Follow The Light
Even In Darkness, 2001
Less than a year after Stankonia, OutKast got back together with some of their formative friends, including Goodie Mob, to record this ridiculous gem of an album. I put it on any 2001 Best Of list, which is shocking considering how these types of 'here's where I came from records' (D12?) usually fare (they are awful- there's a reason some of them made it and some didn't).
The album is full of amazing songs, including this one, "Crooked Booty," "Trans DF Express," "Excalibur"... I chose "Follow the Light" almost entirely on Cee-Lo's ridiculous turn (in case you don't know his voice, he comes in around 2:30) by saying "Ever so eloquently..." The best line of the whole verse? "Jesus is my older brother evidently." The off-hand way he finishes by saying, "Follow the light," and then laughing is truly excellent.
Of course Big Boi delivers, and Big Gipp's turn is excellent... and I think those are the only three on this one. Which is kind of surprising given most of the other tracks feature half a dozen routinely. Is it the religious overtones of the track? I don't know, but that would be my guess. Then again, every time I think it's a call to religion it becomes so problematic (exhibit A: Big Gipp declaring, "I want to be remembered in infamy.") that I just ignore it. I mean, obviously it is. Big Boi asks us to "follow the Ten Commandments." This from a guy with a stripper's pole in his basement. Who cares?
Those shimmery notes behind what is a deceptively simple beat carry the song along. This is the era when every OutKast track could not be stopped- each one had such propulsive quality. It's amazing to me that they had so much good material at that time (and other people were releasing classic hip-hop left and right) that Even in Darkness got swept under the table. It should be a classic.
i had to go out and get this album based on cee-lo's giggles alone. thanks.
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