Andre 3000 on Grammys, New Music, Future of OutKast

W
est Los Angeles’ Gjusta Bakery is bustling on a sunny Friday afternoon. Seven-foot-high stacks of flour luggage lay close to the doorway, quickly to be changed into pastries. The major room is filled with locals in search of an early-afternoon pick-me-up, however the yard is quieter, with rustic tables and huge crops underneath a makeshift roof made from golden tarp. 

André 3000 walks in unassumingly, dapping me and joking that our shared first identify is a good one. I agree as we sit and get acquainted over matcha lattes. Dressed in a camouflage jacket, pants in a special camo sample, and his trademark purple beanie, André mentions that he’s been underneath the climate after touring dwelling from Japan, the place he and his bandmates lately performed six improvised instrumental exhibits at Blue Note Tokyo.

 “Have you been to Japan but?” he asks. When I inform him I haven’t, he grows enthusiastic: “Japan goes to blow your fucking thoughts. I’m contemplating transferring to Japan. Whatever you’re doing, it makes you wish to do it 10 occasions higher. They achieve this a lot at a excessive stage.”

His 2023 launch, New Blue Sun, is up for an Album of the Year Grammy, which, he says, is a nice shock for a fluting journey that started as leisure throughout his lengthy walks. André, 49, was noticed enjoying the flute as early as 2019 in Philadelphia, and his globe-trotting woodwind exploits have gone viral many occasions since then. The album, he says, happened simply as casually: Producer and percussionist Carlos Niño bumped into André not removed from the place we’re sitting and invited him to an Alice Coltrane tribute live performance. Over time, André, Niño, and musicians together with Nate Mercereau, Surya Botofasina, and Deantoni Parks started jamming collectively.

Leaning again in his chair and speaking calmly along with his palms gently clasped, he’s resolute that New Blue Sun isn’t a “flute album” — he’s a flutist collaborating with different instrumentalists. But he additionally occurs to be some of the revered rappers ever as one half of OutKast, which colours fan response to his new venture. Hip-hop heads have lengthy clamored for him and Big Boi to launch a follow-up to OutKast’s final album, 2006’s Idlewild, and/or for André 3000 to drop a solo rap album. He’s accomplished neither, and lately riled many by saying that it feels “inauthentic” for him to rap nowadays. While he’s since clarified that he’s open to finally making a solo rap album, that’s not how he’s presently expressing himself.

Today, he’s carrying a weathered Maya drone flute custom-made by craftsman Guillermo Martinez. He picks at a fraying route gap on the seven-year-old instrument, noting he must have it mounted. Twice throughout our interview, followers stroll again to our desk to thank him. He’s gracious each occasions. “I like your music a lot,” one lady says. “Can’t watch for extra.”  “Me too,” André replies.

What appeals to you about transferring to Japan? Is it primarily the inventive inspiration?
My age. Where I’m in life. Just attempting to plan out my subsequent 10 years. I’m saying Japan now, however I’ve been contemplating different cities. I’m at a spot the place it’s extra necessary for me to be much less front-facing and actually dig into one thing that’s going to outlast me. I believe as you become older, you begin fascinated about mortality.

How do ideas on mortality have an effect on your priorities, particularly being a rapper and sadly seeing so many friends passing at untimely ages? 
It’s simply additional down the highway. I believe when most individuals begin rapping, they begin rapping younger. I liken it to boxing so much. Most folks don’t begin boxing once they’re 50. I imply, you may. But the prime strengths come from youth, in rapping. And I do know I get a whole lot of shit from it — lots of people disagree with me. I’m not saying there’s an age restrict on rapping in any respect. It’s simply that the elements that I like about rapping, they arrive from a sure age. People don’t like after I say that, as a result of there’s older rappers now which might be killing. And I all the time really feel like so long as it’s in you and also you’re impressed to do it, you need to do it.

How do you’re feeling the attitude of older artists provides to the general discourse?
It’s superior as a result of it exhibits youthful artists “I can nonetheless do that as I age, too.” I used to be talking to a younger artist,  and we have been having the identical dialog. I used to be telling this artist how I felt about getting older, and so they stated, “You’re displaying us what to do when we get that age.” 

That made me suppose. I’ve to watch out about how I talk about it. I wish to be trustworthy and stand on what I imagine in, and my ideas about it, however on the similar time, I by no means need it to return off as unfavorable or uninspiring. I’m looking for a method to say the reality about how I really feel about it, however on the similar time, not cease anybody from doing something.

You’ve had superb options as a rapper over the previous couple of a long time. What do you suppose it’s, the place you may’t seize that magic and prolong it to a full venture?
I do not know. If I knew that, I most likely would have accomplished an album. Sometimes, I ask myself … Some individuals are solo artists, some individuals are in teams. My entire profession was in a gaggle, exterior of The Love Below [André’s half of OutKast’s 2003 double album]. The Love Below was imagined to be a movie. I used to be making my very own soundtrack to the movie, so it pushed me to do a sure kind of factor. But I’ve been in a gaggle most of my profession. I used to be in a position to feed off of another person. 

And possibly I’m simply not a solo rap artist. I solely characteristic when impressed by the artist I used to be with. Many artists ship me music. I used to be feeding off of them, and it was a chemistry factor greater than something.

How did your shut pals and friends react if you informed them you have been doing a flute album?
I didn’t inform them I used to be doing a flute album. I simply sat down and stated, “Hey, try this new stuff that I’m doing.” And the suggestions I obtained was constructive. And not simply pals, both. I sat down with colleagues, even youthful folks, to get their opinion of it. It was attention-grabbing to listen to opinions from all form of locations, and to bodily see folks settle down or go to sleep.

I used to be listening to your dialog on Questlove’s podcast, and he stated he was enjoying your album to assist him sleep or really feel calm.
I take pleasure in listening to that. One of the massive explanation why I launched this venture was as a result of I used to be on the lookout for a slower, extra muted [sound], not a loud factor. The entire time we have been engaged on the album and listening to the mixes, I loved it as a chunk of labor, as background music to what’s taking place. 

“I’M TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO SAY THE TRUTH ABOUT HOW I FEEL.”

That’s stunning, as a result of as a rapper, the very last thing you’ll need anyone to do is say “I go to sleep to your music.”
Yeah. Here’s the humorous factor: You ask most hip-hop artists what they hearken to, it’s not rap more often than not. Some of my first lyrics on Southernplayalistic [OutKast’s 1994 debut], I really wrote them to R&B songs, after which put them on rap beats. Numerous occasions what we’re responding to is a sense. Rappers discuss using round listening to a sure R&B or jazz artist. I don’t actually trip round listening to rap actual loud like I used to. Sometimes, I get that feeling, and it’s normally some younger dudes, some Future or one thing like that. It’s normally a few of that. It’s an unhinged form of factor that I like.

Even an artist like Future, he’s older than most new artists. He’s utilizing younger producers. The sound. And he is aware of. Like, Future is from the Dungeon [producer Rico Wade’s famed Atlanta studio, where OutKast worked in the Nineties], however his beats aren’t accomplished by Organized Noize. I believe Future would have a special profession if he was produced by them. Not a foul profession or something, however—

Just totally different. 
Yeah, and I believe the zeitgeist of the younger producers getting new rhythms for him to rock on makes him rock a special method. I describe rapping as you become older like going to a picnic and sitting round along with your favourite uncle. You’re seeing him dance to a music a sure method. The younger youngsters are over there dancing a very totally different method as a result of their rhythm is totally different. They grew up on fully totally different rhythms. You normally can age a rapper by his rhythms, and you may age a dancer by how they dance. It’s the identical factor.

That’s so true.
You might be an older particular person and study the brand new dances in case you’re susceptible to do it, however naturally, rhythms age folks. I’ve heard folks say, “Well, this basic artist got here again and made this new, groundbreaking factor.” They use younger producers. Like, after we have been youngsters, Tina Turner, she was 50 years outdated, doing songs that we might hear on the radio. If she would’ve continued doing the Ike and Tina factor, we most likely by no means would have heard of her. But she obtained new, younger producers to push her a sure method. Even [Carlos] Santana. People would discuss “Santana, he’s a classical artist.” He got here again and did the solo on an adolescent’s music. 

You’ve stated that your journey with fluting and assembly your bandmates was a matter of destiny. How a lot do you suppose the journey towards a solo rap album may also be a matter of destiny?
Yep. Same. I believe what would assist me make a rap album is being round rappers. When I moved to California, I wasn’t writing. I’ve talked to Kendrick [Lamar]. We talked, listened to beats. Same with Drake. And as a rapper, they might be stunned to listen to me say this, however at one level, I used to be like, “Man, it might be cool to only hang around with them to get the vitality of rapping.” Because once they’re doing it so continuously, one thing obtained to drip off. They do 4, 5 songs a day, and I’m like, “What?”  

I don’t even go to the studio like that. I haven’t touched my drum machine in ages. I’m simply now getting again to producing songs. And due to the journey of New Blue Sun, I’m shopping for new devices in each metropolis, placing them onstage as an newbie. 

In what methods have you ever proven your respect for the present ecosystem of instrumentalists within the music you’re exploring?
It’s all respect. We play a whole lot of jazz festivals with top-notch jazz artists. I’m nearly all the time intimidated after I go into these areas as a result of I do know what they’re. They’ve spent years going by way of scales and adjustments, and I do none of that.

What I’ve seen is, all of them watch the present backstage. What they must say could be very inspiring, and I’m comfortable that we’re contributing to them as effectively. Some of the highest gamers, they was like, “Man, that was so superior and so free, it made me wish to leap up and rise up there with y’all.” That’s particular to listen to, as a result of they see the place we’re coming from.

We’ve gotten extra love than hate in these areas. And actual love, you may inform it, as a result of they reply and so they say sure issues. Like, they might pull my keyboardist to the aspect and so they might ask, “OK, so for actual, man. Tell me y’all practiced that?” And they’re like, “No.” [Laughs.] It’ll be identified gamers. And then, we get horrible critiques typically, too. You can inform in the event that they didn’t respect it.

I get texts from musicians now like, “Hey, man, let me know. I wish to rise up there with y’all.” We have been in Philly, and we had Marshall Allen. He’s 100 years outdated. He’s the longest surviving member of the Sun Ra Arkestra. When Marshall got here up, and he’s down there with a saxophone…. It meant so much to me.

“I WANT TO BE HONEST, BUT I NEVER WANT IT TO COME OFF AS NEGATIVE OR UNINSPIRING.”

As a lot as you play the flute, may you see your self exploring one other instrument as extensively?
Oh, for certain. We have a apply in each metropolis we go to, in and in a foreign country. We’ll go to vintage retailers, flea markets, music shops and buy devices. All sorts of devices, and I play them. It’s a real sound exploration. I’ve been doing that every one this time. This is simply the freest type of it. Like, if you hearken to “Hey Ya!,” these are a few of the first guitar chords I ever realized. I simply saved repeating them. “Ms. Jackson,” the identical factor. 

Like, I can’t let you know what chord [I’m playing]. A musician that’s gone to highschool may. But you simply lay your fingers down like, “Oh, I like that.” It’s all the time been that, messing round with devices and seeing what I can get out of them. Discovery is as necessary as recording and mastering one thing. You’ll by no means get that point once more. You can’t faux doing one thing for the primary time. I believe mastering one thing as an artist is an superior factor, however, I assume, it is dependent upon what you’re attempting to do and what you’re attempting to say. Picasso’s a grasp, however his most well-known quote is [something like] “We’re all simply attempting to determine easy methods to get again to being a child.” The openness of it. I believe if you will discover that early on, hold discovering that. Because typically, mastering shit can get boring. I’d reasonably go newbie attention-grabbing than grasp boring.

What are a few of your lasting reminiscences of constructing music within the Dungeon?
Being collectively broke. Creating a world after which introducing the world to our world. As a teen, to be part of a brotherhood, particularly as an solely baby, was particular to me. Everything that I’m doing now, I can tie all of this again to my Dungeon begin. All the folks round me have been pushing me. It confirmed me easy methods to push myself. 

Rico Wade died earlier this 12 months. How would you sum up his legacy? 
Sometimes, when you consider the significance of individuals, the one factor you need to do is take them away and say, “What would music be?” Not simply Atlanta music. Not simply OutKast. What would music be and not using a Rico Wade that schooled us, that pushed Goodie Mob, TLC? Numerous issues would change — not for higher or worse, however it might not be what it’s proper now, and I do know that for a truth.

You and Big Boi did the “good-rapper prayer” each night time as aspiring artists. How did it really feel after your business success, the place you weren’t simply thought of good rappers, however among the many greatest and finest rappers?
I didn’t really feel that till I finished and took a break. When you’re in it, you’re simply centered. I believe it’s solely now that individuals are saying it. I’ve a four-year-old niece, and he or she’s sufficiently old now to go on YouTube and see all our OutKast stuff. She despatched a voice textual content the opposite day saying, “Uncle André, I noticed these movies on Instagram and YouTube! There was a whole lot of them!” [Laughs.] And in my thoughts, I’m considering, “Does she suppose I’m a YouTube star that had a whole lot of movies?” It makes me return and notice, “Oh, that’s a whole lot of stuff that we did.”

Then the opposite day, I did this LeBron The Shop interview, and so they have been speaking a couple of rap that I did a very long time in the past. I had forgotten concerning the rap, so I wished to return and listen to the rap, so I YouTubed it. Five hours later, I went down the entire rabbit gap of all of our stuff. It’s superb to listen to your self, from 18 years outdated until now. I’m simply now understanding the load of what’s occurred to me.

What are a few of your favourite issues to do with Big Boi as pals? 
Jone [Southern slang meaning make fun, joke around]. Laugh. In Atlanta, it’s pure jone tradition. If you grew up in Atlanta, you accomplished obtained joned on, and also you accomplished joned another folks. It’s a method to play. It makes you robust. It makes you see issues about your self, see issues about different folks. And you see it now on Instagram. People jone within the feedback and say humorous shit about folks. We have our personal inside jokes. We’ll jone on one another. We’ll jone on different folks.  

What do you take pleasure in most a couple of lengthy stroll?
It’s a great way to unravel an issue. And I believe it’s a great way to write down, too. You stroll, you write, have a beat on for a very long time. I normally stroll from right here to Santa Monica and again, which is like 5, six miles. It’s a great time to think about what you bought to do for the day. And it’s good train.

You craft verses in your head?
Yeah. I don’t essentially write. I do know there’s this factor with rappers like, “I don’t write.” I don’t know their course of, however for me, it’s like constructing a home from the bottom. You begin at a spot and also you study the muse, and you retain repeating the muse till you make the primary stage. And then you definately repeat the primary, second stage. By the time you get to the fiftieth ground, you repeated it 49 occasions, so it’s in your head by the point you end. 

What are the similarities and variations in being in a hip-hop duo versus a band?
In hip-hop performing, the work is just about already accomplished if you put the album out. People know the choruses, the lyrics. Where on this state of affairs [with New Blue Sun], it’s purely listening each second of the way in which, since you by no means know what’s coming. You have to reply. It’s the whole reverse of hip-hop in that method, except you’re freestyling.

I wish to leap again to one thing you stated earlier. What was the response if you informed Drake and Kendrick you’d be down to hang around with them?
No, I didn’t say it. I assumed it in my head. I used to be like, “Man, it might be a great train simply to hold round.” That’s how songs occur typically. I by no means expressed this to them, however I used to be so impressed due to their output. Like, if you’re in a groove it may be infectious — versus approaching it in an informal method, which, that’s the place I’m now.

I hardly ever write rhymes, however I do write down my ideas. And naturally, typically there could also be a rhyming phrase to it. People nonetheless ship beats on a regular basis. So, yeah, I strive.

“ANY KIND OF ART FORM PROBABLY SHOULD NOT LAST FOREVER.”

Do you journal?
Nah, I simply jot down ideas that I believe could be attention-grabbing. Sometimes they’re music. Sometimes they’re issues that will translate into visible artwork. Or typically, it could be the title of one thing I’m attempting to do. It’s nearly like a method to stockpile concepts, as a result of they all the time come again.

You’re engaged on a work-wear model referred to as From Now on They Will Have No Choice But to Call Us the Ants. What is the origin of the identify?
Just admiring ants. I watch YouTube so much. I name it going to the YouTube University. You go down the rabbit holes. A number of years in the past, I obtained into ants actually laborious. Like, each documentary I may discover about ants, it was simply attention-grabbing to seek out out about them, and what I assumed people may study from ants. I used to be like, “Who are the perfect employees? Ants.” 

I do know they’ll carry many occasions their weight. Are there another attention-grabbing details about ants?
Signals that they ship one another. There is such a factor as lazy ants, too. Just like niggas. It’s some niggas that don’t wish to do nothing [laughs]. And when you’re found in an anthill that you just’re not doing shit, they’ll kick you out. Ants are the enterprise, man.

Do you will have any New Year’s resolutions for 2025?
Figure out the place I’m residing subsequent 12 months. I believe it’s time to maneuver, however I don’t know the place. I believe I’ll begin going locations and simply really feel them out first. Staying there for a month or two. Japan, proper now, is prime. Amsterdam is one other place. Mexico City is one other place. Seattle, nonetheless within the United States.… But I believe I wish to reside overseas.

What was the impetus for the flag on the Stankonia cowl?
I designed that flag, and we had it made. I used to be impressed by a whole lot of Americana pictures, and a whole lot of bands like MC5 used it. Sly Stone [on] There’s a Riot Goin’ On. And Parliament Funkadelic. I used to be looking for a method to make use of the flag, however say one thing totally different. So, making it black and white was taking the colour out. For me, it was saying how I felt America was on the time. Like, we’re form of misplaced.

What’s your relationship with spirituality?
I do imagine there’s one thing greater happening that’s dictating what we’re doing. I’m not a spiritual particular person, though I grew up in a spiritual family. I simply have far more questions and doubt about faith as we all know it. I do benefit from the issues that faith has impressed, so I can’t be mad at that. I do suppose there’s presumably been a whole lot of artifical faith. Just attempting to work my method round that and get to the essence of issues as a substitute of the human aspect of it.

What have you ever realized probably the most from fatherhood?
Daily being round is necessary. Building that relationship is tremendous necessary. And understanding that even at 49, I’m nonetheless figuring stuff out. I’m nonetheless studying, so the perfect factor I can inform my child is that … I believe a whole lot of time with dad and mom, as a result of we’ve got the position of defending them, we get that confused with attempting to current a perfected model of ourselves, and get so laborious on the youngsters that it makes it laborious for them to really feel like they’ll reside as much as that. One of the largest classes that my mother taught me after I was, like, 35 was that, yeah, hardships will come, there can be imperfections, however we get by way of it and we’re all attempting to determine this factor out. We obtained an extended method to go as people. Like, if we glance round now, we invented a whole lot of cool shit, however you bought to suppose, within the 1700s, they most likely thought the identical factor.

It’s the entire “It doesn’t get higher than this.”
That’s what I’m saying. Like, within the Nineteen Sixties, they’re like, “This is the long run.” But now we’re like, “Nah, this is the long run. We about to get into quantum computer systems, man. We obtained AI.”

One hundred years from now, man, they’re going to be like…. I simply really feel prefer it’s an ongoing experiment with people, and we study day by day what’s actual and what’s not actual. Or, what we thought was actual will not be essentially that necessary. I received’t be round, however I can’t wait until just a few hundred years from now and so they look again in any respect the stuff that we have been doing. It’s going to be one thing that we’re doing proper now that they’re going to be laughing at. “Hold up, so that they did what?” [Laughs.] And it’s one thing that we expect is completely proper.

How a lot do you consider re-pursuing appearing?
All the time. I nonetheless get scripts. I’m considering extra about writing my very own tasks, however, yeah, all the time. If there’s one thing good that comes throughout the desk that I really feel like I can contribute to, I’ll leap in. I’ve just a few concepts.

Are they any explicit style of movie?
Comedy and thrillers. I’m a fan of these two genres, largely. I do like sure horrors, however I like thrillers greater than horrors.

What’s your mindset on new OutKast music now?
I’ll say possibly 10, 15 years in the past, in my thoughts, I assumed an OutKast album would occur. I don’t know the long run, however I can say that we’re additional away from it than we’ve ever been. I believe it’s a chemistry factor. We must be eager to do it. It’s laborious for me to make a rap, interval, ? And typically I’m within the perception of “Let issues be.”

It was a good time in life, and our chemistry was at a sure place that was plain. And I believe the viewers typically believes that one thing has to final endlessly, and I don’t suppose that. Any form of artwork type, I believe that’s most likely the alternative. It most likely shouldn’t final endlessly. It’s not like a product. In the tip, we did give a product, however what made that product was a sure time in each of our lives. 

It’s not like we’re Coca-Cola, the place it’s this formulation that you could all the time press a button and it’ll occur. I believe the viewers feels that method. But the viewers by no means is aware of what it takes to make what they’re getting. I can’t blame them for that. 

Would you be open to doing a farewell tour?
No, I doubt that. We did a tour in 2014. And I knew after I was, like, 25, that at a sure age I wouldn’t wish to be onstage doing these songs. They required a sure vitality. Honestly, I’m not a giant fan of trying again. I’m simply not. I’m grateful for every little thing that’s occurred, however it was a time. To me, that’s what it’s. That was a good time, and I want y’all have been there. 

How do you’re feeling about fan entitlement? They love your raps and so they need extra, however you’re doing what you wish to do. 
Yeah, typically they don’t meet, however I completely perceive it. I don’t blame the fan for wanting what they’ve identified. I do know, for the remainder of my life, folks can be like, “One extra OutKast album.” And I attempt to put myself within the sneakers of different folks, and I’m like, “Man, if we ain’t do an OutKast album in 20 years, do y’all actually suppose it’s going to occur now?”

Even when New Blue Sun got here out, folks have been like, “Man, that is his first solo album in 17 years.” If an individual hasn’t given you a solo album in 17 years, do you actually suppose that was going to occur? I don’t know, possibly I simply suppose in another way. I do know I wouldn’t be sitting round ready.

Where have been you if you came upon concerning the Grammy nomination?
We have been in Virginia. It might have been Richmond. I went for a stroll, as a result of I used to be waking up and my supervisor hit me like, “Hey, y’all obtained a Grammy nomination.” I used to be anticipating that we might hopefully get within the class of Alternative Jazz, as a result of folks name it a jazz album. I used to be completely stunned once they stated the Album of the Year class. I simply needed to go for a stroll.

What are y’all planning on doing in case you win?
I’m attempting to not to think about profitable, as a result of actually, I do know folks say this trite shit, however I’m comfortable to be nominated. More than something. You obtained to grasp we’re in a class with Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, all these extremely popular albums, and this non-word album — no vocals — is within the class. We’ve received already, in our head. Not received the precise award. But, we’ve received as a result of folks will now test it out. That was my objective after we recorded it and put it out. That was the one objective. I do hope they allow us to carry out on the Grammys. That could be killer if we may.