This October marks the 25th anniversary of one of hip-hop’s most important releases - one that not only elevated two rappers into the mainstream consciousness, but would also provide a blueprint for aspiring artists in the future.
‘Stankonia’ by Southern Rap group OutKast was their fourth studio effort and would become one of their biggest successes upon release. The album earned the Best Rap Album award at the 44th GRAMMY Awards, was also nominated for Album of the Year, peaked at number two on the US Billboard 200, and has gone on to sell over 5 million copies, becoming certified 5x Platinum.
Propelled by three singles, ‘B.O.B’ and ‘So Fresh, So Clean,’ it would be the emotional ode to the mother of Erykah Badu, ‘Ms. Jackson,’ which would elicit huge commercial success, becoming the duo’s first single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and earned them another Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.
Such has been the huge success and cultural impact the album has, as it waved the flag for Southern hip-hop at a time when its rise was controversially described by some, including Nas, as the 'death knell' of the hip-hop scene, that several contemporary artists have namechecked the work, and the duo, as profound influences on not only their sound but their aesthetic too.
Here are 15 acts who, along with ourselves, will no doubt be celebrating the anniversary of one of Southern Hip Hop’s most important albums.

13. Wiz Khalifa
Khalifa has spoken about the impact of OutKast's albums, including Stankonia, on his own musical journey, particularly their ability to create a distinctive, self-contained world and sound. | Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Stagecoach

14. Pharrell Williams
A frequent collaborator with OutKast, Williams has praised their creativity and fearlessness in pushing sonic boundaries. The funk and futuristic sounds of Stankonia are a clear inspiration for the Neptunes' own production style. | EMMA DA SILVA/AFP via Getty Images

15. A$AP Rocky
The album cover to the rapper's debut mixtape, 'Live. Love. ASAP,' bears a striking resemblance to OutKast's Stankonia cover. Both feature a stylised, black-and-white American flag as a backdrop with the artist in a prominent pose and the title written vertically on the side. | Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

