Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (LaFace, 2003) by Outkast

This album was a big risk, but the big risk resulted in an equally large reward.  The double album, which finds one album from Big Boi and the other from Andre 3000, covering a lot of territory.  Big Boi keeps Outkast's momentum going for Southern Hip-Hop while Andre explores things outside the realm of Hip-Hop.  The only criticism I have of the album is that Andre 3000 doesn't rap on it, and that's a real bummer because he's one of the best rappers ever.

Aquemini (LaFace, 1998) by Outkast

This is a perfect album.  Everything about this album is flawless.  The production, the lyrics, the sequencing, the features.  All of Outkast's stuff is great, but this one was a game changer.  On their debut, they were teenagers.  On ATLiens, their differences started to show.  But on Aquemini, the perfect balance was found.  Big Boi became a phenomenal emcee and Andre 3000 proved that there wasn't anything he couldn't do.  "Rosa Parks", especially with that breakdown in the middle of the song, is one of rap's greatest singles. Raekwon is awesome on "Skew It on the Bar-B" and that is one of my al-time favorite Organized Noize beats.  Multiple epics like "Liberation" and "SpottieOttieDopaliscious" (clocking in at over eight minutes and seven minutes respectively) sit comfortably on an album that received critical and commercial acclaim.  It's a damn near impossible feat, but Outkast did it.  Therefore proving, once again, that these guys were ahead of their time.  This isn't just a classic rap album, it's a classic music album- regardless of genre.

Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik (LaFace, 1994) by Outkast

One of the things that make this album so incredible, in addition to Andre 3000 and Big Boi's outstanding rapping ability, is that Organized Noize used more live instrumentation.  And to complement the superior production, the ATLiens kick rhymes that are wise beyond their teenage years.  "Git Up, Git Out" discourages drug use, "Crumblin' Erb" addresses violence, and "Player's Ball" explains how, because of poverty, Christmas is just like every other day in the ghetto.  If anyone questioned the validity of Andre 3000's statement, "The South got something to say," all they'd have to do is listen to this album and they would be a believer.  The Source gave the album 4.5 Mics out of 5.  I respectfully disagree; I would have given it 5.