While most of the hip-hop coming out nowadays is filled with the same commercialized BS, Outkast continues to step their level up to new heights. Stankonia is a masterpiece, as was Aquemini, as was ATLiens, and as was their debut Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. Not since A Tribe Called Quest came into the game have we seen a group drop more than 2 straight classics...Tribe managed 3 straight, but Outkast has just completed their fourth.
The first two singles, B.O.B. and Ms. Jackson, are both extremely tight tracks, as is just about every track on here. So Fresh, So Clean, I'll Call Before I Come, Humble Mumble, Slum Beautiful. And Gasoline Dreams is so chilling that after one listen, you really will smell gasoline in the air. The list goes on and on.
The standout though, if you could pick just one, has to be Red Velvet. The mesmerizing psychadelic beat fits perfectly with Dre & Big Boi's flows.
Overall, this is an album you won't just bump this year and forget about. It's an album you'll bump forever ever....forever ever?....yes, FOREVER.

Oh yeah them ATL boys are back in town and they are bringing with them their best album to date. That is saying something since their last 3 CD's are modern classics, well add another classic to the mix. Right away the first time i heard STANKONIA i was blown away, so many great beats and not only that..Great Music. The lyrics are their usual OutKast quality so it made for a very entertaining listen to. My favorites tracks are too many list, there isnt a bad song on the whole album....but Ms. Jackson and Humble Mumble really struck a cord with me. Go get this album even if you are not a hip hop fan..Outkkast trenscends all music..they are no stereotypic rappers like jay-z or puff daddy....outkast is the real thang!!!

With three albums behind them OutKast has presented the listener with a different sound each go round. It is no different this time as Andre and Big Boi bring the hip-hop culture something new. The album starts off with the fast and high-pitched production on "Gasoline" and transitions nicely into the super smooth "So Fresh, So Clean". "Ms. Jackson" is the most well-known song from the album as it is a great song that will appeal to hardcore OutKast fans and first time listeners. "Snappin' & Trappin'" uses a dark, off-beat production to create a song that will dispel any thoughts anyone had of this album being more mainstream after "Ms. Jackson". "Spaghetti Junction" uses great instrumentation and has a very "Aquemini" vibe to it. "B.O.B." features the head spinning beat that makes for one of the most interesting and best songs on the album. "Xplosion" features a great verse by Cypress Hill's B-Real and he takes a nice shot at rap magazine XXL. "Humble Mumble" shows OutKast's diversity as they mix their great rapping ability with Erykah Badu's wonderful singing. "Red Velvet" is really nice song over a great beat. Very good storytelling from Andre and Big Boi. "Slum Beautiful" is OutKast at their "outcast" best with an extremely nice rapping/singing song. "Stankonia" is one of the funkiest and wildest songs OutKast has made, but past OutKast fans can appreciate this OutKast style love song.
The only real problem with this album is the excessive amount of skits. There are no real need for them and it would have made the album a strong 17 tracks instead of a lengthy 24. Another small complaint is that it does not have a distinctive identity like their past albums. "Southernplayallisticadillacmuzik" had the benefit of being the debut album and was the original bridge of OutKast's creativity to hip-hop. "ATLiens" had a wonderfully relaxed feel to it as it is an extremely well-rounded album. "Aquemini" took live instrumentation in hip-hop to new a degree and created an album so sonically beautiful it is impossible to ignore. "Stankonia" seems to be a mixture of all three of these and does not develop its own individuality.
Overall "Stankonia" is an extremely good album, OutKast's fourth best (no disrespect as their past three where classics). OutKast may not appeal to all fans, but all fans should give OutKast a try because their music gives the listener something original (and extremely good) to listen to in a time when hip-hop is becoming stagnant.

With their fourth release, Outkast sets the ghetto on fire. Beginning with "Gasoline Dreams", Outkast blends electronic sound with pimp-hop lyrics. Listening to the whole album reveals about 30 different steals and sounds, varying from the thumping electronic beat of "Gasoline Dreams" to the laid-back G-funk reminiscant "So Fresh, So Clean" to the ballad-style "Ms. Jackson" to the old-school "Spaghetti Junction" to even the sugar-coated sex lyrics of "We Luv Deez Hoez". However, the stand out track is the Erykah Badu-featured "Humble Mumble"-- a song so fun and relaxing to listen to you feel like you're actually in the jungle. On this cut, Dre proclaims the entire idea behind "Stankonia" with: "She thought hip-hop was only guns and alchohol / I said "Hell Nah". This album is near perfect, the production is on-point and the lyrics are as good as they get. "Stankonia" is a perfect blend of electronic riffs and G-funk party-starting sound, and with guest appearences by Goodie Mob, B. Real, Erykah Badu & Slimm Calhoun. Once again, Outkast raises the already lofty bar of hip-hop excellence to a new level. "Stankonia" is the perfect hip-hop CD for any listener, fan of the genre or not.

If you like Stankonia, check out: "Dead Prez - Let's Get Free", "Goodie Mob - Soul Food", "Dilated Peoples - The Platform", "The Roots - Things Fall Apart"

For most of you that have been following the last three albums, Outkast has graced us with their hard-core experimental beats, an explicit message or story, and a fresh taste in the rap industry. If you were impressed before, Stankonia jumps over that ten fold with their newest blend of flavorful beats. I can only describe the album with one more word "Cornucopia". There are so many natural blends in this piece; a little something for everyone. Just in time for Thanksgiving...