André 3000: Innovative Sounds from a Hip-Hop Legend
Hip-hop icon André 3000, renowned for his groundbreaking work with OutKast, is set to release his first solo album, New Blue Sun, this Friday, November 17. This release marks a significant moment in André’s career, 17 years after his last major project. Peep the cover art below:
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André 3000 Departs from Tradition
In an NPR interview with Rodney Carmichael, André 3000 shared insights into his new album. Unlike his previous work, New Blue Sun steers clear of rap. It’s an 87-minute journey through minimalism and experimentation, blending tribal rhythms with transcendent melodies. André 3000 surprises fans by not rapping or singing but instead playing various flutes, including contrabass, Mayan, bamboo flutes, and digital wind instruments.
The album’s eight tracks, with intriguing titles, reflect a new direction for André. He humorously notes, “I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time.” He emphasizes this shift with a packaging warning: ‘Warning: no bars.’
Related: Discover which OutKast song made our list of the best 90s hip-hop songs.
Jazz Influences and Collaborations
André 3000’s exploration into jazz reflects his evolving musical interests. He admits to initially perceiving jazz as old-fashioned but later recognizes its rebellious and innovative spirit, akin to rap. This revelation influenced his current work, as he sought to embody jazz’s improvisational and boundary-pushing essence.
The album features collaborations with notable artists like Carlos Niño on percussion, Nate Mercereau on guitar, and Surya Botofasina on keyboards. André also mentions sharing his work with fellow artists Tyler, the Creator and Frank Ocean.
Tracklist
1. “I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A “Rap” Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time”
2. “The Slang Word P(*)ssy Rolls Off The Tongue With Far Better Ease Than The Proper Word Vagina . Do You Agree?”
3. “That Night In Hawaii When I Turned Into A Panther And Started Making These Low Register Purring Tones That I Couldn’t Control … Sh¥t Was Wild”
4. “BuyPoloDisorder’s Daughter Wears A 3000™ Button Down Embroidered”
5. “Ninety Three ‘Til Infinity And Beyoncé”
6. “Ghandi, Dalai Lama, Your Lord & Savior J.C. / Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, And John Wayne Gacy”
7. “Ants To You, Gods To Who ?”
8. “Dreams Once Buried Beneath The Dungeon Floor Slowly Sprout Into Undying Gardens”
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