OutKast inducted into Rock Hall 2025 as Big Boi leads tribute with Tyler the Creator and Janelle Monáe

OutKast enter Rock Hall 2025 with Big Boi performing alongside Tyler the Creator, Janelle Monáe, Doja Cat, and others

Iconic hip-hop duo OutKast were officially inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame during the 2025 ceremony in Cleveland, Ohio, on Saturday night. The honor was presented by Donald Glover, who praised the group’s groundbreaking influence on Southern rap and their ability to redefine genre boundaries.

Both André 3000 and Big Boi were in attendance to accept the award, though only Big Boi took part in the live tribute medley. The performance featured a lineup of artists including JID, Doja Cat, Tyler, the Creator, Janelle Monáe, and Killer Mike, all performing classic OutKast hits.

In his heartfelt induction speech, Glover reflected on OutKast’s enduring cultural impact. “OutKast distilled the polarizing nature of being not just from the South, not just being Black, but being human,” he said, referencing the duo’s landmark 2003 double album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. “They made every experiment sound like destiny.”

When the duo took the stage to accept their honor, they humorously played rock-paper-scissors to decide who would speak first. Big Boi began by thanking his family and paying tribute to his home state of Georgia before turning to André 3000: “Thank you for making me be the best I can be, going toe to toe on the records. Iron sharpens iron.”

André 3000 followed with an emotional reflection on OutKast’s journey. “When I heard we were being inducted, I thought, ‘Man, this is great—we’ll be in the same company as the people who inspired us,’” he said, adding that “great things start in little rooms,” a nod to fellow inductee Jack White’s earlier comment.

The tribute performance included “ATLiens” by Big Boi and JID, “Ms. Jackson” by Doja Cat, “B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad)” by Tyler, the Creator, and “Hey Ya” by Janelle Monáe. Big Boi later returned with Sleepy Brown for “The Way You Move”, before closing the show alongside Killer Mike and all performers with “The Whole World.”

Other 2025 inductees included Cyndi Lauper, Soundgarden, the White Stripes, Bad Company, Chubby Checker, and Joe Cocker, with Warren Zevon and Salt-N-Pepa honored for musical influence.