Organized Noize is an Atlanta-based hip-hop production team originally formed as a trio by Ray Murray, Sleepy Brown, and Rico Wade. Emerging from the basement of Wade's mother's house, they founded the Dungeon studio, which became a cornerstone of the Southern hip-hop scene. The group first broke through with production credits on Outkast's 1994 debut album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, and crafted the signature Dirty South sound on subsequent releases, including Aquemini (1998) and Stankonia (2000), while also producing hits for Goodie Mob, TLC, En Vogue, and Ludacris. Their catalog expanded into film with contributions to the soundtrack for Set It Off (1996) and the film Miami Vice (2006). They produced tracks for Big Boi's 2010 solo debut album, Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty, and Nappy Roots' 2011 album, Nappy Dot Org. Their influence was highlighted in the 2016 Netflix documentary The Art of Organized Noize, directed by Quincy Jones III, which traced their rise and the formation of the Dungeon Family. On April 20, 2017, the collective released the track "Kush", preceding their self-titled EP, Organized Noize, on May 5, 2017. On April 13, 2024, Rico Wade died at age 52.
