Vic Mensa's musical output has altered radically and suddenly in recent years, evolving from a craft based in self-destruction to an art of healing. 

The Chicago rapper's  life — which had been dogged by depression, violence and unrestrained chaos — came to an abrupt crash several years ago. Mensa tells GRAMMY.com that he fell asleep at the wheel while driving a Range Rover back from the studio, totalling the vehicle. He miraculously left the road unscathed, and swore himself to sobriety as a mark of his good fortune. 

Ever since, Mensa has decided to live conscientiously, tapping into divinity, and departing his path of destruction towards one of love. 

His new album Victor, out Sept. 15, is a document of that growth. It’s liberatory in sound and spirit, an ode to the victories Mensa has made in his own life and through his enormously impactful community work. Victor also boasts a broad swathe of musical influences — from house and punk to Afrobeat and funk — and features collaborations with Common and Ty Dolla $ign. 

That Victor is his first album in six years would be a big accomplishment, but it's already been a huge year for Mensa. In January, he and Chance the Rapper put on a free festival in Ghana which drew 52,000 attendees, as part of their effort to broaden the cultural exchange between the African and American rap scenes. He continued to grow his 93 Boyz business (Illinois' first Black-owned cannabis brand), which uses its profits for social initiatives including Mensa’s Books Before Bars program that distributes books to prisoners.

GRAMMY.com caught up with Mensa in the midst of this victorious year, just before he headed back to the studio once again.

You’ve been performing recently with your longtime friend and collaborator Chance the Rapper for his 10 year Acid Rap anniversary show. There were years when you didn’t seem to be quite so close. Can you tell me about them?

You know, we’ve grown up together since we were 14 years old. As brothers do sometimes, there were some years where we didn’t see eye to eye. That’s what family does, man.

But family’s also very resilient. People have to go through personal growth, self-discovery otherwise they’ll take family s— to the grave with them. Now, I’m in a positive, loving relationship with myself. So anywhere there is discord I know it can be transcended.

It’s also been 10 years since Chance rapped "And I still get jealous of Vic/And Vic's still jealous of me." What's your relationship with competition nowadays? 

Rap is, by its nature, extremely competitive, and it’s something I’ve had to reframe and recontextualize. Now I know that our biggest competition is with ourselves. 

And so, if I can be the best me that I can be, if I can write the best verse, if I can do the best performance, then I'm succeeding. You have to actualize your potential. The only crime in this game is to be less than yourself. 

Earlier this year you referenced your 2016 Drake diss track during a freestyle on Sway, calling it "a big mistake/But when you raised in a cage all you know is MMA." What made you want to address that?

I was just being really transparent and honest in that freestyle. I think the dopest lines take honesty and turn it into a metaphor, into wordplay, into something witty. 

I think that’s why we — or I — love Dave Chappelle. He takes real critiques of the Black experience and turns it into a real whippersnapper. So as far as the Drake line, I wanted to give it context in an adult way, to relate it to my upbringing and all the ways I’ve grown to recognize how stupid it was. 

Victor is your second studio album in six years. What made you want to release these songs as an album rather than as another EP or mixtape?

The album was originally going to be called C Tape to finish off the V Tape and I Tape EP trilogy, but I think just in the process of doing that, opinion on EPs really shifted. People devalue music. People are like, Man, it's astounding that this is only your second album, you know? 

It's not such a big difference from seven songs to 10 songs but its reception means so much. When you say "album" people just think completely differently. So instead of doing the VIC trilogy, I thought, let me just use my name. Just call it Victor.

Why did you decide to name your album after yourself? 

About last October, I was on a deep dive on mushrooms in the woods and I was meditating on the genesis of my name. I was named Victor to commemorate the victories and battles of an ancestor from my father's family — he was fighting in the Burma Camp in Ghana against the invasion of the British and the subsequent robbing of African people from the continent. In many ways, he was a freedom fighter. 

I speak a lot in this album about working to have people released from prison, like man, this was ordained for me. You know, it’s no coincidence that I would be named after a freedom fighter and I would grow to become one myself. And I had another realization in that moment: That no matter what I experience — the ups, downs, scuffles, controversies — I am named to be the victor of them all. 

Do you believe music has been passed down to you as a tool for liberation also?

Yes, my uncle [Kofi Sammy] is a pioneer of Nigerian highlife music. He was a contemporary of Fela Kuti. Fela, as you know, was a very notable liberator. My uncle's music was really political and educational, and he handed that down to me. Although, he did tell me recently, when I had him come out at the festival, something I thought was so interesting. He said: "Don’t use your music for politics, use your voice for God."  

At that moment, I took it at face value. I thought he was telling me to make gospel music, because he's really Christian. But the more I think about it, the more I realize it was a really profound thing to say. He’s coming into the later years of his life with next to nothing, and I think he was reflecting on the bridges he’d burned. There were times when he was really close to the president of Ghana, and he was so outspoken and so political. 

In many ways, that's something that I've been learning to implement myself. It's like, how do I move purposefully with God and the school of thought that I'm raised in — you know, the Black Panther Party, Malcolm X — a politics without bloodshed, and still be a warrior? I’m learning how not to always be the aggressor, to act with forbearance.

Is that a principle you take with you into the studio, to act from a place of forbearance rather than aggression? 

I don't know that I want to lose my aggression; I just want control. You know, I do a lot of combat training, and we're taught to emulate a lion who is completely relaxed until the moment they strike into action. They pounce into extreme force and violent aggression, and then relax. And so I think about that in a creative process, I use that aggression and then turn back to a calm state. 

Sometimes the voices in my head are so loud and the anxiety and the fear and expectations become a cacophony. But similar to my combat training, my creative process is all about staying in the moment.  How do I find peace and calm so that I can stay in control of my own mind?

It feels like you’re really going prophet mode. I’ve always thought of Common as operating from that space too. What was it like working with him? What did you learn from him?

He’s a gem in the studio. He had a palo santo with him, and he was just sitting there with it — I might even try to get a palo santo before I go to the studio right now. And the thing about Common is that he's very calm, very relaxed. He's always gracious. Like, he always introduces the people that are with him. You can tell he treats his people with a lot of respect. And he just moves in love, you know? 

I think I learned that from him before I ever met him. I mean, I've been learning things from Common since when I was a kid, way before I knew him. Common has a song called "A Song For Assata" where he details [Black Liberation Army activist] Assata Olugbala Shakur’s story, it’s basically like Cliff Notes in hip hop form. It inspired me so much because not only did it teach me a crucial piece of American history but it also opened my eyes to how much of a tool to educate hip-hop can be.

Do you envision your music as a tool for manifestation?

Yeah, man, music is a powerful tool for manifestation. That's why hip-hop is the most commercially successful and impactful musical genre of all time. It’s a verbose art form full of artists telling you "this is what I’m gonna do, I'm gonna change the world" to a different degree than any other genre has ever done. 

Hip-hop has been, like, these young guys from the hood telling you how they're gonna make it out. And the power of our words is so significant. We can build and destroy just with the things we say. So I manifested life as a rap star from childhood.

You say your purpose as a kid was to become a rap star. Now that you are one, what is your purpose now?

My purpose now is to spread the truth.

What does that mean to you? 

It takes many forms. It can be the truth of my experience. Truth can be a key or a window into how you view your own experience. Truth can be a commentary on society or structures or ideas. Truth can be love; just purely spreading love.

10 Bingeworthy Hip-Hop Podcasts: From "Caresha Please" To "Trapital"

As we fully enter autumn, a myriad of artists are releasing new music to add to your seasonal playlist.

There’s something for everyone this Friday, with a new album from pop queen Kylie Minogue and a highly anticipated new record from Doja Cat, Scarlet. In sounds from around the globe, J-pop group CHAI offer "neo-kawaii" '90s-inspired beats. If you’re not in the mood to dance today, albums like Jenny Owen Youngs' Avalanche are an excellent soundtrack to blissfully vibe alone. 

Check out these tracks from four different artists, and add them to your mix.

Jenny Owen Youngs - Avalanche

After nearly a decade since her last album, An Unwavering Band of Light, Los Angeles singer/songwriter, Jenny Owen Youngs is back. Her Avalanche is an emotional, intimate album exploring the depths of loss, grief, self-discovery, and restoration.

"When I try to say the things I can’t/It comes out like an avalanche/How else do I prove that I adore you/Something about my savage heart/That wants to tear your world apart/And stitch it all right back together for you," Youngs sings on the title track.

The beautiful, folk-inspired tracks lean heavily on piano and guitar, pulling listeners through a field of heavy emotions. At the end of the record, "certain things will be different than they were before," she said in an interview with FLOOD.

Beyond her indie folk music, Youngs continues to master all trades. She’s a co-host for podcast "Buffering The Vampire Slayer" and "The eX-Files," in addition to her work as author and frequent collaborations.  

CHAI - Chai

Dedicated with love to their Japanese culture, CHAI's fourth album features fun, female empowerment tracks that they hope redefine the meaning of "kawaii," which in Japanese describes something as cute or adorable. CHAI’s uptempo new-wave sounds and pop beats add to the band's unique aesthetic and world. 

CHAI’s uptempo album features new wave sounds and pop beats,  as well as '90s inspired R&B and dance tracks such as "From 1992" and "Like, I Need." CHAI doesn’t forget to acknowledge their hometown, paying tribute to the genre of Japanese city pop, shouting out family members, and reminiscing on tracks "Driving22" and "KARAOKE."

CHAI's North American tour kicks off this weekend, at Flipside Festival in Idaho. 

Sublime with Rome - "All I Need"

Co-founded by former Sublime member Eric Wilson, California rock-reggae band Sublime with Rome manifest positive energy on their new single, "All I Need." The group will release a new EP, Tangerine Skies on Nov. 3.

Bassist Wilson and singer/ guitarist Rome Ramirez continue to commemorate the influence of Sublime through covers and original works. As with many of the OG group's songs, Sublime with Rome's "All I Need" makes you want to lie on the warm beach and keep the good vibes coming.

Soccer Mommy - Karaoke Night EP

If you’re looking for music that makes you feel like the main character in a 2010 coming-of-age film, this EP is for you. Soccer Mommy's Karaoke Night features five covers from artists like Taylor Swift, R.E.M., Crow, Pavement and Slowdive. She seemingly reinvented the tracks, adding her own influence and alternative twang.

Born Sophie Allison, Soccer Mommy announced Karaoke Night in August, through her own version of Taylor Swift’s song, "I’m Only Me When I’m With You." Her take is a slower, guitarted version of Taylor’s original country/indie track.

"This song is one of my favorites from Taylor’s first album," she wrote on Instagram. "I listened to that record so much when I was a kid and I think it had a lot of influence on me then."

Listen To GRAMMY.com's Hispanic Heritage Month 2023 Playlist: Featuring Shakira, Peso Pluma, Karol G, Bad Bunny, Feid, & More

Doja Cat has come such a long way since her viral hit, "Mooo!" Since her 2019 breakout album, Hot Pink, which birthed the GRAMMY-nominated Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper "Say So," the 27-year-old's musical versatility, out-of-the-box concepts, and unique aesthetic helped her become one of the buzziest stars in music today.

Following her blockbuster album, Planet Her, Doja Cat is returning to her rap roots while still challenging herself. Released on Sept. 22, Doja's fourth studio project, Scarlet, was entirely self-penned. The 17-track LP contains zero features and is named after GRAMMY winner's alter ego.

Scarlet is a creative reset, released after Doja Cat denounced her previous two albums as "cash-grabs." On "Demons," Doja addresses critics who labeled her "too pop" and doubted her rap skills: "I'm a puppet, I'm a sheep, I'm a cash cow / I'm the fastest-growing bitches on all your apps now," she raps.

Elsewhere, Scarlet sees a self-assured Doja Cat trading in her radio-friendly sound for an emotional release, which is best exemplified on tracks like "97," "Skull and Bones," "Balut, " and her latest single, "Agora Hills."

"It's kind of an intro to what's to come," she told Harper’s Bazaar in August. "This new album is more introspective, but I'm not leaning so hard into that to where it becomes boring. So I want to give stories and bops. It's a nice mixture of both. 

"I think this project is a really fun canvas for me to play with my rap skills and talk about what's going on in my life," she continued. "But I'm not abandoning who I was and what I know about pop and singing and that aspect of music."

Throughout its jarring journey of introspection, here are five takeaways from Doja Cat’s new album, Scarlet.

She's Devilishly Creative In Her Scarlet Era

Doja Cat has been quirky and daring since day one, but Scarlet demonstrates her desire to reinvent herself and provoke anyone who'll listen — even if it means possibly alienating her fanbase. True to form, Scarlet had an impossible-to-miss rollout, which included her Scarlet character's nude, blood-covered wax figure popping up around the U.S. 

But that stunt pales in comparison to her music videos for "Demons" and "Paint the Town Red," the latter of which is the first hip-hop song to top the Hot 100 this year.

Both visuals feature occult themes, as well as references to death and the devil, but no matter how "frightening" they may come off to some, they're further proof that Doja Cat isn't just an internet meme — she's a creative genius who knows how to demand our attention.

She's Enjoying Her Success And Fame

Multiple tracks off Scarlet, including "Paint the Town Red," "Attention," and "F— the Girls (FTG)," are a direct response to how Doja Cat's seemingly meteoric success in recent years has made her the target of jealousy and criticism from fans and peers. But "Love Life" stands out due to its lighter approach, as Doja Cat expresses her gratitude for those who helped her make it this far: "I love it when my team feel strong and them deals flowin' in" and "I understand you want me to win / I understand how hard that you bend."

Like many artists, Doja Cat's rise to fame was not without some struggle. Most notably, her "writer's block" stopped her from being able to join forces with Billie Eilish on her popular 2017 song, "Bellyache." But life now is good for the star, born Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, and she isn't apologizing for it.

But She's Aware That Celebrity Culture Has Its Dangers

A year ago, Doja Cat shocked fans when she shaved her head and eyebrows on Instagram Live, which drew some comparisons to Britney Spears’ infamous head shaving incident in 2007. Of her physical transformation, she told Dazed, "I have never felt more beautiful in my entire life." 

But on lead single, "Attention," it's clear Doja isn't done setting the record straight.

"I read it, all the comments sayin', 'D, I'm really shooketh' / 'D, you need to see a therapist, is you lookin'?' / Yes, the one I got, they really are the best / Now I feel like I can see you bitches is depressed / I am not afraid to finally say s— with my chest," she raps in the first verse.

The song also addresses her decision to pull out of the Weeknd’s After Hours til Dawn Tour, as well as comparisons to one of her biggest influences, Nicki Minaj.

She's Not Ready To Completely Abandon Singing

The highly-anticipated release of Scarlet marks Doja Cat's official return to her rap roots, but the album isn't void of the catchy, pop-esque hooks and sugary sweet singing style she's known for on songs like "Say So," "Kiss Me More" with SZA, and "You Right" with the Weeknd.

On Scarlet's sensual "Often," she effortlessly emulates neo-soul icons like Erykah Badu, D’Angelo, and Maxwell as her breathy vocals take center stage. The track shows off Doja's softer side while doubling as perfect "baby-making music." 

"'Cause when you run your tongue up my thigh / I can't help but wonder, hmm, why / You got so much more up yo' sleeve / You wanna make sure I don't leave," she croons on the song's chorus.

Her IDGAF Attitude Is On Full Display 

In late July, Doja Cat lost half a million Instagram followers after slamming fans who call themselves "Kittenz" and use her real name as their screen names. 

In addition, her relationship with boyfriend J.Cyrus — who was accused of grooming and sexual misconduct — and use of darker imagery (e.g., her "Demons" video and bat skeleton back tattoo) have sparked backlash. Yet Scarlet's "97" proves how Doja Cat is unfazed by the noise and thrives off controversy: "They gon' buy it, they gon' pirate, they gon' play it, they consume it / If you're scootin', let me know 'cause that's a comment, that's a view / And that's a ratin', that's some hatin', that's engagement I could use."

Similarly, she gets the last laugh on "Skull and Bones" and "Balut," the latter of which fires back at haters who accused her of stealing other artists' style. They speak to Doja Cat's defiant nature, which seems to be paying off for the superstar as she prepares to embark on her first headlining tour kicking off on Oct. 31.

From Meme Queen To Popstar: Revisiting Doja Cat’s Inevitable Breakout

They're cool like that. Back in 1994, Digable Planets took home the trophy for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group for their single "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like That)" at the 36th Annual GRAMMY Awards.

Accepting the award from presenters SWV and Salt-N-Pepa, the jazz-rap connoisseurs dedicated their win to "hip-hop music [and] Black culture in general" before sharing an entreaty for the less fortunate outside the gilded glamour of Radio City Music Hall.

"We'd like for everybody to think about the people right outside this door that's homeless as you sittin' in these $900 seats and $300 seats — they out there not eatin' at all," Ishmael "Butterfly" Butler added. "Also, we'd like to say to the universal Black family that one day we gon' recognize our true enemy and we're gonna stop attacking each other. And maybe then we'll get some changes goin' on."

As their debut single, "Rebirth of Slick" served as Digable Planets' seminal hit. That night, it beat out other four other rap classics: Cypress Hill's "Insane in the Brain," Naughty by Nature's "Hip Hop Hooray," Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg's "Nuthin' But a G Thang" and Arrested Development's "Revolution."

The trio — Butler, Mariana "Ladybug Mecca" Vieira and Craig "Doodlebug" Irving — were also nominated for Best New Artist, an award that ultimately went to Toni Braxton.

Press play on the video above to revisit Digable Planets' big GRAMMYs win and check GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of GRAMMY Rewind.

10 Reasons Why Outkast’s ‘Speakerboxxx/The Love Below’ Is One Of The All-Time Great Double Albums

"We done split it down the middle so you can see both the visions," raps Big Boi on "Tomb of the Boom," one of the highlights from Outkast's 2003 magnum opus. And he wasn't kidding.

Essentially two solo albums for the price of one, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below saw Atlanta's premier hip-hop duo take the creative reins for one disc each, resulting in a whopping 135 minutes and 40 tracks of genre-hopping genius.

Favorably compared with classic double albums such as Prince's Sign O' The Times, Pink Floyd's The Wall and the Beatles' The White Album, the follow-up to 2000's Stankonia enjoyed similarly super-sized success, too. It topped the Billboard 200 for seven weeks on its way to worldwide sales of 11.4 million, spawned two No. 1 hits and picked up six nominations at the 2004 GRAMMY Awards — which resulted in three wins, including the coveted Album Of The Year.

And a full 20 years on from its Sept. 23, 2003 release, Outkast's fifth studio effort still stands up as a fearless, funkadelic and forward-thinking body of work. Below, take a look at 10 reasons why Speakerboxxx/The Love Below still has the power to get us all shaking it like a Polaroid picture.

It Helped Outkast Join An Exclusive Chart Club

Only 14 acts in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 have knocked themselves off the top spot. And Outkast joined that illustrious group — which also now includes the likes of Drake and Taylor Swift — in 2004 thanks to two of the era's most addictive hits.

The Little Richard-goes-power pop of "Hey Ya!" was the first to reach the summit, spending nine weeks there between December 2003 and the following February. And then it was finally dislodged by the brassy Southern hip-hop of Sleepy Brown collaboration "The Way You Move," which enjoyed just seven days in pole position before Twista's "Slow Jamz" put an end to the Outkast stranglehold.

It Doubled Outkast's GRAMMY Count

By 2004, Outkast were no stranger to the GRAMMY Awards. They'd picked up Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Ms. Jackson" and Best Rap Album for Stankonia in 2002, and then emerged victorious in the former category again a year later for "The Whole World." But it was the 2004 ceremony where they truly reigned supreme.

The duo stole the show with two memorable performances. First, Big Boi performed "The Way You Move" in a star-studded Funk Music Tribute, which also included legends George Clinton, Earth Wind and Fire and Robert Randolph. Later, André 3000 closed out the show with a celebratory rendition of Best Urban/Alternative Performance winner "Hey Ya!"

The "Hey Ya!" performance was a fitting end to the night indeed, as the pair took home the final — and most prestigious — award: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below was crowned Album of the Year. (It also won Best Rap Album earlier that evening.)

It Spawned Several Classic Videos

Outkast had always been a visual hip-hop outfit, but their videography undeniably peaked with the Speakerboxxx/The Love Below campaign. "Hey Ya!" deservedly picked up four MTV Video Music Awards thanks to its inspired tribute to the Beatles' debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show" — and André 3000's portrayal of all eight of the fabulously named musicians in the video, including guitarist Johnny Vulture and drummer Dookie Blossom Gain III.

Also directed by Bryan Barber, the "The Way You Move" video saw Big Boi showcase his lyrical flow in everything from a rim shop and old-school music hall to dojo and safari retreat. "Roses," meanwhile, finally allowed both members to share the screen as warring members of rival high school crews in a tongue-in-cheek homage to West Side Story.

It Boasts An Impressively Diverse Guest List

Big Boi roped in several usual suspects on Speakerboxxx, including Big Gipp on "Tomb of the Boom," Killer Mike on "Bust" and Cee-Lo Green on "Reset," while also securing the talents of heavy hitters like Jay-Z, Ludacris and Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz. While an undeniably impressive guest list, André 3000's choice of collaborators was even more intriguing.

Shortly before teaming up with the rapper on her own track "Millionaire," Kelis lent her signature husky tones to the appropriately creepy funk of "Dracula's Wedding." Hot on the heels of Come Away with Me, Norah Jones provided the necessary sultriness on the acoustic "Take Off Your Cool." And perhaps most unexpected of all, Hollywood actress Rosario Dawson proved her diva credentials on the metallic funk of "She Lives In My Lap." The Love Below's roll call was yet another sign that Outkast weren't interested in playing by hip-hop's rules.

It Samples Wisely

Considering Speakerboxxx/The Love Below consists of 40 different tracks and clocks in at nearly 135 minutes, it's surprising that Big Boi and André 3000 only relied on a handful of samples. And like their choice of collaborators, they're far from obvious, either.

Who knew that The Sound of Music showtune "My Favorite Things" would work as a drum and bass instrumental? Or that Timmy Thomas' one-hit wonder "Why Can't We Live Together" and the sensual New Jack Swing of Aaliyah's "Age Ain't Nothing But a Number" would fit perfectly as on "Pink and Blue"?

Elsewhere, the propulsive electronic hip-hop of opener "Ghetto Musick" borrows from Patti LaBelle's '80s soul jam "Love, Need and Want You," while "She Lives in My Lap" lifts from both Geto Boys' "Mind Playing Tricks on Me" and Volume 10's "Pistolgrip-Pump."

It Paved The Way For Genre-Hopping

While genre boundaries have been well and truly broken down in today's streaming era, back in 2003, most major artists stayed in their lane — but not Outkast.

The Love Below certainly has little regard for pigeonholing, veering from big band crooning ("Love Hater") to celestial neo soul ("Prototype") to twitchy electro ("Vibrate") with both confidence and panache. The more-focused Speakerboxxx also keeps listeners on their toes, whether it's with the squelchy P-funk of "Last Call," punchy rap-rock of "Bust" or the mariachi-tinged hip-hop of "The Rooster."

Despite its mammoth running time, the album impressively never repeats itself, providing more flashes of invention than most of the duo's peers manage in an entire career.

Even The Interludes Are Inspired

Of Speakerboxxx/The Love Below's 40 tracks, 11 could be classed as interludes — a number that would normally draw groans, especially considering how much they're often the bane of a hip-hop album. But while the blink-and-you'll-miss-it contribution from comedian Henry Welch ("D-Boi") and the brief helium-voiced reprise of "Bowtie" are rather pointless, the majority of the breathers do add something to the record.

"Interlude" is a hypnotic spoken word piece which offers a crash course in Outkast history ("Believe in the dirty Southernplayalisticadillac-funky-ATLiens/ Together, makes Aquemini"). "The Love Below (Intro)" is a sumptuous orchestral number in which André 3000 throws things back to the Rat Pack. And "God (Interlude)" finds the latter living up to his horndog reputation in a cheeky prayer recited over some sun-dappled guitars.

It's About Both Love And War

As titles such as "Happy Valentine's Day," "Behold a Lady" and, of course, The Love Below would suggest, André 3000's half of the album is largely focused on the affairs of the heart — no doubt informed by his break up from Erykah Badu and subsequent quest to find 'the one.'

But to counterbalance all the love talk, Speakerboxxx is a more socially-conscious record in which Big Boi tackles themes of spirituality, philosophy and politics, none more so than on "War," a fervent protest song which no doubt left George W. Bush's ears burning ("Basically America, you got f—ed/ The media shucked and jived, now we stuck, damn.")

The Pair Deliver Career-Best Vocals

Free from having to battle for space on the same track — they only appear together on "Ghetto Musick," "Knowing" and "Roses" — Big Boi and André 3000 have arguably never sounded better than on their respective discs.

The former is in particularly ebullient form on his alter ego Sir Lucious Left Foot's origin story "Unhappy," and also spars well with hip-hop giants Jay-Z and Ludacris on "Flip Flop Rock" and "Tomb of the Boom," respectively. His regular partner in crime, meanwhile, appears to relish channeling his inner Prince on the falsetto-led "Spread" and final single "Prototype."

It Helped Revive The Hip-Hop Double Album

The mid-'90s had been a boom period for the hip-hop double album, with Tupac Shakur's All Eyez on Me, Notorious B.I.G's Life After Death and Wu Tang Clan's Wu Tang Forever regarded as the holy trinity. But the concept had fallen out of favor until Outkast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below shifted nearly six million copies in the United States alone.

Following its triumph, Nas (2004's Street's Disciple), UGK Underground Kingz (2007's Outkast-featuring Underground Kingz) and Tech N9ne (2008's Killer) all got in on the act. More recently, Vince Staples (2015's Summertime '06), Drake (2018's Scorpion) and Kendrick Lamar (2022's Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers) have also tried to bottle lightning twice. But while they all have their high points, none quite match up to the sheer brilliance of Outkast's crowning glory.

50 Artists Who Changed Rap: Jay-Z, The Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, Nicki Minaj, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem & More