Records: Outkast's Aquemini

By Saul Austerlitz

OutKast's third album, Aquemini, serves notice to hip-hop fans who thought that in the post-Biggie, post-Tupac world, rap would stagnate and turn uninspired. From their opening exhortation to "Hold on, Be Strong," Dre and Big Boi, who comprise OutKast, lay all that to the curb.

OutKast bridges the gap between hardcore street reportage and a more underground, sci-fi-inspired lyrics. The music, however, follows the pattern of live instrumentation and deep-fried funk rhythms developed on their first two albums. For variety, both the title track and "SpottieOttie-Dopaliscious" feature gorgeous horn breaks dropped into the middle of songs, and the album closer, "Chonkyfire," has guitar that wouldn't sound out of place on a Rage Against the Machine record.

Ultimately, though, the question of MC skills determines how much respect a rapper earns, and OutKast delivers a satisfying display. Dre and Big Boi complement each other admirably; the interplay between their rhymes gels into a disjointed but beautiful whole. On "Return of the G," they present the two sides of thug life--the horrifying violence and the excitement that attracts the song's protagonist--and their compassion makes the story more powerful. Lyrically, Aquemini reflects the differing personalities of OutKast's two members, billed on the CD cover as "The Player and the Poet." This ability to move between two worlds--the G-funk glamorized by the Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur and the group's own spacier, more poetic excursions--is an impressive feat. OutKast may well take hip-hop into new, uncharted realms of sound and experimentation, and their fascination with the possibilities inherent in rap music may prove contagious. (LaFace)

Back to A&E...