Outkast – ATLiens [1996]
Have you ever listened to an album that was so good that every time you listened to the album your favorite song from the album would change? Okay, let me explain better: One day it’s this song and then the next day it’s another? That’s how I felt and still feel about Outkast’s greatest album ATLiens. Matter of fact, not only is it Outkast best album and one of my Top 5 albums of all time, I honestly feel it’s the BEST Hip-Hop album to ever come out of the South. That’s how strong I feel about the significance of this album.
This is the album that changed everything for Andre 3000 & Big Boi. Yes their first album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik was great. But it was ATLiens that set them apart as a group that set it’s own path. Here they went to more unconventional subject matter than what was covered in Southern Hip-Hop and threw away the tag they got from their first album (Southern Pimps). Do you really think that we’d be talking about Outkast the same way if they would have stay on that path?
I can honestly say that every song on ATLiens is straight fire. Okay, maybe “Ksdubfsliu” was kinda lame. What? You never heard that song? You’re right. The only way for a bad track to be on this album is to make up one and say it was on there. But then just because it’s on the album and surrounded by greatest, it to would probably be a great song then. So even then you fail.
On this album, Outkast also stepped behind the boards and produced 5 of the 15 tracks on the album. Their involvement on production side would gradually increase in future Outkast’s albums, but it was here where they started. Not to slight Organzied Noize; the tracks they produced shaped the whole album and fit perfectly with Outkast.
So yeah, as you can see, I REALLY like this album. That also means I could write on and on about it. There’s so many things I could talk about. How the title ATLiens help make Atlanta the hotbed of talent it is today. The whole aliens theme used throughout the album (How dope is that album cover?). The little things thrown in each track (“Wheelz Of Steel” – When Big Boi says; “Don’t want no AIDS, no claps, or no rabies”, I still clap at the right time). You could literally write a short book on the importance of ATLiens.
This album is the epitome of Classic Material.
I still have to listen to this too!!
Aww man Mr Infamous.. Lol! You gotta get on board man. You’ll like this album, I promise you would. The production and everything is dope. That album cover so dope, even the inside of the booklet is like a comic book. Very tight to def. Us southerns can step outside the box at times.
Lol my bad! It sucks to come into Hip-Hop late. Yeah, I think I’ll love it too, never heard a bad comment about this album!
Yeah Atliens is definitely the shit. My favorite Outkast album of all time. The showed the South had lyrics too and we able to step outside of the box instead of doing the same pimps, riding clean type of cuts. This was the highlight of Outkast albums to me and after that the quality started to fall some, Aquemini was good though and Stankoia could have been a lot better. The Love Below (Not speakerboxxx) was my shit.
Aquemini was classic
Aquemini was good but this album right here was a lot better to me. Especially that song “Decatur Psalm”, Big Gipp, Cool Breeze spit good and Big Boy definitely stole the show with his verse.
Aquemini is IMO the better album between the two. Don’t get me wrong, ATLiens is HARD as hell, I just think that Aquemini is just better.
Aquemini
Southerplayalistic
ATLiens
Any artist would die to have all 3 of these albums in their catalog.
AWESOME!!!
Outkast never cease to amaze me.
Definitely my fave Outkast joint….I bought the last ATLiens at the midnight sale
I remember back in the day blasting this in the car real late at night, no cars on the road but me. It’s a good late night hip-hop album… if that means anything. It’s not ‘So Fresh So Clean’ club material like their more recent material, it’s on a darker level. A definate classic.
I gotta listen to this.. Is it really as good as people say?
YES. Best. Outkast. Album. Ever.
Omg you got to be kidding me! This is one of the best rap albums.. Fuck that its one of the best albums ever and especially one of the best albums of 1996 besides 2Pac & Redman “Muddy Waters”… Can’t forget about The Fugees and Nas during that time as well.