This weeks post analyzes a historic track from the great hip hop duo, "Outkast". Outkast consists of rappers Andre 3000 and Big Boi. The track is called elevators and it comes from their sophomore album called "A TLiens". A TLiens was such a groundbreaking album for Outkast. The album ventured you to outerspace with the sounds as well as the duo embracing their abnormality.("20 Photos of "ATLiens" Era Outkast | Complex.") It proved that southern rap was much more than the flashy stuff. There was also an intellectual side to them. Outkast has always seen themselves as being different. Which is why I think they chose the name "A TLiens". Showing that yes they are from Atlanta, but they are completely different like nothing you've seen before. Which is what an alien is.
Lil Wayne
Andre 3000
The song itself sounds extremely futuristic. And now when we look back on it and listen to some of their older songs, we realize how much Outkast was ahead of their time. In terms of lyrics, production and even their sense of style and fashion. You can easily say that Outkast has had a huge influence on hip hop.
Within the first couple of seconds of the song, the instrumental puts you in a state of relaxation, almost bringing you into a trance. Then boom, the sophisticated/simple lyricism of the duo hits you in rapid form. Which is whats fascinates me the most about them. They can say the most simple words, but tie them together so you really have to think to find the meaning. "Now everyday we look up at the ceiling" says Andre 3000.("Outkast – Elevators (Me & You) Lyrics | Rap Genius.") This lyric could mean actually looking up at the ceiling or you could take it a little deeper. Which is exactly what I did. When I hear that lyric, I think of Andre praying to god. Because heaven is known as being above us. So when he looks up at the ceiling, hes having a spiritual moment with god. "Watching ceiling fans go round, trying to catch that feeling off instrumentals".("Outkast – Elevators (Me & You) Lyrics | Rap Genius.") By "that feeling" Andre 3000 means a high. A natural high that occurs when he listens to beats and starts his music making process and creates his lyrics. You dont always have to use a physical drug to get high. For Andre 3000, music is his drug.
To me, this whole song is about how far they've come as artists and how much more they have to go to become superstars. "We moving up in the world like elavators" lyric spoken by Big Boi.("Outkast – Elevators (Me & You) Lyrics | Rap Genius.") That lyric simply sums up the entire song. A simple rags to almost riches story. Two young men trying to make it in the game, brainstorming what they could possibly do to push themselves to the next level.
Works Cited
"Outkast – Elevators (Me & You) Lyrics | Rap Genius." Discover the Meaning of Rap Lyrics | Rap Genius. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.
This was an engaging post. And of course I want to know more! I agree with you about your analysis on "Elevators." Much of what we write about in life (songs included) are reflections of our pasts, our experiences, and our understandings of the world. Now unpack this even more (your details begin wonderfully, but there are places where I think you can expand). For example, what acts were just "flashy" southern rap?
This was an engaging post. And of course I want to know more! I agree with you about your analysis on "Elevators." Much of what we write about in life (songs included) are reflections of our pasts, our experiences, and our understandings of the world. Now unpack this even more (your details begin wonderfully, but there are places where I think you can expand). For example, what acts were just "flashy" southern rap?
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