Stankonia

“Stankonia” is the fourth studio album by the American hip hop duo OutKast, released on 31 October 2000 by LaFace Records and Arista Records. The album was recorded at the duo’s newly acquired Atlanta recording facility, Stankonia Studios, which provided greater flexibility and fewer recording constraints. Production was handled by Earthtone III, a team comprising OutKast and Mr. DJ, along with longtime collaborators Organized Noize.

In creating the follow-up to their 1998 album “Aquemini,” OutKast aimed for an expansive and experimental musical style. The album integrates various genres such as funk, rave music, psychedelia, gospel, and rock, all within a Dirty South hip hop framework. During the recording sessions, André 3000 began adopting a more melodic vocal style, which was a departure from traditional rapping and initially unfamiliar to Big Boi and some producers. The lyrical content of “Stankonia” covers diverse topics including sexuality, politics, misogyny, African-American culture, parenthood, and introspection. The album also features contributions from local Atlanta musicians discovered by the group during their visits to clubs in the city.

“Stankonia” was met with widespread critical acclaim upon release and is considered one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart, selling over 530,000 copies in its first week. The album was supported by three singles: “B.O.B,” “Ms. Jackson,” and “So Fresh, So Clean,” with “Ms. Jackson” becoming the group’s first number one single on the Billboard Hot 100. At the 44th Annual Grammy Awards, OutKast won Best Rap Album for “Stankonia” and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Ms. Jackson.” In 2003, the album was ranked number 359 on Rolling Stone’s list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time,” with subsequent revisions placing it at 361 in 2012 and 64 in 2020. A 20th-anniversary reissue of the album, featuring previously unreleased remixes, was released on 30 October 2020.