As shared in our latest roundtable earlier this week, we’re longing for diversity and variety, especially in the male arena, in 2015. And while we awaiting our wish to be granted, we’re keen to honor an act which showed the music industry that it’s more fruitful to dance to the beat of your own drum kit.
This week’s From The Vault salutes OutKast and their mega-hit ‘Hey Ya’.
Lifted from the duo’s concept double disc ‘Speakerboxxx/The Love Below’ – a solo album for each member – ‘Hey Ya’ was issued as the lead single of André 3000’s half of the release in 2003. Self-written and produced, the track is a throwback, hook-heavy Southern Soul gem that sent the whole world – including critics and the Grammy committee – into a frenzy at the beginning of the century.
Having topped the Billboard Hot 100 for a whopping 9 weeks, the cut charted at #1 in Canada and also reached the Top 10 of several European countries such as the United Kingdom (#3), Germany (#6) and France (#7).
{Side note: Big Boi’s launching single was also a Billboard #1 for multiple weeks… talk about killing the game}
Surely the bop’s success wouldn’t have been the same if it wasn’t for its crazy-cool promotional video. Directed by Bryan Barber and boasting cameos from actor Ryan Phillippe and partner in rhyme Big Boi, it takes inspiration from The Beatles iconic Ed Sullivan Show performance – only this time it is imaginary ensemble The Love Below, fronted by an energetic André, that is performing in the UK. With the eclectic artist portraying every single member of the funkified band, the visual earned many accolades including four MTV VMA wins as well as a Grammy nod for ‘Best Short Form Music Video ‘. To this day, it remains a TV channel favorite.
Throughout their 20+ years career, Outkast broke the rules and changed the game forever by redefining Southern Hip-Hop and giving Pop Culture one of its latest musical landmarks. Though both members are unique in their own right, we have to give it to Andre for never being afraid of being different and thinking outside the box – sonically, but also in terms of fashion and styling – even when it doesn’t follow the usual hyper-masculine blueprint.
Needless to say, OutKast’s narrative proves that veering away from the norm CAN be rewarding, in more ways than one. With that, we’d like to send a special message to harvesters of talent: betting on authenticity is betting on longevity.
For now, though, press ‘PLAY’ and shake it like a Polaroid picture!