An iconic Atlanta hip-hop duo is back again to celebrate their home city with a new collaboration with another Georgia institution.
Earlier this month, OutKast partnered with Waffle House to bring limited-edition merchandise, menu items and more to the city.
Now, OutKast is calling all sports fans to come together for their new collaboration with the Atlanta Falcons and celebrate thirty years of the groundbreaking "ATLiens" album.
"Celebrate the 30th anniversary of ATLiens with an exclusive collection honoring one of the most influential albums ever," the group said on social media Wednesday.
What items are available for the OutKast x Atlanta Falcons collab?
Available through the OutKast website, fans can find a letterman jacket, Falcons jersey, hoodies, a t-shirt, a hat and even a mini helmet.
The items are a mix of black with the iconic neon green lettering, as well as the combination logo from the Atlanta Falcons and the album.
The team also announced Thursday that Big Boi will be performing at halftime during the Sunday, Oct. 25 Atlanta Falcons home game.
What are "ATLiens"?
"ATLiens" was the second studio album released by OutKast, also known as André 3000 and Big Boi. It dropped in August 1996 and quickly rose up the charts as the duo explored what it meant to be Southern artists in the hip-hop world.
"The whole 'ATLiens' thing is based on being an alien, not, like, just being green with big eyes and a big head. I mean, knowing who you are, you know what I'm saying, accepting who you are and knowing that being different is sometimes better or most of the times better than trying to be like somebody else," Big Boi (Antwan André Patton) said in a 1996 interview with MTV. "We all about promoting individualism, just being yourself. I mean, not fronting and being real."
The album name combines their city of origin, Atlanta, with this idea of being alien to those who may not understand them.
As OutKast gained popularity outside of the Deep South, they regularly commented on who they called "close-minded folks" who believed hip-hop belonged to the West Coast and New York City. The ATLiens album challenged that belief and backed up the artists who had said the "South has something to say" during an awards appearance in 1995.
Three decades later, as OutKast was solidified as one of the most iconic musical groups to ever come out of Atlanta, the album still resonates with many who still call the city home.
Irene Wright is the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Celebrate 30 years of 'ATLiens' with OutKast, Atlanta Falcons collab
