Aquemini

Aquemini () is the third studio album by the American 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 (Big Boi) and 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, 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 musicians 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, 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 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album was certified platinum in November 1998, only two months after its release, and was certified double platinum on July 2, 1999, by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Four of the album's tracks were released as singles, although some were limited promotional releases and not available commercially. Since its...