Whirlpool Teams With Big Boi for Crystal-Studded Washer That Sings 'So Fresh, So Clean'

Big Boi’s iconic OutKast anthem “So Fresh, So Clean” has found an unlikely new home — inside a limited-edition Whirlpool washer that plays the chorus after each cycle. (Courtesy photo)

Twenty years ago, OutKast had clubs chanting “so fresh and so clean” as the anthem of late-night swagger. Today, Whirlpool wants your socks to feel the same way. In one of the most unexpected hip-hop crossovers yet, the appliance giant announced a limited-edition washer and dryer set that plays Big Boi’s chorus from the 2001 classic after every cycle.

Yes, it’s real. The Benton Harbor-based brand revealed the machines Tuesday as part of a sweepstakes giveaway, complete with a matte black finish, hand-placed crystals, and a “certified fresh” badge signed by Big Boi himself. The first set has already been delivered to the Atlanta legend, who co-signed the partnership with a simple truth: “Now your laundry looks fresh, smells fresh, and even sounds fresh.”

 

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It’s the kind of headline that sounds like satire until you remember hip-hop’s ability to bend culture in ways nobody predicts. Sneakers, champagne, fast food menus — the genre’s influence has already spilled into every corner of consumer life. But this may be the first time a rap hook is hardwired into household appliances, cementing just how permanent the early-2000s South has become in the American imagination.

OutKast’s legacy looms large over the moment. While André 3000 reinvented himself in 2023 with a flute-driven jazz odyssey, Big Boi’s steady presence has kept the duo’s catalog alive in arenas, soundtracks, and now, washing machines. For fans who once blasted “So Fresh, So Clean” through car stereos on summer nights, hearing it while folding laundry is a reminder of both hip-hop’s absurd reach and its timeless cool.

The sweepstakes runs through September 23, and only a handful of fans will ever own one of the crystal-studded machines. But the cultural takeaway isn’t about how many units exist. It’s about what it means when a track once soundtracking parties is now soundtracking adulthood. Hip-hop doesn’t just move generations forward — it ages with them, growing from the streets to the suburbs, and now, to the laundry room.

OutKast made the world feel so fresh and so clean. Whirlpool just made it literal.

Busta Rhymes’ Boundary-Breaking Career Earns Visionary Honor at VMAs

Busta Rhymes will receive the inaugural Rock the Bells Visionary Award and perform at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards in New York. (Photo Credit: Derek Blanks)

The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards are setting the stage for a night that blends cultural celebration with high-voltage performances — and hip-hop icon Busta Rhymes is at the center of it all.

On Sept. 7, the rap legend will receive the first-ever Rock the Bells Visionary Award, honoring his groundbreaking career and enduring impact on music and culture, before hitting the stage for a performance expected to steal the night.

The recognition caps an extraordinary run for Busta, who this year also cemented his name on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and remains a constant creative force. Across three decades, he has sold more than 20 million albums, earned 12 Grammy nominations, landed seven Top 10 debuts on the Billboard 200 and seen over 60 million of his records certified gold and platinum. Since his first VMA appearance in 1997, Busta has delivered some of the show’s most electric moments, including the rapid-fire medley that closed the 2021 broadcast. His return in 2025 underscores not just his longevity, but the way he continues to shape the conversation in hip-hop.

He won’t be the only artist honored. Ricky Martin will make history as the first recipient of the Latin Icon Award, marking a four-decade career that has sold more than 70 million albums and redefined Latin pop for a global audience. Martin, who first lit up the VMAs stage in 1999, will return on the 26th anniversary of that performance, bringing his legacy full circle.

LL Cool J will host the ceremony live from UBS Arena in New York. The Queens legend — a VMA veteran and pop-culture mainstay — anchors the night in his first solo turn as host. The show will air coast-to-coast on CBS, simulcast on MTV, and stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.

The first wave of announced performers signals the breadth of the 2025 show. Breakout singer-songwriter Alex Warren makes his debut with his global No. 1 hit “Ordinary,” which has him nominated for Best New Artist, Best Pop and Song of the Year. Sabrina Carpenter, last year’s Song of the Year winner, returns with eight nominations including Video of the Year for “Manchild.” J Balvin, one of Latin music’s most decorated stars, will perform “Zun Zun” with Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavárez, before joining DJ Snake for the live premiere of “Noventa.” Rising artist sombr will also take the stage for the first time, fresh off nominations for Best New Artist and Best Alternative.

But the story this year is Busta Rhymes — a performer whose career has spanned generations, genres, and platforms without losing its urgency. From his early days with Leaders of the New School to his chart-smashing solo records and iconic videos, Busta has remained a larger-than-life presence. His recognition with the Rock the Bells Visionary Award is less a career capstone than a reminder that his influence remains present tense. On VMA night, the stage is his again.

Busta Rhymes Feted as Hip-Hop Icon During Harlem Day Celebration

Busta Rhymes holds up the Hip Hop Icon Award during Harlem Week’s Harlem Day celebration at St. Nicholas Park in New York. The Brooklyn-born rapper was honored for his three-decade career, global impact, and contributions to hip hop culture. 

Busta Rhymes, whose rapid-fire flow and high-voltage performances helped redefine East Coast rap, was honored Sunday with the Hip Hop Icon Award during the finale of Harlem Week. The Brooklyn-born emcee received the recognition from the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce at St. Nicholas Park, where his son, Trillian Wood-Smith, also performed.

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The honor came as part of Harlem Day, the signature closing event of Harlem Week, a 51-year-old celebration themed this year as “Celebrate Our Magic.” Harlem Day featured three stages of music and tributes to Congressman Charles B. Rangel, Dr. Hazel Dukes, and the late Harry Belafonte, along with a musical salute to Quincy Jones led by Ray Chew.

Organizers selected Busta Rhymes not only for his chart-topping hits, platinum albums, and Grammy-nominated career, but also for his enduring influence on hip-hop culture and his global representation of New York. Over more than three decades, he has collaborated across genres and delivered boundary-pushing music videos and performances that inspired generations.

On Instagram, Busta thanked Harlem Week’s organizers and the community, writing: “THE BLESSINGS DON’T STOP SO THE BLESSINGS WON’T EVER STOP!!! … AIN’T NOTHING BETTER THAN TO RECEIVE YOUR FLOWERS WHILE YOU CAN SMELL ‘EM IN ABUNDANCE!!!”

The award follows another milestone for Busta Rhymes earlier this month, when he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, cementing his place among hip-hop’s most influential figures.