OutKast

OutKast is an American hip-hop duo from Georgia. The duo is one of the most successful hip-hop groups of all time, having received six Grammy Awards. Over 25 million copies have been sold of Outkast's eight releases: six studio albums a greatest hits release, and Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, a double album containing a solo album from each member. Hey Ya! and The Way You Move were two of the biggest selling songs of 2003. The group's original musical style was a mixture of Dirty South and G-Funk. Since then funk soul pop electronic music, rock spoken word poetry, jazz and blues have been added to the group's musical palette. The duo consists of Atlanta native André " Andre 3000 " Benjamin (formerly known as Dré) and Georgia-born Antwan " Big Boi " Patton. Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is one of only four hip-hop albums to be certified Diamond in the U.S. for shipping over 10 million units. Along with Outkast's commercial success, they have maintained an experimental approach in their music and are widely praised for their originality and artistic content. Benjamin and Patton met while attending Tri-Cities High School, a Visual and Performing Arts School. Benjamin's parents were divorced and he was living with his father. Meanwhile, Patton had to move with his four brothers and six sisters from Savannah to Atlanta. Benjamin and Patton eventually teamed up and were pursued by Organized Noize, a group of local producers who would later make hits for TLC. The duo initially wanted to be called "2 Shades Deep" or "The Misfits", but because those names were already taken they later decided to use OutKast based on finding "outcast" as synonym for "misfit" in a dictionary. OutKast Organized Noize, and schoolmates Goodie Mob formed the nucleus of the Dungeon Family organization. OutKast signed to LaFace Records in 1992, becoming the label's first hip hop act and making their first appearance on the remix of label mate TLC's "What About Your Friends". In 1993,

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