#september
November
It’s been a productive month!
Rihanna for Harper’s Bazaar September cover.
On this day in 1998, Outkast dropped their 3rd acombined zodiac signs and creativity to produce not only their best collective work, but one of the most important albums in hip-hop, Aquemini.
World-wise, wary, alien and earthy, Aquemini is the quintessential OutKast album, coming at a time when fans of their 1994 debut, Southernplaylisticadillacmusic and their outstanding, space-age sophomore 1996 effort, ATLiens, were confused and concerned about Big and Dre’s standing as artists and friends.
Lyrically, Big and Dre were completely in another realm, with life-lessons and analysis that remain relevant. Just listen to the hook on the lead single, “Rosa Parks,” the outer space, tingling energy on “Aquemini,” the dystopian futuristic “Synthesizer,” or the storytelling on “The Art of Storytellin’ (Pt. 1).” After being disrespected at the ‘95 Source Awards, and struggling to prove to everyone that the South had always had “somethin’ to say,” Aquemini was birthed.
Aquemini’s release came on a momentous day in hip-hop, arriving on the same day as A Tribe Called Quest’s long-awaited The Love Movement, Jay-Z’s career-changing Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life and the arrival of Black Star via Mos Def (Yasiin Bey) and Talib Kweli. Out of those records, however, Aquemini stands as the most brilliant, lightyears ahead of its time, and impactful both musically and culturally.
What does one wear to the fabulous Harry Styles concert? I was thinking either something really slutty or something really extra? Sparkles?? HELP ME PICK SOSOSOOSOSSOSOS