OutKast are officially part of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The legendary duo were inducted at a star-studded ceremony on Saturday (November 8) in Los Angeles alongside the likes of The White Stripes, Cyndi Lauper, Soundgarden and fellow hip-hop pioneers Salt-N-Pepa.
Tyler, The Creator, Killer Mike, JID, Doja Cat and Janelle Monáe all took the stage for a tribute medley to André 3000 and Big Boi, performing renditions of classic OutKast hits like “B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad),” “Ms. Jackson” and “The Whole World.”
Big Boi himself was also part of the performance, joining JID for “ATLiens” and Sleepy Brown for “The Way You Move.”
Childish Gambino had the honor of formally inducting OutKast into the Hall of Fame, and praised the group for “[making] it possible to imagine experimenting on the biggest stage and to aim for the impossible.”
During OutKast’s own acceptance speech, André 3000 held back tears as he reflected on the group’s humble beginnings in The Dungeon, the iconic basement studio belonging to the family of the late Rico Wade.
“Jack [White] said something about little rooms. We started in a little room,” he said while flanked by the entire Dungeon Family. “Great things start in little rooms.”
He added: “We’re just so happy that Rico Wade saw something in us, he gave us an opportunity to come [and record], and all the sacrifices that were made around us to help us get to this place.”
“[Rico’s family] had to sacrifice their home for us to make music … and doing nefarious things as well,” he joked. “[Rico’s siblings] had to go to school the next morning and we up bumpim’ [music] and smoking weed ’til like six in the morning!”
3 Stacks also showed love to some of his rap peers for inspiring and influencing OutKast, shouting out Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliott, Nas, Wu-Tang Clan and Goodie Mob specifically.
Check out all the highlights from OutKast’s — and hip-hop’s — special moment below.
