King Jerm vs. B-Easy Welcome to another episode of The Debate. In this edition, we put two classic Outkast albums against each other: Aquemini and ATLiens. After reading the sides, tell us which one is better by casting your vote.
King Jerm’s Pick: Aquemini (1998)
This one has been brewing for months here at nappyafro.com. This has been one of the most debated topics ever. Aquemini is the only Outkast album to receive the coveted 5 mics. Aquemini is Outkast’s most complete album. From top to bottom this album has no shortcomings. Andre and Big Boi put together their best lyrics with their best production. This album can be played on any coast, not just the south. This was the first Outkast album that featured other artists besides the Dungeon Family also. Don’t get me wrong, ATLiens is one of their best, but not better than Aquemini. Look at the title tracks; Aquemini is far superior to ATLiens. The concept of ATLiens confused many, with Aquemini the opening track (“Return of the G”) let the naysayers know that Outkast skills hadn’t diminished, but now they were refined. Hands down you have to go with Aquemini on this debate! Example/Download: “Return of the ‘G'”
B-Easy’s Pick: ATLiens (1996)
ATLiens is when I became a real Outkast fan. I liked Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, but it was on their sophomore album ATLiens when they switched the game up and became more than Southern pimps. Many people point to Aqumeni as better album because it received the coveted 5 mics ratings from The Source. But let’s not forget that The Source has shafted many deserving albums of the prestigious rating (ex. Ready To Die, The Chronic, etc.). Unlike Aquemini, ATLiens really has no shortcomings; I can play that album all the way through. While Aquemini is a great album, it still has songs like “Mamacita” (See: Bad Songs By Great Rappers). It was also on ATLiens where Outkast ventured out and started producing tracks on their own; without this you couldn’t even get the Outkast you see today (Not Idlewild Outkast, The Love Below/Speakerboxxx Outkast). While their first album kicked in the door, it was ATLiens that really shined light on Atlanta and the South in general. Now, if you a youngster that just jumped aboard the Outkast wagon during Stankonia, I’ll understand if you vote Aquemini, but if you were there with Outkast from day one, you know that ATLiens is the better album. Example/Download: “Two Dope Boyz (In a Cadillac)”