The Atlanta Falcons and Outkast just dropped their ATLiens collection

This Sunday, Mercedes-Benz Stadium will look and sound like the Georgia Dome in 1996.

For some, it might even feel like deja vu.

An Atlanta Falcons squad fighting for respect will line up against a San Francisco 49ers team on track to win its division. The home team is rocking black jerseys, with the OG logo on their helmets. The music blaring from speakers inside and outside on Northside Drive is “ATLiens” by Outkast.

Ahead of Sunday’s home showdown, the Falcons and Outkast announced their 30th Anniversary ATLiens Collection.

It’s a release that features seven items drawing their inspiration and color palettes from the “ATLiens” legendary album art. Highlights include a jersey, letterman jacket and hoodies.

In addition to the merch drop, Sunday’s game, Falcons’ social accounts and in-stadium programming will have an “ATLiens” theme. Headlining the festivities is a halftime performance from Big Boi.

“We’re trying to connect with our legacy audiences and Atlanta culture, but then also every day there’s new people here that are adding to the Atlanta culture and this moment allows for both,” said Shannon Joyner, chief marketing officer for the Atlanta Falcons.

Released on Aug. 27, 1996, “ATLiens” was Outkast’s follow-up to their seminal debut, “Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik.” Some argue it’s their most important project. Artistically, it’s often included in lists of greatest album artwork.

It’s an album that’s hailed as the lyrical follow-up to André 3000’s famous boast of “the South got something to say.” When the album dropped, Joyner, an Atlanta native, fell in love with the song, “Elevators.” To this day, it’s his favorite.

Like natives and transplants gathered in the Benz on Sundays, André 3000’s appeal to the everyman that “I live by the beat like you live check to check” speaks to a broader ethos that distinguishes Atlanta and its sports fandom.

“There’s a shared connectivity that we all appreciate, and this sense of togetherness that keeps a level of shared community; it keeps a level of humility that I think is what makes Atlanta special,” Joyner told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Joyner jokes that anyone who grew up in Atlanta has “working with Outkast” on their vision board.

Two years ago this became his reality.

The Falcons and Outkast released their first collaboration, which featured a pair of hoodies, and sold out three times.

Music branding company Ceremony of Roses is the manufacturer and apparel licensing arm on behalf of Outkast. They’re also an official licensing partner of the NFL.

Both Outkast collaborations were joint efforts with the Falcons’ in-house creative team, led by Larry Luk, Ceremony of Roses, Outkast and their representatives.

Both Big Boi and André 3000 have partnered with the Falcons individually.

In November 2023, Big Boi performed as part of the Atlanta Falcons Hip-Hop 50th celebration, in addition to promoting Outkast’s first collection a year later. Earlier this year, André 3000 wrote and voiced narration for a launch video revealing the Falcons’ new uniforms.

Joyner hopes this current wave of good Outkast news — anniversary celebrations for “ATLiens,” induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, their viral collaboration with Waffle House — reinvigorates fans and encourages newcomers to explore their discography.