Editing Aquemini (section)

==Background==
In 1994, Outkast released their debut album, ''[[Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik]]'', which was recorded when the rappers [[Big Boi]] and [[André 3000]] were 18. Bolstered by the success of "[[Player's Ball]]", the record established Outkast as prominent figures in the Southern hip hop scene.<ref name="Nickson3233">Nickson (2004), pp. 32–33.</ref> After the album was certified platinum, LaFace Records gave Outkast more creative control and advanced money for their 1996 follow-up album ''ATLiens''.<ref>{{cite journal|title=none|year=1997|journal=Black Diaspora|location=New York|volume=18|page=25}}</ref> On ''ATLiens'', André 3000 and Big Boi abandoned the "hard-partying playa characters" of their debut album in favor of personas that were more futuristic, and produced many of the songs on their own for the first time.<ref name="allmusicrev">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/atliens-mw0000175875|title=ATLiens – OutKast|first=Steve|last=Huey|work=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=July 10, 2012}}</ref><ref name="sarig140">Sarig, 2007. p. 140</ref> Critics praised the group's maturing musical style on the record, which debuted at number two on the US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] chart and sold nearly 350,000 copies in its first 2 weeks of release.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SJ&s_site=mercurynews&p_multi=SJ&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB71FFBDA46427F&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=Pearl Jam's 'No Code' to Top Albums Chart|work=[[San Jose Mercury News]]|date=September 7, 1996|access-date=March 5, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-09-15-ca-44034-story.html|title=The Charts – 'ATLiens' Landing|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=September 15, 1996|access-date=March 5, 2011}}</ref> The single "[[Elevators (Me & You)]]" reached number 12 and spent 20 weeks on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] chart.<ref name="hot100">{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=outkast|chart=Hot 100}}|title=OutKast Chart History – Hot 100|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=March 5, 2011}}</ref>

After the release of ''ATLiens'', André 3000 entered a relationship with the [[neo soul]] singer [[Erykah Badu]], who was part of a burgeoning movement in the urban music scene described as "more bohemian than ghetto".<ref name="Sarig171">Sarig, p. 171</ref> André 3000 adopted a more flamboyant style of dress during performances in promotion of ''ATLiens'' that included large glasses, blond wigs, and marching band uniforms. Badu gave birth to his first child in November 1997, which presented new artistic inspiration for the rapper.<ref name="Sarig171"/>