I want to start this out by saying that Im not a huge rap fan, but this is still an incredible album. Of the two albums Andre 3000's The Love Below is the better and more interesting of the two. He strays away from any traditional rap sound and carries a more funky jazz vibe. My favorite tracks on the album are Love Hater which is basically a laid back jazz tune, Spread which is extremely funky, Roses with a cool piano intro and a catchy chorus, Hey Ya! with its acoustic guitar, awesome synth riff, and chorus, My Favorite Things is a crazy reworking of the original, Dracula's Wedding is short but sweet, and Vibrate is funky with great lyrics.

Big Boi's Speakerboxxx is my second favorite in this double album. It seems to stick to a more traditional rap style but is extremely funky. Ghetto Musick is a great track with a great backing track and chorus, Bowtie with crazy horn lines and great hook, Bust is a great track with a hard rock edge to it and great raps, War is a song about the problems in the world today, and Church is a great funky track. Definitely pick this album up if your looking for some music that isnt afraid to try something new in a genre that needs new life.

The genius of two men: Andre 3000 & Big Boi shine on this 2-disc album titled SPEAKERBOXXX/THE LOVE BELOW. Aready worldwide superstars, Andre & Big Boi take their incredible new hip-hop/funk/jazz/soul style into the mainstream. Here are the track highlights for the best songs.

Disc One - SPEAKERBOXXX

"Ghettomusick" is a fast-paced thrill ride with an electronic/techno sounding beat to back it up. Big Boi uses his high energy raps and slows down in-between to make an amazing first song.

"Bowtie" is a funky, infectious, pimp-flavored anthem where Big Boi brags about all he's got. The hook, as well as the rhymes, are all very catchy and solid.

"The Way You Move" is the infectious, jazz-influenced lead single that is bringing the sales of the album to a whole new hight. The rhymes and the soulful hook make this a great song.

"The Rooster" is another jazzy-type track where Big Boi asks you to "put ya back in it".

"Tomb Of The Boom" is a good straight-forward hip-hop track featuring rhymes from Ludacris on the side. Great song with infectious rhymes.

"Last Call" is a crunked-up party banger that features Slimm Calhoun, Lil' Jon among others. Very good track. Followed by a needless reprise of "Bowtie".

Disc Two - THE LOVE BELOW

"Happy Valentine's Day" is a funky, stylistic track which finds Andre 3000 playing the role of Cupid Valentino -- "the modern day cupid".

"Spread" is an hard to describe song but it sounds good and Andre 3000 really sings his all on the hook.

"Prototype" is a slow love song following the worthless interlude "Where Are My Panties?".

"Hey Ya!" is the infectious, dance-floor ready first single that has millions 'shakin like a polaroid picture'!

"Roses" is a concept song about how looks aren't everything. The hook makes it clear with the words "roses really smell like poo poo".

"Pink & Blue" is a buffet of interesting sounds that is hard to describe but very good.

"Vibrate" is another interesting song with some very interesting sounds.

"A Life In The Day Of Benjamin Andre" finds Andre 3000 spitting for the first time on the album. Followed up by an untitled bonus track.

OVERALL - 4 STARS because of the needless skits on SPEAKERBOXXX and the horrific song "Love Hater" on THE LOVE BELOW.

I am not a fan of rap music. For the most part rap is like country music in that there is a format that most rap groups follow to appease their core audience. Having said that, I probably would've never listened to these albums. Speakerboxx is a little more formulaic, and it is the music that hardcore rap fans will enjoy. It's definitely quality rap music, don't get me wrong, but it is basically the formulaic rap music to which most are accustomed. The Love Below, however, is the dramatic departure. TLB is, quite simply, some of the most brilliant music I have heard in some time. I hate to draw comparisons, because this music is so refreshingly original, but you can tell Dre has spent a great deal of time listening to Prince. There are moments in this album for just about every lover of music. The lyrics are funny and brilliant, and the music is jaw dropping. The intro alone, let's you know that you are in for something you have never heard before. It makes one picture a Frank Sinatra or Sammy Davis jr. in a 70's special smoking a cigarette with lovely ladies around them. Love Hater will catch you off guard with it's jazz style experimentation. It could be my favorite song on both discs. Even if it's not, it may have been the song that made me want to run out and buy this disc after someone let me borrow it. Happy Valentine's Day reminds me of a lesser known group called Mother Love Bone. It's definitely displays that Andre Benjamin has a craftsmanship that is among the elite in his business. Whether you are a rap, jazz, or rock fan you do have to appreciate when someone reaches this level of craftsmanship. I'm reminded of a line most use to describe Michael Jordan: He works so hard, he makes it look easy. You listen to these first few songs, and you are left to wonder why everyone isn't making music this incredible, this crisp, and this effortless. There is nothing here that will make you contemplate the theory of relativity. In Spread and Prototype, for example, you simply have a man singing about love and his perfect woman, but Andre proves that you don't have to sing about the fall of the Roman Empire to be brilliant. Hey Ya! is the one that everyone knows. It's the hit. It makes you think of the Beach Boys and Prince. It's the essence of this music that makes it so enjoyable however. It's weird in the manner that David Bowie was weird in the '70's, it's groundbreaking in the manner that Purple Rain was groundbreaking in the '80s. I'm normally someone who seeks out the more independent style of music, along the lines of a Mike Patton or a Damon Albarn, but this is my favorite album of 2003, and it is becoming burned into my CD player. I'm going to guess that you will probably see Andre Benjamin become a solo artist after this disc because if there is any justice in this world a piece of art like this disc will place him in the stratosphere for years to come.

2 discs... 2 totally different styles.

First, Big Boi's "Speakerboxxx": Fire from the get go. You first put it in and you notice Ghettomusick, Bowtie, The Way You Move, The Rooster, Bust, War, Church, Tomb of the Boom, Knowing, Flip Flop Rock, Last Call... pretty much the entire CD. Play it in your car, play it loud... it's awesome.

Second, Dre's "The Love Below": Takes some time to get used to, but then its just as hot if not hotter than Big Boi's. My favorite tracks on Dre's CD are: Roses, Happy Valentine's Day, Dracula's Wedding, A Day in the Life of Benjimann Andre, Hey Ya, and pretty much the whole CD, especially after I got used to the sound. Some get at Dre for ditching the rap, but he said it himself that Hip Hop doesn't inspire him anymore. Just because he has an interesting and different voice does NOT mean he can't sing.

Give this album a try... especially Dre's side. Most fans will appreciate Big Boi's side at first but once you listen to Andre's more than once or twice you will realize its true greatness.

5/5

I finally got around to Outkast's Grammy-nominated 2003 CD after weeks of putting it off. With all that's already been said about "The Love Below/Speakerboxxx," there isn't much for me to add that you don't already know. Big Boi and Andre 3000 release separate albums that may as well come from two different planets. Public opinion has dubbed Andre 3000's disc as the "arty" one, and that's no lie. On this disc, he glides through a dizzying range of genres from '60's mod pop ("Hey Ya!"), perky jazz ("Love Hater"), and Prince-inspired funk ("Spread," and just about every other track). But my favorite is the dynamite "Prototype," a silky smooth jam that's an obvious nod to 1970s old school soul. The only serious misfire is a botched, drum-and-bass updating of "My Favorite Things." Sorry, but I'll stick with Coltrane's version. Other than that, Andre 3000's "The Love Below" holds up pretty well during its 78 minutes. Big Boi's "Speakerboxxx," on the other hand, is another beast altogether. While "The Love Below" is an eclectic effort that went all over the map, "Speakerboxxx" keeps its feet firmly grounded in hip hop. It may be 20 minutes shorter than Andre 3000's disc, but there are just as many solid moments such as the memorable "The Way You Move," Big Boi's collaboration Cee-Lo and Khujo Goodie on "Reset," and "Bowtie" with Sleepy Brown and Jazze Pha. Special mention also has to go to the rousing "Church," which, as the title implies, has a spiritual vibe that's uplifting. While these two discs aren't flawless, they make up one of the more creative releases I've heard in a while. Outkast is one of ATL's greatest talents, and "The Love Below/Speakerboxx" is a bold achievement that transcends lazy categorization.