MARTA, Cascade Skating celebrate 25 years of Outkast’s ‘Stankonia’
Big Boi told Outkast fans, collaborators and supporters ‘Stank you very much’ Thursday evening.
The Atlanta rap duo Outkast, which includes Andre 3000, was honored outside Cascade Skating Rink with a MARTA bus wrapped in artwork from their fourth album, “Stankonia,” celebrating its 25th anniversary.
Outkast released “Stankonia” on Halloween in 2000. The genre-defying, Grammy-winning album features notable singles “Bombs Over Baghdad,” “So Fresh So Clean” and Outkast’s first No. 1 pop single, “Ms. Jackson.”
The commemoration from MARTA features the album’s iconic design of the duo in the center of a splash of psychedelic colors. The bus will travel for a year on Headland and Delowe Drive, near where Outkast first auditioned for producer and Organized Noize member Rico Wade in 1992.
In an interview with UATL, Big Boi expressed his appreciation for MARTA paying tribute to Outkast.
“It’s amazing, and I got a Breeze Card, too,” Big Boi said while pulling a special edition card with the group’s photo from his pocket.
The bus was parked outside Cascade Skating Rink where Outkast hosted “Skatetonia,” a skate party to commemorate the album.
Monitors in Marquis Restaurant and Lounge, Cascade’s upstairs bar, rotated Outkast music videos and photo slideshows the entire evening.
Cocktails were named after the group. The “Outkast” had Crown Royal whiskey, banana liqueur and lime. The “Big Boi” came with Patron tequila, peach schnapps, Fassionola syrup and lime.
Pear nectar, fig syrup and rose water were ingredients in the “3000.”
Guests were served red velvet cake, a reference to the “Stankonia” track “Red Velvet,” for dessert.
Outkast proteges, “Stankonia” collaborators and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens showed up to show support.
Rapper BlackOwned C-Bone, who was featured on the “Stankonia” song “Gangsta S---,” said he would’ve liked to travel in the Stankonia-wrapped MARTA bus. “It’s a privilege to even be a part of it. I wish we had that bus when we were touring. That would’ve really been hard,” C-Bone said.
Rapper Slimm Calhoun, who is also featured on “Stankonia,” released his debut album, “The Skinny,” on Outkast’s record label, Aquemini Records, in 2001. The label was under Elektra Records.
Outkast, however, was signed to LaFace Records, a boutique label distributed through Arista Records. Their success allowed them to negotiate deals with another major label to start their own.
Calhoun said Outkast were professionals who conducted good business.
“Every album they made was outselling the previous one, so we had two different labels working together to make sure both sides came together and worked everything out,” he said.
Big Boi said he was proud to celebrate the album’s ongoing success with his family at Cascade.
“I just got the plaque tonight (from the Recording Industry Association of America) for going six times platinum (for sales of 6 million copies), so it’s great to just be out here with my folks and see all of the people continue to support me and Dre,” Big Boi said.
Next weekend, Outkast will be the first Southern hip-hop group to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Fans skated, danced to songs from the group’s catalog and grabbed Outkast merchandise.
Atlanta native Nwamaka Ngoddy, an optometrist who founded eyeglasses brand Anwuli Eyewear in 2019, gifted Big Boi a pair of glasses. Ngoddy said she’s influenced by Outkast’s genre-blurring production.
“They’re revolutionary and vibrant. We have a lot of dreamers and creatives coming out of Atlanta, and I’m inspired by their journey to dream big and execute on it,” Ngoddy said.
Decatur resident Kamille Gilmore skates regularly at Cascade, incorporating dips, spins and splits in her routine. She said Outkast’s music is a great soundtrack for roller skating.
“It’s timeless music with the best energy. When their songs come on, it goes down. Everybody is up, on their feet and allows us to bring that Atlanta flavor,” she said.
Decatur resident Syntoria Bryant arrived at Skatetonia wearing an Outkast graphic T-shirt and Crocs tiled with the group’s logo. She calls Outkast “her favorite group.”
“They go outside of the box and take everything they do to another level,” Bryant said.
“I am living the American dream right now.”
About the Author
Christopher A. Daniel is a Black Culture reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is an Atlanta-based, award-winning journalist, cultural critic and ethnomusicologist. He previously taught courses at Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University and Georgia State University.
