Ms. Jackson is Erykah Badu’s Mother!
Before Hey Ya! took over the world in 2003, introducing everyone and their nan to Outkast, the Atlanta duo of André 3000 and Big Boi were best known in hip-hop circles. They’d already made serious waves in the genre but hadn’t yet broken through to global mainstream audiences.
One of their earlier hits was Ms. Jackson, released in 2000. It was big—top 10 in twenty countries—but unless you were watching MTV or into hip-hop, you might have missed it. What many didn’t realise was that Outkast had already spent close to a decade laying the foundation for this success.
Formed in 1992, Outkast were pioneers of southern hip-hop, blending funk, jazz, techno, and psychedelia into something totally fresh. Their first three albums—Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik (1994), ATLiens (1996), and Aquemini (1998)—earned them critical acclaim and a solid fanbase.
Then came Stankonia in 2000, featuring Ms. Jackson, a breakout single that elevated their profile significantly. Still, the true crossover moment—when even your gran knew who Outkast were—would come three years later.
But Ms. Jackson deserves a closer look. Written by André 3000 on acoustic guitar, it was developed further with Big Boi’s rap verses, creating a unique track that stood out. The lyrics were deeply personal, addressing André’s real-life relationship with Erykah Badu and apologising to her mother—Ms. Jackson. In a brilliant twist, Badu’s mum loved the tune so much she changed her number plate to “MSJCKSN”. Erykah, however, reportedly found the song painful.
When Hey Ya! dropped in 2003 as part of the double album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, Outkast exploded into full-blown pop superstardom. While chart historians may point out that Ms. Jackson actually peaked higher in some rankings, it’s Hey Ya! that has stuck around in DJ sets, radio rotations, and function band setlists.
It’s now one of those must-know tunes for any professional guitarist, right up there with Sex On Fire, Fallin’, Last Nite, Crazy In Love, Seven Nation Army, I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor, Crazy, Single Ladies, and I’m Yours—all essential cuts from that iconic early-2000s era.
And since Hey Ya! is just a short loop of chords repeated throughout, there’s really no excuse—learn to play it today!
Outkast Tunes | Related Pages
Hey Ya! | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Hey Ya! by Outkast using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| G | C | C | 2/4 D | 4/4 Em | Em |
My baby don’t mess around because she loves me so and this I know fo sho (uh)…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Hey Ya! (Outkast) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Outkast on the web
