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Speakerboxx / The Love Below (double album) (by Outkast, Rap)

common sense media says

Some good material, but not enough for double CD.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this CD is mostly about sex, and even the edited version is obvious and explicit. Though musically imaginative -- perhaps even groundbreaking -- it isn't a great album.

Positive messages: There are some confusing images of relationships.
Violence: A few violent references--nothing really awful.
Sex: Even the edited version is very explicit.
Language: It's very clear what's been edited out, of course, and there's an adorable toddler trying to pronounce "***erf***er--you get the idea.
Consumerism: This is anti-commercial, if anything.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: A couple of references, but sex is the whole deal on this CD.

More on Speakerboxx / The Love Below (double album)

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about whether CDs that deliver daring lyrics and a daring production style tend to be entertaining or annoying.

What's the story?

What's the story?
There's a lot to like on SPEAKERBOXX/THE LOVE BELOW, but not quite enough for a high-profile double CD. There's no cohesive link; the double CD really does sound like two separate albums that happened to be packaged together. The CD offers alternative family values galore: The singer's baby-mama leaves him. A toddler who can barely talk tries to say the "M-F" word, to his dad's great delight. There's lost love, found love, drunk love, and careless love, all poetically recounted in more graphic detail than we may really need. There are also some very creative (some might say visionary) musical moments and clever rhymes.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Although this CD contains some wonderful lyrics, terrific guest vocals, and excellent rhythm tracks, they are all marred by careless production and apparently hodgepodge sequencing. Andre and Big Boi deserve a lot of credit for daring to be musically different. But they often sacrifice artistry for weirdness, and one gets the feeling that they're throwing a lot of stuff at the wall, wondering what will stick.

Music themes & details

Music Details
Released on: September 23, 2003
Label: La Face
Genre: Rap
Parental advisory: Yes
Edited version available: Yes

This review was written by Kathi Kamen Goldmark
 
 

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What parents & educators say

12

Most useful reviews by all members

Jorde
adult
 
YEAHH!!!!
This album is very interesting and good. Its a blend between Dj,R&B,and Rap/Hip Hop. I really like it!!

denny2.0
teen, 17 years old
 
it's very coo!
I am a fifteen-year-old girl and i happen to think it's one of the greatest hip/hop albums of this centry.I think this is one of the best songs being that it was made in my favorite year.And im responicble enough to listen to it.

 
aaaaaaaaaaa 60+
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Stay away.

 
Another great OutKast album
OutKast once again delivers with great songwriting, deep lyrics, and the funk we've all come to expect from them. As you know, there are actually two CDs packaged in this bundle: Speakerboxxx, Big Boi's half, and The Love Below, Dre's half. Big Boi's Speakerboxxx is tried and true hip-hop formula that delivers with each track. Dre's half is an intriuging experimintation. He sings his heart out on songs like "Spread" "Roses" and probably the greatest radio single ever, "Hey Ya". He also raps with mesmerizing flow on many tracks. So, it's a good album. The content? Very sexually explicit especially on the song "Spread" which is about... well, I think you know. Not much violence except on "Tomb of the Boom" which features KONKRETE. The language can be pretty vulgar, F-bombs and other four letter words. So, my final verdict: Another great OutKast album, just not for kids.

 
A revolutionary Album in the Rap community.
This is most likely one of the best albums in the rap community and culture to have been produced. A revolutionary album from its great beats to its funkadelic sides, it's very musically diverse. It does discuss sex a lot, however not all of it is explicit. A lot of it is talking about love. A must have for any music lover.

 
Outkast's latest album "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below" is an enjoyable CD to listen to. When I first heard "Hey Ya!" I was dancin' 'till I couldn't dance nomore! The music videos were off the chain! I like the enthusiasm Big Boi and Andre put in their videos.

 
Pretty good
IT was okay. I have the edited versin and I mostly got just for Hey Ya!, The Way you move, and Roses (I got before we got iTunes) but I have listened to all the songs but there are a few inapropriate things.

kelelewa97
teen, 14 years old
 
Great!
My parents bought me this album for my sixth birthday! I haven't listened to it lately but I do remember that I loved it, and I didn't pick out any explicit messages in the lyrics at that age. I still love it and I don't see what all the fuss is about.

ZekeBender
teen, 15 years old
 
good for any age
I have been listening to this album since i was in first grade, and i can say that there is nothing wrong with it. In fact, i was listening to sublime when i was 4 years old, and theres nothing wrong with me. music doesnt harm a child, especially when they are over ten years old. by that point if you are withholding music from them, there is something wrong with you. Shame on you, consumer media for saying children (and teens) cant handle eminem, 50 cent, ludacris, or even outkast. outkast has been a favorite in my family ever since they hit the music scene.

jimbo13
adult
 
For teens or older
This is a great but it does have some explict content.

srs1981
adult
 
Good Hip Hop CD
Although some of the lyrics are questionable, the musical quality of this CD is excellent. Compared to most hip hop, the tracks on this CD are not that offensive or questionable.

 
Tight!
Andre and Big Boi do it again with singles like Roses, The Way You Move, Hey Ya! Spread, Prototype, and Tomb of The Boomb! Tight CD.

 
overall this is one of rap's better albums

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age