Why Outkast should be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

We're about six weeks away from finding out which artists will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and we want to take a moment to make the case for Outkast.

Why it matters: The rap duo from East Point pioneered the sound of Atlanta, which propelled the city to become the hip-hop capital of the South.

• André 3000's proclamation that the South "got something to say" also became a rallying cry for other artists to bask in the glory of Southern hip-hop culture.

Driving the news: Fans can choose up to seven nominees each day through April 21.

• Outkast had a little more than 61,500 votes as of Tuesday afternoon and was not among the top seven artists fans were backing.

What they're saying: Our colleague Troy Smith, who co-authors the Axios Cleveland newsletter, says the odds are 70% for Outkast to be inducted this year.

• A hip-hop artist has been inducted every year over the last five years, and Outkast is the only group representing the genre this year.

The intrigue: Smith reports that Atlanta-based rock band The Black Crowes have even lower odds at 10%, but fans have given them a more than 20,000-vote lead over Outkast.

• Among rock bands, Soundgarden is the clear favorite, polling fourth with about 120,000 votes.

The big picture: It's safe to say that Outkast and the larger Dungeon Family collective have done just as much to introduce Atlanta to the world as city leaders and boosters who lobbied for the 1996 Olympics and other major events — including next year's FIFA World Cup (we even have our own hype song) and Super Bowl LXII in 2028.

• André 3000 and Big Boi are so beloved that a petition was created to carve Outkast as two dope boys in a Cadillac (a nod to the song on the "ATLiens" album) into Stone Mountain alongside the Confederate leaders who adorn it.

• Older Outkast fans remember how "Player's Ball" became an anthem.
• "ATLiens" isn't just a song; it's how Atlanta natives raised on Outkast identify themselves.
• Everyone — even people who don't even listen to Outkast — knows the chorus to "Ms. Jackson" and why they were apologizing.

The bottom line: It's time to show the world that Atlanta and the South still have plenty to say.

• Vote Outkast early and often.