When André 3000 released his debut solo album, New Blue Sun, in November, fans were taken aback. The rapper, famed for his iconic verses with Outkast, surprised many with an instrumental record inspired by his fascination with woodwinds.
Not everyone was pleased. In a May interview, LL Cool J openly criticized André’s musical shift, stating he didn’t “wanna hear him do the flute” and urged him to return to rapping. André, 49, recently addressed this criticism, explaining his commitment to maintaining creative freshness.
“If it’s in you, you should rap until you die. You should perform until you die,” André said on The Show video series. “But what I’m saying is, what it takes for me to do it, I’m always looking for the next. I’m not trying to uphold a thing that I’ve done before.”
André emphasized that while he still has things to say, he seeks innovative ways to express himself. “Of course, I have things to say now, but if I can’t say them in a fresh, innovative way, if I feel like I’m just hanging onto the same flow that I used to do, it’s not enough for me.”
New Blue Sun features eight tracks, including the 12-minute opener, “I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a Rap Album But This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time.” André noted that his interest in woodwinds led him naturally to flutes, a progression he finds fulfilling.
In response to fans’ hopes for a solo rap album, André hinted it could happen one day, despite current misconceptions.
LL Cool J, while praising André as “one of the greatest rappers ever,” reiterated his wish for André to focus on rapping. “Let’s not lie to ourselves. I don’t wanna hear him do the flute,” he said, advocating for a return to Outkast or solo rap projects.
In an earlier GQ interview, André explained why rapping feels “inauthentic” to him now. “I’m 48 years old… And things that happen in my life, like, what are you talking about? ‘I got to go get a colonoscopy.’ What are you rapping about? ‘My eyesight is going bad.’”
André is set to embark on his New Blue Sun — Live in Concert Tour, kicking off in September in New Orleans and concluding in Atlanta on Nov. 14, offering fans a chance to experience his latest artistic venture live.
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