OutKast

Lyrics

[Verse 1: André 3000]
"Baby, did you hear that?" "Yeah, baby, I heard it too"
Look out the window, golly, the sky is electric blue
Mama Earth is dying and crying because of you
Raining cats and jackals, all shackles disintegrate to residue
Silly mortals haven't a clue as to what the fuck is going on
I'm on the telephone dialing the Dungeon ("Hello?")
This Dre, bring the MP and the SP
Meet me at the center of the Earth and travel carefully
Baby, grab the baby, cause baby, it ain't much time
Mama Earth is tossing and turning and that's a sign
Omega nigga I.F.O.s are landing in Decatur
Hope I'm not over your head, but if so you will catch on later
Played the track, guess she could not take it anymo'
Raping her heavenly body like a ho, coochie so'
From niggas constantly fucking her, never loving her
Never showing appreciation, busting nuts in her face when they done
"Who said good folks is not supposed to die?"

[Verse 2: Big Boi]
The sky is falling, nobody balling, they done gave back they guns
For some tickets to the playoffs, but the Hornets, they won
Nigga, we slum, kept all the guns, I gotta protect my family
I drove the biggest thing in the house cause I knew they'd try to ram me
But I'm stabbing, making a path on expressway the best way I know how
Look up in the sky, east, west, no clouds
Him coming now, fuck that money now
I ask my honey how she feeling and is Jordan okay? "Yeah, yeah, she chillin'"
We should be at The Dungeon shortly, ain't nobody on they porch, see?
Approaching the final exit, I'm thinking I see four horsies
But I don't though, nigga, you won't know until it's on ya
I put that on my dope boys from A-Town to California
All the weed smell like ammonia but at the Dungeon I know they're smoking
Writing the raps and doing the beats to make this last recording
Fuck abortion, I got in the booth to run the final portion
The beat was very dirty and the vocals had distortion
[Outro: André 3000]
"Who said good folks is not supposed to die?"
All's well, nothing's well
All's well, nothing's well
All's well, nothing's well
All's well, nothing's well
All's well, nothing's well
All's well, nothing's well
All's well, nothing's well
All's well, nothing's well
All's well, nothing's well

OutKast's Da Art of Storytellin' (Pt. 2) takes the storytelling element from the first part of the song and applies it to a Biblical apocalypse. This track details the love-and-lust tale in a storytelling format of a last-recorded-song, end-of-the-world scenario. André 3000 spoke on the theme of this track, stating that

"I do remember thinking, ‘What if it was the end of the world and we had to get to the Dungeon on some X-Men superhero shit.’ I think I was vibing on some end-of-the-world, last-recorded-song shit. Like I always wonder what’s the last song recorded in the world going to sound like?

We knew somebody had to be out here in the universe other than just us. So when I talked about IFOs ‘landing in Decatur,’ I knew some folks had already seen that shit: identified flying objects."

About Da Art of Storytellin’ (Pt. 2)

The second part of Da Art of Storytellin' is a continuation of the first part, with a shift in theme. The track is the fifth single taken from OutKast's critically acclaimed album, Aquemini, released in 1998, and it was later included in their greatest hits compilation album, Big Boi and Dre Present... Outkast, in 2001. The song features André 3000's verses and the chorus from Slick Rick's 1988 hit song, Children's Story.

Da Art of Storytellin' (Pt. 2) commences with futuristic sounds effects which set the tone for the apocalyptic scene. The song talks of the story of a couple that reunites amid the potential destruction of the world, with their moment of passion described in vivid detail. The couple takes shelter from the ensuing chaos in a bomb shelter. André 3000 then moves on to a notable verse where he describes his writing process, stating:

"I met a gypsy and she hipped me to some life game.

To stimulate then activate the left and right brain.

Said, 'Baby boy, you only funky as your last cut.'"

He continues with his verse, describing the apocalypse in vivid detail, stating that through the chaos, he can hear crying babies, and the sound of demons hunting for souls. André 3000 closes his verse with the idea that he'll continue to rhyme even if the world ends. The track ends with the sound of a record scratching, which hints that there may not be any more records produced after this point of devastation.

Da Art of Storytellin’ (Pt. 2) is a classic example of OutKast's storytelling abilities, with the descriptive lyrics taking the listener through a world-altering scenario. The sound effects in the song add to the apocalyptic atmosphere, while Slick Rick's chorus helps break up the verses and offers a change in pace. The song's structure is similar to that of a movie, with André 3000's rhymes acting as the narrator. This is an element present in other OutKast tracks, where the duo shifts between characters, but the overall theme remains consistent.

The lyrics from Da Art of Storytellin’ (Pt. 2) are a display of OutKast's artistic prowess in terms of their storytelling and hip-hop culture. André 3000 manages to rhyme about Biblical apocalypse in an instrumental track that features beats that are heavily influenced by jazz and funk, and Slick Rick's chorus adds a narrative effect that complements the song's storytelling element. The song's vivid lyrics create an immersive experience for the listener, allowing them to imagine being in the same world that André 3000 describes, from crying babies to the sound of demons, ultimately painting a picture of a world on the verge of destruction.

Da Art of Storytellin’ (Pt. 2) remains one of the most iconic songs from OutKast, showing how the duo took storytelling in hip-hop to new heights with their unconventional and unmatched style. The song attests to the artistic value that the duo brought to the genre, and even today, over two decades since its release, Da Art of Storytellin’ (Pt. 2) stands as an influential song that has inspired contemporary hip-hop music.

• Release Date: September 29, 1998
• Artist: OutKast