Today, May 27, marks the 46th birthday of one of Hip-Hop’s all-time favorite Geminis: André 3000. As one half of the beloved Atlanta rap outfit OutKast, Three Stacks earned his place in the hearts of Hip-Hop enthusiasts by truly being himself, and one song that truly exemplifies André’s individuality is UGK’s “Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You).”
“Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You)” served as the second single from UGK’s 2007 studio album Underground Kingz, and although it has gone down in Hip-Hop history as a bonafide Southern classic, it originally struggled to see the light of day. After being shelved by Sony as a UGK and Three 6 Mafia collaboration, UGK was persistent and decided to tap OutKast instead.
However, upon receiving André 3000’s verse, Pimp C wasn’t happy with the OutKast artist’s contribution, as André reportedly removed the drums from his verse without either Pimp C or Bun B’s consent. Thankfully, Pimp C eventually accepted Three Stack’s creative take on his verse, and the rest is history.
With a verse full of quotable lyrics, the Love Below artist once again proved that he was out of this world. He famously rapped that “Spaceships don’t come equipped with rearview mirrors,” and he’s been on an otherworldly course ever since. In honor of his unyielding individuality, celebrate Three Stacks’ life by watching the video for “Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You)” below.
Happy birthday, André 3000!
Quotable Lyrics
So, I typed a text to a girl I used to see
Saying that I chose this cutie pie with whom I wanna be
And I apologize if this message gets you down
Then I CC’ed every girl that I’d see-see ’round town
And hate to see y’all frown but I’d rather see her smilin’
Wetness all around me, true, but I’m no island
Peninsula maybe, it makes no sense, I know crazy
Give up all this p*ssy cat that’s in my lap, no looking back