Organized Noize’s Rico Wade was laid to rest at an Atlanta funeral Friday — a day that coincided with the 30th anniversary of the release of Outkast’s debut album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik — and after the private service, Big Boi and Andre 3000 turned to social media to pay tribute to the pioneering producer who died earlier this month at the age of 52.
“Without Rico Wade… There would be no Outkast,” Big Boi wrote. “From the beginning. Organized Noize signed us. They were our big brothers, and they did a production deal with LaFace Records. They were the ones that gave us our first shot and we been doing music with them since the beginning.”
Andre 3000 reminisced about the first time the duo encountered one of the Dungeon Family patriarchs “The first time we met Rico [Wade] of Organized Noize, we had the ‘Scenario’ instrumental on and we just rapped damn near the whole song, non-stop,” the rapper wrote.
“Big Gipp from Goodie Mob — it was his truck we were listening to it out of. We put it in his cassette. We didn’t know Gipp or Rico or none of them, but Rico knew people who did beats — [Organized Noize’s] Ray [Murray], and Sleepy Brown. He said, ‘Let me hear what you got,’ so we put in the ‘Scenario’ tape and started rhyming, non-stop, back-and-forth. That day, after we rhymed, Rico saw something in us.”
Andre 3000 continued, “At that time we’d both shaven off all our hair. We’d dyed our hair blonde one time: We were young and in high school, we were outcasts, you know? Rico saw that, and he said, ‘These guys can really rhyme. They don’t really rhyme like people from the South.’ So he told us to come over to his house, and that’s where the dungeon is, in the basement.”
The duo also shared a quote from Wade about discovering Outkast, “They were like 16 of 17, and they were ready for some direction… I think timing is everything. It was time for a revolution.”
Wade died April 12 at the age of 52; no cause of death has been announced. Organized Noize and the Dungeon Family said in a statement at the time, “We are devastated by the news of the passing of our dear brother Rico Wade. The world has lost one of the most innovative architects in music, and we have lost an invaluable friend. Rico was the cornerstone of Organized Noize and the Dungeon Family, and we will forever treasure his memory and the moments we shared, creating music as a united team. Our hearts weigh heavy with sorrow, and we kindly request privacy and empathy during this challenging period. Rico’s presence will always have a special spot in our hearts, and in the music we presented to the world.”
Dungeon Family member Killer Mike wrote in a tribute to Wade, “I deeply appreciate your acceptance into The Dungeon Family, mentorship, Friendship and Brotherhood. Idk where I would be without ya’ll. This is a part of the journey. You told me ‘It ain’t been hard throughout the journey, it’s been a Journey.’ The journey ain’t gonna be the Same Journey without U. Like U say tho Umma ‘Stay Down on it’……we all are.”
