On November 8, 2025, the grand halls of the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles were filled to honor rising legends and enduring icons by welcoming them into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and at the heart of it all stood OutKast.
When the camera lit up and the crowd roared, Andre Benjamin (a.k.a. Andre 3000) and Antwan Patton (Big Boi) took the stage together, the Atlanta duo finally acknowledged by music history in a formal ceremony. They stood side by side, a powerful image of two friends, creative partners, and cultural pioneers.
Their introduction came courtesy of Donald Glover, who framed their story with reverence and context. “OutKast was able to distill the polarizing nature of being not just from the South, not just being Black, but being a human in a very polarizing and contradicting world,” he declared. He highlighted how their landmark double album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, shattered genre expectations and commercial ceilings.
Big Boi won the playful rock-paper-scissors onstage to speak first a moment of lightness in a deeply meaningful night. He first thanked his family, his city, V-103's Greg Street, and finally, he paid tribute to Andre:
“I wanna say… especially to my brother right here, thank you for making me be the best I can be, and going toe to toe on the records. Iron-sharpen-iron just to be the best.”
Then Andre stepped up, visibly moved, and recalled their humble beginnings:
“Great things start in little rooms,” he echoed, referencing the basement studio where OutKast’s creative spark first flickered. His voice caught as he connected their past to this moment, recognition, and full circle.
While Andre didn’t perform, Big Boi and a roster of artists honored OutKast’s catalogue live. Highlights included:
Janelle Monáe running through “Hey Ya!” on acoustic guitar, a nod to OutKast’s genre-defying reach.
Doja Cat tackling “Ms. Jackson,” bringing a new generation’s voice to the classic.
Tyler, the Creator delivering a charged version of “B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad).”
Big Boi also hit the stage with JID to perform Atliens.
It was celebratory, historic, and intimate all at once. The performance not only celebrated OutKast’s hits but underscored the breadth of their influence across decades and genres.
For Atlanta, for the South, and for hip-hop at large, this induction was far bigger than a trophy. It stood as validation of a creative voice that refused to be pigeonholed. As one report put it:
“The event highlighted the group’s influence on modern hip-hop, as well as Atlanta’s rich music history.”
Later that night, the celebration continued. In a private gathering, OutKast’s peers, collaborators and family gathered at an exclusive after-party where the mood ranged from nostalgic to triumphant. It was a reminder: this moment belongs not just to two men on stage, but to a creative collective, The Dungeon Family, Rico Wade, a city, and a culture that they helped redefine.
Watching OutKast accept their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame wasn’t just witnessing an award being handed out, it was seeing a long-built legacy honored as they stood, defiantly and proudly, as the South’s voice, the streets’ storytellers, and music's rule-breakers.