Name	Outkast
Background	group_or_band
Origin	Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Genre	Hip hop, alternative hip hop
Years active	1992–present
Label	LaFace, Arista, Sony Music
Associated acts	Dungeon Family, Organized Noize, Mr. DJ, Busta Rhymes, Gwen Stefani, Goodie Mob, Sleepy Brown, Janelle Monae, Raekwon, George Clinton
Website
Current members	Big BoiAndre 3000 }}

Outkast (stylized as OutKast) is an American hip hop duo based in East Point, Georgia, consisting of Atlanta native André "André 3000" Benjamin (formerly known as Dré) and Savannah, Georgia-born Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. They were originally known as Two Shades Deep but later changed the group's name to OutKast. The group's original musical style was a mixture of Dirty South and G-funk. Since then, however, funk, soul, rock, electronic music, spoken word poetry, jazz and blues elements have been added to the group's musical palette.

The duo is one of the most successful hip-hop groups of all time, having received six Grammy Awards. Over 25 million copies have been sold of OutKast's eight releases: five studio albums, a greatest hits release, and the Grammy Award-winning (for Album of the Year) ''Speakerboxxx/The Love Below'', a double album containing a solo album from each member. Along with their commercial success, OutKast has maintained an experimental approach in their music and are widely praised for their originality and artistic content.

History

Pre-debut (1992-1993)

Benjamin and Patton met while attending Tri-Cities High School, a Visual and Performing Arts School. Benjamin's parents were divorced and he was living with his father. Meanwhile, Patton had to move with his four brothers and six sisters from Savannah to Atlanta. Benjamin and Patton eventually teamed up and were pursued by Organized Noize, a group of local producers who would later make hits for TLC. The duo initially wanted to be called "2 Shades Deep" or "The Misfits", but because those names were already taken they later decided to use "OutKast" based on finding "outcast" as synonym for "misfit" in a dictionary. OutKast, Organized Noize, and schoolmates Goodie Mob formed the nucleus of the Dungeon Family organization.

OutKast signed to LaFace Records in 1992, becoming the label's first hip hop act and making their first appearance on the remix of labelmate TLC's "What About Your Friends". During the holiday season of 1993, they released their first single, "Player's Ball". The song's funky style, much of it accomplished with live instrumentation, was a hit with audiences. "Player's Ball" hit number-one on the ''Billboard'' Hot Rap Tracks chart.

''Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik'' (1994-1995)

Their debut album, ''Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik'', was issued on April 26, 1994. This initial effort is credited with laying the foundation for southern hip hop and is considered a classic by many. Every track on Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik was produced by Organized Noize and featured other members of the Dungeon Family. Follow-up singles included the title track and "Git Up Git Out", a politically charged collaboration with Goodie Mob that was later sampled by Macy Gray for her 1999 hit "Do Something." On this early material, both André and Big Boi contrast lyrical content reflecting the lifestyles of pimps and gangsters with politically conscious material commenting on the status of African Americans in the South. OutKast won Best New Rap Group at the Source Awards in 1995. In the same year, the group contributed "Benz or a Beamer" to the popular New Jersey Drive soundtrack.

''ATLiens'' (1996-1997)

''ATLiens'' was OutKast's second album, released on August 27, 1996. The album exhibited more self-consciousness, and further solidified OutKast as the flagship representatives of the 1st generation Dungeon Family and the Southern hip hop movement. The album helped the group earn more recognition among East Coast hip hop fans in the East and West coasts.

For this album, OutKast joined with partner David "Mr. DJ" Sheats to form the Earthtone III production company, which allowed the group to produce some of their own tracks. "ATLiens" was the group's second Top 40 single (following "Player's Ball" from their first album), and reflected the beginning of André's increasingly sober lifestyle: "No drugs or alcohol/so I can get the signal clear," he rhymes about himself in the single "ATLiens"

''Aquemini'' (1998-1999)

OutKast's third album ''Aquemini'' was released on September 29, 1998 and also reached the number-two position on the Billboard 200 album chart in the United States; its title was a combination of the zodiac signs of Big Boi (an Aquarius) and André (a Gemini). The album was widely praised as possibly the group's best material to date: when reviewed by popular hip-hop publication ''The Source'', it received the much-coveted "5 Mics" (out of five) rating.

Producing more material themselves, both Big Boi and André explored more eclectic subject matter, delving into sounds inspired by soul, trip hop, and electro music. The album featured production by Organized Noize and collaborations with Raekwon, Slick Rick, funk pioneer and musical forebear George Clinton, and Goodie Mob.

In 1999, OutKast and LaFace Records were sued by Rosa Parks over the album's most successful radio single, which bore Parks' name as its title. The lawsuit alleged that the song misappropriated Parks' name, and also objected to some of the song's obscene language.

The song's lyrics were largely unrelated to Parks, save for a line in the chorus: "Ah ha, hush that fuss / Everybody move to the back of the bus". The song, which OutKast maintained was intended partly as homage, only refers to Parks as a metaphor: the purpose of the song's chorus is to imply that OutKast is overturning hip hop's old order, that people should make way for a new style and sound. The initial lawsuit was dismissed. Parks' representation hired lawyer Johnnie Cochran to appeal the decision in 2001, but the appeal was denied on First Amendment grounds. In 2003, the Supreme Court turned down an appeal to overrule the lower court's decision.

In 2004, the judge in the case appointed an impartial representative for Parks after her family expressed concerns that her caretakers and her lawyers were pursuing the case based on their own financial interest. Later that same year, the members of OutKast were dropped as co-defendants, and Parks' lawyers continued to seek action against LaFace and parent company BMG. In 2003 André told UK journalist Angus Batey that, following a Detroit concert in the midst of the legal battle, relatives of Parks had approached him and implied that the case was less to do with Rosa than with the lawyers. The suit was finally settled on April 14, 2005, with neither OutKast nor their label having to admit any wrongdoing. The group did, however, have to agree to perform some sort of tribute to Parks: as of August 2006, the nature of this tribute had not been decided, and OutKast had not completed it.

''Stankonia'' (2000-2001)

Originally titled 'Sandbox', the pair's fourth album, ''Stankonia'' was released in October 2000 to excellent reviews. The album was seen as a change in the group's musical style, as it had a more commercial and mainstream appeal, compared to their previous three albums which were darker and deeper. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 in the U.S., and would eventually be certified quadruple-platinum. ''Stankonia's'' first single was "B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad)", a high-tempo jungle-influenced record. The second single, "Ms. Jackson", combined a pop hook with lyrics about divorce and relationship breakups, particularly André's breakup with singer Erykah Badu; the titular "Ms. Jackson" character being a doppelgänger for Badu's mother. It was at this time that André changed his stage name to the current "André 3000".

The single became their first pop hit, landing the number-one position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and the number-two position on the UK Singles Chart. The album's final single was the Organized Noize-produced "So Fresh, So Clean", featuring a credited guest appearance from regular guest vocalist and Organized Noize-member Sleepy Brown and garnered a remix featuring Snoop Dogg. All three singles' videos had heavy MTV2 airplay, and OutKast won two 2001 Grammy Awards, one for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Ms. Jackson", and another for ''Stankonia'' as Best Rap Album.

During the recording of ''Stankonia'' OutKast and Mr. DJ began producing tracks for the artists on their Aquemini Records imprint through Columbia, including Slimm Cutta Calhoun and Killer Mike, who made his debut on ''Stankonia's'' "Snappin' & Trappin."

Pitchforkmedia.com named Stankonia the 4th greatest album released between 2000 and 2004 in its 2005 feature. Later on the webzine selected Stankonia as the 13th best album of the 2000s. And B.O.B. was chosen number one song of the decade by this same webzine.

''Even in Darkness'' and ''Greatest Hits'' (2001-2002)

In December 2001, OutKast released a greatest hits album, ''Big Boi and Dre Present...OutKast'', which also contained three new tracks. One of these new tracks was the single "The Whole World," which won a 2002 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Killer Mike also was featured on the song, gaining some exposure among areas outside of his native Atlanta. The other two new songs were called "Funkin' Around" and "Movin' Cool (The After Party)".

The same year OutKast participated in the only Dungeon Family group album, ''Even in Darkness'', along with Goodie Mob, Killer Mike, Sleepy Brown, Witchdoctor, and Backbone among others, and featuring Bubba Sparxxx, Shuga Luv and Mello. In 2002, the group and Killer Mike contributed the lead single "Land of a Million Drums" to the ''Scooby-Doo'' soundtrack.

''Speakerboxxx/The Love Below'' (2003-2004)

In September 2003, OutKast released a double album, ''Speakerboxxx/The Love Below''. It is essentially two solo albums, one by each member, packaged as a single release under the OutKast banner; the two members also appear on each others' discs for a few songs apiece. Big Boi's ''Speakerboxxx'' is largely a funk and Dirty South blended party record; André 3000's ''The Love Below'' features only brief instances of hip hop, presenting instead elements found in funk, jazz, rock, electronic music, and R&B;.

The album is also OutKast's biggest commercial success yet, having debuted on the Billboard 200 albums chart at number-one and stayed there for several weeks. The album eventually sold over five million copies, and, as double-album sales count double for Recording Industry Association of America certification, the album was certified diamond for 10 million units shipped in December 2004. Its latest certification, in May 2006, reaches 11 million copies in shipping.

The first two singles from the album(s), which were released nearly simultaneously, were Big Boi's "The Way You Move" and André 3000's "Hey Ya!" The video for "Hey Ya!" is based on The Beatles' landmark appearance on ''The Ed Sullivan Show''. The video's storyline has "The Love Below"—a fictional band with all members, through the use of special effects, played by André—performing in London. "Hey Ya!" was the number one song on the very final weekend of ''American Top 40 with Casey Kasem''. It was also number one a week later on the very first weekend of American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest. The singles spent ten weeks at number one on the Hot 100 singles chart, with "Hey Ya!" spending nine weeks and "The Way You Move" taking over for one week in February 2004. These singles were seen as a breakthrough for the hip-hop industry, being among the first hip-hop songs to be widely played on adult contemporary radio stations.

OutKast's next official single was not released until the summer of 2004. "Roses", a track featuring both members from ''The Love Below'' half of the album, did not meet the level of success as either of its predecessors, but it became a modest-sized hit on urban radio and the American music video networks. The video for "Roses" is loosely based on the musicals ''West Side Story'' and ''Grease''. It featured sparring 1950s-style gangs, one representing Speakerboxxx, and one representing The Love Below, parodying the widespread arguing among critics and fans as to which half of the album was better. The final singles were André 3000's "Prototype", which was paired with a science fiction-themed video about alien visitors, and ''Speakerboxxx's'' "Ghettomusick", which featured both members of OutKast and a sample from a song by Patti LaBelle, who also makes an appearance in the video.

''Speakerboxxx/The Love Below'' won the Grammy Award for the 2004 Album of the Year, becoming the first album consisting solely of hip-hop to receive the honor (''The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'' by Lauryn Hill won best album in 1999 but was predominantly an R&B; album). OutKast was one of the headlining acts at the show, and gave two performances: Big Boi and Andre performed "The Way You Move" with Earth, Wind & Fire during a medley with George Clinton & P-Funk and Robert Randolph and the Family Band, while André 3000 performed "Hey Ya!" as the show closed.

''Idlewild'' (2005-2006)

Between OutKast albums, Big Boi and André 3000 ventured into film projects. André co-starred in John Singleton's action film ''Four Brothers'' and also had a part in ''Be Cool'', while Big Boi took a featured role in the T.I. movie ''ATL'' and a lead role in the film ''Who's Your Caddy?'' directed by Don Michael Paul. Both members also began working on a joint film, ''Idlewild'', directed by OutKast music video director Bryan Barber. ''Idlewild'', a Prohibition-era musical film set to a blues-influenced hip-hop soundtrack, was released on August 25, 2006 by Universal Pictures. The Idlewild soundtrack was released August 22, 2006. Its lead single, "Mighty 'O'", features both OutKast members, and was briefly played exclusively on local Atlanta radio stations before being issued as a single in May 2006. They released and shot the video for "Morris Brown" instead. A video for "Idlewild Blue (Don'tchu Worry 'Bout Me)" soon followed.

2007-Present

Since the release of ''Idlewild'', the two members of OutKast have had multiple guest spots on other artists' songs, together and separately, with Andre 3000 returning to primarily rapping. In 2010, after three years of delays and setbacks, Big Boi released his solo debut, ''Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty'' to critical acclaim and modest commercial success. Although Andre 3000 produced the track "You Ain't No DJ," he did not appear on the album because of conflicts between Island/Def Jam, Big Boi's new label, and Sony Music, which OutKast is signed to.

It is rumored that Big Boi's second solo album, ''Daddy Fat Sax: Soul Funk Crusader'', along with Andre 3000's solo debut, will be released in late 2011, along with a new OutKast record coming out at some point in 2012.

On August 7, 2011, Big Boi was arrested in Miami for illegal possession of ecstasy, Viagra, and drug paraphernalia with intent to use.

Discography

''Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik'' (1994)

''ATLiens'' (1996)

''Aquemini'' (1998)

''Stankonia'' (2000)

''Speakerboxxx/The Love Below'' (2003)

''Idlewild'' (2006)

''7th Studio Album'' (2012)

Awards

Grammy Awards

Wins

Year	Category	Title

Nominations

Year	Category	Title
		style="text-align:left;"

References

External links

OutKast's Big Boi Exclusive Radio Interview

Category:American hip hop groups Category:Rappers from Atlanta, Georgia Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Musical groups from Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Musical duos Category:Dungeon Family Category:Southern hip hop Category:Southern hip hop musicians Category:Crunk Category:World Music Awards winners

cs:OutKast da:OutKast de:OutKast es:Outkast fr:OutKast ko:아웃캐스트 hr:Outkast id:OutKast it:OutKast he:אאוטקאסט ka:Outkast sw:Outkast lt:OutKast nl:OutKast ja:アウトキャスト no:OutKast pl:OutKast pt:OutKast ru:OutKast sk:OutKast sr:Ауткаст fi:OutKast sv:OutKast ta:ஔட்கேஸ்ட் th:เอาต์แคสต์ tr:OutKast

Name	Killer Mike
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Michael Render
Alias	Killa Kill, Mike Bigga
Birth date	April 20, 1975
Origin	Atlanta, Georgia
Genre	Hip hop
Occupation	rapper
Years active	2000–present
Label	Grind Time Official/SMC/Grand Hustle
Associated acts	OutKast, T.I., Big Kuntry King, Young Jeezy
Website	}}

Michael Render (born April 20, 1975), better known by his stage name Killer Mike, is an American rapper, signed to Grind Time Official through the SMC/Fontana Distribution. He made his debut on "Snappin' and Trappin'" on OutKast's 2000 LP ''Stankonia'', and also appeared on the Grammy-winning song, "The Whole World", the single from OutKast's greatest hits album ''Big Boi and Dre Present...OutKast''. He was featured in the movies ''20 Funerals'', ''Idlewild'', and ''ATL''.

Career

Killer Mike released his debut album, ''Monster'', in 2003. The album's lead single was "Akshon (Yeah!)", it featured OutKast on guest vocals, and was included on the soundtrack to the 2004 version of EA Sports popular video game Madden NFL. He even made a Madden '04 remix of "Akshon (Yeah!)" for the game. The album's second single was "A.D.I.D.A.S.", featuring Big Boi and Sleepy Brown, which peaked at #60 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is Killer Mike's highest charting single to date as a lead artist. The song's title was an acronym for "All day I dream about sex". Following the release of his own material, he appeared on "Flip Flop Rock" and "Bust" on the ''Speakerboxx'' half of ''Speakerboxxx/The Love Below''. He also appeared on "Southern Takeover" with Pastor Troy on Chamillionaire's CD The Sound of Revenge. His second album "Ghetto Extraordinary" has had its release date pushed back several times due to disputes between Big Boi and Sony Records.

Killer Mike has also performed as a voice actor. He played a rapper/actor, turned President of the United States, named Taqu'il in the Adult Swim cartoon ''Frisky Dingo''. According to an article published in the June 2007 issue of XXL, Killer Mike addressed why he left the Purple Ribbon roster. He stated that he felt as if Purple Ribbon was the equivalent to the "Clippers," while he wanted to join the "Lakers."

Days after T.I. addressed the rumor and confirmed that he and Killer Mike had been in talks about bringing Mike to his Grand Hustle imprint on Atlantic, Killer Mike confirmed to HipHopDX.com that he signed.

Discography

Albums

{|class="wikitable" !rowspan="2"|Year !rowspan="2"|Title !colspan="4"|Chart positions |- !width="40"|US !width="40"|US R&B; !width="40"|US Rap !width="40"|US Independent |- |2003 |''Monster''

Released: March 11, 2003

Label: Columbia Records

|align="center"|10 |align="center"|4 |align="center"|* |align="center"|— |- |2006 |''I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind''

Released: November 21, 2006

Label: Grind Time Official

|align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |- |2008 |''I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II''

Released: July 8, 2008

Label: Grind Time Official, SMC Recordings

|align="center"|178 |align="center"|17 |align="center"|9 |align="center"|29 |- |2009 |''Underground Atlanta''

Released: August 31, 2009

Label: Grind Time Official, SMC Recordings

|align="center"|— |align="center"|34 |align="center"|10 |align="center"|— |- |2011 |''PL3DGE'' Released: May 17, 2011

Label: Grind Time Official, SMC Recordings, Grand Hustle Records

|align="center"|115 |align="center"|23 |align="center"|12 |align="center"|20 |- |2011 |''R.A.P. (Rebellious African People) Music''

Released: TBA

Label: Grind Time Official, Adult Swim, Grand Hustle Records

| align="center" colspan="4"| To be released |- |}

Singles

{|class="wikitable" ! rowspan="2"|Year ! rowspan="2"|Song ! colspan="3"|Chart positions !rowspan="2"|Album |- !width="40"|U.S. !width="40"|U.S. R&B; !width="40"|U.S. Rap |- |align="center" rowspan=1|2002 | "Akshon (Yeah!)" (featuring Outkast) |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |rowspan=2|''Monster'' |- |align="center" rowspan=1|2003 | "A.D.I.D.A.S." (featuring Big Boi & Sleepy Brown) |align="center"|60 |align="center"|42 |align="center"|20 |- |align="center" rowspan=3|2005 | "Get 'Em Shawty" (featuring Three 6 Mafia) |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |rowspan=2|non-album single |- | "My Chrome" (featuring Big Boi) |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |- | "Body Rock" |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |rowspan=1|''Got Purp? Vol. 2'' |- |align="center" rowspan=1|2006 | "That's Life" |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |rowspan=1|''I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind'' |- |align="center" rowspan=1|2008 | "2 Sides" (featuring Shawty Lo) |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |rowspan=1|''I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II'' |- |align="center" rowspan=1|2009 | "Imma Fool Wit It" (featuring Big Kuntry King) |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |rowspan=1|''Underground Atlanta'' |- |align="center" rowspan=1|2010 | "Ready Set Go" (featuring T.I.) |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |rowspan=1|''PL3DGE'' |- |}

Mixtapes

Bang x3 available for free download (2011)

The Killer hosted by DJ Sense (2006)

Trackstar the DJ & The Smoking Section present Anger & Ambition: The Best of Killer Mike (2009)

Guest Appearances

Chiddy Bang - Neighborhood (featuring Killer Mike)

DJ Clue - "Funkanella" (OutKast, Killer Mike, and Slimm Calhoun)

AK of (P$C) - "Razor Chop" (featuring Killer Mike) (prod. by Ribah)

DarkBrown & Dru - "Ridin' Chevy's" (featuring Killer Mike)

Purple Ribbon All-Stars - "Kryptonite (I'm On It)" (featuring Big Boi, Blackowned C-Bone, Killer Mike, and Rock D)

Purple Ribbon All-Stars - "Body Rock" (featuring Lil' Co, Killer Mike, and Donkey Boy)

Purple Ribbon All-Stars - "My Chrome" (featuring Big Boi & Killer Mike)

Purple Ribbon All-Stars - "Claremont Lounge" (featuring Bubba Sparxx, Killer Mike, and Cool Breeze)

Purple Ribbon All-Stars - "Ain't No Love" (Killer Mike freestyle)

Purple Ribbon All-Stars - "Kryptonite (Remix)" (featuring Big Boi, Lil Wayne, Bubba Sparxxx, Remy Ma, Busta Rhymes, & Killer Mike)

Bone Crusher - "It's On" (featuring Killer Mike & Trick Daddy)

Bone Crusher - "Never Scared" (featuring Killer Mike & T.I.)

Bubba Sparxxx - "Miss New Booty (Remix)" (featuring Big Boi & Killer Mike)

Bubba Sparxxx - "Sinners" (feauring Killer Mike, Bone Crusher & David Banner)

Kool G Rap - "Real OGs" - (Featuring Killer Mike & Bun B)

Jay-Z - "Poppin' Tags" (featuring Big Boi, Killer Mike & Twista)

Chamillionaire - "Southern Takeover" (featuring Pastor Troy & Killer Mike)

Talib Kweli - "Tryin' to Breathe" (featuring Midi Mafia & Killer Mike)

Lil' Jon - "Back Off Now" (featuring Killer Mike & Papa Roach)

Lil' Jon - "Da Jump Off" (featuring Killer Mike & 404 Soldierz)

8 Ball & MJG - "Runnin Out of Bud" (featuring Killer Mike)

Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters Colon the Soundtrack - "Blam Blam"

Jagged Edge - "Pour Out A Little Liquor" (featuring Killer Mike & Sosa)

Paul Wall - "Dat's What Dat Is" (featuring Bun B, Killer Mike & H.A.W.K.)

Youngbloodz - "Hustle" (featuring Killer Mike)

Gucci Mane - "Black Tee (Remix)" (featuring Killer Mike, Jody Breeze, Bun B, Lil Scrappy, & Young Jeezy)

No Doubt - "Hey Baby (Remix)" (featuring Outkast & Killer Mike)

Ying Yang Twins - "What The F***!" (featuring Killer Mike & Bone Crusher)

Ras Kass - "Put Ya Glass Out" (featuring Killer Mike)

Lil Flip - "We Ain't Playin" (featuring Killer Mike, Baby D, & Pastor Troy)

Da Backwudz - "Gettin 2 It"

DJ Kay Slay - "Coast 2 Coast Gangstas" (featuring Sauce Money, Killer Mike, Bun B, WC, Joe Budden & Hak Ditty)

Roccett - "LA 2 ATL" (featuring Killer Mike)

BPT - "Dragon Ballin" (featuring Killer Mike)

Balboa - "Hard" (featuring Akon, Killer Mike & Jody Breeze)

Kavious - "In The Yo" (featuring Killer Mike)

M.O.P. - "Push Back" (featuring Killer Mike)

Young Buck - "Welcome To The South (Remix)" (featuring Bun B, Killer Mike & David Banner)

Stat Quo - "More Problems" (featuring Killer Mike)

Big Boi - "Oh No" (featuring Killer Mike & Bubba Sparxxx)

SL Jones - "Superhead" (featuring Killer Mike, Gangsta Boo & Nario)

Sly & The Family Stone - "Runnin Away" (featuring Big Boi, Killer Mike & Sleepy Brown)

Trina - "Look Back At Me" (featuring Killer Mike)

Bun B- "Some Hoes" (featuring Chino XL, Killer Mike & Bulletproof)

Rehab - "Sleeping Giant" (Feat. Killer Mike)

Chamillionaire - "Never" (Killer Mike Freestyle from Mixtape Messiah 4)

Bobby Ray - "Say What You Want" (featuring Playboy Tre from B.o.B vs Bobby Ray Mixtape)

Cunninlynguists - "Georgia (Remix)" (Feat. Killer Mike & Khujo Goodie)

XV - "May The Force Be With You" (Feat. Killer Mike & Mac Miller) Prod by Seven

References

External links

Category:African American rappers Category:Atlantic Records artists Category:Dungeon Family Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Living people Category:Rappers from Atlanta, Georgia Category:1975 births

ca:Killer Mike de:Killer Mike es:Killer Mike

Name	John Reed
Birth date	February 07, 1969
Birth place	TriBeCa, New York City
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Columbia University
Occupation	novelist
Website	''http://www.johnreed.tv''

John Reed (born February 7, 1969) is an American novelist. He is the author of four novels: ''A Still Small Voice'' (2000), ''Snowball's Chance'' (2002) with a preface by Alexander Cockburn, ''The Whole'' (2005), and ''All the World's a Grave: A New Play by William Shakespeare'' (2008). His fifth book, ''Tales of Woe'' (2010), is a collection of twenty-five stories, chronicling true stories of abject misery.

Biography

Born in 1969 in New York City, Reed is the son of artist David Reed and Judy Rifka. He attended Hampshire College, and received a Masters in Fine Art in Creative Writing from Columbia University. He teaches at The New School.

Reed was an early contributor to, and subsequently an editor with, ''Open City'', a New York literary journal published by Robert Bingham, who later founded the book series.

Works

thumb|left|Reed in Brooklyn reading from his non-fiction ''Tales of Woe'', at the [[MTV|MTV Press/Brooklyn Rail launch party.]]He is affiliated with the ''New York Press'' and ''The Brooklyn Rail''. "Americans are extremely sophisticated in terms of narrative forms," said Reed in an interview. "We see it in commercials, we see it on TV, we see it in movies. But the narrative forms we're talking about are three acts, five acts, depending on how you want to look at it. They're all based on a Christian model of sin, suffering, redemption; which is not a large model."

A Still Small Voice

''A Still Small Voice'' (Delacorte 2000, Delta 2001), Reed’s first novel, is a historical novel based on the life of a girl growing up in Kentucky from 1850-1870.

Snowball's Chance

''Snowball's Chance'' (Roof Books 2002/2003), Reed’s second novel was a controversial send-up of George Orwell’s ''Animal Farm'', and ended in a cataclysmic attack on the “Twin Mills” (reminiscent of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center). It became a bestseller in the field of books by independent literary publishers.

The Whole, or, Duh Whole

''The Whole'', Reed’s third novel, parodied MTV and was released in 2005 by MTV Books (Simon & Schuster). The novel described a gigantic hole that appears in the middle of the country, which engulfs four states.

All the World's a Grave

Reed, in a new work, returns to the overhaul of canonical English writers in ''All the World's a Grave'', fall 2008, Penguin Books. The work, subtitled "''A New Play by William Shakespeare''", is a tragedy in five acts, a "mash-up" constructed of lines drawn from five Shakespeare tragedies and one Shakespeare history; Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, Othello, Romeo & Juliet and Henry V. In the "literary trick" (as described by Page Six of The New York Post) Shakespeare's lines are rearranged into a wholly new story, in which Prince Hamlet of Denmark goes to war to claim his bride and the daughter of King Lear, Juliet. Upon a triumphant return home, Hamlet discovers that his mother has murdered his father, and married Macbeth. Visited by his father's ghost, and goaded by the opportunistic Lieutenant Iago, Hamlet is driven mad by the erroneous belief that Juliet is having an affair with General Romeo.

References

External links

John Reed's website

All the World's a Grave'', book website.

Kill the beavers!, ''The Daily Telegraph'', November 22, 2002.

John Reed: Saint George and the Damn Truth, ''Moby Lives'', Nove,ber 10, 2003.

John Reed: The Whole, an excerpt, ''Brooklyn Rail'', January 2005.

Dinitia Smith: A Pig Returns to the Farm, Thumbing His Snout at Orwell, ''The New York Times'', November 25, 2002.

Cathy Young: Blaming the Victim, ''Reason.com'', December 3, 2002.

Andrea Scrima: Review of Tales of Woe, Rumpus, November 16, 2010.

Interview with Arthur Phillips on rewriting Shakespeare

Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:American novelists Category:American humorists Category:Writers from New York Category:Hampshire College alumni Category:Columbia University alumni Category:George Orwell Category:The New School faculty

Cool Breeze is a 1st generation Dungeon Family artist, and creator of the hip hop term, and subsequent song "Dirty South". The song is featured on Goodie Mob's 1995 debut LP ''Soul Food'', and the term has become the unofficial name for describing the hip-hop nation's southern US region. Cool Breeze has appeared on many Dungeon Family albums, and has appeared on songs with other artists such as Kurupt, Rick Ross, Lee Majors, Nivea & Eightball. He released his debut solo LP, ''East Point's Greatest Hits'' in 1999.

In 2001, he joined up with two rappers from a group called Sniper Unit and became known as Freddie Calhoun. The name 'Calhoun' derives from the street in the East Washingotn Neighborhood of East Point, GA, Calhoun Avenue. Calhoun Avenue runs through Martel Homes and to surrounding outside streets. Cool Breeze makes references to Calhoun Avenue, Martel Homes, O.J. Hurd Homes, Cleveland Avenue, Washington Road, Stone Road, and other known East Point, GA locations throughout his rhymes.

Discography

Albums

''East Point's Greatest Hits''

''Made in the Dirdy South'' (As The Calhouns)

Singles

"Cre-A-Tine" (From East Point's Greatest Hits)

"Watch For The Hook" (From East Point's Greatest Hits) features Outkast and Goodie Mob

"Decatur Psalm" (From ATLiens, Outkast)

"Angelic Wars" (From Set It Off Soundtrack)

"Gangsta Partna" (From Hoodlum (soundtrack))

"Dirty South" (From Soul Food, Goodie Mob)

Filmography

''Mystery Men''

References

External links

Cool Breeze's Official Myspace

Category:Dungeon Family Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people

es:Cool Breeze