Barnes & Noble
During the mid to late '90s, Atlanta's Outkast represented the Dirty South lovely with a blend of gritty Southern soul, fluid raps, and the rolling G-funk of their Organized Noize production crew. In 1994, Dre and Big Boi hit number one on the rap charts with their first single, "Player's Ball," and subsequently embarked on a run of platinum albums spiked with several hit singles. It wasn't until 2001's multi-platinum Stankonia, however, that the duo broke on through to the crossover side. So what better way to celebrate their success and get neophyte fans up to speed than with a greatest hits package containing early, groundbreaking singles such as "Elevators," "Rosa Parks," and "ATLiens," as well as a remix of Stankonia's mega-hit, "So Fresh, So Clean. Hip-hop doesn't get more Southernplayalistic than this.
Tracy E. Hopkins
All Music Guide
OutKast's first hits compilation comes at the perfect time; after gaining millions of new fans (more of a whole different demographic) with the crossover hit Stankonia, Dré and Big Boi delivered a tight summation of their decade-long career for listeners whose familiarity grows hazy before the duo hit with "Ms. Jackson" and "B.O.B." OutKast has been doing great work since their fully formed debut with 1993's "Player's Ball," and their singles hold up well. Those looking for positivity and emotion on the level of "Ms. Jackson" will find it (wrapped in great productions) on "Rosa Parks" and "Git up, Git Out." The down-tempo "Elevators (Me & You)" is an OutKast history-in-miniature, while two excellent tracks from their debut -- "Ain't No Thang" and "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik" -- introduced the group's formula of syrupy G-funk and intricate, slang-heavy rapping. Also included are three new tracks: the brass-heavy "Funkin' Around," a P-Funk pastiche named "The Whole World," and the jazz-club jam "Movin' Cool (The After Party)." John Bush
Billboard
Featuring songs from its four previous albums (Southernplayalisticadallacmuzik, ATLiens, Aquemini, and Stankonia), Big Boi & Dre Present wonderfully highlights the group's evolution into musical pioneers. Rashaun Hall