A home of hip hop lore became a weekend home for others.
Last month, Big Boi, six-time Grammy award winner and one half of the legendary Outkast, became a host on Airbnb.
Big Boi, whose real name Antwan André Patton, hosted three overnight stays at “The Dungeon” for three days (June 29, July 1, and July 3) for only $25 a night—in honor of the 25th anniversary of Outkast’s “ATLiens,” which is widely held to be one of the group’s classic albums.
During their stays, guests learned about the Atlanta community and its hip hop history, were provided access to the house’s basement, listened to some of the records that were recorded there and were provided access to a state-of-the-art in-home studio, which was outfitted with Yamaha audio equipment.
Many guests were also given the star treatment, when they were brought to and from the house in an Escalade.
“Atlanta is my home, and I grew up with The Dungeon Family in this house,” stated Big Boi. “We would spend hours hanging out in the basement, writing rhymes and putting together beats at all hours of the night. Since purchasing the home, I’ve been excited to open its doors and welcome the next generation of artists to the space that inspired countless songs.”
The house is the former home of Organized Noize producer Rico Wade’s mother. Back in the day, the basement was a makeshift studio that they called “The Dungeon,” because of the basement’s rickety infrastructure and dirt floors.
Outkast and Goodie Mob recorded some of their early work including “Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik” and “Soul Food” respectively. The basement helped shape what would become the mainstream Southern sound and was the catalyst to the region’s takeover of hip hop that continues to this day. The walls of the basement still bear the signatures of the artists and producers who took their sound global.