Andre 3000's iconic speech at the 1995 Source Awards represented the south planting a flag in the ground announcing their arrival in Hip-Hop. His now-famous declaration, "the south got somethin' to say," reverberated through Hip-Hop, and has become legendary.

On a recent episode of the Ray Daniels Podcast, Benzino, former co-owner of The Source and Boston's Almighty RSO, explained what he believes his role was in Andre's declaration.

"The reason why Andre said what he said was because they gave OutKast 4 and a half mics and I raised some situations up at The Source", he said. "I think it got [back] to OutKast. I didn't understand the music and I was wrong. I usually bow out of those things [5 mic ratings] and let the journalists handle that. I got into a debate with one of the journalists one time about it, because at the time I didn't understand that music."

At the 1995 Source Awards, there was a round of booing from the audience after OutKast received the award for Best New Artist.

"It's like this though, I'm tired of these closed-minded folks," Andrè said when he accepted the award. "It's like you got a demo tape and don't nobody wanna hear it, but it's like this: the south got somethin' to say, that's all I gotta say."

Atlanta MC and activist Killer Mike said in a VH1 interview that the moment was a declaration of independence from New York. "It was a clear cut incision from New York 'wannabeism.' It was a great thing because it finally cut the umbilical cord, saying that we don't have to impress or be influenced by you and in the same creative way we are gonna show you."

Atlanta rapper/actor and entrepreneur T.I. said that was the moment that people finally took southern rap seriously.