×   Hold On, Be Strong 2  Return of the “G” 3  Rosa Parks 4  Skew it on the Bar-B 5  Aquemini 6  Synthesizer 7  Slump 8  West Savannah 9  Da Art of Storytellin' (PT. 1) 10  Da Art of Storytellin' (Pt. 2) 11  Mamacita 12  SpottieOttieDopaliscious 13  Y'all Scared 14  Nathaniel 15  Liberation 16  Chonkyfire
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Aquemini is OutKast's third studio album, released on September 29, 1998. The album title represents Big Boi and André 3000's personalities by combining their Zodiac signs: Aquarius and Gemini.

Expanding on the outer space-inspired sounds of the duo’s previous record (ATLiens), Aquemini incorporates influences of 1970s funk, southern soul, gospel, country, psychedelic rock, and more. It explores various themes lyrically — including individuality, human nature, addiction, self-inflicted struggles, technology, and relationships — while blending together science fiction concepts and urban narratives.

This website was illustrated, designed, and coded by Marissa Hart for the BFA Communication Design Capstone in Illustration in Spring 2025, at WashU’s Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts.

Fonts used: Space Grotesk, Gil Modern & Tuppence.

Special thanks to my professor Shreyas R. Krishnan, TA Maddie Baker, and the illustration cohort for their support and advice throughout the semester!

TRACKLIST ALBUM CREDITS
  • [Verse 1: André 3000]

    There's a— there's a— there's a— there's a fine line

    Too late, but baby, I'm on it, yeah, yeah, yeah (Yo, yo, uh-huh)

    There's a fine line between love and hate, you see

    Came way too late but, baby, I'm on it

    There's a fine line between love and hate, you see

    Came way too late but, baby, I'm on it

    Can't worry 'bout what a n*gga think

    Now see, that's liberation and, baby, I want it

    Can't worry 'bout what another n*gga think

    Now that's liberation and, baby, I want it

    (Lemme hear it, lemme hear it, lemme though, lemme hear it)

    [Verse 2: Big Boi]

    How many times I sit back and contemplate?

    I'm fresh off the dank but I'm tellin' my story

    My relationship with my folks is give-and-take

    And I done took so much, now give me my glory

    To have a choice to be who you wants to be

    It's left up-a to me and my mama n'em told me (Yes, she did)

    I say, to have a choice to be who you wants to be

    It's left up-a to me and my mama n'em told me

    [Verse 3: Cee-Lo Green]

    No, no, no (Ah)

    I'm so tired, it's been so long struggling

    Hopelessly settling for the day (Hey)

    Oh, I sacrifice every breath I breathe

    To make you believe I'd give my life away

    Oh, Lord, I'm so tired, I'm so tired (Tired)

    My feet feel like I walked most of the road on my own (Own)

    All on my own (Yeah)

    We alive but we ain't livin', that's why I'm givin' until it's gone

    'Cause I don't wanna be alone (I don't wanna be alone)

    I don't wanna be alone (Yeah) (No, no, no)

    If anything I can say to help you find your way

    Touch your soul, make it whole, the same for you and I

    There's not a minute that goes by that I don't believe we could fly

    But I can feel it in the wind, beginning or the end

    But people, keep your head to the sky

    [Refrain: Joi & Peaches]

    Shake that load off (repeat)

    [Verse 4: Erykah Badu]

    Folk in your face, you're a superstar

    N*ggas hang around 'cause of who you are

    You get a lot of love 'cause of what you got

    Say they happy for you but they really not

    Sell a lot of records and you roll a Benz

    Swoll up in the spot, now you losing friends

    All you wanna do is give the world your heart

    Record label tried to make you compromise your art

    You make a million dollars, make a million mo'

    First class broad treat you like a n*gga po'

    You wanna say "Wait!" but you're scared to ask

    As your world starts spinning and it's moving fast

    Tryna stay sane is the price of fame

    Spending your life tryna numb the pain

    You shake that load off and sing your song

    Liberate the minds, then you go on home

    [Outro: Big Rube]

    I must admit, they planted a lot of things

    In the brains and the veins of my strain

    Makes it hard to refrain, from the host of cocaine

    From them whores, from the flame

    From a post in the game

    Makes it hard to maintain focus

    They're from the Glock rounds, and lockdowns, and burials

    The seeds that sow, get devoured by the same locusts

    'Cause it's a hard row to hoe

    If your ass don't move, and the rain don't fall

    And the ground just dry

    But the roots are strong, so some survive

    To your surprise, now I voice their cries

    You got more juice than Zeus

    Slangin' lightnin' tryin' to frighten

    Plains dwellers of the Serengeti

    But get beheaded when you falsely dreaded

    Melanin, silicone and collagen injected

    Dissectin' my pride — who the one gon' get it started?

    We be the lionhearted, without infanticide

    It's like that red sprite, you can't imagine it

    Unless you lookin' at the canvas of life

    Not through the peephole of mortality

    Single-minded mentality

    Gettin' over on loopholes

    Gettin' paid two-fold on technicalities

    Clickin' your heels but scared to voice how you feel

    Packing steel

    Pickin' cotton from the killing fields with no toe, though

    I don't think we in Kansas no mo' though

    Midwest or Dirty South

    Clean dressed or dirty mouth

    Whether robbin' preachers or killin' Poor Righteous Teachers

    You a scared demon

    Shouldn't be allowed to spread semen

    And you cowardly lions never defyin' the jackals of Babel

    Runnin' with they pack, tail between your legs

    Though the mane on your head say the story

    As you downplay your glory

    Cacklin', helpin' the shacklin' of your brethren happening

    Just by rappin'

    Libertad