The South’s still got something to say.
Who is being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year?
Outkast has been announced among the 2025 class of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees ahead of this November’s induction ceremony. The currently inactive but undeniably influential duo of André 3000 and Big Boi is joined in this year’s performers category of honorees by Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Soundgarden, and The White Stripes.
“Each of these inductees created their own sound and attitude that had a profound impact on culture and helped to change the course of Rock & Roll forever,” John Sykes, Chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, said in a statement issued after Ryan Seacrest’s initial inductees unveiling during a special episode of American Idol on Sunday. “Their music gave a voice to generations and influenced countless artists that followed in their footsteps.”
When was the last Outkast album released?
Idlewild, released in 2006 as the soundtrack companion to the movie of the same name, currently stands as Outkast’s most recent (and perhaps final) studio album. Preceding its release three years earlier was the Grammy-winning, Diamond-certified double album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.
André 3000, a fascinatingly elusive figure in pop culture, launched his first solo album with 2023’s New Blue Sun, which received three nominations at the most recent iteration of the Grammys. Big Boi, meanwhile, has released three solo albums, including 2017’s Boomiverse, as well as the collaborative projects Big Grams (with Phantogram) and Big Sleepover (with Sleepy Brown).
The 2025 Rock Hall class also sees Salt-N-Pepa and Warren Zevon being honored with the Musical Influence Award. Named as Musical Excellence Award honorees are Thom Bell, Nicky Hopkins, and Carol Kaye. Lenny Waronker will receive the Ahmet Ertegun Award at the induction ceremony, set for Nov. 8 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
When reacting to this weekend’s news, Big Boi shared a career-spanning video to Instagram.
“The last infinity stone in the Thanos Glove!” He wrote when sharing the video “Outkast is everlasting.”
