What’s good! This has been one heck of a week. I'm feeling emotionally drained, and checking the news right now is giving me heartburn. If it’s alright with everyone, I would like to write this one for fun. Okay? Okay. So, without further ado, I present to you: "Outkast for Every Occasion." Sounds like something my mom would find in Good Housekeeping. Except, it’s hard to imagine my mom saying, “So, I read this great article about Big Boi the other day!” That being said, Outkast strikes a unique chord between hip-hop and funk that appeals to many audiences.
"Hey Ya! - (Radio / Club Mix)" (2003): Is there even a non-radio/club mix version? "Hey Ya!" is a bit of a departure from Outkast's usual smooth hip-hop since it's energized, it’s a classic and I would really like it played at my wedding. So what’s cooler than being cool? Not shaking your polaroid pictures, apparently. This line is a myth, and the company had to issue a warning against it because it could damage the photo. You might think this isn’t relevant anymore, but I see you hipsters with your tiny little Fujifilm Instax Minis!
"So Fresh, So Clean" (2000): You know, there is nothing wrong with a healthy dose of self-confidence. Frankly, I don’t have any appropriate comments to make about these lyrics. This is the song you should listen to before meeting your ex for a cordial coffee in Hotung to prove that you did not peak and are in fact still living your best life. The background sample is Joe Simon's “Before the Night is Over,” (1977). Honestly, it’s groovy as hell and is probably what your parents listened to on nights when they were allowed to take the family station wagon out until 10:30 p.m.
"The Way You Move - Club Mix" (2003): Like "So Fresh, So Clean," Outkast loves the PG choruses, intermixed with unabashedly racy verses. And I do too, because I can listen to it with my family and trust that they won't pick up on the undertones. This is definitely one to dance to. Also, I find that if you sync your gait to the beat while walking down the Rainbow Steps, you look like less of an idiot. Lastly, check out the jazzy Kenny G and Earth, Wind, & Fire cover, which is somewhere between elevator music and the soundtrack to a ladies luncheon.
"Roses" (2003): Caroliiiiiine! Caroline! Not to bring up your ex again, but André does a nice job articulating everything wrong with every former lover you’ve had. André is absolutely ruthless with the insults; you need a golden calculator to figure this one out. Don’t even try me with that TI-83 Plus.
"Ms. Jackson" (2000): I must say, of all the songs about child custody, this is my favorite. The wedding music in the background is a nice touch. Remember kids: “you can plan a pretty picnic, but you can’t predict the weather or the presidential election.”
