Comeback #2: Don't Like What I Write? Shoot Me a Bird

Stop number two on the Andre 3000 tour came due to another leak a little while after "The Mighty O". This song was a modern day super group cut in the vain of "Swagga Like Us" or the newly crowned "Forever". While hip hop history doesn't seem to quite recognize it as such right now because Idlewild is wrongly ignored in general basically, it definitely delivers quality on an insane level. The emcees involved? Andre 3000 and Big Boi, of course, plus Lil' Wayne and Snoop Dogg. That's as close to owning the world that you're gonna get without an NY emcee in the mix.

OutKast - Hollywood Divorce (feat. Lil' Wayne & Snoop Dogg)

What completely blows my mind on this track is that Weezy's verse actually kills. I don't know if 3000 demands such a crazy amount of respect that it brought the best out of Wayne or what, but Weezy usually blows on his big name features. Weirdly, he's also the trivia-worthy link between the two collaborations I just mentioned and this song. Hmmm. Whatever.

After Wayne's dissertation and the following chorus, Dre steps up to bat starting off on a ABC blooper. No one's really a big fan of alphabet rhyming, but he quickly steps it up and lays down a heavily cautionary street tale laced with metaphoric humor that commands your attention. Cuz that's what Three Stacks does. And he doesn't give a flying ... bird.

A is for Adamsville
B is for Bowenhome
C if I give a f*** if you like me. You know I don't
If she ain't got a good head on her leave that ho alone
If she do got some good head on her let her sing a song
D is for what I serve, I don't be on no curb
She ain't no junkie neither, I ain't no dope dealer
But she keep comin back, 3-stacks must be some crack
Put that pipe in her lap, she ain't know how to act
Now that I've got your un-, divided attention I'm
Gonna say this and run, under condition one
Promise me you gon' stack, promise me you gon' ball
Promise me you'll invest three fourths of it all
For what? So your kids, kids, kids can have some cheese
Can't get with it? Get get get get get on your knees
Cuz wealth is the word
Rich is round the corner from the curb
Don't like what I write? Shoot me a bird

Big and Snoop valiantly wrap the second half of the song up with their different perspectives on how they live and deal with the spotlight of Doggy Dogg's hometown. To me, it's a classic. Features or not. Andre produced the song himself, crooned out the hook, and even spoken-worded the outro, so he's in full effect here. And he was bringing the whole rap game with him.

Hollywood divorce. All the fresh styles always start off as a good little hood thing; look at blues, rock, jazz, rap. Not even talkin about music, everything else too. By the time it reach Hollywood, it's over. But it's cool, we just keep it goin and make new ish.

... but do take my word for it.