“So Fresh, So Clean” – Outkast
(Words/music: André Benjamin, Antwan Patton, and David Sheats, available on Stankonia, LaFace 2000)
At the end of the track, Andre 3000 declares himself and Big Boi as “the coolest motherfunkers on the planet,” and nearly a decade later, it’s hard to argue against. “So Fresh, So Clean” in particular gives off an air of effortless cool, from the light ticking of the hi-hat to the restrained wah-wah guitar gently giving the right touch of funk. Even the pairing of Sleepy Jackson’s smooth hook vocals with a deep low harmony gives the track the perfect laid back vibe for Dre and Boi to do their cool thing.
They do hit the major requirements for the hip-hop slow jam – they name drop soul singers, boast about their swagger, and vividly detail what they would like to do to their lady friends. Of course, Outkast’s brand of “cool” isn’t standard issue – Big Boi drops references to patty melts and milkshakes in the midst of name-checking classic soul singers and later promises to “lick you like a lizard when I’m slizzard.” Andre 3000 starts by complimenting his baby’s big eyes immediately followed by the declaration that she’s “malnutritioned.” This leads up to his plea for her to stop being shy by calling her “so Anne Frank.” In the hands of virtually any other MC, these lines are creepy at best and laughable at worst; however, Outkast made a career out of their surreally tinted world view. Ultimately, it’s a tribute to their coolness – only a group with enough confidence to openly indulge in these unfiltered free associations could even dream of delivering them with any success. After all, confidence is contagious, and if Outkast is sick, I hope they never get well.
More on Outkast: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm
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