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{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name         = Aquemini
| type         = studio
| artist       = [[Outkast]]
| cover        = AqueminiOutKast.jpg
| alt          = 
| released     = {{Start date|1998|9|29}}
| recorded     = 1996–1998
| studio       = Bearth Writers Music Group ([[Nashville]])<br>BossTown Studios ([[Atlanta]])<br>Doppler Studios (Atlanta)
| genre        = {{hlist|[[Hip-hop|Hip hop]]<ref name=EW/><ref name="HHC100"/>|[[alternative hip-hop]]<ref name="boombox"/>|[[G-funk]]<ref name="Christgau">{{cite book|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=2652|chapter=OutKast: Aquemini|access-date=September 13, 2013|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|title=Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s|publisher=[[Macmillan Publishers]]|year=2000|isbn=0-312-24560-2|title-link=Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s}}</ref>}}
| length       = 74:47
| label        = {{hlist|[[LaFace Records|LaFace]]|[[Arista Records|Arista]]}}
| producer     = {{hlist|[[Organized Noize]]|[[Outkast]]|[[Mr. DJ]]}}
| prev_title   = [[ATLiens]]
| prev_year    = 1996
| next_title   = [[Stankonia]]
| next_year    = 2000
| misc         = {{Singles
 | name        = Aquemini
 | type        = studio
 | single1     = Skew It on the Bar-B
 | single1date = August 23, 1998
 | single2     = [[Rosa Parks (song)|Rosa Parks]]
 |single2date = March 23, 1999<ref>[https://www.allmusic.com/album/rosa-parks-mw0000938360 Rosa Parks – OutKast | User Reviews | AllMusic<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
 | single3     = [[Da Art of Storytellin' (Pt. 1)]]
 | single3date = May 25, 1999
}}
}}

'''''Aquemini''''' ({{IPAc-en|ə|ˈ|k|w|ɛ|m|ɪ|ˌ|n|aɪ}}) is the third studio album by the American [[Hip-hop|hip hop]] duo [[Outkast]], released on September 29, 1998, by [[LaFace Records]] and [[Arista Records]]. The title is a [[portmanteau]] of the two performers' [[Zodiac]] signs: [[Aquarius (astrology)|Aquarius]] ([[Big Boi]]) and [[Gemini (astrology)|Gemini]] ([[André 3000]]), which is indicative of the album's recurring theme of the differing personalities of the two members. The group recorded the majority of the album in [[Bobby Brown]]'s Bosstown Recording Studios and [[Doppler Studios]], both in [[Atlanta]], Georgia.

Released as the follow-up to the duo's commercially successful 1996 album ''[[ATLiens]]'', ''Aquemini'' expands on the previous record's [[outer space]]-inspired compositions by incorporating live instrumentation and drawing on 1970s [[funk]], [[southern soul]], [[gospel music|gospel]], [[country music|country]], [[psychedelic rock]], and other influences. The album reflected a greater level of creative freedom for the group, which led to the members self-producing the majority of the tracks and employing a large number of [[session musician]]s who filtered in and out of the studio throughout its recording, exerting a major influence on the album's compositional development. Featured guest artists include [[Raekwon]], [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]], and [[Erykah Badu]]. Lyrically, ''Aquemini'' explores various subjects including individuality, human nature, addiction, self-inflicted struggles, technology, and interpersonal relationships, as well as blending [[science fiction]] concepts and urban narratives.

''Aquemini'' received  widespread critical acclaim from music critics, who praised the album's musicality, eclectic sound, and unique lyrical themes. Like its predecessor, it was a commercial success, peaking at No. 2 on both the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] and the [[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums]] chart. The album was certified [[Platinum record|platinum]] in November 1998, only two months after its release, and was certified [[Double Platinum|double platinum]] on July 2, 1999, by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]] (RIAA). Four of the album's tracks were released as [[Single (music)|singles]], although some were limited promotional releases and not available commercially. Since its initial release, ''Aquemini'' has gone on to be considered one of the greatest hip hop albums ever made, as well as one of the greatest albums of all time. In 2003, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' ranked the album number 500 on its list of the "[[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|500 Greatest Albums of All Time]]". In a 2020 updated list, it was moved up to number 49.

==Background==
In 1994, Outkast released their debut album, ''[[Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik]]'', which was recorded when the rappers [[Big Boi]] and [[André 3000]] were 18. Bolstered by the success of "[[Player's Ball]]", the record established Outkast as prominent figures in the Southern hip hop scene.<ref name="Nickson3233">Nickson (2004), pp. 32–33.</ref> After the album was certified platinum, LaFace Records gave Outkast more creative control and advanced money for their 1996 follow-up album ''ATLiens''.<ref>{{cite journal|title=none|year=1997|journal=Black Diaspora|location=New York|volume=18|page=25}}</ref> On ''ATLiens'', André 3000 and Big Boi abandoned the "hard-partying playa characters" of their debut album in favor of personas that were more futuristic, and produced many of the songs on their own for the first time.<ref name="allmusicrev">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/atliens-mw0000175875|title=ATLiens – OutKast|first=Steve|last=Huey|work=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=July 10, 2012}}</ref><ref name="sarig140">Sarig, 2007. p. 140</ref> Critics praised the group's maturing musical style on the record, which debuted at number two on the US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] chart and sold nearly 350,000 copies in its first 2 weeks of release.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SJ&s_site=mercurynews&p_multi=SJ&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB71FFBDA46427F&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=Pearl Jam's 'No Code' to Top Albums Chart|work=[[San Jose Mercury News]]|date=September 7, 1996|access-date=March 5, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-09-15-ca-44034-story.html|title=The Charts – 'ATLiens' Landing|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=September 15, 1996|access-date=March 5, 2011}}</ref> The single "[[Elevators (Me & You)]]" reached number 12 and spent 20 weeks on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] chart.<ref name="hot100">{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=outkast|chart=Hot 100}}|title=OutKast Chart History – Hot 100|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=March 5, 2011}}</ref>

After the release of ''ATLiens'', André 3000 entered a relationship with the [[neo soul]] singer [[Erykah Badu]], who was part of a burgeoning movement in the urban music scene described as "more bohemian than ghetto".<ref name="Sarig171">Sarig, p. 171</ref> André 3000 adopted a more flamboyant style of dress during performances in promotion of ''ATLiens'' that included large glasses, blond wigs, and marching band uniforms. Badu gave birth to his first child in November 1997, which presented new artistic inspiration for the rapper.<ref name="Sarig171"/>

==Recording==
[[File:Hitsville USA.jpg|right|thumb|280px|Producer Neal H. Pogue compared the recording of ''Aquemini'', with its wide variety of live musicians, to that of 1960s [[Motown Records]] ([[Hitsville U.S.A.|former headquarters]] pictured).]]
Due to OutKast's newfound commercial success and higher budget for the album, the group enjoyed a more relaxed schedule and "could really just live" at the studio.<ref name="Makingof">{{cite news|url=http://clatl.com/gyrobase/the-making-of-outkasts-aquemini/Content?oid=1552576&storyPage=2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102220931/http://clatl.com/gyrobase/the-making-of-outkasts-aquemini/Content?oid=1552576&storyPage=2|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 2, 2012|title=The Making of OutKast's Aquemini|last=Carmichael|first=Rodney|date=June 24, 2010|access-date=February 18, 2012|work=[[Creative Loafing (Atlanta)|Creative Loafing]]}}</ref> The duo and studio musicians lived and worked in the studio for weeks straight, with Big Boi noting, "It usually takes us two to three years to make a record because we take our time; we ain't giving you that fast food, trying to meet a deadline. It ain't done until it's done sonically."<ref name="remembers">{{cite web|url=http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2013/09/big-boi-remembers-outkasts-aquemini-15-years-later/|title=Big Boi Remembers OutKast's 'Aquemini' 15 Years Later|last=Rys|first=Dan|date=September 30, 2013|access-date=January 28, 2014|work=[[XXL (magazine)|XXL]]}}</ref> For ''Aquemini'', the duo used live instrumentation and improvisation, bringing a baby grand [[piano]] into the studio and hiring musicians who played "everything from stoner [[funk]] to [[prog rock]]".<ref name=Westhoff110>Westhoff, 2011. p. 110</ref> The producer Neal H. Pogue recalled, "That was the beauty of making all those records – having musicians come in and out. It was almost like a [[Motown Records|Motown]], that's what we had. Or like a [[Stax Records]] thing. That's what I loved about it. It brought back that whole feeling of making records. It was organic."<ref name="Makingof"/> Much of the music on ''Aquemini'' was formulated during jam sessions, in which one musician would begin with creating a chord pattern and the rest would incorporate their instruments following that sequence. While recording ''Aquemini'', André 3000 drew influence from reggae music and listened to [[Bob Marley]] constantly during the sessions.<ref name="Makingof"/> After the musical aspects of a song were developed, André 3000 and Big Boi would then create lyrics that they felt would fit with the tone of the song.<ref name="Makingof"/>

For the record, André 3000 did most of the album's production, while Big Boi crafted [[Hook (music)|hooks]] for the songs.<ref name="remembers"/> André 3000 and the producer [[Mr. DJ]] learned about beat creation through observing the members of [[Organized Noize]] at work, with Mr. DJ observing that despite André 3000's normally frugal lifestyle, his enthusiasm for production led him to splurge on costly recording equipment.<ref name="Makingof"/> At one point, André 3000 attempted singing and modifying his voice with pitch-correction equipment, but Big Boi warned him that this would alienate the group's urban audience.<ref name=Westhoff111>Westhoff, 2011. p. 111</ref> Another point of contention was the order of the track listing; Big Boi wanted to begin the album with "Y'all Scared" while André 3000 and the other producers and musicians wanted the first track to be "Return of the G", preferring that the record start with a song with just the duo as opposed to one with multiple collaborators. Big Boi missed his flight to attend the album mastering session and by the time he arrived, the others had already settled on a cohesive track list for the record. After a long, heated discussion, Big Boi eventually agreed to opening the album with "Return of the G".<ref name="Makingof"/> The album features the song "West Savannah", which had been recorded during the ''Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik'' sessions, and was included on ''Aquemini'' to give listeners a "bonus" that had sentimental value for the duo, as well as to pay homage to Big Boi's family living in [[Savannah, Georgia|Savannah]].<ref name="Makingof"/>

==Musical style and lyrics==
{{Quote box
 |quote  = OutKast wore their musical connections easily, and sometimes literally. The references to 70s funk and soul weren't just in the deep, colour-saturated funk underpinning the whole album&nbsp;... It's also a very musical album. Sure, there are samples, but it's mostly real musicians playing guitars and horns, or in the case of the charmingly named South Central Chamber Orchestra, strings and woodwind.
 |source = Emma Warren of ''[[The Guardian]]'', on the record's musical style.<ref name=Guardian/>
 |quoted = 1
 |width  = 25em
 |align  = left
}}

Big Boi described the music on the album as "very experimental"<ref name="remembers"/> noting that it featured live instrumentation that included horns, guitar, piano, and harmonica.<ref name="chictrib"/> [[AllMusic]]'s Steve Huey detected the "ethereal futurism" of ''ATLiens'' in the music on ''Aquemini'', but also noted that "more often ''Aquemini'' plants its feet on the ground for a surprisingly down-home flavor".<ref name=Allmusic/> He also observed a "Southern earthiness and simultaneous spirituality" in Organized Noize's production work on the record.<ref name=Allmusic/> According to Rashod D. Ollison of ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]'', the album "fus[es] organic [[soul music|soul]] and [[progressive rap]] with touches of [[electro-funk]], [[dub music|dub]] and [[rock music|rock]]".<ref>{{cite news|last=Ollison|first=Rashod D.|date=April 8, 2004|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2004-04-08-0404070476-story.html|title=Dusting off some classics to keep in the CD player|newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|access-date=August 21, 2021}}</ref> Similarly, ''[[The Boombox]]'' writer Todd "Stereo" Williams says the music fuses their debut album's raw funk with the "futuristic soul" of ''ATLiens'' for a sound that "genre-hop[s] from southern rap odes ('West Savannah') to flirtations with [[P-Funk]] ('Synthesizer'), hard rock guitars ('Chonkyfire')", and collaborations beyond the duo's core of [[Dungeon Family]] artists.<ref name="boombox"/> ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'' stated that the album draws from [[southern soul]], [[gospel music|gospel]], and [[country music|country]], and noted that it "favors live-band sounds without making the purist’s mistake of shunning synthetic ones," praising both "Preston Crump’s mellow, sustained basslines and the swing-friendly drum tracks of Mr. DJ and Organized Noize."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Powell |first1=Mike |title=Atlanta to Atlantis: An OutKast Retrospective |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/article/9253-atlanta-to-atlantis-an-outkast-retrospective/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=25 January 2022}}</ref>

Lyrically, much of ''Aquemini'' features introspection about the desolation of the [[human condition]],<ref name="LA Times"/> and themes related to [[individuality]] and [[self-determination]].<ref name="bill2018"/> Overarching themes addressed on the record include [[drug addiction]], precarious [[Interpersonal relationship|relationships]], and freedom from self-inflicted struggles.<ref name="chictrib">{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1998/10/25/outkastaquemini-lafacearistaas-one-of-the-first-southern/|title=OutKast Aquemini (LaFace/Arista)|last=Baker|first=Soren|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=October 25, 1998|access-date=January 28, 2014}}</ref> Other subjects include excessive reliance on technology and the Atlanta club scene.<ref name="remembers"/> On the record, the group often shifts between [[science fiction]]-inspired topics and the harsh realities of urban life.<ref name=yaleherald>{{cite news|url=http://www.yaleherald.com/archive/xxvi/11.13.98/ae/outkasst.html|title=Records: OutKast's Aquemini|last=Austerlitz|first=Saul|access-date=May 10, 2014|work=[[Yale Herald]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151218064817/http://www.yaleherald.com/archive/xxvi/11.13.98/ae/outkasst.html|archive-date=December 18, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> Saul Austerlitz of the ''[[Yale Herald]]'' notes the central theme of the group's "ability to move between two worlds—the [[G-funk]] glamorized by the [[The Notorious B.I.G.|Notorious B.I.G.]] and [[Tupac Shakur]] and the group's own spacier, more poetic excursions" in the album.<ref name=yaleherald/> Another theme is the duality of the two members and their differing personalities, with Big Boi as "the player" and Andre 3000 as "the poet", according to the album's cover.<ref name=yaleherald/> Big Boi generally covers the more conventional hip-hop topics such as his childhood in the South and attractive women, while Andre 3000 discusses more unorthodox themes.<ref name="citypages">{{cite web|url=http://www.citypages.com/1998-10-14/music/outkast-aquemini/full/|title=OutKast: Aquemini|last=Herrington|first=Chris|date=October 14, 1998|access-date=May 10, 2014|work=City Pages|publisher=[[Voice Media Group]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512223320/http://www.citypages.com/1998-10-14/music/outkast-aquemini/full/|archive-date=May 12, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> In contrast to much of hip hop music in the late 1990s, OutKast did not tone down the regional qualities, like the [[harmonica]] break on "Rosa Parks" and distinctive [[Atlanta]] slang and diction throughout. The duo experimented with several delivery styles on the record, using "relaxed, hyper, distorted, speedy and conversational presentations."<ref name="LA Times"/>

==Songs==
{{Listen|pos = right
 |filename     = SpottieOttieDopaliscious.ogg
 |title        = "SpottieOttieDopaliscious"
 |description  = The twelfth track on the album contains influence from [[reggae]] and [[spoken word]] musical styles and features a recurring horn riff throughout the song.
 |filename2    = Liberation_Outkast.ogg
 |title2       = "Liberation"
 |description2 = This song delves into a variety of musical genres including [[Gospel music|gospel]], [[jazz]], blues, and [[world music]]. "Liberation" deviates from Outkast's traditional style by not including rapped vocals and instead featuring vocal alternations between singing and spoken word styles.
}}
''Aquemini''{{'}}s opening track "Hold On, Be Strong" was written by the session guitarist Donny Mathis and originally conceived as a full song with verses, but the group preferred to only use the refrain.<ref name="Makingof"/> André 3000 played a [[kalimba]] on the song after purchasing the instrument at a flea market, drawing inspiration from [[Earth, Wind & Fire]].<ref name="Makingof"/> "Return of the G" addresses concerns from fans who felt that the group's style had changed too drastically since the release of ''Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik'', as well as those who make poor decisions in order to keep their street credibility.<ref name="Makingof"/><ref name="Slant"/> When discussing the lyrical content of the song, André 3000 explained, "I was young and wilder and some of my fashion choices people didn't accept at the time. I started getting flak from some people, so they were like, 'Either he's gay or on drugs'&nbsp;... 'Return of the Gangsta' was trying to give them a sense of, 'Hey, I'm still a regular person.'"<ref name="Makingof"/> "Rosa Parks" contains [[blues]]-influenced guitar work and folksy harmonies that "announce OutKast's distinctive style of Southern boogie. The groove goes into overdrive during a clapping, foot-stomping breakdown funkified by a fierce harmonica as the kick drum pounds incessantly."<ref name="RS"/>

The next track, "Skew It On the Bar-B", features the [[Wu-Tang Clan]] rapper [[Raekwon]] and discusses the disappointment of the group's debut album not achieving the coveted "five-mic" rating from ''[[The Source (magazine)|The Source]]'': "I gotta hit the Source / I need my other half mic / because that ''Southernplayalisticadillacmusik'' was a classic right?".<ref name=Sarig174>Sarig, 174.</ref> "Skew It On the Bar-B" is followed by the title track, which has been compared to the music of the soul singer [[Isaac Hayes]].<ref name="RS"/> Pogue experimented with [[Delay (audio effect)|delays]] and echos in his production to make the song "dimensional, like you could actually put your hands through the song."<ref name="Makingof"/> "Synthesizer" contains elements of [[electrofunk]] and features the [[funk]] musician [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]].<ref name="RS"/> ''[[Billboard Magazine|Billboard]]'' called "Synthesizer" an "[[electronic music|electronic]]-leaning... spasm of technological paranoia."<ref name="bill2018">{{cite magazine |last1=Lyons |first1=Patrick |title=OutKast's 'Aquemini' Turns 20: How They Made One of the Most Well-Rounded Rap Albums of All Time |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/outkast-aquemini-turns-20-anniversary-8477521/ |magazine=Billboard |access-date=25 January 2022}}</ref> Emma Warren of ''[[The Guardian]]'' called the track "raw and woozy", dubbing it the "weirdest moment of the record".<ref name=Guardian/> On the seventh track, "Slump", Big Boi is joined by two members of the Dungeon Family as they describe their experiences selling dope. This is one of the few tracks that does not have Andre on it. On "West Savannah", Big Boi discusses his Southern roots, and references individuals who grew up outside of the South who fail to recognize different regional Southern identities by stating "You might call us country, but we's only Southern".<ref name="Miller3839">Miller, 2010. pp.&nbsp;38–39</ref>

"Da Art of Storytellin' (Part 1)" tells the story of a self-destructive childhood friend named Sasha Thumper who dies of a [[drug overdose]].<ref name="Hess462">Hess, p. 462</ref> Commenting on the song's lyrical content, author Mickey Hess remarks that André 3000 "manages to walk the fine line between emotionalism and masculinity by articulating this highly emotional narrative with an almost emotionless tone."<ref name="Hess462"/> The next track, "Da Art of Storytellin' (Part 2)", is an apocalyptic song that represents the group's vision of "the last song recorded in the world", with André 3000 commenting, "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'".<ref name="Makingof"/> Following is "Mamacita", which features Dungeon Crew rapper Masada in a meditation on male-female relationships, inspired by an ex-girlfriend of André 3000 who began pursuing women after their breakup.<ref name="Makingof"/> "SpottieOttieDopaliscious" relates a story of ill-fated romance, with André 3000 describing the infatuation during an encounter with a woman at a club and Big Boi noting the hopelessness of the relationship as the song progresses.<ref name="Wang133">Wang, 2003. p. 133</ref>

"Y'all Scared" is a collaboration with three members of [[Goodie Mob]] and contains the chant "If you scared, say you scared" accompanied by prominent organ and guitar work.<ref name="Makingof"/> "Nathaniel" is an [[a cappella]] rap by the group's close friend who at the time was an inmate in a Georgia prison, and the song is a recording of an actual collect call during his time in jail. The track is an introduction to "Liberation".<ref name="Makingof"/> The eight-minute-long "Liberation" combines a variety of musical styles, including [[Gospel music|gospel]], [[jazz]], blues, and [[world music]]. The song is notable for not including rapped vocals and instead features vocal alternations between singing and spoken word styles.<ref name="Sarig172">Sarig, p. 172</ref> Lyrically, the track utilizes images of slavery to symbolize artistic freedom and not being concerned with the opinions of the public and record labels.<ref name="Sarig172"/> The album closes with "Chonkyfire", which features a fuzzy guitar riff and snippets from OutKast's speech at the 1995 Source Awards in which the group emphasized the Southern hip-hop scene as a legitimate subgenre.<ref name="Sarig173174">Sarig, pp.&nbsp;173–174</ref> ''Billboard'' called "Chonkyfire" a track of "bad-trip [[psychedelic rock]]."<ref name="bill2018"/>

==Release==
The group originally planned to create a film in conjunction with ''Aquemini'', completing a script three months before the release of the record. OutKast met with [[MTV]] for the project, who, despite liking the idea for the film, hoped to instead buy the project and cast [[Missy Elliott]] and [[Busta Rhymes]] instead, feeling they had more "star power."<ref name="Kasting">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KxYEAAAAMBAJ&q=aquemini&pg=PA24|title=Kasting a Wide Net|last=Conniff|first=Tamara|date=July 22, 2006|access-date=August 6, 2013|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> Although the duo recalls being "heartbroken" at the time, André 3000 and Big Boi continued to work on ideas for a collaborative film, eventually resulting in the 2006 musical ''[[Idlewild (film)|Idlewild]]'' starring the group.<ref name="Kasting"/> David Browne of ''[[The New York Times]]'' viewed the album art as an homage to [[blaxploitation]] films of the 1970s.<ref name="shrinking">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/14/arts/music/as-record-sales-shrink-so-does-album-cover-art.html?_r=0|last=Browne|first=David|title=The Incredible, Inevitable Shrinking Album Cover|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 12, 2011|access-date=January 28, 2014}}</ref> The record's title is a combination of the two members' zodiac signs, with André 3000 being a [[Gemini (astrology)|Gemini]] and Big Boi being an [[Aquarius (astrology)|Aquarius]].<ref name=Sarig174/> The packaging featured a sticker describing Big Boi as "the playa" and André as "the poet".<ref name="bill2018"/>

''Aquemini'' debuted behind [[Jay-Z]]'s ''[[Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life]]'' at number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot 200, the same opening position of both ''ATLiens'' and the group's next release, ''Stankonia''.<ref name="assault">{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1430561/jay-z-outkast-tribe-stage-assault-on-album-chart/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140510224109/http://www.mtv.com/news/1430561/jay-z-outkast-tribe-stage-assault-on-album-chart/|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 10, 2014|title=Jay-Z, OutKast, Tribe Stage Assault On Album Chart|work=[[MTV News]]|date=October 7, 1998}}</ref><ref name="beating">{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1539767/outkast-take-a-billboard-beating-from-diddys-danity-kane/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513022713/http://www.mtv.com/news/1539767/outkast-take-a-billboard-beating-from-diddys-danity-kane/|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 13, 2014|title=Outkast Take A Billboard Beating From Diddy's Danity Kane|last=Harris|first=Chris|date=August 30, 2006|access-date=May 10, 2014|work=[[MTV News]]}}</ref> The record sold 227,000 copies in its first week of release, ahead of [[A Tribe Called Quest]]'s ''[[The Love Movement]]'' and [[Lauryn Hill]]'s ''[[The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill]]''.<ref name="assault"/> In Norway and Germany, the album peaked at numbers 39 and 66, respectively.<ref name="Hung Medien">{{cite web|url=http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Outkast&titel=Aquemini&cat=a|title=OutKast – Aquemini|website=norwegiancharts.com|access-date=February 14, 2014}}</ref>

In 1999, civil rights activist [[Rosa Parks]] filed a [[Rosa Parks v. LaFace Records|lawsuit]] against OutKast for the song "Rosa Parks", claiming that the song used her name without her permission, constituting false advertising and an infringement on her right to publicity, in addition to [[defamation]] of character.<ref name="supremecourt">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/67849/supreme-court-parks-can-sue-outkast|title=Supreme Court: Parks Can Sue OutKast|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=December 8, 2003|access-date=May 11, 2014}}</ref> The lawsuit was dismissed on first amendment grounds that year by a federal judge, but the appeals court partially reinstated the suit in 2003, stating that the group must have an artistic reason for titling the song with her name.<ref name="supremecourt"/> The case was settled in 2005 with OutKast and LaFace Records agreeing to create educational programs to "enlighten today's youth about the significant role Rosa Parks played in making America a better place for all races."<ref name=settlement>{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/04/15/parks.settlement/index.html?section=cnn_us|title=Rosa Parks settles suit over OutKast CD|work=CNN|date=April 15, 2005|access-date=May 11, 2014}}</ref>

==Critical reception==
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name=Allmusic>{{cite web|last=Huey|first=Steve|title=Aquemini – OutKast|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/aquemini-mw0000043056|work=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=September 13, 2013}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]''
| rev2score = {{Rating|3.5|4}}<ref name="Chicago Sun-Times">{{cite news|last=Kyles|first=Kyra|title=Outkast, 'Aquemini' (La Face)|work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|date=October 18, 1998}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s|Christgau's Consumer Guide]]''
| rev3score = A−<ref name="Christgau">{{cite book|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=2652|chapter=OutKast: Aquemini|access-date=September 13, 2013|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|title=Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s|publisher=[[Macmillan Publishers]]|year=2000|isbn=0-312-24560-2|title-link=Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''
| rev4score = A<ref name=EW>{{cite magazine|last=Tyehimba|first=Cheo|title=Aquemini|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,285574,00.html|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=November 6, 1998|access-date=September 13, 2013|archive-date=July 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714134309/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,285574,00.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''
| rev5score = {{Rating|4|4}}<ref name="LA Times">{{cite news|last=Baker|first=Soren|author-link=Soren Baker|title=OutKast "Aquemini" LaFace/Arista|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-sep-27-ca-26891-story.html|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=September 27, 1998|access-date=September 13, 2013}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]''
| rev6score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="Q">{{cite journal|title=OutKast: Aquemini|journal=[[Q (magazine)|Q]]|issue=175|date=April 2001|page=124}}</ref>
| rev7 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
| rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="RS">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/aquemini-19980904|title=Aquemini|last=Fernando|first=S. H. Jr.|author-link=Skiz Fernando|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=September 4, 1998|access-date=September 13, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080418185109/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/outkast/albums/album/193280/review/6067995/aquemini|archive-date=April 18, 2008|url-status=live}}</ref>
| rev8 = ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]''
| rev8score = 9/10<ref name="Spin">{{cite journal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4wK_Oz2Yz7IC&pg=PT14|access-date=September 13, 2013|last=Green|first=Tony|title=OutKast: Aquemini|journal=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|volume=14|issue=12|page=178|date=December 1998}}</ref>
| rev9 = ''[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]''
| rev9score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Uncut">{{cite journal|title=OutKast: Aquemini|journal=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]|issue=70|date=March 2003|page=120}}</ref>
| rev10 = ''[[USA Today]]''
| rev10score = {{Rating|3.5|4}}<ref name="USA">{{cite news|first=Steve|last=Jones|title=OutKast: Aquemini|work=[[USA Today]]|date=September 29, 1998}}</ref>
}}
''Aquemini'' received widespread acclaim from critics.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ighxbRRgk6sC&pg=PA134|title=Classic Material: The Hip-Hop Album Guide|last=Wang|first=Oliver|page=134|access-date=April 16, 2016|publisher=[[ECW Press]]|year=2003|isbn=1550225618}}</ref> [[AllMusic]]'s Steve Huey called it "a stroke of brilliance". He praised the record for avoiding the "hardcore clichés" and summed up his review by saying that ''Aquemini'' is "a virtuosic masterpiece, and a landmark hip-hop album of the late '90s".<ref name=Allmusic/> [[Robert Christgau]] also commented positively on the album, calling the record "evolved G-funk with denser instrumental crosstalk"<ref name="Christgau"/> and "rap-rock every bit as heavy as the bohrium and dubnium compounds hardheads hyped circa the [[Judgment Night (soundtrack)|''Judgment Night'' soundtrack]]".<ref>{{cite news|last=Christgau|first=Robert|date=March 2, 1999|url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/pj98.php|title=Pazz & Jop 1998: La-Di-Da-Di-Di? Or La-Di-Da-Di-Da?|newspaper=The Village Voice|access-date=August 21, 2021}}</ref> ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' writer [[Soren Baker]] complimented OutKast's "intelligent hip-hop" and commented that "musically, the collection supplies some of the lushest tracks ever included on a hip-hop record", noting that the music will "stimulate the mind, touch the soul and pack the dance floor."<ref name="LA Times"/> ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'' named it the group's "third best offering."<ref name="Q"/> Sia Michel of ''[[The Village Voice]]'' called it "an impassioned state-of-hip-hop address".<ref name="Village Voice">{{cite web|last=Michael|first=Sia|title=Outkast: Aquemini|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/1998-10-27/music/f-reakiness-m/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091019033102/http://www.villagevoice.com/1998-10-27/music/f-reakiness-m/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 19, 2009|work=[[The Village Voice]]|date=October 27, 1998|access-date=September 13, 2013}}</ref> In a brief review for ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'', Cheo Tyehimba qualified ''Aquemini'' as the hip-hop album of the year.<ref name=EW/>

[[Skiz Fernando|S. H. Fernando Jr.]] of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' wrote "OutKast prove that you don't have to sell out to sell records. Sporting plenty of live chops and soulful harmonies, ''Aquemini's'' fresh, original feel defies rap's coastal clichés."<ref name="RS"/> Steve Jones of ''[[USA Today]]'' commented that the duo's "molasses-smooth raps speak to the stark realities of urban streets."<ref name="USA"/> Tony Green of ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' said that although they are not as spiritual as Goodie Mob, Outkast's "streetcorner signifying" offers listeners more than simple musical pleasure and that they "have crafted some of the most seductive and dramadelic textures."<ref name="Spin"/> Giving it a [[The Source (magazine)#The Source's Five-Mic albums|five out of five "mic"-rating]], Charlie Braxton of ''[[The Source (magazine)|The Source]]'' praised the duo for "their superb use of the urban narrative." Braxton called ''Aquemini'' "a brilliant record" and commented that it "possesses an uncanny blend of sonic beauty, poignant lyricism and spirituality that compels without commanding".<ref name="Source">{{cite magazine|last=Braxton|first=Charlie|date=November 1998|issue=110|title=OutKast: Aquemini|url=http://thesource.com/1998/12/31/outkast1998/|magazine=[[The Source (magazine)|The Source]]|page=|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140812031541/http://thesource.com/1998/12/31/outkast1998/|archive-date=August 12, 2014|access-date=September 25, 2023}}</ref>

In a retrospective review, Tim Stelloh from ''[[PopMatters]]'' described the album as a "loud, unpretentious, eclectic kick in the ass". He praised it for being "full of both fear and curiosity, and those emotions were channeled through its production."<ref name="Popmatters">{{cite magazine|last=Stelloh|first=Tim|title=OutKast: Aquemini|url=http://www.popmatters.com/review/outkast-aquemini/|magazine=[[PopMatters]]|date=February 6, 2004|access-date=September 13, 2013}}</ref> Dave Hughes, writing in ''[[Slant Magazine]]'', stated: "Ten years on, ''Aquemini'' is the single strongest aspect of one of the art form's deepest benches. Snappier and more experimental than the pair's early work, and focused enough to feel comfortable in a sprawl, it's the moment when OutKast came fully into itself."<ref name="Slant">{{cite magazine|last=Hughes|first=Dave|title=OutKast: Aquemini|url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/outkast-aquemini/1513|magazine=[[Slant Magazine]]|date=September 29, 2008|access-date=September 13, 2013}}</ref>

=== Accolades ===
''Aquemini'' has been included in several publications' best album lists. In 2003, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' ranked it number 500 on its list of the [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|500 Greatest Albums of All Time]]. The staff explained the inclusion by stating: "OutKast unleashed an explosive hip-hop that deployed live musicians, social commentary and a heavy dose of deep funk".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-20120531/outkast-aquemini-20120525|title=500 Greatest Albums of All Time: #500|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=May 31, 2009|access-date=September 13, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019204608/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-20120531/outkast-aquemini-20120525|archive-date=October 19, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> The album was placed at number 11 on the list of the "100 Best Albums of the Nineties" by the same magazine.<ref name="Rolling">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-best-albums-of-the-nineties-20110427/outkast-aquemini-20110429|title=100 Best Albums of the Nineties: #11| magazine= Rolling Stone |date=April 27, 2011|access-date=September 13, 2013}}</ref> In 2020, they revised their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list and re-ranked the album at number 49, calling it "the greatest record ever to come out of the Dirty South."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/outkast-aquemini-4-1063184/|title=500 Greatest Albums of All Time: #49|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=September 22, 2020|access-date=October 9, 2020}}</ref>

''[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]'' called the album "the best Atlanta hip-hop album of all time".<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2013/08/the-five-best-atlanta-hip-hop-albums-of-all-time.html|title=The Five Best Atlanta Hip-Hop Albums of All Time|author=M.T. Richards|work=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]|date=August 13, 2013|access-date=September 13, 2013}}</ref> ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'' ranked the record at number 50 on their "Top 100 Albums of the 1990s", describing it as "smooth and well-conceived".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/5923-top-100-albums-of-the-1990s/6/|title=Top 100 Albums of the 1990s|author=Pitchfork Staff|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|date=November 17, 2003 |access-date=September 13, 2013}}</ref> ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' included it on three  of their lists. They ranked it number 35 on the "90 Greatest Albums of the '90s" and number three on the "Top 20 Albums of '98".<ref>{{cite journal|journal=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|volume=15|issue=1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YG5YubNw1pgC&pg=PA91|title=Top 20 Albums of '98|date=January 1999|access-date=November 14, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Spin90s">{{cite journal|journal=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|volume=15|issue=9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bGjsvmNt8UgC&q=outkast+aquemini+spin&pg=PA136|title=The 90 Greatest Albums of the '90s|date=September 1999|access-date=September 17, 2013}}</ref> The magazine also ranked it 76th on their 2010 list of "The 125 Best Albums of the Past 25 Years".<ref name="Spin25">{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/spin25/readers-poll-spin-25-results/?page=9|title=125 Best Albums of the Past 25 Years|work=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|date=February 15, 2012|access-date=September 17, 2013}}</ref> In 2004, ''[[Stylus Magazine|Stylus]]'' ranked it 185th on their "Top 101-200 Favourite Albums Ever" list.<ref name="Stylus101-200">{{cite web|url=http://stylusmagazine.com/articles/weekly_article/top-101-200-favourite-albums-ever-the-stylus-magazine-list.htm|title=Top 101-200 Favourite Albums Ever|work=[[Stylus Magazine|Stylus]]|date=March 22, 2004|access-date=September 17, 2013|archive-date=December 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212200814/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/weekly_article/top-101-200-favourite-albums-ever-the-stylus-magazine-list.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2013, ''[[Vibe (magazine)|Vibe]]'' named it the 20th greatest album since 1993.<ref name="Vibe93">{{cite web|url=http://www.vibe.com/photo-gallery/greatest-50-albums-since-93?page=32|title=20. Aquemini (1998)|work=[[Vibe (magazine)|Vibe]]|date=April 18, 2013|access-date=September 21, 2013}}</ref> ''[[Ego trip (magazine)|Ego trip]]'' ranked it the second greatest hip hop album from 1980 to 1998,<ref>{{cite book|first1=Sacha|last1=Jenkins|author-link1=Sacha Jenkins|first2=Elliott|last2=Wilson|author-link2=Elliott Wilson (journalist)|first3=Jeff "Chairman"|last3=Mao|first4=Gabriel|last4=Alvarez|first5=Brent|last5=Rollins|date=1999|title=Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists|chapter=Hip Hop's Greatest Albums by Year: 1998|publisher=[[St. Martin's Press]]|pages=337|isbn=0-312-24298-0}}</ref> while ''[[Hip Hop Connection|Hip-Hop Connection]]'' ranked it the 11th greatest rap album from 1995 to 2005.<ref name="HHC100">{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Hip Hop Connection|Hip-Hop Connection]]|title=The 100 Greatest Rap Albums 1995–2005|date=March 2006|issue=198|pages=45–74}}</ref> ''[[New Nation]]'' named it the 80th best album by black artists.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}} In 2017, ''[[The Boombox]]'' ranked it second on a list of the 50 greatest alternative hip hop albums.<ref name="boombox">{{cite web|last=Williams|first=Todd "Stereo"|date=July 26, 2017|url=https://theboombox.com/50-greatest-alternative-hip-hop-albums-all-time/|title=The 50 Greatest Alternative Hip-Hop Albums of All Time: No. 2 'Aquemini'|website=[[The Boombox]]|access-date=August 21, 2021}}</ref> The album was also included on [[Apple Music 100 Best Albums|Apple Music's 100 Best Albums]] list at number 41 in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple Music 100 Best Albums |url=https://100best.music.apple.com/us |access-date=2024-05-25 |website=Apple Music 100 Best Albums |language=en-US}}</ref>

The album was included in ''[[Blender (magazine)|Blender]]''{{'}}s "500 CDs You Must Own Before You Die" (2003),<ref>{{cite magazine|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line --> |title=500 CDs You Must Own Before You Die|magazine=[[Blender (magazine)|Blender]]|location=New York|page=91|publisher=[[Dennis Publishing Ltd]]|date=April 2003|volume=2|number=3|issn=1534-0554}}</ref> [[Continuum Books]]' ''[[33⅓]]: A Series of Books about Critically Acclaimed Albums'',<ref name="3313 Aquemini">{{cite book|first=Michael|last=Schmelling|title=33⅓: OutKast's Aquemini|publisher=[[Continuum Books]]|year=2009}}</ref> and ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]''{{'}}s "The Ultimate Music Collection" (2005).<ref name="Ultimate Q">{{cite journal|journal=[[Q (magazine)|Q]]|title=The Ultimate Music Collection|date=April 2005}}</ref> The lead single "[[Rosa Parks (song)|Rosa Parks]]" was nominated in the category [[Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group]] at the [[1999 Grammy Awards]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/04/15/parks.settlement/|title=Rosa Parks settles suit over OutKast CD|publisher=[[CNN]]|access-date=September 13, 2013|date=April 15, 2005}}</ref> The album's twelfth track "SpottieOttieDopaliscious" was ranked at number 16 on Pitchfork Media's list of the top 200 tracks of the 1990s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7853-the-top-200-tracks-of-the-1990s-20-01/|title=Pitchfork Top 200 Tracks of the 90s|author=Pitchfork Staff|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|date=September 3, 2010|access-date=September 13, 2013|archive-date=July 19, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120719223302/http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7853-the-top-200-tracks-of-the-1990s-20-01/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Legacy==
{{Quote box|quoted=true|salign=right|width=25em|align=right|''Aquemini'' is a hip-hop classic that pushes the limits of what we normally consider hip-hop, yet is decidedly true to its roots.|source=— [[AllHipHop]], on the album's legacy<ref name="AllHipHop">{{cite web|url=http://allhiphop.com/2008/03/27/aquemini-outkast-takes-a-stand/|title=Aquemini: OutKast Takes A Stand!!|author=Odeisel and OutKast|publisher=[[AllHipHop]]|date=March 27, 2008 |access-date=September 13, 2013}}</ref>}}

Critics hailed the recording as OutKast's most fully realized up to that time and one of the best of the 1990s.<ref>{{cite book|title=Current Biography Yearbook, Volume 65|author=The University of Michigan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5osYAAAAIAAJ&q=Aquemini+t+as+a+virtuosic+masterpiece,+and+a|publisher=H. W. Wilson Company|page=433|year=2004}}</ref> Steve Huey wrote: "''Aquemini'' fulfills all its ambitions, covering more than enough territory to qualify it as a virtuosic masterpiece, and a landmark hip-hop album of the late '90s".<ref name=Allmusic/> ''[[Ebony (magazine)|Ebony]]'' observed that ''Aquemini'' is "perhaps OutKast's best effort" and "a huge commercial and artistic success".<ref>{{cite journal|title=Southern Fried Hip-Hop|journal=[[Ebony (magazine)|Ebony]]|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZNYDAAAAMBAJ&q=outkast+aquemini+best+album&pg=PA74|date=January 2004|access-date=September 13, 2013}}</ref> Matt Wink concluded that OutKast with this album "carved their place in the game and grabbed the world's attention. No two people with a similar background could be more different and no two artists could have made this masterpiece."<ref name="Popstache">{{cite web|url=http://popstache.com/features/old-stache/outkast-aquemini-album-review/|title=Out from the Dungeon: Aquemini Made OutKast the Pride of the South|first=Matt|last=Wink|website=Popstache|date=November 29, 2011|access-date=September 13, 2013}}</ref>

''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' labeled the album "OutKast's third brilliant slice of hip-hop".<ref name="LA Times"/> ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' wrote that "Atlanta's reputation as hip-hop's most avant-garde area code – the Long Island of the Nineties – was cemented" with this effort,<ref name="Rolling"/> while Troy L. Smith of ''[[Cleveland.com]]'' said it was "a true game-changer for [Southern hip hop] and Outkast".<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Troy L.|date=April 21, 2020|url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2020/04/100-greatest-hip-hop-albums-of-the-1990s.html|title=100 greatest hip hop albums of the 1990s|website=[[Cleveland.com]]|access-date=August 21, 2021}}</ref> In a column for ''[[Jazz Times]]'', Tony Green wrote that "OutKast's ''Aquemini'' dispels any notion that hip-hop is out of sonic ideas. If anything, it shows that the genre's appetite for new sounds is as ravenous as ever."<ref>{{cite web|last=Green|first=Tony|title=OutKast: Aquemini|url=http://jazztimes.com/articles/9001-aquemini-outkast|work=[[Jazz Times]]|date=March 1999|access-date=September 14, 2013}}</ref> According to Emma Warren from ''[[The Guardian]]'', this album is "a high point of 90s hip-hop" and proof that "the old push and pull between the east and west coast of American hip-hop was over".<ref name=Guardian>{{cite web|last=Warren|first=Emma|title=My favourite album: Aquemini by OutKast|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/oct/12/favourite-album-aquemini-outkast|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=October 12, 2011|access-date=September 14, 2013}}</ref> Tim Stelloh of [[PopMatters]] felt that "''Aquemini'' far surpassed OutKast's previous release ''A-tliens'' {{sic}}, and made the group one of those rare commercial anomalies—kind of like [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]], [[Rage Against the Machine]], or [[Public Enemy]]".<ref name="Popmatters"/> Several reviewers of [[Kendrick Lamar]]'s ''[[Good Kid, M.A.A.D City]]'' (2012) perceived influence from ''Aquemini'' in the record's production and aesthetic.<ref>{{cite web|author=Marcus J. Moore|date=October 22, 2012|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/b4nv/|title=Review of Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d. city|publisher=[[BBC]]|access-date=November 25, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author=Dan Jackson|date=October 31, 2012|url=http://www.cmj.com/reviews/kendrick-lamar-good-kid-m-a-a-d-city/|title=Review: Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city (Interscope)|journal=[[CMJ]]|access-date=November 25, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108071116/http://www.cmj.com/reviews/kendrick-lamar-good-kid-m-a-a-d-city/|archive-date=November 8, 2012}}</ref>

==Track listing==
Track listing and samples compiled from album liner notes.<ref name="Liner Notes">{{cite AV media notes|title=Aquemini|others=OutKast|year=1998|type=CD liner|publisher=[[LaFace Records]]}}</ref>
{{Track listing
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title1 = Hold On, Be Strong
| writer1 = Donny Mathis
| extra1 = {{hlist|Donny Mathis|[[Outkast]]}}
| length1 = 1:11
| title2 = Return of the 'G{{'-}}
| writer2 = {{hlist|[[Giorgio Moroder]]|[[Organized Noize]]|[[Big Boi|Antwan Patton]]|[[André 3000|André Benjamin]]}}
| extra2 = Organized Noize
| length2 = 4:49
| title3 = [[Rosa Parks (song)|Rosa Parks]]
| writer3 = {{hlist|Patton|Benjamin}}
| extra3 = Outkast
| length3 = 5:24
| title4 = Skew It on the Bar-B
| note4 = featuring [[Raekwon]]
| writer4 = {{hlist|[[Morton Stevens]]|Organized Noize|Patton|Benjamin|[[Raekwon|Corey Woods]]}}
| extra4 = Organized Noize
| length4 = 3:15
| title5 = Aquemini
| writer5 = {{hlist|Patton|Benjamin}}
| extra5 = Outkast
| length5 = 5:19
| title6 = Synthesizer
| note6 = featuring [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]]
| writer6 = {{hlist|Patton|Benjamin|[[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]]}}
| extra6 = Outkast
| length6 = 5:11
| title7 = Slump
| writer7 = {{hlist|Patton|Jamahr Williams|[[Cool Breeze (rapper)|Frederick Bell]]}}
| extra7 = Outkast
| length7 = 5:09
| title8 = West Savannah
| writer8 = {{hlist|Organized Noize|Patton}}
| extra8 = Organized Noize
| length8 = 4:03
| title9 = [[Da Art of Storytellin' (Pt. 1)]]
| writer9 = {{hlist|[[Mr. DJ|David Sheats]]|Patton|Benjamin}}
| extra9 = [[Mr. DJ]]
| length9 = 3:43
| title10 = Da Art of Storytellin' (Pt. 2)
| writer10 = {{hlist|Sheats|Patton|Benjamin}}
| extra10 = Mr. DJ
| length10 = 2:48
| title11 = Mamacita
| writer11 = {{hlist|Organized Noize|Patton|Benjamin|Masada Hogans|[[Witchdoctor (rapper)|Erin Johnson]]}}
| extra11 = Organized Noize
| length11 = 5:52
| title12 = SpottieOttieDopaliscious
| writer12 = {{hlist|Patton|Benjamin|[[Sleepy Brown|Patrick Brown]]}}
| extra12 = Outkast
| length12 = 7:07
| title13 = Y'all Scared
| note13 = featuring [[T-Mo]], [[Big Gipp]], and [[Khujo]]
| writer13 = {{hlist|Sheats|Patton|Benjamin|[[T-Mo|Robert Barnett]]|[[Khujo|Willie Knighton, Jr.]]|[[Big Gipp|Cameron Gipp]]}}
| extra13 = Mr. DJ
| length13 = 4:50
| title14 = Nathaniel
| length14 = 1:10
| title15 = Liberation
| note15 = with [[CeeLo Green|Cee-Lo]] and [[Erica Wright|Erykah Badu]]
| writer15 = {{hlist|Patton|Benjamin|[[Big Rube|Ruben Bailey]]|[[Erykah Badu|Erica Wright]]|[[Joi (singer)|Joi Gilliam]]|[[Screechy Peach|Myrna Crenshaw]]|[[CeeLo Green|Thomas Burton]]}}
| extra15 = OutKast
| length15 = 8:46
| title16 = Chonkyfire
| writer16 = {{hlist|Patton|Benjamin}}
| extra16 = Outkast
| length16 = 6:10
| total_length = 74:47
}}

'''Notes'''
* The vinyl edition moves "Chonkyfire" after "Y'all Scared".
* The clean version of the album has all of the skits in between the songs removed. The interlude "Nathaniel" was omitted, as was the fifth verse of "Liberation".
* "Hold On, Be Strong" features vocals by 4.0, better known as The Four Phonics
* "Slump" features vocals by Backbone and [[Cool Breeze (rapper)|Cool Breeze]]
* "Mamacita" features vocals by Masada, [[Witchdoctor (rapper)|Witchdoctor]] and Buulllllll!
* "West Savannah" and "SpottieOttieDopaliscious" feature vocals by [[Sleepy Brown]]
* "Liberation" features vocals by [[Erykah Badu]], [[Big Rube|Ruben Bailey]], [[Joi (singer)|Joi]] and [[Screechy Peach|Whild Peach]]

'''Sample credits'''<ref name="Liner Notes"/>
*"Return of the 'G'" contains interpolations from "[[Superfly (song)|Superfly]]" by [[Curtis Mayfield]].
*"Rosa Parks" contains interpolations from "Cancion de Amor" by [[The Sandpipers]].
*"Skew It on the Bar-B" contains an interpolation of "Police Woman" performed by [[Henry Mancini]].
*"Synthesizer" contains an interpolation of "Rock Dirge" performed by [[Sly Stone]].
*"Da Art of Storytellin' (Pt.2)" contains samples from "Spirit of the Water" performed by [[Camel (band)|Camel]].
*"SpottieOttieDopaliscious" contains excerpts from "[[Dancing with the Moonlit Knight]]" performed by [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]].
*"Y'All Scared" contains interpolations from "Air Born" performed by [[Camel (band)|Camel]].

==Personnel==
Credits are adapted from [[AllMusic]].<ref name="credits">{{cite web|work=[[AllMusic]]|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/aquemini-mw0000043056/credits|title=Aquemini – OutKast (Credits)| access-date=September 14, 2013}}</ref>

=== Musicians ===
{{div col}}
* [[Andre 3000]] – vocals, kalimba <small>(on "Hold On, Be Strong")</small>
* [[Big Boi]] – vocals
* [[Raekwon]] – vocals
* The Four Phonics – vocals
* [[Erykah Badu]] – vocals
* Ruben Bailey – vocals
* [[Big Gipp]] – vocals
* Pat Brown – vocals
* [[Cee Lo Green]] – vocals
* [[Cool Breeze (rapper)|Cool Breeze]] – vocals
* Delvida Flaherty – vocals
* Joi Gilliam – vocals
* Lil' Will – vocals
* [[Goodie Mob]] – vocals
* [[Witchdoctor (rapper)|Witchdoctor]] – vocals
* Joi – vocals
* Khujo – vocals
* T-Mo – vocals
* CJ Jones – vocals
* Jamahr Williams – vocals
* Whild Peach – vocals
* Charles Veal – concert master, orchestral arrangements
* The South Central Chamber Orchestra – strings, woodwind
* Marvin "Chanz" Parkman – bass guitar, piano, synthesizer
* Victor Alexander – drums
* Omar Phillips – percussion
* Darian Emory – horn
* LaMarquis Mark Jefferson – bass guitar
* Skinny Miracles – bass guitar
* Kenneth Wright – synthesizer
* Craig Love – guitar
* Tomi Martin – guitar
* Martin Terry – electric guitar
* Jim Sitterly – violin
* Mr. DJ – scratching
* [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]] – background vocals
* [[Sleepy Brown]] – background vocals
* Jermaine Smith – background vocals
* [[Jim Smith (bassist)|Jim Smith]] – background vocals
* Debra Killings – background vocals
{{div col end}}

=== Technical===
{{div col}}
* Babyface – executive producer
* OutKast – executive producer, producer
* Organized Noize – composer, executive producer, producer, programming
* Mr. DJ Sheats – arranger, mixing, producer
* Courtney Taylor – coordination
* Josh Butler – mixing
* Jonnie Davis "Most" – mixing
* Shawn Grove – mixing assistant
* Claudine Pontier – mixing assistant
* Brian Gardner – mastering
* Blake Eiseman – engineering
* Jean B. Smit – engineering
* Bernasky Wall – engineering
* Ryan Williams – engineering
* Ralph Cacciurri – assistant engineer
* Ricco Lumpkins – assistant engineer
* Alberto Perez – assistant engineer
* Jason Rome – assistant engineer
* Kenny Stallworth – assistant engineer
* Jason Stokes – assistant engineer
* Katy Teasdale – assistant engineer
* D.L. Warfield – art direction, design
* Nigel Sawyer – assistant art director, design assistant
* Greg Hawkins – artwork
* Tom Smugala – photography
{{div col end}}

==Charts==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Weekly charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
!Chart (1998)
!Peak<br>position
|-
{{album chart|BillboardCanada|17|artist=OutKast|rowheader=true|access-date=August 23, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|Germany|66|id=5545|artist=OutKast|album=Aquemini|rowheader=true|access-date=August 23, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|Norway|39|artist=OutKast|album=Aquemini|rowheader=true|access-date=August 23, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|Billboard200|2|artist=OutKast|rowheader=true|access-date=August 23, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|2|artist=OutKast|rowheader=true|access-date=August 23, 2020}}
|}
{{col-2}}

===Year-end charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
!Chart (1998)
!Position
|-
!scope="row"|US ''Billboard'' 200<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1998/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1998|magazine=Billboard|access-date=August 23, 2020}}</ref>
|align="center"|109
|-
!scope="row"|US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1998/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums|title=Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1998|magazine=Billboard|access-date=August 23, 2020}}</ref>
|align="center"|41
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
!Chart (1999)
!Position
|-
!scope="row"|US ''Billboard'' 200<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1999/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1999|magazine=Billboard|access-date=August 23, 2020}}</ref>
|align="center"|84
|-
!scope="row"|US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1999/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums|title=Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1999|magazine=Billboard|access-date=August 23, 2020}}</ref>
|align="center"|39
|}
{{col-end}}

==Certifications==
{{certification Table Top}}
{{certification Table Entry|title=Aquemini|artist=Outkast|relyear=1998|type=album|region=Canada|award=Gold|certyear=2003|access-date=November 13, 2023}}
{{certification Table Entry|title=Aquemini|artist=Outkast|relyear=1998|certyear=2024|type=album|region=United Kingdom|award=Silver|id=19720-1847-2|access-date=February 17, 2024}}
{{certification Table Entry|title=Aquemini|artist=Outkast|relyear=1998|certyear=2023|type=album|region=United States|award=Platinum|number=3|access-date=November 13, 2023}}
{{certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|editor-last=Hess|editor-first=Mickey|year=2007|title=Icons of Hip Hop: An Encyclopedia of the Movement, Music, and Culture|publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]]|isbn=978-0-313-33903-5|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/iconsofhiphopenc0000unse}}
* {{cite book|editor-last=Miller|editor-first=Kiri|title=Traveling Home: Sacred Harp Singing and American Pluralism (Music in American Life)|publisher=University of Illinois Press|date=June 21, 2010|isbn=978-0-252-07757-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Nickson|first=Chris|author-link=Chris Nickson|date=September 1, 2004|title=Hey Ya!: The Unauthorized Biography Of OutKast|publisher=Macmillan|isbn=0-312-33735-3|url=https://archive.org/details/heyyaunauthorize00nick}}
* {{cite book|editor-last=Sarig|editor-first=Roni|title=Third Coast: OutKast, Timbaland, and How Hip-Hop Became a Southern Thing|publisher=Da Capo Press|date=May 1, 2007|isbn=978-0-306-81430-3|url=https://archive.org/details/thirdcoastoutkas00sari}}
* {{cite book|editor-last=Wang|editor-first=Oliver|title=Classic Material: The Hip-Hop Album Guide|publisher=[[ECW Press]]|date=May 1, 2003|isbn=1-55022-561-8}}

==External links==
* ''[http://www.discogs.com/OutKast-Aquemini/master/25976 Aquemini]'' at [[Discogs]]
* [http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/1998_10_aquemini.html Album Review] at RapReviews
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060928164330/http://ca.music.yahoo.com/read/review/12035244 Album Review] at [[Yahoo! Music]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121005015925/http://clatl.com/gyrobase/the-making-of-outkasts-aquemini/Content?oid=1552576&storyPage=1 The Making of OutKast's ''Aquemini''] at [[Creative Loafing]]

{{OutKast}}
{{Pitchfork}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1998 albums]]
[[Category:Outkast albums]]
[[Category:LaFace Records albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by André 3000]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Organized Noize]]