Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

OuKast is an undeniable hip-hop power duo. So, of course, they chose to release a double solo album to follow up Stankonia, arguably their biggest release ever. Weird decision but one that paid off. Both Speakerboxxx and The Love Below are stuffed with bangers and clearly demonstrate what each member brings to the mix to make OutKast so damn good. Neither album feels like an OutKast album but they both feel like distillations of an OutKast album and I unashamedly love 'em both.

At first glance, this is probably not the best Outkast album for me to start with, since it's actually two separate albums by the two members that comprise Outkast. Also, it's a double album, which is a tough sell for someone who doesn't particularly like hip hop. First impressions: one thing Speakerboxxx doesn't lack for is ideas. For example, GhettoMusick mixes soul and breakbeats in unpredictable and imaginative ways. Another plus is that there is a mix of samples and live playing, which introduces a layer of complexity and richness that modern hiphop often lacks. I have more praise to offer. The rap on Unhappy is rhythmically complex, which is a nice change, and the subject matter isn't the usual hardcore bullshit. On the next song, Bowtie, Big Boi channels George Clinton. Shocker, I'm actually kind of enjoying this. This doesn't suck. Technically, it's hyper-competent, it's relentlessly creative, and Big Boi stays away from the usual hiphop cliches. And it swings. Truly, I'm shocked. Big Boi takes you on a tour of the dominant styles in R&B over the last 50 years, filtered through a hip hop lens. There's actually very little to criticize here. The wordplay is clever. The singing is good. The arrangements are competent. The production touches are on target. Okay, it's not like I'm going to ever listen to this album from start to finish for my own entertainment, but this is the first modern hip hop album I've heard that doesn't make me want to throw a brick through my speakers. More praise. Big Boi's worldview is wider and deeper than a quarter. He shows some actual curiosity about the world. For this genre, that's huge. And his sense of humor doesn't suck. Another thing that distinguishes Big Boi from someone like say Kanye is that Big Boi actually seems to understand the genres he borrows from whereas Kanye is just kitchen sink sampling and montaging without a clue. Kanye makes my brain cells die. Big Boi actually engages me. Okay, finally, on Tomb of the Boom, guest DJ's Konkrete, Big Gipp, and Ludacris get to the usual hip hop cliches (DJ bragging, gangster tropes, misogyny), but their raps are firmly tongue in cheek. They know how ridiculous and mindless these tropes are. Good for them! Yet another thing to love about Big Boi -- alone among modern hip hop artists I've heard, there's almost no Prince influence. Prince himself combined and streamlined funk, jazz, pop and rock, eliminating most of the complexities in each genre, which made him commercially successful, but kind of shallow. Since most modern hip hop is overwhelmingly indebted to Prince, it too tends to be shallow. Instead of being influenced by Prince's predigested and dumbed down genre mixing, Big Boi goes back to the source, which goes a long way towards explaining the vitality of his music. Now, there is room for improvement. Big Boi could have brought jazz into the mix. Imagine if he had brought in some hip hop sympathetic jazzbos like Uri Caine, Tim Lefebvre and Zach Danzinger to play on these tracks. That shit I'd listen to for pleasure. Now we get to The Love Below, Andre 3000's disc. Careful what you wish for. The Love Below starts out with some lame-ass quiet storm jazz ballad. Andre 3000 sweetens the pot with a wicked wah wah guitar solo, but the underlying track still sucks donkey dick. I also don't care much for his sense of humor, either. It's smug, ugly and not nearly as clever as he thinks it is. Fortunately, the music improves. Happy Valentine's Day is a decent jam, although it's marred by Andre 3000's crappy rap. Still, it's not a patch on Big Boi's expert appropriation and mixing of various strands of R&B. It's clear where the talent lies in this duo. Sigh. Andre 3000 is eclectic in the way he stitches his tunes together from disparate elements, but unlike Big Boi, he lacks taste. As for his raps, they're technically nothing special, and the content is juvenile and distasteful. God, this is going to be a chore to sit through. I feel my brain cells dying. Alright, I give up. How to rate? Big Boi's disc is damned good, so 4.5. Andre 3000's sucks, so 1. I'll split the difference.

Speakerboxxx is packed with great guests, awesome beats that still sound fresh, and Big Boi throwing his all into it. It's a 5/5. The Love Below is interesting and the one word I keep coming back to is "indulgent". It's a low 3. Pretty long project overall, but pretty worth it. Favorite tracks (Speakerboxxx): "The Rooster", "GhettoMusick", "The Way You Move", "Church" // Favorite tracks (The Love Below): "Roses", "My Favorite Things", "A Life in the Day of Benjamin Andre"

Takes a tusk to the expectations of a hip hop album. A few tracks I can miss, but on the whole a great listening experience, and a modern classic

Ah rap albums and the super fucking longness of them. What a huge waste of time. This could have been a trim 45 minutes and been pretty good. Instead we get an over 2 hour bloated monster. So many shitty skits. Some songs are listenable so this avoids 1 star but just. 1.5/5

An hour and a half of Outkast is about 2 hours too much Outkast. Much like Kanye, these guys are not geniuses, and people need to stop throwing that word around like it means something.

It’s overstuffed and definitely bloated, but the sheer creativity and ideas explored really rivals The White Album. While I think I prefer Speakerboxxx, both “albums” have so many rich ideas and interesting sounds.

This one takes me back to high school, I had it on repeat for a minute there. I always preferred The Love Below to Speakerboxxx, and that's still the case, but there were some songs I appreciated this time that I didn't appreciate at the time - Bowtie sticks out in that regard. It is definitely an indulgent double album - did they need to include their version of My Favorite Things? No, but I am glad they did. There's some fat they could have cut, but very few duds. It makes me happy that the hits that took over the world - especially Hey Ya - emerged from this much larger showcase of excellent songs.

One of the craziest, most timeless yet also dated, efforts in the history of pop music. The beginning of a new era for Big Boi and southern hip-hop and the end of an era for the mythical Andre 3000 who has become something of a hip-hop Brian Wilson. There are some good Prince comparisons to be made but 3K's music is a murky haze of influences and in this strange and unsettling sound, I think we find the likes of Frank Ocean and Kendrick Lamar and so many more. Big Boi's side is more or less what you expect if you're familiar with the Kast but that doesn't make it less immaculate. In both Big Boi and Andre's side, exist entire worlds, summations of everything they've witnessed thus far in their life as artists and while not every track is gonna hit you on the level of Hey Ya! or The Way You Move, I'd say it's well worth the ride.

very bad, black music lost its way a long time ago

We gotta do this in multiple sittings. This is way too much good music, way too much, packed with too many insanely good songs, that I'm gonna need a little siesta in between side 1 and side 2. Remember when I said that there is only one truly great double album– Songs In The Key of Life– and every other album is merely good in spite of its double-ness? Well, my friends, this is a DOUBLE CD. Which is a truly disgusting amount of music. We are witnessing a level of workaholism and love of the game at near unprecedented levels. This is an un-repeatable event. I can't imagine an artist today releasing such a large album that has almost NO filler. Most artists just don't have that kind of focus on the concept these days. Let alone have two creative savants in one group. Speakerboxxx: You can't deny it. This is… amazing! There are so many hit records I don't know where to start. And records that weren’t hits but should have been. There are tons of features that feel fun, complementary and chummy. There's a kind of through-line about relationship trouble, growing up together and maturing and changing, positivity amidst life's bigger problems. But man. Tons of just dumb fun. This is hip hop royalty. It doesn't get a lot better than this. At their most fun, relatable, but also hard-working and shooting high. The Love Below: I don’t think I’ve even gotten this far into the album before. Sorry Andre. I imagine I’m not alone. I usually would put this on at the gym, starting with track 1 (I’m such an album boy lol), and leg day isn’t exactly a 2 hour affair for me. Anyway. Tracks 1 and 2 just broke my brain. Why did I never get this far? Has anyone done ANYTHING even remotely like this before? This is just silly. These people are savants. So scary. If this was released today, in 2024 it would be groundbreaking today. The totally effortless use of swing/bebop, new age, jazz, then back to those quantized fucked up grooves over which Andre just floats like it’s no big deal, like he’s not even trying. We are in uncharted territory, Andre is unlocked. Blown away. Blown away. To say nothing of Hey Ya... (!) Yes, its insane runtime is just gonna turn people off, it’s a fact. That’s a shame. But what else can they do? Honestly they probably made 5 times this much music, just cut it down to 2 measly hours. This is the most impressive hip hop I’ve heard in a long time. Probably should have been 2 separate albums. Ah, now I’m doubting myself. Maybe it’s perfect just the way it is. Speakerboxxx: 4.5/5 The Love Below: 6/5 Combined: at LEAST 5/5

This album is insane i honsestly didnt think love below could be better than speakerboxx and now i honestly cant decide which i like better! So amazing!

Fire

Holy shit a 2 hour double album. well strap in I guess. Unhappy is a mix of busy melody, groove, and a really interesting rape flow structure. The Way You Move is on this album? This is great. Church is a really cool, odd sounding song. Speakerboxx, great rap album. The Love Below is much more expiramental and I don't know where to latch on to it. The guy shouting ICE COLD on Where Are My Panties is my hero. Prototype slaps. Hey Ya kicks so much booooootaayy and then is followed up by Roses. She's Alive is a poignant song. A blistering backbeat on My Favorite Things adds a pretty awesome dimension to the song.

This is one of the most creative and unique albums in all of hip hop. A sprawling 2 CD set that essentially functions as two separate solo albums packaged together. I feel like it was a brilliant way to reconcile the age old problem of artists wanting to go in separate directions. I was a huge fan of Stankonia and Aquemini in college and was elated when this was released. I must admit I have listened to the Andre 3000 disc many more times over the years but Big Boi's disc is completely solid as well, and much more akin to their previous output. It's just that The Love Below is such a strange genre bending cocktail that I find it completely irresistible. Reminds me somewhat of Sign o the Times era Prince in many ways but goofier with and more lighthearted (for the most part). I feel like both Big Boi and Andre 3000 were both being completely true to themselves here and I love seeing things from their unique perspectives. For being iconoclasts of a sort, it's amazing how casual and natural it all comes across. I only wish they would make more music together again, but this album would be hard to top.

What an incredible achievement. It's ridiculous that I Like the Way You Move isn't sampled from some soul hit of the 60s/70s, how the hell did they come up with that. Top 5 hooks of all time. Not to mention the bass line, goddamn that would destroy a circa 2009 subwoofer. How can you not love a Ludacris feature - "I'm with some nasty hoes, eating pistachios". Matter of fact the calibre of feature artists across the record demonstrates the status they held and continue to hold on the genre. Jay Z/ Killer Mike, Cee Lo (who is likely the most often featured artist in this whole list, the man was everywhere doing everything), even Lil Jon gets his 15 seconds of OH YAYAS. And all that before we even reach Andre's half of the album. Genius move with the swing jazz intro, signals the shift to his side perfectly. His call and response conversation with lady God interlude is hilarious - "Head don't count right? Aw thanks God." Big Boi might be technically better but Andre 3000 tells a waaayy better story. Where's my panties intro into Prototype is out of this world (Tame Impala's cover of Prototype has to be mentioned here also). He's actually a very sensitive individual talking on some pretty personal topics, but still maintaining an outrageous sense of humour about it all. I love that it wasnt ended with some bring back double track but instead closes on a real unsettling reflection on the mysteries of Erykah Badu.

What is there to say? Possibly the best hip hop duo of all time making independent concept albums that sold/came out at the same time. I grew up on this shit and every song is a banger, which is saying something considering the length. Although this album did foretell the Outkast split that still saddens me today.

a modern classic! Both sides are so strong. I wish andre would have released more solo music. Big Boi's solo albums after this are also really strong. I feel like "hey ya" is the only track people know from here and the radio sadly ruined that song for a lot of people. I have very fond memories of dancing with two of my best college girlfriends to this album.

Great double album where each half is equally strong. Style and theme is consistent within each side, with very few weak tracks despite the length. 9/10, pretty good

It's so hard to rate this album. It's just so good. So so good. So perfect

Big Boi and Andre 3000 are so uniquely talented that it was inevitable that they'd eventually go their own ways. It's lucky for us that they decided to collaborate on each other's solo albums and put them out together. The two sides stand completely on their own, but somehow still form a cohesive unit. Best track: Hey Ya!

Plus j'en apprends sur Jim Morrison, plus je consacre mon temps libre à effectuer de nouvelles recherches sur lui à la bibliothèque de l'université. Après avoir lu entre autre qu'il n'était pas mort en 1971, qu'il était à l'origine de l'accident mortel de Claude François ainsi que de l'explosion nucléaire de Tchernobyl, je viens de tomber sur un document d'archive confidentiel totalement ahurissant. Nous sommes le samedi 11 novembre 1989 à Berlin. La ville est divisée entre Est et Ouest par un mur de plusieurs kilomètres dont les environs sont surveillés par des gardes-frontières. Ce jour-là, le mur est aussi imposant que d'habitude et n'a jamais paru aussi infranchissable. La plupart des scientifiques s'accordent sur le fait qu'il semble assez solide pour résister pendant encore plusieurs siècles. L'un des gardes-frontières remarque toutefois au matin une légère fissure de quelques millimètres de longueur. Il se dit alors qu'il faudrait la reboucher avec du plâtre mais n'a pas les outils adéquats à disposition. Il appelle donc un professionnel du bâtiment. Quelques minutes plus tard, un homme se présente au pied du mur vêtu d'une salopette bleu ciel et d'un crayon à papier derrière l'oreille (vous aurez reconnu Jim Morrison). Le garde l'accompagne à l'endroit de la fissure et lui dit de ne pas hésiter à venir le trouver s'il avait la moindre question. Une fois seul, Jim dépose sa boîte à outil sur le sol, se saisit d'un clou, le tord dans tous les sens, l'enfonce dans la fissure et lui donne quelques coups de marteau. Il se saisit ensuite d'une prise électrique et l'encastre dans le trou qu'il vient de former. Sa mission terminée, il se relève, prend sa boîte à outils et quitte les lieux. À peine une dizaine de minutes plus tard, les gardes entendent un bruit de craquements. Celui-ci s'intensifie jusqu'à ce que, contre toute attente, le mur s'écroule sur toute sa longueur dans un bruit assourdissant. L'Allemagne de l'Est et l'Allemagne de l'Ouest venait d'être réunifiées à la surprise générale, avec pour conséquence l'effondrement de la RDA puis du bloc de l'est.

Doppelalben sind mir immer ein kleines bisschen zu ambitioniert. Ich meine: Was gibt mir die Gewissheit, dass die Hörer mit ihrer beschränkten Aufmerksamkeitsspanne am Ball bleiben? Ich will mich doch an ein Album zurückerinnern und es in wenigen Sätzen beschreiben können. Nerv3000. Klar, sind einige Hits auch drauf und einige gute Features, aber alles in allem habe ich nach diesem längeren Musikprogramm nicht das Gefühl, als würde ich meinen Kindern irgendwann einem anderen Song als Hey Ya! erzählen müssen.

===< PART 1/2: SPEAKERBOXXX >=== It's hard to not feel bad for the Garfunkels of the world. You know what I mean: the second bananas. The other half of the duo that just don't get no respect — or at least not as much as the guy up front. Of course there's Art Garfunkel, but there's also John Oates, Kyle Gass, Meg White, Luigi Mario, TV's Frank... And lots more I can't even think of right now. They're people whose impact and importance to the group isn't to be undervalued, don't get me wrong. It's just that it's hard to escape shadows as large as the ones they live in. Big Boi is another such person who finds himself in this situation, and it's not hard to see why. Like, Andre 3000 is just... Out there. So much wilder in the stuff he releases. I mean, goodness, just the other year he released an instrumental flute album and everyone went nuts over it. Simply, his stuff is just generally more interesting than Big Boi's, who I've always viewed as the more "traditional rapper" of the group. The guy who brings Andre's energy down to a more reasonable level. An important role, naturally, but not one that's gonna get many eyes on you. So when Big Boi and Andre 3000 dropped their debut solo albums on the same day, I don't think it was a surprise that Big Boi's went pretty overshadowed. His didn't have a pop hit like "Hey Ya!" or "Roses", after all. But, still, let's put that aside and take this thing seriously. On his own, what did Big Boi create? As it turns out: I think calling Big Boi the "traditional rapper of the group" kind of undersells him a little. I don't believe that assessment is entirely wrong; it's certainly way more straight hip hop than I imagine Andre's would be. But this album, if nothing else, makes it clear to me that Big Boi is not just the "grounding factor" of OutKast. At every turn on this album, there's always something interesting going on. The hooks, the beats, the flows, the lyrics... No song sounds too similar to each other, and they're all a blast. All these groovy, funky-ass tunes... Seriously, I can't think of a track here I can say I didn't like. Not all of it blew me away, but more than a fair share of it did, particularly "The Rooster", "War" and "Church". Like, damn. This is some good-ass shit. And it was actually between "The Rooster" and "War" that I realized: this doesn't sound too terribly off from an OutKast record. Some of the odder edges that a true OutKast album would have aren't here, yeah, but a lot of the time I didn't think any of this would sound out of place on one, even with Andre largely being absent. On an initial listen, I'm really feeling a 5 here. Sure, I imagine on subsequent listens, as I get more familiar with it, I'll think I was being too generous and that I shoulda given it a 4, but I'unno, I'm just really impressed here. Without a doubt, it proves my line of thought that Big Boi is just as important to the duo as his partner. Which, I probably didn't really **need** proof of this, and I could've just always assumed this from the beginning, but... Yeah. It's just nice to have proof anyway. And what fine proof it is, goodness. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ( * ) ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ===< PART 1/2: THE LOVE BELOW >=== If there's any reason I feel like I keep coming back to OutKast, it's Andre 3000. For some reason, I've always subconsciously attributed everything I like about the group's music to him. To the point where, honestly, in my mind Big Boi can kinda come off like a feature on his own group's songs. Just take "B.O.B." for instance. Andre's verse is masterful, front to back. Flow, energy, wordplay... Mmm, it's so good. Compared to Big Boi's verse, which, like, still has a lot of the flow, but I also consider, like... Kind of weaker overall? Y'know? And I can't even remember what Big Boi did on "Ms. Jackson", to bring up another hit from the same album. And it doesn't help that I also attribute the beats to Andre, too, even if I'm sure someone else actually produced them (as I'm writing this I don't feel like looking it up). Y'know, in short: Andre's the pop maverick; the auteur. And Big Boi's also there. Like, I don't wanna completely undermine him; I get what he adds to the duo. He's the grounding factor that keeps Andre from going fully off the rails. I mean, goodness, you leave him to his own devices for long enough and eventually he'll put out an instrumental flute album after years of nothing. But that's **compelling**, y'know? That's the kinda stuff that really grabs my attention. So, an album that's strictly Andre 3000 should be right up my alley, right? He dropped his solo debut on the same day as Big Boi, and of course Andre's was the bigger hit. It had "Hey Ya!" after all, with all of its wackadoo pop stylings. A pretty depressing song masked as one of the grooviest things of the summer — "Y'all don't wanna hear, you jus' wanna dance" and so on. But I've actually never heard the album in full before now. Like, as much as I like "Hey Ya!" and the stuff he did with OutKast, I guess I was just never enough of a fan to actually wanna check it out in full. Of course, though, that changes today. Let's see what Andre put together when left entirely to his own devices. As it turns out: Prince. I saw a review mentioning that this album sounds a lot like Prince and... I don't think it's 100% accurate (it goes back and forth a bit if I could hear him play it or not), but, yeah, I think that's the quickest way to put it. The album is all of these excursions into psychedelia, progressive soul, jazz, funk... Sometimes multiple at the same time. Sometimes it's smooth, sometimes it's sensual, sometimes it's dance-y, sometimes it's beautiful... It's fascinating. Every new track that comes on is like, "What's he gonna do next?" (I know **I** wasn't expecting a breakbeat take on "My Favorite Things".) It's a selection of songs and sounds where if you're not down to follow Andre wherever he wants to go, you're probably not gonna have a good time. Especially with how some of these run on maybe a bit more than they should? But, hey, I'm happy to let the beat ride sometimes if I'm enjoying myself. And believe me: I was. Y'know, going into this album, I had the thought I'd come out the other side thinking Andre 3000 was a self-indulgent jerk. It seems like having him knocked down a peg would have been a natural arc ending given what I was coming into this with. I mean, I try not to think too highly of "auteurs" these days... But no, no. If anything, my preconceptions are reaffirmed. I don't think I'd go so far as to call him an out-and-out "genius," but damn, if he don't make some good and interesting shit. It's an absolute 5 from me. Downright ice cold music — y'feel me, right? Right? Alright. Alright. Alright. Alright alright alri— ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ( * ) ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ===< EPILOGUE >=== Of all of the reviews I'm gonna write for this website, I can't imagine any of them are going to be harder than this one. Which, yeah, it's largely my fault for taking the angle I did: writing reviews of both halves of the album as if they weren't released together and I hadn't heard the other. That's for sure way more work than I really **needed** to put in. Besides, I can just imagine someone going through these reviews and thinking to themselves, "Both of these reviews bring up and repeat points between each other. Like, why did you even bother if they both weren't going to be more different?" And I'm not gonna act like I'm a master writer who pulled this off flawlessly, but simply put: I'm interested in how those points change depending on the perspective they're viewed from. On the one, you got Big Boi and SPEAKERBOXXX as "the other guy in the group"; and on the other, you have Andre 3000 and THE LOVE BELOW as "the maverick auteur." I took this album as a chance for me to hear what each member brings to the duo by listening to what they made when largely separated from each other. On that front, for sure I succeeded. I've a much greater appreciation now for what Big Boi brings to the table, and... Well, jeez, I might actually check out Andre 3000's flute album, let's put it like that. As for if I succeeded in writing good reviews of each album... That's up for you to decide. Either way, the whole album package gets a 5, honestly. I can completely see how, like... These two maybe didn't need to be released together like this? But in pairing them up, it leads to such an engaging and iconic two hours of music that I can't even really complain. I don't think I'd really say it's a better album than STANKONIA — but then, that's an OutKast album. This release is a Big Boi album and an Andre 3000 album. And on that front, as showcases of what they can do... Goodness, I can't imagine it getting better than this.

Speakerboxxx: Some absolutely killer beats and raps from Big Boi and company. 4.5 bumped up to 5. The Love Below: An examination of love and how it can screw with the rest of our emotions almost every time that just so happens to be peak. Solid 5 Stars. Overall, while it is over 2 hours, that time just seems to fly on by while listening, and that's the best compliment you can give for a double album. Solid 5 Stars.

Speakerboxxx/The Love Below I had this when it came out, there was a lot of critical acclaim for it, but I struggled to really get into it, aside from the big singles like I Like the Way You Move, Hey Ya! And Roses. I think that’s because It felt very dense with too much going on, particularly The Love Below. Listening now though I can really appreciate it - it still is very dense and there still is a lot going on, but I can see now it's that over the topness that makes it great. I love the feeling that on Andre 3000s disc, he’s just splurged out everything, thrown all his influences and ideas at it, and while it may not always work, the ambition and willingness to go all out is very compelling. That’s no to diminish Speakerboxx though. On the surface it may be more conventional and less schizophrenic than The Love Below, but it’s an excellently constructed, subtly subversive and brilliant sounding record. Lots of recognisable hip hop elements; breakbeats, soul and jazz etc, but imaginatively and kaleidoscopically cut up and put back together to make it a great, energetic fun listen. There are gems of songs and moments scattered throughout, with some great, interesting instrumentation on The Love Below in Particular, the synth line on GhettoMusick, the New Orleans horns and guitar on Bowtie, the cartoonish The Rooster, the vaguely ominous Bust, War, Tomb of the Boom, the organic feel of Knowing, Killer Mike’s cameo on Flip Flop Rock with its skittery percussion, Reste, Last Call, the jazzy Love Hater, Happy Valentine’s Day, the slow jam-ish Prototype She Lives in My Lap, Hey Ya, Roses, the early 80s sparseness of Pink & Blue, the fuzzing synth on Dracula’s Wedding, the country blues-ish of Take Off Your Coat. Great stuff. 135 mins is long, but Speakerboxxx is actually ‘only’ 55 mins or so and doesn’t feel that lengthy, whereas Andre’s is nearly 80 mins, which is essentially a double album itself. And while The Love Below can feel long, it doesn’t feel self indulgent, more like there’s a sense of urgency and an explosion of ideas. And while they aren’t always successful there’s always the feeling that something interesting or a great idea is just around the corner. And that sense I think is what stops the length becoming too much of an issue. Purely musically Speakerboxxx on it’s own is probably a 5 and The Love Below is closer to 4, but the widescreen, open armed, ambition and Beatles-eque sense of imagination and self expression and why not-ness is exciting and intoxicating for me, just about making it a 5 overall. 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹 Playlist submission: GhettoMusick

Day 147 of "1001 Albums...", and I thought it would be a good idea to write reviews of the albums I've listened to. //// "Speakerboxxx / The Love Below" by OutKast this album is unique: it's presented as a double album, half of which is an Andre 3000 album and the other half is a Big Boi album. This album reveals both members and their skills separately: on one side is the chill Speakerboxxx by Big Boi (southern hip-hop), on the other side is the experimental and combining styles of different genres The Love Below by Andre. Both parts of the album are unique in their own way, and both are good in their own way. overall rating: 9.5/10 (Speakerboxxx: 10/10; The Love Below: 7.5/10)

Aside from the long runtime, which can be a downside, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below hits some incredible highs, even if there are a few lows. The lyricism is on point, as you’d expect from OutKast, and the R&B elements are especially well done. The album covers some strong, engaging themes, making it an interesting listen overall.

It's got some high points (mostly Speakerboxxx) and some low points (mostly The Love Below, but hey, it has Hey Ya on it too!), but overall I think it's a good showcase of both of their skills.

Speakerboxxx > The Love Below, although The Love Below is more interesting. Good but long. I do wish they had blended the two better into a single album (cut out the skits for one). It’s a big reason why, IMO, “Roses” is the best song here, although “Hey Ya” still effin slaps. Truly OutKast’s White Album.

A soft wail let out when this came up. I bought it on release, was put off by its length and the realisation that “Hey Ya!” was an outlier, and never thought of it again before it hit our page on Thursday. Sgt Pepper and Fear of a Black Planet are separated by the same number of years that have passed since Speakerboxxx/The Love Below dropped, but I still mentally file this under “contemporary”. “Hey Ya!” is an outlier, but one surrounded by outliers, and while I could only afford a single playthrough, I’m convinced of its abundant diversity and coherence. That the two solo albums cohere surprised me: a strain of rubbery, synthetic funk and surrealism binds them. Both halves are too long, maybe part of the point: this is excess about excess, and often a lot of fun. The old chapeau’s aloft for its ambition and, like the previous week’s Haircut 100 LP, bold vibes carry this beyond its low yield of bangers. I might listen to this again one day. Perhaps after I get round to reading “À la recherche du temps perdu”.

I absolutely love how unpredictable Speakerboxxx is. The sound and style changes at the drop of a hat and its very fun. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The Love Below however had elements that I really liked but my biggest issue with it are the lyrics. Cheesy, misogynistic, and cheap. The interludes are kind of stupid too. My thought is that Speakerboxxx is probably a 5/5 and The Love Below is probably a 3/5. I think they could have taken most of Speakerboxxx and then a few of the best from The Love Below to make a shorter double LP instead of a 2 hour long double LP.

Speakerboxxx was awesome but the love below was just ok

I first listened to this double album a few months ago. Going into it, I thought that I would prefer Andre 3000's album over Big Boi's. I was wrong about that. The smoother groove of Big Boi's tracks sat better with me, although there are a couple of tracks from Andre 3000 that are absolutely top notch and hard to beat. I guess I just found the tracks on The Love Below that I didn't enjoy to be much more unappealing than any of the tracks on Speakerboxxx.

Depuis quelques jours, le nombre de like sur mes reviews a drastiquement diminué, ce qui me vaut de ne toujours pas accéder au tant convoité classement des 10 meilleurs critiques du site. Je me place donc en grève, en attendant une évolution de la situation.

holds up

Speakerboxxx 4 stars, Love Below 2 stars. 3 average.

I find it almost universally true that a double album would have been much better as a single one, but this isn't really a double album, it's two solo projects that have been released together because of management decisions, so giving it a single rating seems odd as there is, unsurprisingly, no real link between the albums. Speakerboxxx is by far the more consistent of the two albums, and the only one I'd bother listening to again. GhettoMusik I already knew, and liked, from the b-side of Hey Ya! but I also particularly liked Bust and Flip Flop Rock, both featuring Killer Mike. The Love Below is a mixed bag of mostly rather self indulgent songs but featuring one of the true great pop songs in Hey Ya, the only song I'd go out of my way to listen to again. Both albums suffer from the common hip hop inclusion of skits and interludes that don't really add anything other than becoming more annoying the more the album is replayed. There's also a clear degree of grating misogyny, also something that is a frequent feature in, but hardly exclusive to, hip hop. Speakerboxxx 3*, consistently decent with a couple of good songs. The Love Below 3*, mostly 2* songs with Hey Ya! being a 5* banger giving it an extra mark. It's tempting to give the whole thing 2* because listening to it all in one go make it worse than the sum of its parts.

It's a shame that these albums are paired together, because Speakerboxxx is a 5, while The Love Below is a 1. It took me a second to adjust to Speakerboxxx, but I was grooving and vibing to every track. There wasn't any 1 particular song that stood out, but rather the entire album was well-constructed, well-thought-out, masterfully executed, and each feature was used to elevate Big Boi, rather than take the spotlight for themselves. The Love Below did a similar thing with its features, the issue is there's not a whole lot that's great to highlight and elevate. The album is overly repetitious and also quite a bit over sexualized. There's a time and place for that kind of musical content, but the first half of the album goes too far for me, and it ends up being a really bad first impression that never really improves. I did like what they did with My Favorite Things. That was very good. Favorite Song(s): Unhappy, Reset / Hey Ya, My Favorite Things

Really fricking long album. Some good stuff, some less-good, some funny skits.

No. 217/1001 Intro NR Ghetto Musick 3/5 Unhappy 4/5 Bowtie 5/5 The Way You Move 5/5 The Rooster 4/5 Bust 3/5 War 3/5 Church 4/5 Bamboo 2/5 Tomb of the Boom 3/5 E-Mac NR Knowing 3/5 Flip Flop Rock 3/5 Interlude 2/5 Reset 4/5 D-Boi NR Last CALL 2/5 Bowtie NR The Love Below 4/5 Love Hater 3/5 God 3/5 Happy Valentine's Day 3/5 Spread 2/5 Where Are My Panties 2/5 Prototype 4/5 She Lives In My Lap 3/5 Hey Ya! 5/5 Roses 5/5 Good Day, Good Sir NR Behold A Lady 3/5 Pink & Blue 3/5 Love In War 3/5 She's Alive 2/5 Dracula's Wedding 3/5 The Letter NR My Favorite Things 2/5 Take Off Your Cool 3/5 Vibrate 3/5 A Life In The Day of Benjamin Andre 3/5 Average: 3,24 Really interesting listen. Some incredible songs, but ultimatly I think some songs could have been cut to make a better album.

Wow it really is two completely separate albums. They are both good, I actually like big boobs more traditional hip-hop/rap album. Clearly andre 3000 is trying something different,but you can clearly see in hindsight he was going to make a flute album. It was coming. Not that there is anything wrong with that album but it seems the more "pop" the more bored he sounds. It's a wild album.

This was a funny one, I enjoyed the first album more. Although the Andre 3000 side had more familiar tracks on it overall was a little experimental for me. Didn't enjoy the jazz tracks or the norah jones stuff. Pleasantly surprised by the big boi side. Killer mike and Jay z were good too

This is annoying. I put off listening to this album for over a week because of the length. Speakerboxxx is excellent. I really enjoyed it, and it's a four-star album for me. The Love Below is less to my taste, and by the time I was two-hours into a constant stream of OutKast I was pretty sick of it.

The circumcision has already begun! Like all double albums it’s too long and there’s plenty of skippers. Speakerboxxx is the superior of the two albums but even it’s completely front loaded. “Hey Ya” might be the catchiest song ever made and I’ll always love “Roses” for giving us a radio hit that ends with the word Bitch like 100 times. But overall just listen to the singles and “Dracula’s Wedding” and you’ll have a better time Stupid ass bitch

The good bits are enjoyable but there is SO MUCH stuff on here it's hard to keep any attention focused. Way too many "interludes" as was the interminable style at the time. The Love Below is a bit more varied, Speakerboxxx is better average quality. Stick to the singles probably

LONG album. Speakerboxxx is the superior part, but in general this is a below-average OutKast offering. 3.5/5

I get that it has "Hey Ya" on it, but a single does not an album make. This is the worst Outkast album other than Idlewild. But the worst Outkast album is better than most other groups' best albums. Speakerboxxx is a better than average straight ahead rap album. The Love Below is a bit of a mess. You can never go wrong listening to Outkast but this album is as close to being wrong as listening to Outkast gets. I would be remiss not to mention that “Tomb of Boom” has two of my all time favorite rap lyrics: “I prefer my liquor dark and a mean white slut.” I hear ya, Supa Nate. Also, “Y'all driving Subarus, stuck in your cubicles; I'm stuck in the air with weed crumbs under my cuticles.” Oh Luda, I don’t care how many cheesy action and Christmas movies you do, you will always be cool to me.

This was a pretty good listen and there are several great tracks. I have to admit it was very very long and I lost patience at times, but did enjoy it overall. I prefer Speakerboxx over The Love Below. It was more diverse and progressive than I was originally expecting. Favorite tracks: GhettoMusick, Bowtie, The Way You Move, Bust, Flip Flop Rock, Reset, Last Call, Love Hater, Prototype, Hey Ya, Dracula's Wedding, My Favorite Things.

This album is solid, but it's also 2 albums in one, meaning runtime is 2hrs 15mins, so it overstays its welcome a bit for sure. So there are 2 members of Outkast: Andre 3000 and Big Boi. The first album, Speakerboxxx, was written and produced by Big Boi. It's standard hip hop. Solid. The second album, The Love Below, was written and produced by Andre 3000. It's more R&B oriented hip hop with lots of skits about love and banging. So if it was just Speakerboxxx, it'd have been a solid record, but the second half pulls it down for sure. Favourite songs: Roses, Hey Ya!, Flip Flop Rock, Last Call, Knowing, The Way You Move, Tomb of the Boom, Bowtie, GhettoMusick Least favourite songs: Bamboo, E-Mac, Interlude, D-Boi, Bowtie (Postlude), God, Where Are My Panties, "Good Day, Good Sir", The Letter (fuck skits), She's Alive 3/5

A lot of hits but also a lot of skips

More like 1002 albums you must hear before you die Regarding ”Speakerboxxx”: Totally fine southern rap album. Good tunes abound. Regarding ”The Love Below”: This half is a bit trickier. I remember really loving André’s eclectic genre fusion experiments, but for all their inventiveness a lot of them end up being somewhat aimless. Of course there are the great hits like ”Hey Ya!” and ”Roses”, but not all the 21 tracks achieve their (artistic) success. The album finishes strongly with the intriguing ”A Life in the Day of Benjamin André (Incomplete)”, showing off that when André wants to rap, he does so with inimitable individuality and skill. Overall, one of the 2 hour+ long albums with the least obtrusive feeling lengths, which could be thanks to the neat seperation in the middle. Still, listening to it makes me think of how it could’ve been realised even better

Speakerboxx > The Love Below

There is some great stuff on here , instance 'Hey Ya!', one of the all time great pop songs, but there is also some execrable crap, e.g 'Where are my panties', 'Roses'. A curate's egg

3000 has one of the sexiest rap voices, so it's funny how little it features on his sexy album. I figure he knows his singing doesn't compare, which is why his super sexy talking voice gets a good run out. Funny also how the most lauded side of this double is the least well-realised. But if The Love Below can yield multi-gazillion sales while featuring endurance tests like Vibrate and MF Doomish scratch tracks like A Day in the Life... I won't vociferate about the superiority of Speakerboxxx too much. Weirder, funnier and more focused, Big Boi thrives by plunging himself into a white hot talent pool of collaborators, challenging them to stretch the sonic possibilities of Housequake. Result is in an electric bounce so ebulliently synthetic it's positively alien. After checking the credits, one reason 3000's side doesn't sustain as well as Big Boi's triumph of collective creativity might have something to do with insularity - his is the only name listed.

Too long, monotonous, mundane, not very enjoyable.

Inspired by pirate NES multicarts. I think I liked the first half better, but they're both not my thing. Not bad tho, there are some nice songs like My Favorite Things

This thoroughly blows. What an overly long and disjointed mess. The story of it being two albums helps make sense of it but it doesn't excuse the terrible call to slam then together. This runs way too long and ruins any chance to find something in individual songs.

The world knows this is two solo albums fused together in an effort to boost sales and not piss off hip-hop heads, so you have to take the sum of each part. To Big Boi: A good but never great first solo effort. He’s always been a great rapper with great classic tastes, but often those tastes feel derivative, not expansive, and that is very much the case here. It has its moments, but even at its height — “The Way You Move” — it’s never exceptional. Worse, Big Boi shines in comparison to other rappers, which is why he’s shined post-Outkast on his features, not in his solo albums, where there’s just…too much of him. The biggest issue is that this sounds distinctly 2003/2004 with its cluttered, everything-and-the-kitchen-sink production style, which doesn’t help its case when it wasn’t particularly unique even for its time. It’s also way too long, which is, again, clutter. It’s never horrible, but it’s never special, either, except in how dated/annoying it can be stylistically. 3/5 To André: Doing everything can certainly prove a point, but that doesn’t mean you *should* have done everything, because sometimes it can distract from the point entirely. There are soooo many ideas here that I would adore with some hard editing, and/or even the balanced addition of a Big Boi verse. I know this has been compared to Prince a lot, but even at his most ambitious, Prince stuck to a style, and that’s The Love Below’s biggest issue – it has no singular vision. (Ironic, given that Speakerboxxx’s main issue is that it has too narrow of a sonic vision.) It goes from R&B to rap to jazz like an undiagnosed kid in a candy store. And the lyrics are equally childish, especially from a Top 5 Dead or Alive Rapper who’s known first and foremost for his pen game. I can’t rate it too poorly because it does include “Roses” and “Hey Ya!,” but even a couple all-timer songs aren’t herculean enough to save this mess, even with the midpoint boost from some fine but not good neo soul tracks that still suffer from André’s excessive horniness. Speakerboxxx may be monotonous, but The Love Below is a chore, and that’s a greater offense. Some think this messy sort of chaos means the album was ahead of its time, which it isn’t, it’s extremely dated, but ignoring that, it feels like an artist burning out in real time, and time has kinda proven that narrative true. The man literally became a jazz flutist, which is cool, but maybe that’s the direction of someone who’s done all he can do in the pop realm. Based solely off of The Love Below, it seems like all he could do was “Roses” and “Hey Ya!” Which is still better than most of us can do, but I don’t need the rest of the mess to get to the diamonds. In conclusion: if a sample of Aaliyah’s “Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number” makes me want to listen to THAT R. Kelly apologist song instead of your song just so I can be listening to Aaliyah instead of you, then you’re doing something wrong. But hey, cool jazz cover of “My Favorite Things.” 1.5/5 OutKast has always been greater than the sum of its parts. I get how this ended up on this list based off sheer popularity, but it’s bad representation. Still, the sum of the parts here result in the same feeling the whole gives me – a couple great singles from two people who can’t work with or without each other, making one feel numb and the other feel manic, making me feel respectively apathetic and exhausted.

Speakerboxx very solid, love below very bad outside of Hey Ya and Roses

Too long. Far too much filler, not sure how it got nominated for six Grammys

Viel zu lang Teilweise echt anstrengend. 2 für hey ya

Unlistenable

kind of brain-altering! speakerboxxx in particular is almost more impressive because despite hewing so much closer to the then-current popular vision of hiphop but still sneaking in all these wild structural ideas and cool production...really meaty glitzy wonderful stuff. still i wont pretend i dont understand why love below tends to be most people's big takeaway...the prince comparisons are more then earned across all the deeply felt eclecticism , certainly proves andre beyond being an all-time rapper is just an overall Artistic Visionary. kind of crazy to pair these records up not just for their differences but for how dense and rich they both are...kind of impossible to take all at once lol but clearly loaded with treasure, and honestly even the overwhelmed feeling of Drowning in the tracklist is its own interesting experience

Amazing

erm... where's the flutes????/? 40 track long testament to the talent of outkast. each member can stand on their own and make captivating hour+ long albums. This album is such a feat and its fucking crazy to listen too. I don't love every songs but its still and impressive body of work nonetheless. Speakerboxxx is super good, feels like standard outkast album. The love below is so fucking crazy, i wish andre 3000 would make another experimental soul funk album its so damn good. Hey Ya still gives me chills to this day, 11/10 song. saw a review on here that says "very bad, black music lost its way a long time ago" fucking crazy. i feel like ppl are really harsh on rap album on this site tbh. the reviews on this album in general are strange when comparing them to rym. ig these are just regular music listener takes rather than chronically online music snobs. either way THIS being the fall of black music is a crazy take. that guy would disintegrate if he ever heard a hi-c song (not that hi-c is fall of black music fucking love hi-c, praying High the Lon35tarr gets added to the 1001 albums in the next edition).

Modern classic!

Double albums need to be good for this list because the time commitment can be hard, but this was well worth the time. I've only heard a couple of these songs, specifically Hey Ya and The Way You Move, but there was so much here I liked. It's funky, musically adventerous, and the raps are fast and furious. Also a ton of guest appearances. I liked Speakerboxx more than The Love Below, with my favorite track being The Rooster, it's just such an addictive backing track. Also, Outkast might be one of the best hook writers out there, so many great ones.

## In-Depth Review of *Speakerboxxx/The Love Below* by OutKast *Speakerboxxx/The Love Below*, released in 2003, is a landmark double album by the hip-hop duo OutKast, consisting of two distinct solo projects: Big Boi's *Speakerboxxx* and André 3000's *The Love Below*. This ambitious work showcases their individual artistic visions while maintaining the innovative spirit that has defined their career. The album not only achieved commercial success but also left a lasting impact on music, influencing countless artists across genres. This review delves into the lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence of the album, alongside its pros and cons. ### Lyrics ****Big Boi's *Speakerboxxx*** Big Boi's lyrics in *Speakerboxxx* are characterized by their sharp wit and social commentary. He explores themes such as: - **Social Issues**: Tracks like "GhettoMusick" address urban life and struggle, reflecting on the realities faced by those in disadvantaged communities. - **Personal Experiences**: Songs such as "Unhappy" delve into personal struggles and relationships, showcasing vulnerability alongside bravado. - **Philosophical Undertones**: Big Boi often infuses his verses with philosophical musings, particularly evident in tracks like "War," where he contemplates societal conflicts. ****André 3000's *The Love Below*** Conversely, André 3000's *The Love Below* presents a more introspective and experimental lyrical approach. Key themes include: - **Love and Relationships**: The album is replete with explorations of love's complexities, as seen in tracks like "Hey Ya!" and "Prototype," where he navigates both romantic highs and lows. - **Self-Reflection**: André's lyrics often reflect on his identity and personal growth, particularly in songs like "Love Hater," where he grapples with fame and self-worth. - **Humor and Quirkiness**: His unique style incorporates humor and whimsy, making tracks like "Happy Valentine's Day" memorable for their playful yet poignant observations. ### Music ****Musical Styles**** *Speakerboxxx* is rooted in Southern hip-hop with influences from funk and soul. Big Boi’s side features: - **Heavy Bass Lines**: Tracks like "GhettoMusick" exemplify the bass-heavy production typical of Southern rap. - **Funky Horn Arrangements**: Songs such as "Bowtie" incorporate vibrant horn sections that add depth to the sound. In contrast, *The Love Below* ventures into diverse genres: - **Eclectic Fusion**: André blends elements of jazz, funk, pop, and rock. For example, "Hey Ya!" combines a catchy pop sensibility with funk grooves. - **Experimental Soundscapes**: The production features unconventional sounds and arrangements, particularly in tracks like "Take Off Your Cool," which showcases a smooth jazz influence. ### Production ****Production Techniques**** Both albums exhibit high production quality but differ significantly in style: - **Big Boi’s Production on *Speakerboxxx***: Big Boi collaborated with multiple producers (including Mr. DJ) to create a cohesive sound that emphasizes rhythm and lyrical delivery. The production is characterized by its energetic beats and melodic hooks. - **André 3000’s Production on *The Love Below***: André took full creative control over his disc, crafting a sound that is more experimental. He employs a wide range of instruments and effects, creating lush soundscapes that complement his lyrical themes. ### Themes ****Exploration of Duality**** The overarching theme of *Speakerboxxx/The Love Below* is duality—reflecting the contrasting styles and perspectives of Big Boi and André 3000. This duality manifests in several ways: - **Artistic Expression**: The album serves as a showcase for both artists’ unique talents—Big Boi’s grounded approach versus André’s avant-garde tendencies. - **Cultural Commentary**: Both discs comment on different aspects of life—Big Boi focuses on societal issues while André delves into personal relationships. ### Influence *Speakerboxxx/The Love Below* has had a profound influence on music since its release: - **Genre-Blending**: The album’s success paved the way for future artists to experiment across genres. It has been cited as an influence on works by artists such as Frank Ocean, Tyler, The Creator, and Childish Gambino. - **Mainstream Acceptance of Experimental Hip-Hop**: By achieving commercial success while pushing musical boundaries, OutKast challenged the norms of hip-hop at the time, encouraging other artists to explore their creativity without fear of commercial backlash. ### Pros and Cons ****Pros**** - **Innovative Sound**: The album breaks new ground by blending various genres, making it accessible to a wider audience while retaining artistic integrity. - **Lyrical Depth**: Both Big Boi and André 3000 deliver thought-provoking lyrics that resonate with listeners on multiple levels. - **Cultural Impact**: The album redefined expectations for hip-hop albums and influenced a generation of musicians across genres. ****Cons**** - **Divergent Styles May Alienate Some Fans**: While the duality is a strength for many listeners, some fans may prefer one artist's style over the other, leading to mixed feelings about the overall cohesion of the album. - **Lengthy Runtime**: At 135 minutes with 40 tracks (including interludes), some listeners may find the album overwhelming or feel that it could have benefited from tighter editing. ### Conclusion In summary, *Speakerboxxx/The Love Below* stands as a monumental achievement in hip-hop history. Its innovative approach to music production, lyrical depth, thematic exploration of love and society, and significant cultural impact solidify its status as a classic. While it may not be universally appealing due to its length and divergent styles, its influence on subsequent generations of artists cannot be overstated. OutKast’s willingness to push boundaries has left an indelible mark on music that continues to inspire creativity today.

Oh hells yeah!

Yes every time

Surprisingly very nice with its different types of songs. Really good.

This whole thing is a 5. I’ve always been a little scared to tackle this album; obviously, Hey Ya is the monster hit, but even past that, these are basically just two albums thrown together like a Sonic & Garfield pack for the Sega Genesis. They’re entirely unrelated, and they’re clearly put together just to keep the “OutKast” brand name alive. I wrote down two individual reviews for both Speakerboxx & The Love Below as I was listening; I’ll just copy/paste them both here, and then give a sort of epilogue to the whole thing. For Speakerboxx, that half easily gets a 5. Big Boi is flowing on this half of the record – this could’ve easily stood on its own without being attached to The Love Below, I think. Fantastic production across the board, great verses from everyone involved, and a really fun mix of like, Funkadelic-esque production stylizations with a bit of Outkast flair, naturally evolved from Stankonia, and still feeling extremely modern for 2003. A lot of these beats still go hard as hell in 2024, and any modern rapper could probably flow on a lot of them. I’ve always liked Big Boi’s verses just a little more than Andre’s, and so far, this part of the album is confirming my bias – he is on fire on a lot of these tracks, with his faster flow just more attuned to the upbeat tempo and nature of this part of the album. A lot of these are really fun tracks in terms of subject matter. Of course, there’s not a lot of “serious” moments here, but he does know when to reel it in when the time comes. I’ll say this; it’s a tough fucking act to follow. Andre’s got a lot to beat here – I think this perfectly lined up with my tastes. That’s a stellar album in its own right; I do wish it sort of landed its “ending” a little better, but this is a double package, so hopefully the last track on The Love Below satiates my thirst. When it comes to Speakerboxx, that’s a 5 by itself. I’ve got high, high hopes for Andre, and I hope he doesn’t let me down. For The Love Below, I’m at a 4.5. It’s oh so very close to being a 5 for me, but I just think this album doesn’t do quite enough to hit a fully authentic vibe that he’s trying to capture – he succeeds at hitting the vibe, but there’s a few tracks that go a bit long, a few tracks with some weird production choices, and honestly, just not enough features. If you’re gonna do this sort of Prince throwback style, or try to evoke old Bootsy Collins / Funkadelic type of production at times, bring in some of the people that made it work. With that said, I loved it when he stepped out of that box and did some super unique stuff – there are production tricks on this album that I don’t think mainstream rap & hip-hop really caught up to for at least another 5 or 6 years, unless I’m just deeply ignorant to the early 2000s (and I probably am). Those tracks easily stood out the most to me. Maybe I’m just a little salty because I wanted to hear Andre rap more, but his presence as a rapper is seriously underutilized on this album. That’s not to say his singing is bad; I think his voice contortions are really good, and he's pretty well trained. Sometimes the production covers up any perceived “flaws”, but if there are any, I barely caught them. I think this is a good front to back album, and it certainly has more of a plotline and a sort of A to Z structure than Speakerboxx did. I do think I enjoyed Speakerboxx more, just because Big Boi was flowing and it felt more fun, but this also could have stood on its own as a solo album. It’s a nice high 4.5. So, what does that mean for the entire package? Well, obviously, it’s a 4.75 if you average those out, but it’s an easy, easy roundup to a 5. I don’t think that part was ever in question – what I’m most surprised by, in terms of this double album, is how oddly cohesive it feels even with the blatant split. They complement each other well, and they both bring an individual vibe; the usual ATL bounce from Speakerboxx, and the more thoughtful and introspective stuff from The Love Below. Those vibes together do evoke OutKast to me. In a way, this feels better as a double album under the OutKast branding, if only because I think they would’ve been pigeonholed into these styles if these were released as solo albums. As a whole package though, it does feel like it’s OutKast, and a more individual showcase of the best of their own work. I do wish there was a bit more overlap between Andre and Big Boi across both albums, to keep that cohesion a bit more intact, but I’m just sort of nitpicking at this point. These are two very good solo albums; one gets a 5, the other gets a 4.5, but as a whole package, it’s very easily a 5. Ghettomusick > Hey Ya!, by the way. Fight me.

I kept going back and forth about whether I should do a 4 or 5 star, so I think I would give it 4.5 (rounding up to 5 bc who cares). I really didn't like the first half of The Love Below side, but the songs after the phenomenal Hey Ya were quite good. If I listened to lyrics in music, I probably would have enjoyed it even more.

At times I felt this should be a 6, but 2h 15m is a long time and not all moments hit the same high for me.

Very nice

I am an Outcast fan. Love it

Double albums with related but still relatively distinct overarching themes is a rarity these days and is an incredible hip hop album

best album so far, incredible production incredible lyricism incredible messages 10/10

One of my favourite albums EVER!!!!

Classic, first listen- long but good lyrics and stories

This thing is insane in the best ways. The vibes of both albums are totally different, but they both manage to explore a lot of sonic territory while keeping a unique vibe. I'm here for it.

A Modern Masterpiece. There is depth, breadth, and complexity here that is rarely captured in any genre...and this album has genres in abundance.

This is always a vibe

Big nostalgia on this one

Not every song is an absolute banger, but 95% are. This was the soundtrack to my college years.

Amazing!

Double so incredibly long. But each with its own unique flavor.

Great vibes

Look, I am 39 of god’s own years old. This album is Quadrophenia for people in my cohort and we aren’t allowed to give it less than 5 stars. Still, I feel vindicated in this relisten in thinking as a contrarian 18 year old that Speakerboxxx is the much better half as I listened to it on computer speakers in Foobar2000.

It’s too long. If you were to listen to Speakerboxxx/The Love Below as one full album, as I did, then it’s length is the main problem. I started at about five o’clock after getting off work, and finished at about the time I was ready to get tea ready. But that’s the double album experience isn’t it, and Speakerboxxx/The Love Below isn’t just a double album. As two solo albums from the two members of OutKast it’s a pretty fascinating experience, both with their own strengths and flaws, both with something to say, and both with a host of good songs. I can see the arguments for both discs being the superior one, and as such I do think that it’s best experienced as two sides of a whole. But then you get into the problem of length again. Yet as much as I harp on about the flaws, it cannot be denied that Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is one of the most remarkable pieces of art produced in the early 2000’s, brilliant not despite it’s messy, overblown, and contradictory nature, but because of it. And because of that, it deserves the full five stars

Speakerboxxx wins again.

I love this album

Unreal album, I'm not sure how to describe this album tbh but it has everything.

I must admit, when I saw an Outkast double album clocking in at over 2 hours I wasn't overly optimistic. So glad to be proven wrong. This is probably best taken in as 2 separate albums like I did. Banger after banger after banger. Liked The Love Below slightly more mostly for the best version of My Favourite Things I've ever heard.

LOVE LOVE LOVE

This is basically a four star album and a six star album back to back, and which is which changes every time I listen to it. This time Speakerboxxx was the six star.

Double your pleasure with the finest output imaginable from the legendary duo.

I prefer stankonia but this one is great too

Two albums for the price of one, and both feel fresh, innovative and funky.