t as catchy, or as funky, as the opening tracks. The diversity of the beginning of Speakerboxx will hold your interest. But once you get to the Prince-falsetto of “Knowing” you might as well heed Big Boi’s advice, which portends the b-side and possibly the future of OutKast as a unified team: “From this point on, it only gets rougher.”
