This will be the last OutKast post. Please believe me. There's nothing more to say.

But here's one last item:

According to 700-plus music critics who voted in the Village Voice's annual Pazz & Jop poll, 'Kast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below was indeed the best album of 2003. 'Kast also is occupying the No. 1 spot on the singles list, as well, for Andre 3000's Beatles-esque tune "Hey Ya."

You can check out my ballot HERE. On my list I went with more underground rap, soulful R&B and endearing pop (Seal's Seal IV). I like my list to represent music from all genres, but this year, I decided to stay with rap, R&B and pop.

If you love OutKast's double-CD, you will adore Little Brother's disc The Listening simply for their nostalgic rap sound and b-boy anthems. Kem's Kemistry CD is wonderful -- highly recommended. Some of the underground rap stuff like Zion I (Deep Water Slang), Jean Grae (Bootleg EP) and CunninLynguists (southernunderground) I wanted to include on my list because I'm always searching for inventive rap music whether it's above ground or higher ground.

I believe that their music is just as valid as any other artist on a major label. I'm always championing the underdogs no matter how underground or "indie" they are. I don't list these guys to be cool or to be "avant-garde" (or "indie cool"), I do it because their music is tight. Plus, I can introduce listeners to more obscure, if not broader, rap music. If you don't know who Zion, Jean Grae and Cunny are, do yourself a favor -- click THIS and enjoy.

Music Journalist/hip-hop thinker Lynne d Johnson has a ballot on HERE too. I wanted to put R. Kelly's CD Chocolate Factory on my ballot, but I didn't love 'Kels' CD as much as I did Dwele's CD Subject. Dwele may not be able to carry a tune on stage (so I've heard) but the songs on his disc spoke to me and reflected my feelings on love and romance ("Hold On," "Subject"). 'Kels' disc was banging, tho . . . fo' real. The R-er may be a pervert, but when it comes to bedroom ballads, nobody does it better. I still feel joy when I hear "Step In the Name Love" and my heart skips a beat when I hear "I'll Never Leave You," which is a great song.

Everybody loves T.I. I can stand that boy. He's i-ight. ("Rubberband Man" I'm feelin' that joint.)

Okay, that's it. It's 2004. I need to let go of OutKast and move on to somebody else.

Sooo . . . who's the next artist to blow up in 2004?

Can you say Ghostface Killa?

Yup!

Check out this banging kinky cut from Ghost called "Tush" featuring Missy Elliott.

Oh boy! Ghost is fiiiiya!

Run!

Holla!