Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

This is Outkast's fifth outing, and the Atlanta duo has split down the middle to make a double album. Speakerboxxx belongs to the apparent player, Big Boi, and The Love Below is the product of the so called (filthy minded) poet, Dre. They help each other out here and there but...you get the general idea. 

　　 

Of the two Speakerboxxx is most clearly the offspring of 2000's masterpiece, Stankonia. The opening track "Ghetto Musick" jumps from hardcore rave to sauna soul without pausing for breath, a curiously addictive juxtaposition. The frantic pace continues from there on in as we jump from electro, to P-funk to swing, via mariachi, techno and whatever else takes Boi's fancy. It's hip hop, but not as we've known it. 

　　 

There's humour, including the seeming ode to casual footwear, "Flip-Flop Rock", and the odd bit of sex; but on the whole it's social and political issues which come to the fore. The difficulties of being a single parent, the horror of war with Iraq and the dangers of organised religion are all here; gunshots and gangsters are notable by their absence. 

　　 

Cutsie, kinky and complex - Dre's half of the deal is an altogether stranger brew. Sex and love are explored from numerous perspectives, varying from what Dracula did on his wedding night to, on the dubiously titled "Age Aint Nothing But A Number", sleeping with an older woman. There's even a conversation with God, who's a woman and seems to be helping Dre find a girlfriend! 

　　 

The music is a wondrous concoction. Prince, gospel, drum and bass, Frank Sinatra (and Zappa!), they're all in there somewhere...there's even a bit of cocktail jazz in the form of the foot tapping "Love Hater". It's confusing, bemusing and exciting - all at the same time. 

　　 

What more is there to say about these two magnificent albums? There's guests a plenty, including Jay-Z on Speakerboxxx and Kelis, Norah Jones and R Kelly on The Love Below. It's hilarious and thought provoking, goes on for hours (without ever getting boring) and is the most ambitious piece of pop you'll hear this year. I love it.

20世纪末恰逢音乐发展最高峰，00年初达到顶点（之后开始下坡路）世纪交接的流行乐无一不承载和折射了千禧年的时代信息，这种人机感的音乐 在后来的流行界和独立界都看得到影响（比如黑眼豆豆，JanelleMonáe

科普一下，这张专辑是美国本土总销量第一的说唱专辑。销量第二的是MC Hammer的《Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em》。第三是 The Notorious B.I.G.的《Life After Death》，在美国的销量达到1千万 。排名4，5的是Eminem的。 ————网上搜的

史诗级的双CD，钻石销量，04年格莱美年专。Outkast什么时候回归啊

尽管组合中的两人都有着优异的个人专辑表现，但Andre 3000和Big Boi还是以一张1140万张的销量和十一倍白金认证的专辑轰动世界，也是唯一一张达到这个高度的说唱专辑。Outkast至高无上的商业成就，使得他们拥有了说唱史上最卖座、销量最高的一张专辑，绝无仅有。

史上唯一一张荣获格莱美年度专辑奖的Hip-hop专辑[强]

犹记当年还是个摇滚少年的我，走进一家打口碟店，被一个摇滚大叔推荐了这张砖，号称”这可是去年的无冕之砖啊！“，于是这个混在一打塑料片里的大纸盒被我拿回了家，到家一听：”玛德！我就知道黑人不玩摇滚。。。可是，真尼玛带感啊！！！“

双专辑，一人一张，一人一首冠单，钻石销量，格莱美年专，再也找不到第二张这么成功的嘻哈专辑了

事实上是各自的solo专辑 Big Boi - Speakerboxxx / André 3000 - The Love Below

最强双专， André 3000录制The Love Below，Big Boi录制Speakerboxxx