While the hip-hop world continues to generate increasingly talented MCs and mega-producers, most of its actual releases have become increasingly stagnant. The typical hip-hop video is filled with women in bikinis licking lollipops or ice cream cones and the music is usually formulaic and musician-free. Thankfully, Outkast’s fourth album, Stankonia, continues André 3000 and Big Boi’s progressive blend of hip-hop, funk, rock, and soul. The album is socially conscious while maintaining street credibility, using clever metaphors as hooks (“I hear Mother Nature’s now on birth control”). The guitar-driven “Gasoline Dreams” attacks the country’s racist war on drugs while “Toilet Tisha” poignantly tells the story of a young girl who abandons her baby in a public restroom. Coming from a male point of view, the hit “Ms. Jackson” is a surprisingly honest and responsible take on relationships and children: “It happened for a reason…Yes I will be present on the first day of school and graduation.”
“Bombs Over Baghdad” is an urgent hip-hop/rock hybrid, brilliantly combining rapid-fire rhymes with a frenzied organ, frantic percussion, and electric guitars. In a self-declaration, a choir sings, “Po-wer music, electric revival!” “Humble Mumble,” featuring a glorious vocal bridge by Erykah Badu, explores the dichotomous nature of albums like Stankonia, where street credibility isn’t sacrificed for enlightened social issues. The song suggests that hip-hop doesn’t have to abandon gangsta rap characteristics to make a difference in the world. The album’s only misstep is “Snappin’ & Trappin’.” The track’s graphic violence seems grossly out of place, and special guest Killer Mike’s lyrics are completely gratuitous: “I’m looking for love all in her mouth/Need her to gobble up jism like school lunches.” It just doesn’t sound like something you’d want Ms. Jackson to hear.
Since 2001, we've brought you uncompromising, candid takes on the world of film, music, television, video games, theater, and more. Independently owned and operated publications like Slant have been hit hard in recent years, but we’re committed to keeping our content free and accessible—meaning no paywalls or fees.
If you like what we do, please consider subscribing to our Patreon or making a donation.