OutKast have hit plenty of major career milestones since their founding in 1992, but they recently hit their biggest yet, at least numerically.
On Friday (September 29), the duo’s 2003 album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below was certified 13x platinum, meaning it has sold 13 million copies, by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). This makes it the largest-selling rap album ever in the United States.
The OutKast platter, which contains the duo’s massive single “Hey Ya,” surpassed Eminem‘s The Eminem Show, which was certified 12x platinum in 2022.
OutKast had a little help because of the project’s status as a double album (Big Boi and André 3000 each had one disc), meaning that each copy sold counts twice. Many of Hip Hop’s other top-selling albums are also double LPs, such as Biggie‘s Life After Death and 2Pac‘s All Eyez On Me and Greatest Hits.
Big Boi celebrated the certification on Instagram by posting a video of him unwrapping a framed plaque commemorating Speakerboxxx/The Love Below‘s 13 million sales.
“Over 13 Million albums sold… outkast is everlasting. Stank You Smelly Much …To All Y’all,” he wrote in the caption.
The biggest-selling album ever of any genre in the U.S. is the Eagles’ 1971-75 greatest hits collection (38x platinum), followed by Michael Jackson’s Thriller (34 times platinum), the Eagles again with Hotel California (26x platinum) and AC/DC’s Back in Black (25x platinum). All of OutKast’s LPs have at least gone platinum, with 2000’s Stankonia their second biggest-selling album at five million sold.
Here is the complete list of top-selling rap albums:
13x Platinum:
- OutKast — Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
12x Platinum:
- Eminem — The Eminem Show
11x Platinum:
- Eminem — The Marshall Mathers LP
- The Notorious B.I.G. — Life After Death
10x Platinum (Diamond):
- 2Pac — All Eyez On Me
- 2Pac — Greatest Hits
- Beastie Boys — Licensed to Ill
- MC Hammer — Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em
- Lauryn Hill — The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
- Nelly — Country Grammar
- Eminem — Curtain Call: The Hits
In addition to being certified tredecuple platinum, the ATL-iens have been busy celebrating the 25th anniversary of their arguably perfect third album Aquemini. They recently released an animated music video for “SpottieOttieDopaliscious,” which you can watch below.
Greats Hip Hop duo ever.
Ball and MJG are better, more longevity and body of work, and never separated because of ego.
They did seperate….they did not announce it….do u remember 8ball lost?
MJG dropped No More Glory around the same time
Leave them 8 balls alone playa…you speaking craziness…
Andre 3000 turned weirdo a long time ago while big boi was still taking his craft seriously. Andre 3000 has always been over rated ..I can’t isten to him for the life of me. Big boi always been the true rapper.
Nobody cares
You smoking Andre struggles with mental health and still is one of the greatest rappers ever y’all be tripping and hating just appreciate good music
As a New Yorker even I rocks wit 3000
First couple albums 3000 wrote all the songs big boi admitted it. Andre pushed him to rap
It was something to talk about when it was released i didn’t think it would do this well not for a second
You jay z stanz I thought he was the best selling rapper 😆 🤣 😂
Um it’s about one album…wtf. not who’s the best selling rapper 😂🤦🏾♂️
Might be the best selling, but definitely not the best sonically and production wise. Chronic 2001 and It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back are better.
2001 has limited subject matter and very few songs that people care about, sonically great, listening value? No thanks.
Eminem is in every category & some fellaz will still claim JayZ is the Best. How? Its so obvious that white boy runs the show.
Those aren’t categories my guy…it’s a vertical table! Only thing that matters is who you like the most. It’s music…relax
I don’t know where this guy is getting his numbers from but they are very outdated and wrong maybe the outkast number is correct because it just got certified but definitely the other albums he listed are way off of the mark for what they have sold. Plus hate to tell you guys a secret but vanilla ice to the extreme has sold over million albums and that was a few years ago so I have no idea what it’s sold now he’s got the plaques to prove it
How dare y’all not mention “The Score” By The Fugees..18 million sold and won 2 Grammys.. That’s Crazy!!
How dare y’all not mention “The Score” By The Fugees..18 million sold and won 2 Grammys.. That’s Crazy!!
Awesome album.
Awesome album.
I’m just glad somebody got in front of Eminem punk ass I’m tired of white boy’s trying to rap keep your asses in heavy metal or country music.