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"Two different elements together coming up with
something totally new—that’s what ‘Aquemini’ is."

MARCHING TO STANKONIA

Andre 3000 Talks, Outkast’s New Video Streams

By Michelle S.

In a music world so often dominated by big-name producers and flossy MCs, Andre "Dre" Benjamin and Antwan "Big Boi" Patton of Outkast have brilliantly lived up to their name; always marching to the beat of a different drum—a LIVE drum, for starters. "We're trying to get better as musicians and songwriters," explains Big Boi.

Their progressive vibe and musical risk-taking has resulted in three Platinum albums. The last of which, the critically acclaimed "Aquemini" (LaFace/Arista), not only earned them a Grammy nomination, it also garnered the "classic" ranking of five mics by Source magazine—an honor that had only been handed down seven times before. The mark of a great artist is the consistent and passionate pursuit of innovation, which is highly evident on the new LaFace/Arista album, "Stankonia," streeting 10/31.

"I think hip-hop as a whole is still good, but people have the formula together now," adds Dre. "It's too easy to get the equipment, the keyboards and whatever else you need and duplicate what's selling. You don't have to work too hard. But it's not fun anymore once everybody can do it that way. So we just came different this time. Had to."

They'll have to come different, after talking to HITS' crossover goddess Michelle "My Bell" S.

Outkast switches it up on every album. How is "Stankonia" a musical progression for the band?

We're getting more into the actual art of songwriting instead of just coming up with a "hip-hop" song. We have love songs on the album, where the melody is stressed a lot more. The tempo and the rhythm are different, too. It's time for a new kind of change. Music basically stays the same—there's no such thing as new notes, but you can always create new rhythms.

The first single, "Bombs Over Baghdad," seems the perfect example of that kind of new rhythm. You've mentioned that song was written when your life was real hectic.

Right. At the time, we were going through a lot of things. If you just look at the youth right now—they are wildin'. They're ballin' outta control; they have no direction. So the record

sounds like what's going on right now.

Most of your peers in hip-hop sample, yet you guys are known for predominantly using live instruments.

I think it's just a vibe. One is not better than the other. I've heard great albums that use all samples. That's just the way we do it because we like to get a free-form feel, to catch certain attitudes. A sample is a continuous loop that doesn't really give you those "moments." You know how a player will play a certain note, a certain way? You can't recreate that with a sample.

The song "Miss Jackson" is brilliant. The lyrics are really interesting.

There have been a lot of "baby-mama" songs written, but this is sort of a different approach—it's not from a "I hate my baby-mama" type of thing. It's kind of like an apologetic song. Wondering what a mother-in-law would think of you in that situation. Everything is not always perfect.

I hear you guys are starting your own label.

Aquemini Records. And our first artist is Slimm Cutta-Calhoun. He's been around for a while. He's like the third member of our production team, Earth Tone Three—including me, Big Boi and Mr. DJ. He stays in Mr. DJ's neighborhood, so he used to come around while beats were being made. He always used to sit around and write. When it was time to have our own label, it was the right time. He was ready. He sat in the oven for a long time and put his dues in. I always thought he was a good writer. He wrote dope lyrics, it's not just all "I'm smokin' a joint, drinkin' and ridin' around all the time." You can tell he's a writer. I think he has a poetic standpoint, even though he's talking about street things.

You certainly push the boundaries of music by bringing plenty of different styles to what you're doing.

Exactly. I want "Stankonia" to be a total music experience, from different types of rhythms to funk to rock to acoustic to jazzy type things, a little punk…a little bit of everything. I want it to be a total experience, every type of music. The only thing that I can say that we didn't touch on is country, but that will come. The closest thing we ever did to that was "Rosa Parks"!

What does "Aquemini" mean? I know Big Boi is an Aquarius and Andre, you're a Gemini.

It's used to describe a bridge between two different types of people because my partner and I are most definitely extremists in what we do… We're like totally opposite, but when we come together, it makes a new thing. Two different elements together coming up with something totally new—that's what "Aquemini" is.

You toured with Lauryn Hill last time. Are you going to tour for the "Stankonia" album?

There's talk of maybe doing a tour with Rage Against The Machine.

Did you get into some of that rap-rock thing on this record?

Yeah, but it's kind of faddish now—everybody's trying to do it. We kind of did it in a soul way, not in a rock & roll or metal type of way. It seems like it's the "new thing"—there are a lot of groups coming out right about now who are cranking that up.

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