“It’s like we gotta demo tape but don’t nobody want to hear it, but it’s like this: The South got something to say! And that’s all I got to say.” – Andre 3000 speech after Outkast won best new Rap Group at the Source Award 1995.
Many, including Trillville and the Eastside Boyz who cited the moment during the Q&A session, would mark this as the turning point that would eventually catapult southern artists, and Atlanta in particular, to the forefront of hip-hop as we know it today.
The city of Atlanta has become a cultural leader in music, fashion, and entertainment in the 20 plus years since Andre first made his bold proclamation. The legacy of Atlanta, establishing trends and shaping black culture only continues to grow today with productions such as One Music Fest.
One Music Fest was founded in 2010 by Harlem native Jason Carter as the premier urban progressive music festival in the South. However, its conception took place years prior according to Carter. After moving to Atlanta in the late 1980’s Carter was immediately captivated by