STUDIO ALBUM BY OUTKAST

Year Released: 1998

Aquemini (/əˈkwɛmɪˌnaɪ/) is the third studio album by the American hip hop duo Outkast. It was released on September 29, 1998, by LaFace Records. The title is a portmanteau of the two performers' Zodiac signs: Aquarius (Big Boi) and Gemini (André 3000), which is indicative of the album's recurring theme of the differing personalities of the two members. The group recorded the majority of the album in Bobby Brown's Bosstown Recording Studios and Doppler Studios, both in Atlanta, Georgia.

Released as the follow-up to the duo's commercially successful 1996 album ATLiens, Aquemini expands on the previous record's outer space-inspired compositions by incorporating live instrumentation and drawing on 1970s funk, southern soul, gospel, country, psychedelic rock, and other influences. The album reflected a greater level of creative freedom for the group, which led to the members self-producing the majority of the tracks and employing a large number of session musicians who filtered in and out of the studio throughout its recording, exerting a major influence on the album's compositional development. Featured guest artists include Raekwon, George Clinton, and Erykah Badu. Lyrically, Aquemini explores various subjects including individuality, human nature, addiction, self-inflicted struggles, technology, and interpersonal relationships, as well as blending science fiction concepts and urban narratives.

Aquemini was certified platinum in November 1998, only two months after its release, and was certified double platinum on July 2, 1999, by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It peaked at number two on both the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Four of the album's tracks were released as singles, although some were limited promotional releases and not available commercially. Aquemini received widespread critical acclaim from music critics, who praised the album's musicality, eclectic sound, and unique lyrical themes. Since its initial release, it has gone on to be considered one of the greatest hip hop albums ever made, as well as one of the greatest albums of all time in general. In 2003, Rolling Stone ranked the album number 500 on their "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". In a 2020 updated list, it was moved up to number 49.

Record Label: LaFace Records

TRACK-LIST:

Side A:

1. Hold On, Be Strong
2. Return of the ''G'' 
3. Rosa Parks
4. Skew It on the Bar-B

Side B:

1. Aquemini
2. Synthesizer
3. Slump

Side C:

1. West Savannah
2. Da Art of Storytellin' (Part 1)
3. Da Art of Storytellin' (Part 2)

Side D:

1. Mamacita
2. SpottieOttieDopaliscious

Side E:

1. Y'all Scared
2. Chonkyfire

Side F:

1. Nathaniel
2. Liberation