Hip-hop’s 50th anniversary reminded fans of the genre just how much they’ve missed André 3000. For weeks, Killer Mike teased that the former Outkast member would soon drop his long-awaited solo debut studio album. However, given the false flags in the past, supporters took it as a joke. It turns out the joke is on the public because Mike ended up being right.
Today (November 14), André revealed to NPR Music that his forthcoming project, New Blue Sun, is due out this Friday, November 17. Although the body of work isn’t a stand-alone rap release, the wild tracklist alone was enough to spike interest; The listing mentions everybody from Beyoncé to Jesus. Ghandi, the Dalai Lama, Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and John Wayne Gacy are also named in the record’s titles. Without any new verses or bars coming from André on the upcoming album, he had to find a way to verbalize his inspiration somehow.
View the artwork and tracklist for New Blue Sun below.
Epic Records
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”
New Blue Sun is out 11/17 via Epic Records. Find more information here.
André 3000 announced that he’s returning with his first solo album, New Blue Sun, giving fans something to look forward to extremely soon — as he is dropping it this Friday, November 17.
However, during an interview with NPR, he clarified that some Outkast fans who might be expecting a rap album might be disappointed, and he wanted to warn them beforehand.
“I don’t want to troll people,” André said. “I don’t want people to think, ‘Oh, this André 3000 album is coming!’ And you play it and like, ‘Oh man, no verses.’ So even actually on the packaging, you’ll see it says, ‘Warning: no bars.’”
According to a statement, it will instead be “an entirely instrumental album centered around woodwinds; a celebratory piece of work in the form of a living, breathing, aural organism.”
He also hilariously pokes fun at it by naming the album’s opening song “I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A “Rap” Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time.” (Somehow, that’s not the strangest song title on the record.)
Continue scrolling to view the tracklist for New Blue Sun.
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”
New Blue Sun is out 11/17 via Epic Records. Find more information here.
For years now, Outkast fans have been waiting and waiting (and waiting) for André 3000 to release a solo album. Now, he finally is, although musically speaking, it might not meet Outkast fans’ expectations.
In a new interview with NPR Music shared today (November 14), André announced the project: It’s called New Blue Sun and it’s set for release really soon, on November 17. It’s not a rap album, though; André said, “I don’t want to troll people. I don’t want people to think, ‘Oh, this André 3000 album is coming!’ And you play it and like, ‘Oh man, no verses.’ So even actually on the packaging, you’ll see it says, ‘Warning: no bars.’”
To his point, the first song on the album is titled “I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A “Rap” Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time.” The other titles on the tracklist (find that below) are equally unconventional.
NPR described the project as “a stunning 87-minute mind-bender, minimalist and experimental, tribal and transcendent” and noted, “One thing it is not, however, is a rap record: No bars, no beats, no sub-bass. André doesn’t sing on this joint, either. What he does do is play flute, and plenty of it — contrabass flute, Mayan flutes, bamboo flutes — along with other digital wind instruments.”
While this is definitely a musical departure, it’s not a complete surprise, given that André has, on multiple occasions in recent years, been spotted out and about playing the flute in public.
Check out the album art and tracklist below.
Epic Records
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”
New Blue Sun is out 11/17 via Epic Records. Find more information here.
Andre 3000 has announced a solo album. You read that right: Andre 3000 is preparing to deliver a solo album. Hitting Instagram, the Outkast legend announced New Blue Sun for release this Friday.
On this date at the turn of the century, Big Boi and Andre 3000 dropped their fourth album entitled Stankonia on the Laface/Arista imprint.
Following up on their successful Aquemini LP, Outkast set out to challenge themselves creatively and that they did; Stankonia ended up being one of the duo’s most successful commercial albums, going gold in the first week after its release.
Some of the album’s leading singles include the baby mama drama anthem “Ms. Jackson”, the rhythmic hook of the catchy “So Fresh So Clean” and the timely and socially conscious “Bombs Over Baghdad (B.O.B.)”. With solid production from both Organized Noize and Earthtone III, this album is one of the South’s most impactful projects to date.
Salute to Organized Noize, 3 Stacks, Big Boi and their entire team for bringing us such a timeless Hip-Hop classic!
Hip Hop thrived as the millennium turned. Atlanta’s beloved sons, Outkast, stood a class apart within this cultural kettle. Their tracks weren’t just auditory treats but cerebral journeys, weaving Funk, Blues, Jazz, Soul, and Rap into a sound previously uncharted. Each album, a genre-defying opus, teased the listener’s intellect while tantalizing their soul.
By the time 2003 rolled around, Big Boi and André 3000 were cemented legends. Fans were ready for another sonic masterpiece, and the air was thick with anticipation. Then, through the vast spectrum of artists pushing their CDs, Outkast prepared to drop a double-disc album that shook Hip Hop’s foundations: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. The September 23 arrival was more than a musical compilation of longtime friends, groupmates, and collaborators. It was a fitting addition to their discography’s evolution. Three Stacks and Big Boi, while intrinsically tied to the core of Outkast, highlighted their individual talents, paying homage to the multifaceted ancestral musical legacy that often motivated their dreams. We’re revisiting the Speakerboxxx/The Love Below during its monumental anniversary—especially as the project has been RIAA, Diamond-certified 13x Platinum.
The Balance
Big Boi’s Speakerboxxx pulses with unmistakable Southern Rap energy on one side of this double disc. Funk’s rhythmic essence enriches it, with songs such as “The Way You Move” and “Bowtie” ensnaring the listener to groove. Every track feels like an exploration with Big at the helm, narrating stories and evoking emotions. Yet, venturing into Andre 3000’s domain, The Love Below offers a different allure. While “Hey Ya!” might have the globe in a dance frenzy, introspective numbers like “Prototype” showcase a deeper, Jazz-tinged resonance.
Additionally, the double album’s production team—including Stacks, Big, Carl Mo, Cutmaster Swiff, Mr. J, and Dojo5—brought their A-game, ensuring the right notes were hit. Moreover, while the brilliance of Speakerboxxx/The Love Below undeniably stems from the genius of Big Boi and Andre 3000, it’s equally a culmination of collective artistry. The diverse sounds and the complementary verses weren’t just a duo’s vision but an amalgamation of remarkable talents.
Collaborative Genius: The Artisans Behind The Sound
The allure of Speakerboxxx and The Love Below isn’t confined to the duality of Outkast—their chosen collaborators magnify it. From Ludacris to Kelis, these collaborations were no mere additions. They were carefully selected components that gave depth and perspective to each track.
Take, for example, Speakerboxx adding Sleepy Brown and Jazze Pha to the aforementioned “Bowtie,” the hypnotic horn-infused body-mover. Just a few songs later, Killer Mike and Jay-Z join Speakerboxx‘s “Flip Flop Rock,” a fast-moving track that pushes the listener from one verse to the next. On The Love Below, Kelis infuses R&B into the experimental “Dracula’s Wedding,” while Rosario Dawson helps make “She Lives in My Lap” a sonic film.
The Definition Of A Classic
In an industry where collaborations often gravitate towards big names for commercial appeal, Outkast’s approach was refreshingly different. Their choice of collaborators was rooted in artistic compatibility rather than mere star power. It was about finding voices and talents that resonated with the core essence of their project, ensuring Speakerboxxx/The Love Below was a cohesive masterpiece rather than a disjointed collection. Every guest artist and instrumentalist was a piece of the puzzle, vital in crafting an album that stands, even today, as an epitome of excellence in Hip Hop.
Outkast isn’t only one of the best and most influential rap acts of all time, but they’re also one of the most popular. Earlier this year Billboard did a countdown of the best rap groups of all time that had both fans and artists debating. Right at the very top was Outkast, which the publication named as the best rap group of all time. Some fans came out to say that Wu-Tang Clan should have taken the cake. But plenty of others, including Rakim, had no complaints about the choice of the ATL legends at the top spot.
To go with their major critical achievement, the pair have also hit a major new commercial milestone. Their 2003 album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below was officially certified 13x platinum. That achievement means that by the RIAA’s count, the album has officially sold 13 million copies. While that’s an impressive achievement on its own, it gets even more remarkable when compared to other rap albums. The project is now officially the highest-selling rap album of all time, surpassing Eminem’s 2002 project The Eminem Show which was certified 12x Platinum last year.
The certification comes at a good time as the duo are celebrating the 20th anniversary Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. Big Boi took to social media to discuss the Grammy-winning album’s success and show off the new plaque they received for selling 13 million copies.
Outkast is also celebrating the 25th anniversary of their equally beloved 1998 album Aquemini. To celebrate they shared a new animated music video for the deep cut “SpottieOttieDopalicious.” The video racked up over 50k views in the first few days since it was released. Fans still have a lot of love for the duo and continue to wait for a reunion, even though it’s repeatedly been shut down. What do you think of Outkast scoring the highest-selling rap album of all time? Let us know in the comment section below.
DaBaby has always had a pretty distinctive and recognizable look. One feature that has never defined his look though is long hair. That is until now, when a behind-the-scenes clip of the rapper working on a new music video started making the rounds. In the video, which he shared to his TikTok account, he’s in the makeup chair while they work on getting his fake hair just right. In the clip, he’s sporting a thick gold chain and a green shirt. It’s that green shirt that helped lead fans to one pretty obvious point of comparison.
In the Instagram comments of a repost of the video, one name comes up quite a bit. Fans are either commenting how much he looks like Andre 3000, or posting gifs from the famous video for Outkast’s “Hey Ya.” In the video, Andre sports a similar hairstyle and instantly recognizable green shirt that’s pretty easy to connect directly to what DaBaby is wearing. Other fans in the comments also cracked jokes at his look. “He went from da baby to da daddy,” the top comment on the post reads. Check out the full post below.
DaBaby has taken to social media to share a bunch of freestyles over popular songs recently. He shared short verses and accompanying videos to tracks like Ice Spice’s Deli and Young Nudy’s “Peaches & Eggplants.” Most recently he gave his takes on Gunna’s smash hit “Fukumean” and Burna Boy’s “Sittin’ On Top Of The World.”
DaBaby has also been expanding his creative role into other avenues. A number of his most recent videos are self-directed and he’s even taken on that role for other artists videos. Both Lil Duval and Moneybagg Yo have recruited the “SHAKE SUMN” rapper to direct recent videos. Clips online of him in the director role had fans impressed with his versatility. What do you think of DaBaby’s new look for his upcoming music video? Let us know in the comment section below.
Killer Mike definitely dropped an album of the year contender in Michael. Doing a victory lap, Mike was a guest on Matt Hoffa’s My Expert Opinion and revealed he received positive praise from JAY-Z when he shared the album early.
Mike revealed he was going about his early day when he received a morning text praising the album. “‘Peace God, I see what you did.’” Killer Mike said the message read. “‘Just sending some encouragement your way.’”
Killer Mike added, “We sent it to him early and he sent back some real positive notes. He sent back a great compliment. He was like, ‘It feels like I went to my cousin’s house and watched a movie.’ I was really honored.”
You can hear Killer Mike speak about that moment and additional JAY-Z stories below.
Killer Mike’s long-awaited solo album, MICHAEL, arrived in June, marking his first full-length release since 2012’s critically acclaimed R.A.P. Music. The 14-track masterpiece, executive produced by No ID and distributed by Loma Vista Recordings, boasts an impressive lineup of guest artists, making it a highly anticipated project.
MICHAEL showcases the multifaceted talent of Michael Render, an MC deeply connected to the community that raised him. Drawing inspiration from the various influences shaping his life, the album seamlessly weaves southern rap flows, Sunday church service melodies, and barbershop conversations.
In an exciting reveal, the album’s extensive list of collaborators was unveiled alongside the release of the final single. To pay homage to Mike’s own childhood, the announcement featured a collage of childhood photos of each featured artist, reminiscent of a school yearbook. This creative touch added a personal and nostalgic touch to the album, amplifying the anticipation among fans.
Among the star-studded features on MICHAEL are Future, Young Thug, Ty Dolla $ign, Curren$y, Andre 3000, 6LACK, EL-P, Blxst, and Eryn Allen Kane, among others. With such an incredible ensemble, the album promises to be a sonic journey through Killer Mike’s remarkable career and artistic growth.
Fans and critics alike are eagerly diving into MICHAEL, eager to experience the lyrical prowess and thought-provoking storytelling that Killer Mike is known for. This album is poised to solidify his position as one of our most influential and revered MCs, leaving a lasting impact on the hip-hop landscape.
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I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A “Rap” Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time
(@nojumper)