Organized Noize can be credited as the first production team to build the signature sound of Atlanta’s thriving urban music scene. In the ‘90s, Rico Wade, Ray Murray, and Sleepy Brown formed the production team and created hits for OutKast, TLC, and Goodie MoB just to name a few.
As OutKast celebrates their 20th anniversary of their legendary album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzic, Organized Noize has decided to launch a clothing line and release a new documentary, The Art of Organized Noize.
Wade and Murray (Brown is currently on tour with OutKast) recently sat down with rolling out to discuss their new ventures and the importance of keeping Atlanta hip-hop alive.
Why was it important for Organized Noize to launch a clothing line and film that coincides with OutKast’s 20th anniversary?
Ray Murray:
It’s to remember the culture. When you’re doing something special, you don’t really think about what you’re doing. You got your nose in the book, your pen to the paper. You’re not really addressing how it’s received. So with 20 years, we can reflect now about the generation we raised. The apparel is kind of tying into all of that. It’s like bringing remembrance as to why we are doing what we doing. What is the fight that we are fighting? Of course, we want to benefit economically. But the thing that brought us all here and made us all get on the same page is bigger than just the dynamic of money. It was pushing the envelope to get recognized and expressing the voice of the unheard.
What is the basis behind the clothing line?
Rico Wade:
Organized Noize has never sold any of our merchandise. We’ve been a label and gave everything away for promotion. We spent thousands of dollars and gave away T-shirts. We are setting up all of our brands now to where this young generation can get an idea. So with organizednoize.net, we finally put up our T-shirts on sale. With the OutKast 20th anniversary, we’re letting people know it’s our 20th anniversary too.
VH1 recently did a documentary on Atlanta music and you all are releasing a documentary called The Art of Organized Noize. Are there any similarities?
Rico Wade:
Our documentary, The Art of Organized Noize, is the voice. We’re telling the story about how we came about, how the Dungeon Family came about. The 20th anniversary is an opportunity for us to promote our brand. This year, everyone is talking about the anniversary and asking for interviews. We decided to do a film and clothing line and we’re setting up our businesses. We are renewed. We have brand new passion and drive for pushing Atlanta forward.
