Additional personnel: Craig Love, Edward Stroud (guitar), Jeff Sparks (saxophone), Rico Wade, Patrick Brown, Kenneth Wright (piano, organ), Organized Noize (keyboards, drum programming), Preston Crump, Marq Jefferson, Colin Wolfe (bass), Mr. D.J. (scratches).

Background vocals: Patrick "P-Funk" Brown, Debra Killings, Brandon Bennett, Tony "T-Bone" Hightower, Thomas "Cee-Lo" Burton.

Recorded at D.A.R.P. Studios, Purple Dragon, Bosstown and Doppler Studios, Atlanta, Georgia.

It is on OutKast's debut album that the fledgling production team Organized Noize began forging one of the most distinctive production sounds in popular music in the '90s: part hip-hop; part live, Southern-fried guitar licks and booty-thick bass runs; and part lazy, early-'70s soul. The album was not only artistically successful but also thrived commercially, leaping into the Top 20 album chart on the back of the outstanding hit single "Player's Ball" and eventually going platinum. Although a little bit too dependent on overly simplistic and programmed snare beats, the music is unconditionally excellent, with languid, mellow melodies sliding atop rapid, mechanical drums. Organized Noize already had their distinguishing sound figured out, down to the last twanged, wah-wahed note. But what makes Southernplayalisticadillacmuzick such a wonderful album has even more to do with the presence of its rappers, Dre and Big Boi. No one sounded like OutKast in 1994 -- a mixture of lyrical acuity, goofball humor, Southern drawl, funky timing, and legitimate offbeat personalities. Few rappers of the '90s have displayed such an inventive sense of rhyme flow either, and few rap artists in general have ears as attuned to creating such catchy melodic and vocal hooks. Almost every song has some sort of tuneful chant or repetitive hook that marks it as instantly memorable. There are occasional dull and mediocre spots, such as "Call of Da Wild" and the overlong "Funky Ride," that can't even be elevated by a head-nodding bassline or a tricky rhyme. Such low points, however, are far outshined by the brilliant moments. Already an extremely strong showing, OutKast would continue to develop into one of the finest, most consistently challenging (not to mention booty-shaking) rap groups of the decade. ~ Stanton Swihart

Embodying much of the laid-back characteristics of Southern rock, Southern rap is making its presence known as another flavor on the rap pallette. East Point, Georgia's Outkast is mixing their down-home ease with the smooth stylings of their soul forefathers.

It must be a Southern thing; the beats and raps are casual and comfortable, but not to say that the groove isn't there. Much like Isaac Hayes' vocal sleekness, Outkast's Dre (Andre Benjamin) and Big Boi (Antwan Patton) finesse their way through the pumping beats of "Call Of The Wild" to the soulful croonings on their number one single, "Player's Ball," which topped the R&B charts for six weeks.

Produced by Organized Noize, an Atlanta-area production team, Outkast's debut simmers with a sense of world-weary restraint. From their choice to use the moniker Outkast, to the difficulties of avoiding oppression and the potential alienation of actually becoming a success, Outkast's debut shows definite potential for the Atlanta-area teenagers, and possible further success will bring satisfaction, not alienation.