Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

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

This took me forever to listen through which is why my review is late lol. Earlier on I was planning to give it four stars but now I'm feeling five. So much variety on the album and I really enjoyed most of it. I liked that Speakerboxxx was more rap leaning and The Love Below was more r&b/jazz leaning. Some of the songs are a bit corny but not in a bad way. Overall, this was a very entertaining listen! Side note: there's an Outkast track on the live action Scooby Doo soundtrack so their sound always reminds me of that movie - an absolute classic.

Psyched for this one! Definitely a top tier hip hop album. Nice to get a break from that two day run of country albums too. Hopefully that doesn’t happen again. Callie immediately danced around and screamed with joy with the intro. You can tell she gets to listen to a fair bit of music in the hip hop genre. I’m actually surprised OutKast’s album aquemini did not make the list. Since it’s considered one of the top 500 albums of all time and one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. Either way the fact they have two albums on this list, truly demonstrates how André 3000 and Big Boi really put the South on the map for rap and hip hop. Both Stankatonia and Speakerboxxx/ The Love Below are excellent albums as well. Aquemini would have likely helped pave the way for their recognition on a broader audience too. I appreciate how this double album gave each individual artist of the duo the opportunity to shine on their own solo portion of the album. I also enjoy that our garage door lock key tone rings to the tune of how they sing “Speakerboxxx”. So I’m regularly reminded of this album every time I go into the garage. André 3000 more recently has released a flute album and another album titled 7 piano sketches. Fun to listen too but not my typical genre of music so I can’t tell you if they are high quality. Despite large success, André 3000 found it hard to be inspired to continue making hip hop albums due to social anxiety disorder and hypersensitivity to criticism of his work. I’m happy to see that he found a way to continue to make music on his terms though. It’s evident he is a very talented and introspective musician.

Great album. The Love Below gets a lot of praise because the singles are much better, but as an overall album Speakerboxxx is much better. It doesn't have the odd and very aged interludes. While Speakerboxx is less experimental, for me the experiments on TLB generally aren't successful and it really started to drag by the end. Borderline between a 4 and 5, but I'll give it for the influence and the singles

5 etoiles certainement. Big boi manque d’amour dans cet histoire. Quoique plus classique, son album aussi est excellent.

OFCCC OUTKAST MY LOVE MY LEGEND

*all-time.

A 2 hour behemoth of a piece that manages to keep you interested most of the way thru. Speakerboxxx is really energetic and fun, pulling a lot of contemporary (for the time anyway) sounds while The Love Below is chaotic, insecure and desperate with a lot of jazzy/old school inspiration. Found the contrast between the two compelling; Speakerboxxx is definitely more approachable and easy to listen to. The Love Below, while I appreciate the experimentation and artistry of it kinda falls off after Roses for me. It loses the momentum and captivation of the first handful of songs and a lot of it could've been cut. I do love some exploration of love and messy relationships though so despite the disjointedness it's my favorite of the two halves. 5/5 Would go on this journey again

Definitely a top-10 all time album.

It's basically two REALLY GOOD solo albums smashed together. I think I can even overlook the ridiculous skits. "God (Interlude)" is especially funny for a skit. As I get older the more I appreciate Big Boi and Speakerboxx but the artistry from Andre 3000 in The Love Below is just so good.

Er komt veel jeugdsentiment kijken bij dit album, als 13 jarige vond ik André 3000 al een bijzonder lijpe artiest die veel humor toepast in zijn muziek, in die tijd luisterde ik daarom ook meer naar the love below en liet ik speakerboxxx een beetje links liggen, onterecht aangezien daar ook wel een aantal bangers opstaan. Een nummer wat ik heb opgenomen in een playlist is bijvoorbeeld flip flop rock met o.a. jay z. Het gitaartje en de flow van de rappers gaan helemaal kwijt. Alsnog wat meer genoten van the love below. Hey yah, is zo’n nummer wat je eigenlijk niet meer kan verdragen omdat je t te veel hebt gehoord, altijd en overal, maar je kan het zo ook niet kwalijk nemen dat ze zo’n mega hit hebben gemaakt. Trouwens ook een leuke interpretatie op Coltranes favorite things. Het album is zo lang dat er ook nummers tussen zitten waar je minder enthousiast over kan zijn. Dat is het risico van een dubbelalbum. En ongeacht Teun vind dat dit album by far niet hun beste werk is, kan ik het ook niet anders dan 5 sterren geven

Boyfriend music teste type shit

perfect

Stank you jazzyyy 3000/3000 Very bisexual

First listened on 1st and 2nd December 2024. Favourite song from Speakerboxx is The Way You Move. Favourite song from The Love Below is She Lives in My Lap.

I really struggled to rate this. Rather than one album, this is two entirely distinct albums packaged as one, each with their own merits and flaws. Personally, I prefer The Love Below over Speakerboxxx but they are both fantastic and do a great job of complimenting each other. In the end, I think the final product is greater than the sum of its parts.

It's wild that this isn't one album, but two separate albums combined into a double, and it's still somehow perfect. Speakerboxxx starts extremely strong with GhettoMusick, and has some really fantastic songs on it like Bowtie, The Way You Move, Flip Flop Rock, and Last Call. On the other side, The Love Below has the absolutely legendary Hey Ya!, but also some weirder hits like Happy Valentine's Day, She Lives in My Lap, and Roses. Maybe they should have been released individually, just so it wouldn't be a nearly two and a half hour album, but this is still an all-timer.

Did not expect the pure breadth of skill and music this album would bring to the table. While I knew OutKast was held in high regard as a pioneer and influence to modern sounds, I still was really impressed by this double album. Huge variety from track to track and some really great songs in here. Combined with an obvious feeling of it being ahead of its time and having clear influence of some of my favorite artists sounds today. First 5/5 so far.

It was the best experience I ever had. I'm now fan of OutKast

I have a horribly vivid memory of buying this on CD a few years after it came out and it playing in the car before I'd got to know the lyrics. There was some sniggering from my teenage daughters when Spread came on - I think they were enjoying my embarrassment and seeing whether I was going to skip the track or try and act like it was all no big deal. I don't think I've listened to it much since then and I'd forgotten how good it is! It's a bit self-indulgent, especially in the second half, and I really do hate spoken word interludes but I still think it's a 5.

Great double album

ofc liked it!! some songs stand out more than others, dk if id listen to it all the way through again

Essential.

look, this should be a TEN as it's two 5 STAR ALBUMS.

Let’s say Speakerboxxxx 4, The Love Below 5

9/10

I really really enjoyed this. Both were great and esp liked the jazzy r&b feel

Great song

I bought the explicit version of this album in the 5th grade at MOA and got in trouble for burning it and giving it to the Spangenberg twins. Honestly holds up and I stand by that

Легендарная хуйня. Югу есть что сказать

Greay

This one had some great bangers. It was funny too. I was honestly surprised by how much of it I recognized. There was definitely some filler and even for a double album it felt long. I think I would normally go 4 starts, but I’m gonna go 5 just because I think it will shake out that way compared to most of these other albums; we will have to see how it compares. Not as good as the queen is dead though.

fantastic album. I own this one so obviously I kind of like it

Peak OutKast/Atlanta hip-hop

Arguably the best album of the 2000s. Energy, variety, guest stars. It’s got it all. My only complaint is that it’s SOOOOO long.

Me encanto, super diferente a lo que esperaba, muy interasante musicalmente

Super long, but such a vibe all the way through. It's two albums in one, and both are bangers.

Heel lekker albumpie hoor

Plenty to like, so much variety. Whilst it does drop off in parts, I've been listening to it repeatedly for the last 2 days, delaying me getting to the Friday album.

Banger after banger.

Despite being like 2 solo albums put together, this works as a whole. They do sound like distinct things but they still complement each other. Also for a 2 hour album there’s hardly any duds on here, and those are basically the skits/interlude tracks

Variety:5 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniquenes: 4 Emotionality: = 4.6 rounded down up to a 5 "Plus, I make great peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Van Helsing" This album was culturally monumental. I think the moment that dawned on me was when I was watching the awful "Flight of the Phoenix" remake and all the characters who are stranded in the desert spontaneously start dancing to "Hey Ya". At least that's how I remember it. The album and (especially that song) had such major mainstream crossover appeal that it was basically used as short hand in this terrible drama for funtimes. The fact that this kind of sad and ironic song's lyrics were completely ignored by most people who listened to it gels with other similar popularly embraced but misunderstood songs like "Born in the U.S.A.". In retrospect, this one also feels like the final period at the end of the sentence of pop music for me. Everything else has just been postscript. Maybe there has been one since that I can't think of, but this seems like the last GIANT moment of musical cultural consensus behind a new hot thing before everything just began to run together in a mostly indistinguishable stew. What since this has had the same impact? Help me out cause I'm struggling. There have been great albums, albums I love that have come out since this, but have there been any all-time classics that will stand the test of time. And does this one even accomplish the feat of being "great", despite it's undeniable popularity? Let's find out. THE TRACKS Speakerboxxx "Intro" - Works to prepare you for what's to come. Something that's at times unabashedly goofy, catchy as hell, and very electronic forward. "GhettoMusick" - Damn. First song in and I'm gonna call it my dark horse MVP. Sorry "Hey Ya". This fires on all levels. Would you call this electro-soul/funk? It's almost uncategorizable. My favorite part on a song that is 100% hooks - The Patti Labelle feature and the 80s keyboard preset-sounding beat that explodes back into the cool as fuck synth. Aces. "Unhappy" - What a strong left turn into a tight piece that I'd call, I don't know... pretty? Downbeat, but not too depressing. Barely scraped the surface and already the variety here crazy. "Bowtie" - Big Parliament and Prince vibes with a nod to (Curtis Mayfield) all over this one. Andre 3000 became the star off of this, but don't ever sleep on Big Boi. He kills it here with a strong assist from some other Dungeon Family alumni. Those stanky horns - *shivers*. "The Way You Move" - Push it. Push it real good. Crazy that this is ( I think?) a complete original. It has all the hallmarks of a great song that uses a ton of classic samples to build something with a killer groove and unforgettable hooks. But no. The latin beat and horns and the repetition make this seem simple, but that's no knock. "The Rooster" - Goddamn that scratch guitar line, with the layered bits over top... There is a LOT going on here. This is all Big Boi, and it's pretty bitter in tone. The escalating vocals combined with the funky horns make this one an exercise in heightened tension. And like everything before it so far, it's also catchy all get out. When are we going to get our first dud? Will we get any? "Bust" - It gets way darker here, with Big Boi splitting duties with Killer Mike. The most basic thing on this album so far and still sounds amazing. The cool ass fuzzed out tremolo guitar that ends this is icing on the cake. "War" - This one made me dizzy. In a good way. It switches modes a few times, and I would compare it favorably to some of the medley's from the latter Beatles albums. All the parts work on their own, but feel right together. This gets angry, quickly, but loses none of its liveliness. "Church" - Despair and soul-searching has rarely sounded this funky. They prove they can tackle the big questions and still make you want to dance here. The beat here made me think briefly of Eminem's "Without Me". "Bamboo ( interlude)" - Adorable. "Tomb of the Boom" - We get a Dungeon Family reunion, with close-knit cousin Ludacris dropping in to say hi as well. Solid. But possibly the only track on the album that feels like it was flown in from some other album. "Knowing" - What sounds like a real instrumental beat here, and we're back into the regular groove of the album proper. This is one I usually forget about. The title throws me then I hear that magnificent chorus and it comes back. No idea if they were heavily influenced by De La Soul or not, but in another world this with a more laid back chorus this would not be out of place on one of their albums. "Flip Flop Rock" - Jay Z and Killer Mike guest here and sound like they are moving in slow motion as Big Boi sets the walls on fire with the lightning he's spitting. That was a half a pot of coffee to get us to the end of part one. "Reset" (featuring Khujo and Cee-Lo) - Damn, I always forget Cee-Lo was a Dungeon Family guy. Debra Killings steals the show here though in the chorus. "Last Call" - Mello and Lil Jon and some friends drop by for an assist and steal what I guess is Outkast's version of a party anthem? The chorus makes this song, but everything around it supports it well. It's no "Yeah", but they can't all be. The Love Below "The Love Below" (Intro) - Another very purposeful intro that tells us singing will get a lot more of a spotlight here. Lush and bright, it sets the mood wonderfully. "Love Hater" - A little bit of whiplash from the intro here with a jazz-fusion freakout that transforms for brief spots into a hilarious, classy jazzy bit of singing from Andre. Beautiful stuff. "God" (Interlude) - This was a hoot. A charming and lovely hoot. "Happy Valentine's Day" - Joi and Screechy Peach ( I am unfamiliar otherwise) give a nice assist on the chorus, and Andre 3000 makes a funky Prince-ish jam work with barely lifting a finger. Do I hear some claps mixed into the beat there? "Spread" - Some old timey organ barely makes an impression before we get into the sickest beat on the album, and maybe the horniest/ funniest track on one of the horniest/ funniest of discs? Prince would be proud. Andre steps up to the plate and shows that not only has he got the singing chops but he can hang quite equally with Big Boi when it comes to spitting fire. "Where Are My Panties?" (Interlude) - Dear lord...lol. "Prototype" - This is one of those songs that sounds like it has always existed. My pick for favorite track on this disc. Spacey, soulful, and almost as horny as Spread, if that's possible. But more in the tasteful Isley Brothers/ Isaac Hayes mode. Those fat, liquidy beats and the equally fat bass send this even higher into the stratosphere. This is the Andre track I'd choose to save from a burning building. "She Lives in My Lap" - This album is lousy with great songs I forgot existed. Rosario Dawson? Huh, don't think I ever knew that. Very weird cacophonous ending that still somehow sounds tightly put together. "Hey Ya!" - We had to get there eventually. Don't listen to the lyrics, just daaaaaaaaaance! This is the inescapable gravity well that draws any and everyone who is even casually familiar with Outkast. Andre has the songwriting credit here, but I wonder if some sort of deal was worked out prior where Big Boi still gets to cash those checks. I hope so. Either way, Andre will be able to make as many weird flute albums as he wants for eternity. You can't criticize this one without sounding like a contrarian. It's the "Roses" - I don't think I'd be out of line saying this 2nd in line of giant monster successes on this album. It's quote the flex to put them back to back like this, and honestly still crazy. I'm reminded of how the B-side to "Hey Jude" was "Revolution". Also, I love teh idea that at any given moment there might be multiple people in their cars earnestly singing "POO POO" at the top of their lungs while cranking this at a stoplight. "Good Day, Good Sir" (Interlude) - "Spectacular's right in front of you". "Behold a Lady" - Pure ear candy. Bonus points for the claps ( x2 for including the simultaneous "clap clap). Edit: The synth line on this drilled its way into my brain and laid enough eggs that it was stuck in my head all day. Thank you Jesus, thank you lord. "Pink & Blue" - Dripping with atmosphere, this one goes to some interesting places. I don't want to speculate on Mr. 3000's preferences for the older ladies, and it's usually bad form to conflate the artist with the pov of the song, but... Get it Andre. "Love in War" - Solid minor piece on a disc full of absolute bangers, this one weirdly feels like a collaboration with Post-era Bjork. "She's Alive" - Looooove this one. The sad piano over top of the electro beat and Andre in full Nat King Cole "Nature Boy" mode. Also the most emotional one for me as the lyrics hit pretty close to home. "Dracula's Wedding" - I wish I could just insert the gif of the truck driver doing double take from The Naked Gun here. On paper this sounds crazy. But goddamn if it doesn't work completely. Kelis helps out a bit with the best feature on any track here, in my opinion. And the best line. You know the one. How many Halloween playlists did this end up on I wonder? "My Favorite Things" - Let's reuse that truckdriver gif again I guess. "A techno-infused jazzed up cover of "My Favorite Things", huh? Ok, sure. Why not." I know this was conceived and mostly recorded as a solo effort but I still like to imagine the conversation with Big Boi about this one. I guessing that he just let Andre be Andre and that was the secret of their success? The only other guy I can imagine pulling this off is MAYBE Herbie Hancock. "Take Off Your Cool" - A giant swing in the opposite direction for a relaxed little ( mostly) acoustic number with Norah Jones. Feels slight, but not bad by any means. "Vibrate" - Live me some atmospheric electronic nonsense, and the reversed sounding beats here certainly fit the bill. As fine as this is, I can feel the energy draining as we come down from the highest of highs. Also maybe too long by about 3 minutes in my opinion. "A Life in the Day of Benjamin André (Incomplete)" - At least we go out on a high note, even if it's a dark one. This runs a close second to "Spread" for sickest beat. Andre seems to be in autobio mode, and I'm down for it. HIGHLIGHTS - Everything else MIDLIGHTS ( btw most other artists would count themselves lucky for these "fillers" ) - "Tomb of the Boom" - "Reset" - "Take Off Your Cool" - "Vibrate" LOWLIGHTS - No way FINAL THOUGHTS An impressive, important album. I think these guys were already hugely influential, and part of a sound that would be copied endlessly throughout the decade even before this album was released. But afterwards, it loomed even larger. So large that I think it has been argued by more knowledgeable people than myself that the group themselves could not escape its shadow. Both would go on to do cool stuff ( I especially liked Big Boi's follow up. "Shutterbug" can hang with the cream of the crop off this). Interesting that this was originally intended as two solo albums, got fused together, and still became a smash, without feeling like the Frankenstein's monster that it was. I'm not sure how intact the original visions for those solo albums remained, or how much work was done to make the two as cohesive as possible, though it seems like the songs must have been mixed around a bit unless the collaborations between both guys were already baked in. I think a lot of people ( most maybe) have a preference for The Love Below on this given that Andre 3000 seems to be the flashier of the two and , I mean, it does have "Hey Ya". But in no universe would I ever call this whole thing backloaded. Even the fat on this album is still very good. It's just suffers in comparison with all those bullseyes. The interludes don't even bother me, despite the fact that I deleted them from my playlists. On a side note - as may times as I've listened to this, whenever a few years have gone by and it's time again, I always have that "Oh yeaaaah..." moment where I remember that "Ms. Jackson" and "So Fresh, So Clean " are not, in fact, on this, and that they had other great material before. It all starts to run together, almost like Stankonia and this were some monster triple album, which is probably how I played them in the iPod days. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - It would not hurt my feelings to lose most of the interludes off the Big Boi disc FURTHER LISTENING - Even in Darkness - The Dungeon Family - The ArchAndroid by Janelle Monae - In Search Of by N.E.R.D - Under Construction by Missy Elliott - R.A.P. Music by Killer Mike - Funcrusher Plus - Company Flow - Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne

I love the length and its diversity. I found my self asking "is this really the same album" many times. That might not be what everyone wants, but it's definitely a breath of fresh air for me cause I always saw albums as rigid. 10/10!

Speakerboxx: The Way You Move: Who doesn't want to hear Patti LaBelle? Rooster: Talking a/b kids who don't want you to be in their lives, that hit home. War: Wait, was this written in 2003 or last week? Reset: Goodie Mob. ATL hip hop is so flowin.

I discovered Outkast only recently but missed this record until now. I love the genre, I love Aquemini. I was ready to give it a 3 or a 4. But this is an absolute 5/5 of a masterpiece. Speakerboxxx is poppy, fresh, filled with crazy good beats. Unhappy, The Rooster, crazy good songs. Then comes the second half. The Love Below is jazzy, soul, almost avant-garde. Love Hater, She Lives in my Lap, Hey Ya! André 3000 doesn't miss a hit. I live for shit as good as this. Damn it's crazy they went for a double album, with all this good shit they could have milked it for at least four records.

I remember the excitement around this album, Ms Jackson had been a huge hit for me as a young teenager not long before this, that and some other cross over hits made hip-hop more accessible and shone a light on Outkast and a brand of hip-hop that hadn't come to my attention yet. This had everything that I wanted, it was experimental and poppy at times but also demonstrated some classic Outkast stylings that I'd already fell in love with on Stankonia. The whole idea of the double album and two solo pieces joined together, the CD case where you could flip the cover artist to whatever you were loving most. 'Hey Ya' is undoubtedly overplayed but it was still a brilliant piece. Big Boi's Speakerboxxx was by far the album I played more and still sounds incredibly fresh, but every time I listened to The Love Below I also found and liked something new. A great album, and I remember thinking, "hold on, I'm basically getting 2 albums for the price of one! I'm definitely using my paper round money for this!"

This album was ok. Not really my time of music but definite a could decades old! Church is the only one that I can fully remember. Hey Ya was way more popular then I thought. 1.5/5

i was a little worried since its 2 hours long but i don't think there were any songs i didn't like. it's a great ride the whole way through fav song: The Way You Move

A classic that was fantastic to revisit

I LIKE THE WAY YOU MOOOVE

I think I like the first side more than the second but The Love Below does have certified bangers

A classic. I love OutKast, definitely an inspiration to many artists of this generation.

Southern hip-hop, progressive rap, funk, jazz, pop, progressive soul, psychedelia.

great use of "pop" folley in bowtie. for this alone a 5. could really visualise the chewing noises in Bust. apricated the shout out to Cpt Picard in flip flop. kinda fizzled out.

Banging

sorry miss jackson oooooo i am for reallll 👩🏻‍🎤

This is an absolute riot. What a fun album. Full of bangers and interesting sounds and comedic gold. Some of it had me bursting out laughing, and even in the silliest songs, I found myself genuinely having a great time. There's certainly some extra bulk here - i don't believe it needed to be over 2 hours long - but the majority of the tracks had something unique and enjoyable about them. One of my favorite experiences so far! 9/10

A double album that instead of pitting against provides insight into two very different approaches to music. Big boi is more traditional with rap and guest spots by tons of huge names. There are some unique songs that kind of move away from the normal rap sound but for the most part it is grounded in a more acceptable “rap album” vibe. While Andre’s half is more like an experiment into rnb pop rap. There are some extremely strange songs on his half where you can tell he was trying to do something completely unique. I wonder how much influence they had on eachothers halves or if it was a more separate project. As with a double album it is extremely long and you basically have to devote an afternoon to listen from front to back. Both sides have some big hits with Hey Ya being the phenomenon. I actually got the cd set when I was a kid because I loved Hey Ya so much. My parents scrubbed through the album emitting songs that were to above my age group which with this listen made me realize I missed out on a lot of the songs. While I think Big Boi’s side has some great hits, I think Andre’s side has withstood time better with how unique it is. 10/10

I don't when know where to begin. This is less an album than music-based performance art, wch is saying a lot even for hip-hop. I'm bowled over by the range of ability and genre and the creativity of the beats and compositions.

bop after bops

Quite a lot to get through hey ya!!!

OutKast goes solo but releases the albums as one work instead of two separate ones. It really is two albums - a progressive southern hip hop album that is a masterpiece from Big Boi and then a jazzy funk weird ass album from Andre that is a masterpiece.

It's my birthday, and what a birthday gift it is to receive this album today! A favorite of mine. It's the album that not only introduced me to OutKast, but to Hip Hop in general. The thing I love the most about OutKast is how fun their music is. Like, it's great, the beats are infectious, the lyrics are memorable, the hooks are catchy, and throughout both Speakerboxxx and The Love Below, this sense of fun pervades. I originally loved "The Love Below," which was unlike anything else I'd ever heard. But as time has gone on, I find myself drawn more and more to "Speakerboxxx." Sure, the album is long, and maybe too long for some people's taste, but I'll always love the expansive eclecticism of this record.

Despite how long this album is, the only song that felt like a bit of a slog to get through was the very last one, other than that this album was a joy to listen to. I’ve always loved Andre 3000, especially when he features on other peoples song but strangely enough I found myself really enjoying Big Boi’s half of the album, potentially even more… but they have two very distinct vibes i feel and I like that you can treat them as two separate albums however they still feel connected somehow.

Yoooooooooooooo so good. Haven’t actually finished it because it’s so long but it’s clearly a masterpiece. Speakerboxx!

Epic album, epic songs. Great art and artists. Design..the whole package. Really like this.

So I don't know what to write about this album because it's a lot. It's 135 minutes between two albums: the 56 minute southern hip-hop joint from Big Boi (Speakerboxxx) and the 78 minute ambitious pop undertaking of André 3000 (The Love Below). Like a lot of people, my impression of this record comes from the hits. Hey Ya was the one played more on the radio and it's since become one of my favorite songs ever. It's so genius that it feels like it's in a league of its own on this record. There's also The Way You Move and Roses which came later in my life, but that was enough for me to know that this album was huge. I mean, this won Album of the Year at the Grammys! So it had to be doing something right especially for being such a long gamble of a career move. At 135 minutes, it's the second longest album I've heard on the list so far. Does it spend its time well? On Speakerboxxx, it's more of the Outkast I heard while window-shopping Aquemini and Stankonia. In other words, it's the Outkast you would expect. Sharp, southern hip-hop with wits and southern playalistic flows for days. Big Boi exhibits his wonderland of swagger through bouts of party boosters and realism. He raps about his family struggles, politics and slices of life overall. Meanwhile, the beats float with inventiveness and the features absolutely deliver to the right house. It's sealed in a well-put together package that makes for what a standard Outkast album would have turned to be. My only real quip with this is the amount of interludes that show up on the way to the finish line. From tracks 10 - 19, only 5 songs are actual songs. The other 5 are interludes featuring Big Boi's son rapping, a bunch of shout-outs and an epilogue track. When you get to the real meat however: check out Unhappy, Church, Tomb Of The Boom, Knowing and Flip Flop Rock. The very latter of these tracks is my absolute favorite because that Jay Z hook goes crazy. Speakerboxxx ends on the weaker side unfortunately, but I guess it's not the end of the MAIN album. We have to switch to the other side of the vision now with André's The Love Below. Immediately with Disc 2, you're met with a string section. My perception of The Love Below was always that 3 Stacks went insane and did a smooth jazz type of move that somehow had Hey Ya on it. Upon researching this record and seeing an influence of Prince, I see his vision clearly now. After two listens (four fucking hours of music), The Love Below is my favorite out of the two. It might be slow-paced and longer than the other. It might have more tracks that have less to say, but dammit if it doesn't speak to me. All this love-talk makes me feel seen. Yes, 1001 Albums community! I am a teenager! I am a college student! Songs about the realities of relationships interest me! The stronghold of this album is between Spread and Roses. You got Spread (the one-night stand jam), Prototype (stank you for the slow jamz), She Lives In My Lap (Prince fever), Hey Ya (yeah) and Roses (She's a bitch). After that, the tracks do vary in and out but I did feel an undeniable charm from the second listen. What the Love Below does best is show André's creative side to grand results. He simply wanted to advance himself as an artist and he did. He had the label, the management and the business partner willing to do it and I'm glad he did. Because if I made a crazy risky move like this and got a worldwide hit song and Grammy out of it, I too would be happy. If there's anything else to say about The Love Below, Kelis and Norah Jones also deliver on their features and that rendition of My Favorite Things goes insane. When thought of as a single unit, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is incredible. It's a hassle to get through, but it's so worth the time to dig into the minds of ATL's finest. I don't think any other duo could have pulled this off: to have a multi-platinum selling double album where you do solo albums rather than a group project. You would need two decipherable, lovable identities with personalities galore. They would both need a feel for the music they produce, a love supreme of their own. If there was any group to pull it off, it was Outkast. Idlewild notwithstanding, this would be their final hurrah in the spotlight...and what a way to go. I could spend more time telling you why I like this record, but let's be honest: "Y'all don't wanna hear me, you just wanna dance" (9/10, 5/5 on this scale)

Brilliant album, I didn’t realise how versatile OutKast are. Will need to listen again and again

Instant classic, I had only scratched the surface of outkast before this. Spread and Draculas Wedding are my favorites and right after listening to this I played spread in the car incessantly. you'll notice I havent rated an album in 2-3 years and that's because I was listening to this that whole time

Album de mi época que nunca escuché completo. Una locura llena de rolonas. "She lives in my lap" se quedó a vivir en mi cabeza.

Easily one of the best albums of all time, album of my adolescence and album of the 2000's maybe. I didn't relisten like I should have, but I will. I just want to have the right setting. Maybe the next time I take a drive up to Santa Fe by myself I'll throw it on.

Amazing double album. I liked the Love Below more when it first came out. Now I see Speakerboxxx is light years ahead. I listen to this album three times in a row. I want to keep listening to it.

A classic! Rare that I got into this as it came out. 2 albums that sound like they were released about 15 years apart, but both great.

gosto DEMAIS desse aqui. não eh o que melhor representa o duo (até pq são dois albuns independentes) mas putz acho lindo demais. eh um pouco longo, mas eh justificado, são duas obras primas fi. dá pra ver os leves toques do big boi e do andre 3000 em algumas músicas um do outro, muito lindo. dito isso EH DOS MAIORES ALBUNS DO MUNDO. foda-se fi, os dois lados são brutalíssimos a sua maneira, só pedrada atrás de pedrada, sem descanso. maravilhoso demais, quem não curte é otário.

Great

i really liked it

A classic album that is 2 solo albums in one. Personally I’m a much bigger fan of Big Boi overall. He truly shines on Speakerboxxx, and has some banging features. Andre 3000 is the more adventurous and eccentric album, but it’s a bit more hit or miss for me, especially with Interludes that feel like a waste of time. Speakerboxxx - 4.75 / 5 The Love Below - 4.25 / 5 Overall rating: 4.5 / 5

Conventional wisdom has it that these are two solo albums hastily stapled together, but who cares because it really is a chocolate and peanut butter situation and cemented OutKast in Top 40 culture, even if it is far from their best “album.” Less conventional wisdom is that Speakerboxx is pound for pound the better album.

FIRE

Normally I dock any album over 90 minutes a star because no one has time for that but this one is an exception. The songs, the skits, all flow so well that you don't even feel like 2 hours have passed.

It feels almost futile to review this record. It’s truly a masterpiece of southern hip-hop, and one of my favourites. The concept of releasing two completely different albums as one double album is really cool and it’s so interesting to hear either member of OutKast’s songwriting on display. Speakerboxxx, Big Boi’s half of the album, is what I would consider an essential piece of southern hip-hop history. There’s so many incredible features in this first half of the album. Everything from the lyricism to the flow to the overall vibe is impeccable. The Love Below, the brainchild of Andre 3000, is such a stark contrast to the first half of the album, but it somehow works together so well. This second half is jazzy, funky, and occasionally psychedelic. It’s eccentric and weird and outrageously fun to listen to. Even if one was to ignore the massive and impossible to overstate cultural importance of “Hey Ya!”, this second half of the album would still be a 10/10 in my books. This double album is absolutely deserving of the highest possible rating.

What is there to be said about this album? It is momentous. If you don't love this album we simply do not agree on rap music or perhaps music at all. It achieves the rare feat of being both commercially successful with three huge singles--"Hey Ya", "The Way You Move" and "Roses"--and apparently going 13x platinum in the US, while also being astoundingly creative, defying categorization by genre, laying out lofty ambitions and exceeding them. A lot has been made of this album being a double album and that the two halves of it are essentially two solo albums from Big Boi and André 3000 each stapled together. At the time, many comparisons were drawn to John Lennon's and Paul McCartney's growing creative differences and diverging songwriting styles before the breakup of the Beatles. Big Boi addresses this directly on "Tomb of the Boom": "I say, 'People, stop the madness, 'cause me and Dre, we okay' OutKast: "Cell Therapy" to cell division We done split it down the middle so you can see both the visions Been spittin' damn near ten years—why the fuck would we be quittin'?" Interesting considering they did, in fact, break up shortly after and 'Speakerboxxx/The Love Below' was their last great album. I could go track by track but that would take a very long time. I love both halves of this album but I think Big Boi's half is kind of slept on. Thematically, I appreciate that it covers a lot more ground than 'The Love Below'. Highlights for me on the first half are "GhettoMusick" (FEELIN GREAT FEELIN GOOD HOW ARE YOU!!!), "Bowtie", "Church" (WHY ARE WE HEEEERE!!! WHAT ARE WE HEEEERE FOOOOR!!!!) and "Last Call". Musically, 'The Love Below' is just... brilliant. The frenetic urgent energy in "Spread", the rhythm of "Pink and Blue", the jazziness of "My Favorite Things" and "Take Off Your Cool". "Prototype" is as close as any song I can think of comes to what falling in love sounds like for me and it gives me a little bit of that blissful feeling every time I listen to it. Whatever "She Lives In My Lap" is? C'mon now. It's all so funky, so jazzy, so soulful, so entirely unique while maintaining such smart rap and pop sensibilities. It's truly remarkable. I don't think it's really possible to say enough good things about this album, the content itself or the impact it has had. If we send another disc of great human accomplishments out into space this should be in consideration.

Over 2 hours long and still not long enough for me

Fuck yes

Надеюсь все кайфанули от двухчасового мастерписа. Amen oh I'm sorry I'm sorry A-lady

God, I genuinely was not expecting to like Speakerboxxx/The Love Below as much as i did but here we are. I did hear Stankonia way before hearing this and while i did like it, it was still overly weird at points. This album though, managed to be extremely great throughout. There are some dumb lyrics alongside some really genius ones. The vocals are also incredibly good always managing to complement these songs perfectly. But the real star of the show, is easily the production. It was so catchy and fun to listen to and it never felt annoying or overly bloated despite going on for two hours. I don't think i can think of a bad thing to say here, its just an absolutely amazing album. Best Song: Unhappy Worst Song: Where Are My Panties

The big problem with me occasionally having to do these albums at night is that I'll randomly be thrown a 135 minute-long 2CD and have to stay up until midnight. At least it's only the third longest album on this list, to my knowledge. Anyways, separating the two and putting their works on the same album is a very strange choice that's probably at least 90% motivated by money (kind of in the same way that Brendon Urie making 3 more albums as Panic at the Disco despite him being only member left was probably a 100% money-based decision), but I like it. Big Boi clearly wanted a more straightforward rap album and André wanted to drink a green half-caf decaf mint mocha latte out of a flower pot with foam at the bottom, so just giving them both a CD makes sense over having them fight over how normal their album is gonna be. Speakerboxxx feels more like an OutKast album in a lot of ways, but still throws in some really interesting songs. I like the EDM influence on GhettoMusick and all of the weird directions that side sometimes takes. Even the more regular parts of the album are pretty strong. The album takes a total turn going into The Love Below. It's hardly even a rap album, there's a lot more Funk and Soul thrown in than anything. I feel like "unrestricted" is the first word that comes to mind to describe that half, like an album André wanted to make for a while and totally went crazy with when he finally got the chance. It's pretty hard to say which side is better overall, I just like the musical whiplash between the two more than anything. Saxophone bonus points for The Love Below, along with my new favorite cover of My Favorite Things.

everyone should hear about this

10/10

This is versatility at its finest. OutKast shows that you can tell a story while being vulnerable, yet cool and confident. With a wide range of different genre's at that, it's such a classic, timeless album that is the blueprint for lots to come. Sometimes production does get a little wonky, but can be overlooked. 9/10 Favorite song: Prototype

It’s ridiculous that I didn’t listen to these guys properly before. I know the hits and think they are good, but never took the effort. What an absolute a-grade god tier effort of an album this is. A duality of more than 2 hours but I’m all for it. Creative, superb production value, dynamic, funny, great vibe. I was hooked once the insanity of GhettoMusick started.

Front to back INSANE. Disk 1 is hard hitting, disk 2 is pure vibes. Best album so far.

no album has more interludes

- Review overall: Double Album!!! I was intimidated when looking at the runtime but woah. Had so much fun listening to Speakerboxxx then the storytelling of The Love Below. Overall I really really liked this album and was so pleasingly surprised! - Speakerboxxx: Ok. Loved this so much. The horns, every single sound. Very fun to listen to and made me want to dance which is a main influence for my ratings haha. - The Love Below: So many bangers here also. Love a storyline in an album but still had me dancing throughout. - Standouts - Speakerboxxx: Intro, Unhappy - The Love Below: Prototype, Hey Ya!, Roses (possible contender for best song ever made)

“Hey Ya!” was the sort of song you would see on MTV2 over breakfast, hear immediately afterwards in the car on the way to school, catch coming out of someone’s home room on your way to class, hear again at the fish and chip shop you’d skived off to over lunch, catch coming out of a builder’s van radio on the covert scurry back, cop once again on the drive time programming, then hear twice in the background while you did your homework. It was the last thing I heard in 2003 – playing, seemingly, in a loop in a friend’s living room (the same living room I’d later wake up in covered in rude drawings and various items of scrawled profane miscellany across my torso and face, the second half of Snow Patrol’s “Run” on the TV … the party was in every sense over). For me, “Hey Ya!” was the stuff of sickly sweet teenage hangovers, tongues made fuzzy by vodka red bulls, breath made rancid by the odd ciggy; it was ubiquitous to the extent that I suspect we all have our own “Hey Ya!”. There are like 25 more songs on this double album, though. And if you can believe they’re all either there or there about as brilliant … then you’ll know why awarding anything less than a perfect score is an impossibility. The syncopated hustle of “GhettoMusick”, the P-Funkin’ bounce of “Bowtie”, the absolute inevitability of “The Way You Move”’s groove … a list of standout tracks is just the track listing. And speaking of … hearing “Hey Ya!” roll into “Roses” was as exhilarating a moment in 2026 as it was in 2003-2004. Twenty years concertinaed into a couple of minutes of pop music. (Any drawings in permanent marker I was sporting today come courtesy of my children, though.) A special album primed for making memories alongside; here’s to many more.

yep

No skips

Classic

I'm a huge OutKast fan, so from my perspective, this is a classic album. I think Big Boi's creativity is underrated, probably only because he was standing next to Andre 3000. It's a bit like pairing Banksy with Dali. But, some of the beats on 'Speakerboxxx' are incredible. His only problem is that it pales in comparison to 'The Love Below' which deserves more than five stars. The only negative is that I think Speakerboxxx drags a little bit towards the end. I don't love 'Tomb of the Boom', 'Last Call' or most of the interludes (with the exception of 'Bamboo'). If I was rating Speakerboxxx alone, I might be tempted to give it a 4/5.

This double album is ice cold (...ICE COLD...!!!). Hey Ya is probably one of the best song ever written too.

rap is fun! с интро сразу понимаешь, что будет круто. если бы пацаны делали такой рэп сейчас, может быть я бы на них вешалась… 5/5

god this album was so good. i think its another favorite of mine.

Perfect

Probably their best album

I actually owned this when it came out but if I did listen I didn’t think much of it. A few years on - it’s brilliant

High 4, super solid straight up double album with some top tier tracks

Solid high energy with great beats

Enjoyable variety of flow, beats, and lyrical topics

Hell yea! The world knew I needed a 2 hour 15 minute Outkast "album". As always, it was phenomenal. Still holds up.

This was so good??? A masterpiece??? I normally have no patience for long albums, but this one was so fun and interesting. Honestly kinda blown away. A new favorite, instantly added to my collection. Also - and this is a belief I've had for years - Hey Ya might be the best song ever recorded. Absolutely love that the whole album rips.

Invented music.

It was baffling when it came out. I bought the cd on day 1 and have a fond memory of diving into Speakerboxxx on my long bus ride home. I was smitten. These albums are so jam packed with creative musical ideas it still comes across as incredibly refreshing. With this revisit, I think I might love them more than ever. Speakerboxx is a stone cold masterpiece. One of the best hip hop albums ever. Then there’s the bizarre The Love Below… My one quibble is that Andre’s lyrics are about as subtle as a cock in a popcorn tub. But the music he makes is just SO DAMN FUNKY. Damn.

Is it self-indulgent to make a double album bursting with incredible tracks? This album has tons of ideas executed well. Hip-hop with pop sensibilities, informed by decades of black music. Outkast are standing on the shoulders of giants and they aren't shy about showing you the view.

143/1089 Opening tracks are so strong, perhaps this double album won’t feel drawn out?? the squelchy sound in Bust really doesn’t work for me but i really like the song otherwise Tomb of the Boom feels SO influential, i hear a lot of different modern rap elements in here, in addition to the Epic Rap Battles of History template This double album was a LOT but it was great, it didn’t really feel it’s length and had a lot of fun and interesting elements that kept it flowing smoothly faves: Ghettomusick, Spread, Hey Ya!, Prototype, Dracula’s Wedding, Happy Valentine’s Day, Take Off Your Cool, The Way You Move, She Lives in My Lap, Church, The Rooster, War, Busy, Unhappy, Reset, Love Hater the Love Below interpretation of My Favourite Things is also pretty cool 84/100

When Hey Ya -one of the best song ever - isn't even top 5

The Sgt. Peppers of Hip Hop in terms of the creativity and complexity of how it transformed the genre like The Beatles did with rock/psychedelic rock, Outkast created a timeless classic for generations to come.

Listened before

got some more outkast today, this time it's a double album, run time totaling at about 2 hours worth of music. speakerboxx is some fresh modern hip hop music, while the love below is a nice, blended fusion of jazz and soul. i have to review both of them briefly. both albums showcased the musical styles of both members of the group. big boi's half is groovy and socially conscious hip hop, and andré 3000's take on art pop is just as colorful and whimsical as his fashion style. there's something for anybody in this album, and despite being intimidated by the entire length... i enjoyed it a whole lot.

Long, but a classic

Bloody amazing album!

Now we’re getting to some hip-hop I’m into. I remember when this came out, it was a sensation. I bought it and listened to it about 1,000 times. Once I got it out of my system, I stopped listening, and Outkast split up, even though everyone in their camp was making it seem like it was business as usual at the time. But you could tell just by listening to the double album, things were probably over with Big Boi and Andre 3000, at least as the duo, Outkast. The album was broken up into two albums, one was essentially Big Boi’s full of great hip-hop that made you dance with fun raps. The second half was essentially Andre 3000’s album, which was full of great hip-hop that made you dance and great raps….but also it had great pop music and a jazzy version of My Favorite Things, and a duet with Kelis about Dracula getting married….What? This wasn’t just an album; it was an experience, and I agree it should be something everyone should hear before they die. Even today, this is better and forward-thinking hip-hop than 95% of the dreck that comes out. Both guys were testing the limits of their creativity, maybe Andre 3000 more than Big Boi, but that doesn’t mean Big Boi wasn’t a genius at what he was doing. My only nitpick is that at over two hours, some songs could have been trimmed, which would have only made this a more incredible album. But, maybe we need a few of those lesser songs to bring us back down after hearing bangers like GhettoMusick, The Way You Move, Hey Ya and Prototype. I’m not sure there has ever been a better produced hip-hop album. The music and beats are lush and at times disorienting, but in a good way. Andre 3000 spends quite a bit of his part of the album singing, and he is pretty good. The worst thing about this album is that it’s essentially the last Outkast album. So, for me, while I love revisiting this album, it just makes me think about what could have been. If you haven’t listened to this album, it’s a must.

Great flow

On Speakerboxxx. faves were "GhettoMusick" "Unhappy" "The Way You Move" "The Rooster" and "Church." The amount of times I heard "The Way You Move" at every school dance growing up, it's impressive I don't outright hate that song. On The Love Below, faves were "Hey Ya!" (obviously) "Roses" "Good Day, Good Sir (Interlude)" (Which I had heard on tiktok and always thought was a random skit audio, never realized it was an OutKast bit) "Behold A Lady" "Pink & Blue" and "Dracula's Wedding"

No. 23 I love everything on this album for the instrumental to the cover album

un capolavoro, da studiare. il filo che connette il doppio album è l'hip hop. su questo c'è una stratificazione, un blend di generi (a partire soprattutto dal jazz puro, e con lo stack di strumenti elettronici), che è veramente degno di nota. da sentire e risentire e risentire, dopo averlo studiato. qualche pezzo un pò troppo dissonante per i miei gusti. qualcuno geniale.

Normally I try to write what would make a better single album (combining the tracks) when thinking of double albums. And, yes, you COULD do that for this album. There's a lot of tracks that don't necessarily stick to the contemporary run of a hip hop record. I bought this album in my early twenties (I think my friend had it in high school). OutKast were one of the hip hop bands that I felt like I could enjoy (big words for a wannabe punk rocker...). And, my brother had an album and it had a naked lady on the cover, which was always a big deal when you're 13 and a half. I'd say I prefered The Love Below in my younger years. It certainly got more air time on popular radio (and I used to love the Roses video). But I started off with Speakerboxx. Apart from hearing the title eight or nine times played like a radio jingle between songs, this is a decent more hip hop focused album. Big Boi raps well. I was almost going to say that it was the better of the two. And then... The Love Below is an absolute masterpiece. Jazz, rock, drum and bass! And that's just a bit of what you will hear. Now, I'm not going to do track by track (it's not a Beatles album!), but highlights included: The drum and bass favourite things cover! Prototype! I remember this being the third single that everyone kinda went 'what?' to. But the more I hear it, the more I love it. Great bass lines and really cool melodies! Gotta love the modern day cupid! Killer album, in my top 50, 20 maybe! 5 stars!

This album gives the vibe of twin brothers who were sent to one of the larger public boarding schools in the city. One was the extrovert. Loud, confident and outspoken, this boy was the star player for the schools rugby team. Immensely popular, and desired by all the girls. He befriended a group of somewhat notorious miscreants, and was getting in to trouble in and out of school. Somehow he would get away with it though, as he was charismatic and had a twinkle in his eye. He would walk the coridoors at school with his cheerleader girlfriend on his arm, showing up late to class having not done the homework. But somehow it would work out for him. Everyone liked him, but everyone resented him. This guy made no effort towards creating a future for himself, but it was obvious that things were going to work out and he would end up as the head of some finance company. Meanwhile, his introverted brother kept to himself most of the time. Obviously his spirit had been somewhat beaten down by living in the shadow of his brother, this boy just kept quiet and went about his business. He played the violin, and wrote amazing poetry in his spare time. At lunch time, he could usually be found sitting in the shade of a tree in the corner of the playground reading insightful literature like Brave New World or To Kill A Mockingbird. Occasionally he would sneak into the music room and play piano to an audience of zero, simply as a way to try and express his feelings, even if only to himself. After school he would go and care for his grandmother, cooking her dinner and helping her with the washing. Some of the girls at school were attracted to this boy's sensitive heart, but he was too shy to capitalise on the situation. The brothers would bicker in class, with the extrovert always getting the better of his brother, loudly and confidently asserting himself, knowing full well that his brother wouldn't really fight back. They didn't dislike each other though, quite the opposite. They always loved each other, and would do anything to protect one another, even if it meant putting themselves in harm's way. Deep down, the two of them saw aspects in each other that they resented, jealous of their brother's characteristics that they wish they had for themselves.

Great album, if a little long. Sure 5

The start of the divergence but still an awesome album. Put the flute down Andre ffs.

This isn’t an album. It’s two galaxies colliding, one all bass and swagger (Speakerboxxx), the other satin and champagne bubbles (The Love Below). Big Boi and André 3000 basically took hip-hop, R&B, funk, jazz, and future sex dreams, threw them in a blender, and said, “Let’s make history weird.” Rating: 5/5 Short Review: Duality, dressed in diamonds and ATL sweat. Half party, half philosophy — all genius. Favorite Track: “Hey Ya!” — yes, it’s overplayed, but it’s also secretly a breakup song disguised as a sugar rush.

The inevitable arrival point of hip-hops many influences are found here. The lyrics tell a story, but also flex skill in performance and rhyme. The beats are regionally distinct without sounding dated, and has evident roots in Black genres - funk, jazz, rock and of course modern digital production elements (the sampled sound effects). Masterclass of an album.

Imma grade this as two separate albums because why not SPEAKERBOXXX - 10/10 an absolute heater of an album i was reading some reviews of this album on here and I kind of feel like some of y'all just don't like music that is different from the genres you normally listen to (which is confusing because you would think with something like this people would be more accepting of things that are different) or just don't like rap because in your head all you hear is guns, drugs, and "bitches" (even though majority of the rap albums on here have been about overcoming racial adversity and fighting against oppressors and we can't act like other genres don't obsess on materialistic things, it just seems like its all good till its a black person doing it and then there is a problem.) Anyway this is an amazing record it has one of my favorite Out Kast songs in "The Way You Move" on it so i guess I'm biased. The Love Below - 9/10 Not much to say the middle of this album is just jammed with bangers (Prototype->She's in my lap->Hey Ya!->Roses)

One of the few cases where the world is a worse place if this album didn’t exist. Not their best, it’s way too long, but they just wrote five mega hits surrounded by two hours of 4/5 filler. Speakerboxxx has the better filler and the love below has the better hits. Some of these Andre tracks are so sleepy on the second half. The album also never ends. Very very high four, probably going to go 5 because it is deserving.

i’m gonna be so fr i listened to all of disc one and like half of disc two bc i ran out of time but this is actually goated and i genuinely liked the songs without forcing myself to 😈

Speakerboxxx is the PEAK southern hip hop album, an absolute masterpiece. Personally for me, it is the best of what Big Boi created. The Love Below was also great, it is obvious that Andrè wanted to experiment, but it felt like a bit of an overdo for me. While the themes and thoughts felt consistent, the music itself varied a lot. I think I will appreciate this half more on a relisten, yet right now it doesn’t strike me that hard. Nevertheless, a masterpiece

One of the finest hip hop albums ever. Changes the game

So this is my first time listening to this... I didn't realise it was a double solo record at first, which is an interesting approach. I was digging the first half and expected the second to be somewhat similar. It definitely surprised me. Very long but it's definitely a no skip album

This is an amazing album. Although I consider Andre 3000 as one of the greatest rappers of all time - he doesn't really rap on this album, choosing, instead, to lean into singing. I'm not going to say he's a great singer, but somehow he makes the songs work on his half of this double album. The Big Boi side is exactly what you'd expect from Big Boi, but done as well as you'd hope. While I think both sides are excellent in their own way, they're completely different vibes, and I'd probably want to listen to them separately, depending on my mood. And therein lies the problem. I'm not sure I'll ever really be in the mood to listen to Big Boi without Andre 3000, and although I like The Love Below, and I'm impressed by it's creativity, it's deployability for me is fairly low - much lower than other albums in their catalog. All that said, I'm giving this album a 5. Is it as good as Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik? No. it as good as Atliens? Absolutely not. Is it a banger, a classic of the genre? You're goddamned right. So it should probably be a 4.5, but even when genius slips, the output is still incredible.

An amazing Hip-Hop album, OutKast one of my favorite bands Fav songs - GhettoMusick, Love Hater, Hey Ya!, Love In War, Take Off Your Cool 5/5

Disc 1 (Speakboxxx) is a dirty south hip hop classic. Disc 2 (The Love Below) is Andre 3000 doing whatever the hell he wants. Two really strong albums packaged as one. It's a lot to take in at once but worth it.

This one caught me flying low. I didn't expected the same album but with different styles, each one influenced by the Outkast duo. I gotta say I'm a big fan of The Love Below though, that funky more relaxed style made something click in my mind. It was definitely a good listening session.

Genuinely flawless. What more hip hop should aspire to be.

Very good. Two standalones put into 1 album explains why I used to think Big Boi didn't have anything to say on songs like Hey Ya

A twofer!! Listened to this incessantly my freshman year of college, I’ve since rotated through their earlier albums more often, so this was a fun return! What a masterpiece.

I mean I bought it day of release and listened to it almost non stop the whole year. Two musical genius es allowed to flex so their creative muscle. There will never be another hip hop album like it.

A classic

a magnum opus of Hip Hop!! i love this album sm

Okay. Here we go… This is final official album from OutKast. Idlewild was a soundtrack, though it did have a few new original singles. I remember the first singles from Speakerboxxx/The Love Below were leaked on the net and how hard I scrounged to find the MP3s on Kazaa or Limewire. All of these songs still hold up, despite sounding very much of the time in production. Speakerboxxx really is like a party rap record, but has some fairly introspective songs from Big Boi. I found myself bopping my head to most of it. I used to hold The Love Below on a pretty high pedestal, and I do think it is truly amazing, but there are some songs that have been nearly overplayed, as if ‘Kast hadn’t ever had an album before. And even those songs drilled into our heads are still amazing. I love this double header mind funk. We got spoiled with a two-fer. Oh, it’s timeless.

A definitive album of the era. Brilliantly imagined and executed. It might even be a definitive album of the hip hop genre. 2 albums in one, 2 sides of the same brain. Sad that this was the final OutKast record, but also grateful.

honestly i didn't mind the total runtime or the amount of interludes for once. the songs and production quality made up for all that and then some. Stankonia is likely most people's fav album (i like it a lot too!), but there's something about Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. it's fun, innovative and well-produced. while The Love Below is pretty different from what they've released in the past as it's so much more sensual (and kinda horny), Speakerboxxx is very reminiscent of what they're known and loved for hard to decide on which part i liked best as they both have lots to love

One of my all time faves!!

What a strange double album. The first (Big Boi) half is incredible, maybe my new favourite hiphop album. The great beats + horns combo is pretty much the best thing ever. The second (Andre 3000) half is so much worse. Goofy lyrics and smooth jazz, not great. All in all, the positives outweigh the negatives.

What a testament to their incredible musicality - how they blend so many different styles of music is really something quite special.

This has been the longest album I got on this experiment and it were great two hours. OutKast is another one of these bands I somewhat hovered around for a while (I really like Hey Ya! and am aware of some other songs) but never really dug into. So two hours, of essentially two albums really gave me the chance to actually get to know their style. And what a great style it is. I genuinely didn't expect to vibe with as many songs as I did, but seems like I am just way more into hiphop than I expected, which is at least one cool thing I learned about myself. Unexpectedly I think the song I like individually the most on this album is Unhappy, it just has this perfect groove to it that make it listenable for hours. I overall like the second half of this album way more than the first, but I think that just speaks to how strong the second half is. Even the ever elusive Hey Ya! gets better in context with all these other songs about love and relationships (wow I wonder if that is like... foreshadowed in the album title or something) around it. There is a bunch of stuff to dig into but I think the songs Love Hater and Happy Valentine's day make the big difference for me. Also just to mention, this is the second album that has a song on it with the plottwist of "god is a lady" and I think there is something I am missing there but for now I just think it's kinda funny. Overall great album, I want to take away points for being two albums in a trenchcoat but I cannot.

Showcases the best of southern hiphop

40 tracks. Many of which bang

Enjoyed this much more than I expected...but wow, talk about fat. This is fat by about a 3rd. Still the tracks that are good are actually great. Which offset the throw-aways (my opinion). I walked in thinking this was gonna suck. But by about the 5th cut, I was blaming my ignorance. And I think this has to be a 5 star because it's an obviously important set of songs. Gotta give it to them....

I fully enjoyed the album. The first half (Big Boi's side) had a lot of music I had not give a fair listen to when originally released. Tracks with Killer Mike really stood out.

don't really care that this was basically two albums glued together - why not take the time to meander through an album if the music is good? it's hard to decide which side is better, because i like both of them, just based on different merits. speakerboxxx is so solid, it's so good, and i think it beats out the love below as a stand alone album. the love below might be a bit more convoluted, but i was happy to tag along for a ride on big psychedelic-concept-album mountain. plus, it has hey ya!, and that's gotta count for a star or something. highlights (speakerboxxx) unhappy, the way you move, the rooster, last call (the love below) happy valentines day, she lives in my lap, hey ya!, roses

Two albums for the price of one. I don't think whole is greater than the sum of the parts, but they're still two really good albums.

Man what an album (technically a double), it’s probably closer to 4/5 but it’s got some bangers that I couldn’t bring myself to not give it a perfect 5

It's been forever since I've heard this. I knew my taste in music had evolved since maybe 2004-2005 when I last listened to this but I was constantly surprised at how happy I was to hear Speakerboxxx in particular again.

What a masterpiece! Incredibly versatile and deep

So freaking good. This is their White Album. While they sound the best together it’s amazing to see their individual styles and compare them to their masterpieces Aquemini and Stankonia. Equally brilliant in their very different ways.

One hell of a double album, absolutely jam packed with an array of incredible beats and luscious rap performances - not to mention skits that actually made me lightly wheeze (unlike most other rap album skits). This thing proves that OutKast is SO much more than just "Hey Ya!" and "Roses" (but of course those tracks do in fact slap)

I mean, it's OutKast

Awesome

Classic.

This album absolutely slaps, after listening to the most boring albums and then coming onto this, which actually had soul, tempo and beat to a set of lyrics outside the norm

catriel y paco pero hace 20 años

Boah

The Love Below is one of my life albums. But aside from that, Speakerboxxx is a more solid rap album than my younger self gave it credit for.

A guy once told me that Outkast are The Beatles of hip hop. I don't know.

This is an easy 5 for me. They are so cool and creative. This was my first encounter with the unique musicianship/artistry of Andre 3000. I loved The Love Below when it came out. It hits on rap, rnb, soul, rock, folk, and more. I appreciated Speakerboxxx much more on this decades-later listen. I can’t believe the cameos on this double album, Jay-z, Lil Jon, Nora jones.

I generally find concept albums to be bloviated artistic self-aggrandizing. But OutKast does it right; you don't need to know about or get into the concept to enjoy it. This was the album with the mega-hits, OutKast is one of the top 5 or 10 rap duos/groups of all time, they're influential, and I like it. It's a 5 from me, dog.

This is a masterwork. If you've only ever listened to Hey Ya, or The Way You Move, you need to listen to this front to back (better clear your afternoon, though, it's a 2 hour 15 minute double album). This album is a true hip hop epic, in its length but also in its lyrics and production. Every track is filled with groove and style. Several songs feel like a couple of songs combined into one, and I mean that in a good way. It's a journey.

As with all double albums, a bit self-indulgent, but on the whole brilliant

Iconic rap duo. Full range on display going between funky horn licks, dj/club beats, guitar/bass/drum ensembles while storytelling. Love the references to their other songs throughout. Some classics on this one

Hey yaaaa

Love this album!!! There's so much to offer with many songs a little bit of something for everyone.

This is one of my favorite albums of all time. I remember it came out my senior year of high school and dominated by listening for years. I still go back to it frequently. way ahead of his time.

Still a remarkable blend of the best 90s hip hop with the best 00s pop. In the great list of 'classic albums with one bad track', God I'd love to cut the worthless instrumental cover of My Favorite Things.

Perfect album(s) no notes. Fun, funky, groovy, badass. Beats for days.

own

Very very good and unique

This album caused a real fuss in the months before it came out. "GhettoMusick" sounded Outkast enough, but the divide between the next single, "Hey Ya", and "The Way You Move" on the very same day, was vast. But all of the fears ended when the record came out. It ranks third on my ranking of Outkast's albums, for whatever that's worth, just behind Aquemini and the G.O.A.T.ed Stankonia.

I feel like I thought this was the best Outlast album originally bc it had the hits, then I heard the others and was like oh yeah these are way better.. this still isn’t the best one but.. damn I had fun listening to this album! Legendary! Also an underrated thought but that first half is soooo excellent!! Some crazy lyrics on the Andre half but still a total banger… yes!

Amazing just.. amazing

Very rarely does an album justify being a double-LP, let alone two full-length albums itself. And yet I wish there was even more on this album. Fantastically creative, innovative, funny, and heartfelt. Genuinely amazed how well this album has aged. One of the best and most eclectic rap albums I've ever heard.

Great bops!

Oh yes indeed

great

What do they put in these songs. They're like crack.

This album is a solid 5, even though it's not OutKast's best album. These guys are geniuses.

What an album. The runtime is a bit intimidating, but the amount of variety and storytelling on display more than makes up for it. Competently made, good instrumentals and vocal work. 'Hey Ya!' is hard to top. I really liked the rendition of 'My Favorite Things'.

This is so fantastic from front to back. I'm not usually a fan of albums over 1hr but this is just so good

THE HORNS. THE GROOVE. Also I feel silly but I didn’t realize I Like the Way You Move was OutKast. Love it!

Me enamoró

The Rooster Dracula’s Wedding

Ridiculously long album. Lots of different styles. Pretty cool to listen to. Didn't realize these were the "hey ya!" Guys. Enjoyed it.

sou fã do André 3000 . acho que vale 5 estrelas, referência estética / pop

In retrospect Speakerboxxx is the superior album but I'll never forget the first time I heard Hey Ya! Easily still a 5/5 album 2 decades later, a lot of the songs still feel fresh and even the skits are hilarious. Standouts: Ghettomusick, Bowtie, The Way You Move, Hey Ya!, Roses

9/10 This is my jam Insightful lyrics with groovy, funky uplifting beats/rhythms. Can make you cry and dance at the same time. A top tier album.

Mögulega eina hip hop platan sem ég keypti þegar hún var nýkomin út, og hlustaði svo á í drasl. Afar góð og hressandi, og þótt ég sé meira á André línunni þá er Speakerboxx alveg frábær líka. Hér er fullt hús og áfram gakk.

I mean, duh

This is a hip-hop classic that showcases probably some of the best work by these two hip-hop legends!

OutKast albums are always solid and to go out on a double album where each member gets to really showcase themselves as both a primary and secondary is like a love letter to fans. It’s long but it’s good. Obviously some huge hits but it’s also just got really good lesser known songs. You can tell real talent when you gen the shit you’ve never heard of goes hard and is musically dope as well. Double albums should only exist if you can really fucking bring it and they’ve nailed it.

So, let’s talk about the elephant in the room. It’s a long album obviously. Over 2 hours is certainly a lot, but I think it’s actually fair especially for this to treat it as two distinct albums. That said, it’s just over an hour per ‘album’ which makes it sound a bit better. Doesn’t help that we got it on a Monday instead of a Friday, but it is what it is. That being said, this album has it all. Two distinct sounds that mesh and meld. Two lyrical styles that play well together. I didn’t listen to a single song I wanted to skip. No skit made me feel like this album was cheesy. This album slaps from beginning to end and I can’t wait to listen to it again. The amount of samples, hits, cultural mainstays, and callbacks on this album are insane. Five star album for sure. I’m glad we got this album - I’ve never listened to a full OutKast album, and am glad I had the opportunity to hear it.

This album is 2 hours and 15 minutes long. Usually when I listen to albums this long I start to get bored. But, this one breaks the cycle. This album is innovative, unique, and combines elements from many genres. It’s funky and fun. I also think the album cover matches the vibe of the music.

just finished speakerboxxx really great album I enjoyed all but like one song, which wasn't even that bad fr. now I gotta wait like an hour to listen to the love below I cant listen to an album with one earbud. haven’t even finished the love below yet but holy shit what an album. speakerboxxx is nothing to overlook but the love below is just so amazing. sir 3k explores a few different genres throughout the second side and executed them all masterfully. there’s basically no misses. amazing album

Only had time to listen to Speakerboxxx, but it was lit.

This - was - amazing. I don't typically listen to rap/hip-hop, but oh my goodness that might need to change. I have been exposed to more through this site than I ever would have on my own, and aside from one mediocre (to me, and likely just because it's out of context to its release date) experience and one album skipped because an insane Nazi was the recording artist (Ye know the one), they have all been spectacular. This release showed the different styles of the guys in OutKast, without excluding the other's influence from shining through. The melding of the lyrical artist with the producing artist combined with the distinct styles of rap and genre bending - chef's kiss. I am currently listening to the rest of their catalog because I was so blown away by this release. I kind of feel bad about how much I discounted them due to Hey Ya! being so overplayed when released - but it felt 'right' where it was in the pack of tracks on display here.

One of the best albums of all time, love below is amazing

How the fuck have I not listened to this? Hey Ya has been in my life for 2 decades and I never considered listening to the album it was on? I gotta believe I tried and it just didn't resonate and I blocked it out. In any case, this album, mostly the Love Below side, really makes me love Outkast and in particular Andre3000. I complained about Kendrick not expressing any kind of joy....welp here's the antidote. This dude is a fucking star and obviously LOVES music (Prince in particular). Some of the influences are too apparent at times, but 90% it works well and they put their own stamp on it. A lot of this album just sounds like a blast. This is speculation but on Behold a Lady when he says "clap clap" I bet it was a direction to whoever was on the drum machine and he just liked how it sounded. I saw the album was 2 hours and was immediately annoyed, threw it on and didn't once wish it would stop. It seemed like each time a song was in a rut they make a chord change, the song ends, a new instrument layers in etc. and it keeps your interest. 40 songs and 2+ hours obviously there are some misses, but strangely here it adds to the charm. A lot of good clean fun. Roses and Hey Ya are all time great songs. I gave Stankonia 4 and I like this one so much more so gotta go 5. Impressed! LFG Outkast.

Great contrast to the highly skilled but dour Kendrick Lamar. OutKast is a burst of raw joy. Usually goofiness would be antithetical to being cool - but somehow they pull it off. Their oddness never feels like a put-on, rather just an unintentional but maybe even necessary side-effect of their creativity, like sparks off of a flame. Of course they could have clipped some of the many skits and intros/preludes, but when the style is this intentionally maximalist and over the top, less wouldn't necessarily be more. Loved the Rooster, Knowing, and many of the other deep cuts I'd never really explored - but can I say something maybe controversial? Hey Ya is best pop song of this century.

Own it, love it, immediate 5 stars!!

Fuckin' aye this album is too long. To demonstrate how little I know about hip hip, I thought OutKast was a rapper's name, not a group. Trim this from 40 songs to about 12-15 and it's probably the best rap album of the aught's. As is, these guys are ridiculously talented. The first disc is nothing but bangers.

This is the album that made me understand why double albums can be a good thing. Production, wordplay, atmosphere, all on point

I like Outkast for sure, but not sure I need 2 hours of it. Hitting Play, let's see... It's moving fast! Already on track 3 and wondering how a song called "Unhappy" can have such a happy vibe? OK, damn. Two hours of this is actually just right.

Double album with a very wide range. I enjoyed The Love Below more

ваще мясо, оч хорошач группа. джаз-рэп, на первом месте именно джаз, потому что очень много мелодик, гармонических ходов, ахуитильный тембр солиста и кайфовая ударка

Big Boi and Andre 3000's break-up record. 2 separate albums lumped in to one because Outkast were one of the biggest acts at that time, and the name sold. And boy did it sell, still in the top 3 selling Hip Hop albums of all time. Big Boi's album is by far his best solo work. GhettoMusick is a banger, Bowtie & The Way You move likewise. War, Church are interesting. Flip Flop Rock is great, although almost ruined by Jay Z being an arsehole as he tends to be. Overall, a strong Southern hip-hop album following on somewhat naturally form Outkast's previous releases (but never quite reaching the level of the first 3 albums in particular for me). Probably a 4.25* album for me. Andre 3000's album is truly iconic - this came out in 2003! Easy to see the influence it had on artists like Frank Ocean, Tyler the Creator to name but a few. Happy Valentine's Day, Spread are great. Where are my panties is actually a fairly entertaining dialogue. Prototype is strong effort, Hey Ya is one of the greatest songs out there, Roses is cool albeit a bit grating. The run from Behold a Lady to Love in War (passing by Pink & Blue) is pure brilliance. Dracula's Wedding is nice too, as is the cover of My Favourite things. Take Off Your Cool is truly beautiful. Has been on repeat since I first listened to the album a month ago. Vibrate is a good listen on the topic of masturbation (I think...). Overall, André 3000 channels his heartbreaks and experiences in love into an amazing record about love. Probably 4.5* for me. Overall, I am going to give a 5*. In 2h15m of music, there really is a level of consistency that would be hard to find on any other hip-hop album. In a way, this was the perfect way for Outkast to end - quit, while you are ahead.

What an absolute treat. Other than Hey-Ya, I haven’t heard this in 20 years. I’m even more impressed than I was at the time. Love BigBoi’s dirty south mastery and flow on album one. Only downside is some skits that drag. And then Andre, creative genius savant that he is comes through with an eclecticism and originality that’s just stunning—some juvenilia aside. And bops galore. OutKast individually and together are truly gifted originators. Five stars

perfect album to me!! andre 3000 is corny in a way that makes me want to get naked, which might push his side of the album above big boi’s. it’s an impressive feat.

Genre bending and outlast defining album

Maybe a little too long, maybe a little out of focus once in a while. But the bangers..... Amazing album.

This was fun, I forgot some songs on this album. Different sort of rap

10/10 duh

This is the 61st album I’m rating. I’ve listened to a couple of songs off the album but never the whole thing. Adding to my Playlist - GhettoMusick, Unhappy, Bowtie, The Way You Move, The Rooster, Bust, War, Church, Tomb of the Boom, Knowing, Flip Flop Rock, Reset, Last Call, The Love Below (Intro), Love Hater, Happy Valentine’s Day, Spread, Prototype, She Lives in my Lap, Hey Ya!, Behold a Lady, Pink & Blue, Love in War, She’s Alive, My Favorite Things, Take Off Your Cool, Vibrate, and A Life in the Day of Benjamin André (Incomplete). Not Adding to my Playlist - Intro, Bamboo (Interlude), E-Mac (Interlude), Interlude, Bowtie (Postlude), God (Interlude), Where Are My Panties? (Interlude), Good Day, Good Sir (Interlude), and The Letter. Already Added to my Playlist - Roses and Dracula’s Wedding. Bowtie (Postlude) - This sounds weirdly good but it’s too short. Speakerboxxx if it was just that would be one of my favorite albums of all time. Those interludes are terrible though I’m glad that trend died out. A Life in the Day of Benjamin André (Incomplete) - Pretty good song and album. I’d probably say this is worse than Speakerboxxx though. It also suffers the same problem of terrible interludes. All in all I liked 30/40 of the songs. This was hurt by those terrible interludes but the album as a whole was great.

One of my favorite albums!

5/5. It was hard to get into this previously, I am not sure why, maybe it was the length and the genre of music I didn't find myself listening to often. As I have explored more genres, this definitely stands out as a great collection of songs. It's crazy how many are just great and no skips. The first half is a solid southern rap album with great production. And it is very clear where Andre's side starts, as he falls into a dream like experience of bumping bass and airy and smooth instrumentation. I can see the Prince influence but there is also a lot of experimentation going on with sounds and his vocals. Plus Andre's lyrics really go into the complexity of love as well as male and female toxicity in relationships and why many fail because of societal standards and norms. It's hard to narrow down exactly which one is better but honestly, they work well together as a full album. Best Song: Hey Ya!, GhettoMusick, Church, Spread, The Way You Move

Une concentration intense de tout ce que le meilleur du hip hop et de la pop des années 2000 avaient à offrir. Des prods toujours interessantes, du fuck-all n'importe quoi vraiment l'fun sur le deuxieme disque. Un peu long des fois peut-être. Le premier disque est beaucoup plus soul que dans mes souvenirs. Clairement un disque que je vais ré-écouter plus souvent.

Big Boi vs 3000, 2 solo albums in a deathmatch. Honestly, I think Speakerboxxx slaps more, but Love Below has more hits. I was thinking 4.5, but this is such an epic collection and undertaking that I'm just going to bump it up to 5.

Usually, double albums are a total drag and just serve as an ego trip for the artist. That's not the case at all here. Speakerboxxx and The Love Below are two different albums that, somehow, go together rather well. Big Boi really kills it on Speakerboxxx with his more southern rap style. Andre 3000 answers back with a more pop/funk oriented second half. Neither album needs any skips. A match made in heaven.

Man holy shit never did give this a proper listen and OutKast doesn't miss. Its got skits and interlude, heavy funk and hip hop energy from Big Boi and crazy psycho sex funk from Andre 3000. Production is so solid, robust and ripe with unique instrumentations and sounds. Big fan of the discog deeply, now well aquainted with what's beyond Stankonia and Aquemini.

Masterpiece!

YESSSSS GOD

banger

Outkast's fifth studio album might be their best, even though it was always intended to be two solo records. I think that concept is what makes it so strong. Speakerboxxx envokes a constantly moving, thumping, funky/jam feeling. It sticks mostly to hip-hop, but jumps all over the place under that umbrella. There are some club, electro-dance, and early trap beats, and it never feels like any time is wasted. Each performance and feature adds something interesting, and there are some real classic Outkast songs on this side like GhettoMusick, Bowtie, and The Way You Move. Side one is well-rounded and balanced perfectly. Side two is where things get truly genre-bending, with tracks equally at home in pop, R&B, jazz, soul, and funk as they are in hip-hop. Just look at the three most popular tracks - Roses, Prototype, and Hey Ya! There are fewer features here, and Andre 3000 chooses to sing more than rap, which really makes it stand out. The production itself is also more experimental than expected, playing with all sorts of different sonic textures, sampling, and live instruments. Each side of Speakerboxxx/The Love Below explores interesting lyrical themes like parenthood, politics, religion, fame, war, sex, relationships, and philosophy. They're strokes of genius respectively. All in all, this album feels like 2 separate records, but that's what makes it work. Listening to the whole things feels like a testament to why the duo worked so well together. You get the sense that Andre 3000 was always pushing boundaries, while Big Boi kept things grounded and consistent. it's a yin and tang of diverse cohesion and eclectic eccentricity. This is one of the greatest hip hop albums of the 2000s, one of the greatest hip hop albums ever, and possibly the greatest Outkast record (though I still think I prefer ATLiens, somehow). 10/10

Real cool

Thought I liked their other albums better I was wrong

One of the best rap albums ever. Double album, one is Big Boi solo and the other is Andre 3000 solo. Both are fantastic, Roses is one of the greatest songs of all time. There’s a reason this won album of the year

Great album. Not hip-hop fan but loved it !!!

I'd give this double-album a 4.5 stars if I could, because I do not feel it reaches its full potential, but it mostly achieves what it seeks out to do, and that is very impressive given the audacity Outkast had to release a double-album with two different approaches on each album from each artist in the group. I am a bigger fan of ATLiens and Aquemini, but their scope was smaller, and they are impressive because of the unique style and the way Outkast created something new and original in the hip-hop space that connected with so many. Stankonia is hard-hitting and has amazing songs on it, as well, but we saw a different side of Outkast with Speakerboxxx and The Love Below that could have been a disaster but instead was something special - and turned out to be a record of their falling apart, as a group. All-in-All I think both of the discs can stand as albums on their own, but they wouldn't be as impressive without the other on the other side.

Amazing

As a 2 and a quarter hour long double album this one is more of a colossal task compared to a lot of albums on this list. Thank goodness Nintendo never got into the record label scene because they’d be splitting this shit in half and selling it off as two like a Pokemon game. That double-sided nature does make this a bit harder to grade, while you could argue it is weighed down in length and by some of its less than stellar tracks you could just as easily say that the amount of quality and quantity here is what solidifies itself as an incredible album in spite of its feature film runtime. I would say for the sake of this review that I lean more towards the latter side of thinking. Speakerboxx is definitely the more traditional hip hop album half with a more cohesive sound while The Love Below is the more experimental (and much hornier, though I guess that comes with the premise) 2nd half which had me worried was going to start missing more than it hit around halfway into its runtime before landing back on its feet near the end. I enjoy both sides for different reasons

Such a cool and diverse album. Really should have listened to it sooner! Andre took more chances musically but big boi was more consistent.

Very interesting album, delivering a massive variety of musical elements like synths, bitty sound and even a fking kid xd. A lot of tracks with geilo vibes!

Damn Killer Mike apearing out of nowhere was a welcome suprise 😳 Really good shit very varied aaaand funny. This shit goated fr fr. Idk what happened on "Bamboo" tho 🤔 also "Tomb of the boom" is lyrically questionable to say the least 😂

Love it. Brought back so many memories of my formative years and so many great lyrics.

a outkast damelo siempre

Now behind on other albums this is so long, BUT bold move to basically do 2 solo albums, and full of corkers

Just the purest hip-hop good old days

Great, good mood music

I love both of these albums (more on that in a sec). I love Big Boi's traditional hip-hop (but still with amazing beats and bars) on Speakerboxx, and Andre 3000's funky/soul-y/who-can-even-describe-some-of-it-y of The Love Below. We get hits, we get fantastic B-sides, and we get some of the best stuff from one of the best musical acts that we've ever seen. But if I have one criticism, it's that this was released as a double-album. It's HUGE. It's unwieldy at times. Each disc itself is enormous (19 tracks on Speakerboxxx, 21 on The Love Below). Smashing them both together is not only a long endeavor - over 2 hours, according to Spotify - but it's also jarring when making the transition between them. Playing this on random is a nonstarter. It's a minor quibble though. These albums are both classics.

The final OutKast moment. The cool thing is to tell you how Speakerboxxx is the better of the two. They're both great. A modern classic.

Andre 3000 is up there with Prince, McCartney, Bush, Byrne, Simone etc. Proper genius. Big Boi does his best.

Awesome album. It carries real nostalgia with me and the better parts of school days.

Difficult to review this "double album" in a summary as the style of each one is very contrasting. Speakerbox is typical southern Hip Hop and despite its age now being 25 years old (wow!) still sounds fresh with many stand out's. - The Way You Move" an absolute classic hip hop tune with a real sweet jazzy chorus. Meanwhile The Love Below "part" of the album oozes funky vibes and of course "Hey Ya" going on to massive commercial success - now listen to Take of Your Cool featuring Nora Jones- big shift in style, "Prototype" released as a single is an excellent song, yet strangely flopped. Happy Valentines Day is absolutely riddled with funk! Both Big Boi and Andre 3000 excellent artists in their own individual rights. Just be wary of playing The Love Below at a dinner party with folk you might not be familiar with, could be awkward when tracks 22, & 25 come on!

While this record is very long, the diversity between Big Boi and Andre 3k's sides of the record keep it from dragging or getting stale. This is a stellar album.

9/10

This was a tough one to decide on, but I’ve settled on rating this album five stars with an asterisk. The asterisk being this album is too long. The strongest songs on here are so good and so plentiful. It’s bonkers. Is Hey Ya the greatest song released in the 21st century so far?

Listened to this hundred of times in high school and college. Still just as good as it was then.

Very surprised how much I liked it. Went in thinking I wouldn’t like it cause of the genre, but it was very good. And I’ve heard “Hey Ya!” in the past, but never knew the song name and artist.

Rap’s White Album, arguably. Sprawling, silly, sly—an incredible listen.

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

Love this album though it is incredibly long. Funny, hardcore at times, groovy, gentle. Incredibly creative with amazing guests. God is probably my favorite track.

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

Shockingly good. Weird formatting choices aside, each very different album is worth your time. It won’t be hard to guess which album is by the guy who only does flute material these days.

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

Mega surprise, HipHop avantgarde bien fun

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.