I want My OutKast Back.

I remember when Sway told me that there are these two cats from Atlanta that were dope.

I was like, them dudes rappin' in the pool hall in they video. (I had a self admitted East Coast Bias back then).

He was like, yeah, OutKast.

I responded, they cool. Its catchy, but I couldn't see myself bumping it in my walkman.

Then the album came out.

Get Up and Git Out was some righteous upliftment.

Crumblin' Erb was some mellow get right music.

Then there came Hootie Hoo and I figgered, aight, these nigg*s is cool.

Fast foward. Two years later, I was messing with this cat that went to Hampton. Mike C.

Mike rocked for OutKast. That was the only group he talked about on our winter break. OutKast this, Dungeon Family that.

So, I was compelled to get Atliens when it came out.

So when Atliens came out I was open.

How could you not be sprung off a group who starts off a song with,

I came into this world high as a bird.

Wait. Did he just say that?

He show inthef*ck did.

I came into this world high as a bird
From second hand cocain powder
i know it sounds absurd
I never tooted but its in my veins While the rest of the country bungies off bridges
Without no snap back
and bitches they say they need that
To shake they fannies in the ass clubs
they go the other route turn each other out burn each other out
where a bonified nigga like me can't even get no back rub these days
ain't that bleak on they part
but let me hold it down cause they shut you down when you speak from your heart
now that's hard while we rantin and ravin bout gats nigga they made them gats they got some shit that'll blow out our backs from where they stay at

So. Post Atliens, I came to adore 'Kast so much that I endured a night at the Tunnel, just to be able to see them for free.

Trust me.

The Tunnel is not a place for the faint of heart. You got BK, Queens, Uptown, and all kinda kids rockin' there. And the place is huge and cavernous. In fact it reminded me of an airplane hangar.

Which brings us to 2006 and Idlewilde.

I miss Atliens Outkast.

Is it fair to want 'Kast to be same cats that spit the same jawn over and over again.

No. People change and circumstances change.

If an emcee or any artist for that matter creates something that gives relevance to our lives, then it is reasonable to want that same type of interaction with the product from that artist. However. Artist, like the rest of us are human. Life changes and music changes.

I have not heard Idlewilde in its entireity.

I don't think that it is going to touch or move me the way that Atliens did. I have heard a couple of singles and they have been ai'ght. But nothing that made me go OOOOOOH SH*T thats tight.

I feel like a lost a friend a 'lil bit.



As a group I would imagine that it is difficult for them to be the conduit through which people interpert both goings on of the hood and the world at large. Idlewilde is ambitious. Lots of instruments, lots of jambalya, Color Purple type. It ain't Atliens.

Its their current state and as fan's we have to be present with that.