The South has always been one of the founding fathers of hip-hop, alongside the Midwest, East Coast, and West Coast. Atlanta is undoubtedly the city that birthed some of the most influential Southern rappers. However, not everyone gave the Dirty South the respect it deserved. The Dungeon studio is a less glamorous version of the well-known Abbey Road Studios but a cultural landmark in Atlanta nonetheless.
Outkast, Killer Mike, and Future recorded their debut albums in The Dungeon, making the house where it resided a piece of hip-hop history. It’s still around today and is open to the public. It is also available to rent on Airbnb with perks far superior to any museum visit.
Below, find out why the home is so iconic, how you can stay at The Dungeon, and why its inclusion in Future’s Mixtape Pluto cover reveals a hidden meaning.
Dungeon House origins and Future’s familial connection
When it comes to The Dungeon Family they have been around for a good time and a long time. First breaking the scene in the early 1990s, the collective was founded by the production trio Organized Noize (which included members Rico Wade, Sleepy Brown, and Ray Murray). The name was based on “The Dungeon,” where they often recorded music, also known as Wade’s mother’s basement.
The family eventually expanded to include members like Outkast (whose member Andre 3000 famously proclaimed in 1995 that “the South had something to say”), Goodie Mob, Killer Mike, and Future.
Future wasn’t just a member, though. He’s cousins with Rico Wade, one of the Dungeon Family founders. Back then, Future went by the nickname “Meathead” and was part of a group called Da Connect, comprised of 2nd generation Dungeon Family artists.
Working within The Dungeon Family allowed its members to create their signature sound, “blending melodic elements with traditional rap, a hallmark that would later define much of Atlanta’s hip-hop sound.” It’s a description that also fits Future’s music to this day.
Speaking about his experience learning from Wade, Future said in 2012 that “The Dungeon Family’s motto is just always being different…That’s the O.G., legendary wisdom I got from Khujo and Big Rube. I had to dumb my music down to get the listener’s ear, but now I know where I can come back and take them.”
“I can always come back and take them somewhere, because I’ve got their ear now. Once you’ve got their ear, then it’s time to say something and really give them a message. You relate to the people, and you can touch their hearts,” Future said conclusively.
The Dungeon Family’s emphasis on working together and being your full artistic self provided the foundation for artists like Future to thrive and have careers beyond the collective.
Iconic albums made in The Dungeon House
Future’s debut album, Pluto, was recorded in the Dungeon, but it may surprise you how many other legendary debut albums essential to the culture were created there.
Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik by Outkast
The album served as more than just Outkast’s 1994 debut project to the world. It provided a snapshot of life and culture in the South at a time when rap in regions like NY and Cali were dominating. Proving that the “South had something to say,” André 3000 and Big Boi turned heads, solidifying Atlanta as a city to watch for up-and-coming talent.
Soul Food by Goodie Mob
The album title is no joke—the 1995 debut album from Cee-Lo Green, Khujo, Big Gipp, and T-Mo has moments that feel more gospel than rap. The album celebrates being Black while still pointing out what needs to change for the future. With their debut, Goodie Mob showed they can nourish Soul Food for both the mind and spirit.
Monster by Killer Mike
Based on Killer Mike’s current work as an activist, it’s no surprise that his 2003 debut album dove deep into societal issues. Rapping about topics like economic inequality and racism, he shared his POV over beats and instrumentals that kept listeners engaged and vibing out. Plus, he also included features with Dungeon Family members like Outkast (who are featured on the first single, “Akshon (Yeah!).”
Dungeon Family: 2nd Generation by Da Connect
The group Da Connect comprises Rico Wade, Future (AKA Meathead), Infinique, G-Rock, C-Smooth, and Boulevard (aka Boulevard Int’l). Their 2003 album put new faces like Future and G-Rock at the forefront of Southern rap. The project showed how the collective was evolving and what names its pioneers would be, as Wade gave the group a shot to make it big.
Pluto by Future
Pluto was Future’s official solo debut. His use of Autotune and 808s helped define what today’s Atlanta signature trap sound is based on. The space-themed album was the prequel to the toxic raps and R&B records that Future delivers back-to-back today.
“Astronauts; it’s space. How long does it take to get to space? Timeless … It’s timeless. It’s music that is going to be around forever. That’s the kind of music I make—astronaut music,” Future said in a 2012 interview with Complex about the album.
He delivered, giving us classic songs like “Same Damn Time” and “Tony Montana” with Drake (way before he questioned if Drizzy is really “Like That”).
The Hidden Meaning in Future’s ‘Mixtape Pluto’ cover
Future’s early beginnings, spending time with The Dungeon Family as “Meathead” and learning from his cousin Rico Wade, helped him become the powerhouse he is today. Both are pictured below in a 2003 issue of XXL.
“I never even ate at a good restaurant until I went with Rico. He took me to my first five-star restaurant. Like, to ride in a foreign car, a Range Rover, BMW, Porsche, that was my first time ever doing it around Rico. I never knew nobody who was legal could make money until my cousin Rico. So being in The Dungeon I knew it could happen,” Future said in a 2015 interview with Wade.
Unfortunately, Wade passed away in April 2024 at the age of 52. With his MIXTAPE PLUTO cover, Future pays homage to Wade, The Dungeon, and everything they’ve done to push Atlanta’s hip-hop scene forward in the past, present, and future. The name is also a tribute to his debut album, Pluto, signaling that he’s returning to his roots.
You can now Airbnb The Dungeon
If you want to make the trip down to ATL and stay in a piece of rap history rather than the typical hotel room, it’s your lucky day. The Dungeon is now available to rent on Airbnb for $165 a night with a two-night minimum stay.
Image via Airbnb.
Guests have access to the basement to see a piece of Atlanta’s rap past for themselves. You may also be able to see Big Boi’s signature still on the walls if you look closely enough
Each room is styled to pay homage to essential ATL locations and people involved in The Dungeon Family, like the main bedroom being dedicated to Outkast. There is also a stripper pole for those who want to get “Wicked” in The Dungeon.
If the creative bug bites during your stay, guests also have access to a state-of-the-art recording studio with Yamaha audio equipment. Plus, the Airbnb is close to all of the other sights that the city has to offer like the World of Coca-Cola and Mercedes-Benz Stadium (where hopefully the Atlanta Falcons can catch a dub).
The Dungeon has helped push Black creativity and hip-hop music forward with the talent it has helped foster — from Future, Outkast, Goodie Mob, and beyond. Future giving his flowers to the house and Wade on MIXTAPE PLUTO and the place now available as an Airbnb helps to make sure that the legacy of The Dungeon and Wade continues and is respected.
