“I got a little sad, at a certain point. In early rap battles, you had kids in the park rapping against each other. But it’s not just people rapping now. You got people with 100 employees. You have livelihoods, empires, companies, deals — all of it can be jeopardized. If you don’t have anything to lose, sure, go for it. But if I already made it, I’m not sure it’s even worth it anymore.”
André also said he’s written a few diss tracks of his own but never plans to release any. He said, “You have feelings… if n****s say some slick sh*t, lines will come to your head immediately.”
Elsewhere, he discussed the relationship between music and artificial intelligence, saying, “I think some of the AI art is interesting. But, as humans, sometimes we just want to know what’s real. We want the humanness of things. […] Before cameras came into play, a king would hire the best artists to paint a portrait of you and your family. The best artists were the ones who could make it look as real as possible. But then cameras came along. So you had all these artists saying, ‘What are we going to do now?’ I think we’re at a similar place now. But what happened was — we got Van Gogh, and we got Impressionists. Doing sh*t the camera couldn’t do. You gotta find your place to be. That’s the humanness.”
Andre 3000 is one of the best rappers of all time. It’s close to being an objective truth. You’d be hard pressed to find a hip-hop fan who dismissed Andre’s bars, or doubted his abilities on the mic. He’s so good in fact, that he’s never been directly challenged by another rapper. Andre 3000 has been rapping since 1994, and not one other person has dared to call him out directly or attempt to battle him. We can (and have) chalked this up to Stack’s peaceful approach, but a recent interview complicates this take. It seems like the rapper has, in fact, penned a few diss tracks.
Andre 3000 let the cat out of the bag during a recent interview with Crack Magazine. The rapper gave his take on the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar battle, which led to reflect on his own feelings towards dissing others. Apparently, Stacks is all for it. Up to a point, that is. He told the magazine that he’s written lots of diss songs throughout his career. “You have feelings,” he explained. “If n**gas say some slick sh*t, lines will come to your head immediately.” Andre 3000 draws the line, however, at releasing said disses. He’s all for working out his pen for the sake of “exercise,” but doesn’t support the notion of putting negative energy out into the world.
Andre 3000 Considers Writing Disses Good “Exercise”
NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 8: Andre 3000 of OutKast performs on stage at the “Fashion Rocks” concert held at Radio City Music Hall on September 8, 2004 in New York City. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)
The concept of an Andre 3000 diss is fascinating, and something that Dungeon Family member Kawan Prather talked about in 2017. He told HipHopDX that he would actually like to see someone challenge the rapper, just to see what it would inspire. “I wish somebody would diss him so we can really actually see it,” Prather stated. “No one’s ever had the audacity to do it.” The former A&R pointed to Andre 3000’s verse on the Outkast song “The Whole World” as proof. “[It’s] an invitation for somebody to diss him. Listen to that verse: ‘I wish you would.’”
To be fair to Andre 3000, “The Whole World” dropped in 2001. It’s likely he doesn’t feel as combative as he did two decades ago. Ironically, one of the few times the rapper talked about a tense interaction with an artist was when he met his idol, Prince. He recalls Prince talking about the song “Hey Ya,” and claimed to be unsure if the singer actually enjoyed it. “I didn’t know how to take it,” Andre said on the Questlove Supreme podcast. “If he was taking a dig at me or what… I didn’t know how to take it; this is my hero.”
Andre 3000 is a rare breed of rapper. He’s universally respected for his lyrical skills, yet never beefed with anybody. It’s like there’s an accepted hip-hop rule that nobody can (or should) test Three Stacks in a lyrical competition. Andre 3000 was unsurprisingly silent during the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar battle. It was actually far more surprising to hear the Outkast rapper address the situation months after the fact. He finally gave his thoughts on the battle, and who the ultimate loser was. It’s not who you think.
Andre 3000 told Crack Magazine that the battle made him sad for the music business. In particular, the people who work for Drake and Kendrick Lamar, and feed their families off of their respective success. In his estimation, those people were the ones who were truly at risk. “You got people with 100 employees,” he lamented. “You have livelihoods, empires, companies, deals – all of it can be jeopardized. If you don’t have anything to lose, sure, go for it. But if I already made it, I’m not sure it’s even worth it any more.”
“I got a little sad, at a certain point. In early rap battles, you had kids in the park rapping against each other. But it’s not just people rapping now.”
Andre 3000 contrasted the elevated stakes that Drake and Kendrick Lamar are playing it versus the rap battles he experienced as kid. As far as he’s concerned, it’s night and day. “I got a little sad, at a certain point,” he admitted. “In early rap battles, you had kids in the park rapping against each other. But it’s not just people rapping now.” Andre 3000 occupies an interesting place within the Drake and Kendrick Lamar narrative. He’s collaborated with both artists in the past. He worked with Drake on “The Real Her” and “I Do (Remix).” He’s linked up with Lamar a few times, most notably on the N.E.R.D. song “One of You,” but none of their collabs have been officially released.
Both Drake and Kendrick Lamar hold Andre 3000 in high regard, though. The latter referenced Stacks on the diss song, “Like That.” He likened Drake and J Cole’s tough talk to the trend of seeing Andre carrying woodwind instruments with him. “Lost too many soldiers not to play it safe,” Dot raps. “If he walk around with that stick, it ain’t Andre. 3K.” Despite the context, Andre 3000 appreciated the nod. “As a 49-year-old rapper, you’re just happy to get a shoutout,” he told the aforementioned outlet. “I had to say: ‘Yeah, he got it.’”
Newport Jazz Festival will be “celebrating 70 years” by staging its 2024 event at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Rhode Island this weekend. The 2024 lineup is loaded, featuring the likes of André 3000, Brittany Howard, Elvis Costello, Samara Joy, Robert Glasper, Nile Rodgers, Laufey, Noname, and more.
Newport Jazz Festival Set Times For Friday, August 2, 2024
All times are local.
Fort Stage: Sun Ra Arkestra (12:30 p.m. to 1:25 p.m.), Moonchild (1:55 p.m. to 2:55 p.m.), Cory Wong (3:25 p.m. to 4:25 p.m.), André 3000: New Blue Sun Live (4:55 p.m. to 5:55 p.m.), Kamasi Washington (6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.).
Quad Stage: Cisco Swank (11:05 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.), Chief Adjuah (12:15 p.m. to 1:10 p.m.), Bill Frisell Four (1:40 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.), Galactic With Irma Thomas (3 p.m. to 3:55 p.m.), PJ Morton (4:25 p.m. to 5:25 p.m.), Brittany Howard (5:55 p.m. to 6:55 p.m.).
Harbor Stage: Luke Stewart (11 a.m. to 11:40 a.m.), Aneesa Strings (12:05 p.m. to 12:55 p.m.), Jaleel Shaw (1:25 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.), Brandee Younger (2:45 p.m. to 3:40 p.m.), Aja Monet (4:10 to 5:05 p.m.), Kenny Barron Trio (5:35 p.m. to 6:35 p.m.).
Foundation Stage: Rimea Jazz All Stars (12:05 p.m. to 12:25 p.m.), URI Jazz Collective (1:25 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.), Newport Jazz Camp (2:55 p.m. to 3:20 p.m.).
Newport Jazz Festival Set Times For Saturday, August 3, 2024
Fort Stage: The Legacy Of Wayne Shorter (12:30 p.m. to 1:25 p.m.), Artemis (1:55 p.m. to 2:55 p.m.), Samara Joy (3:25 p.m. to 4:25 p.m.), Elvis Costello (4:55 p.m. to 5:55 p.m.), Dinner Party (6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.).
Quad Stage: Theo Croker (11:05 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.), Golden, Brown, & Delicious (12:15 p.m. to 1:10 p.m.), Lianne La Havas (1:40 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.), Terrace Martin (3 p.m. to 3:55 p.m.), Acid Jazz Is Dead (4:25 p.m. to 5:25 p.m.), Thievery Corporation (5:55 p.m. to 6:55 p.m.).
Harbor Stage: Riley Mulherkar (11 a.m. to 11:40 a.m.), Nicole Zuraitis (12:05 p.m. to 12:55 p.m.), Jonathan Blake Pentad (1:25 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.), Anat Cohen Quartetinho (2:45 p.m. to 3:40 p.m.), Ghost-Note (4:10 p.m. to 5:05 p.m.), Stanley Clarke N 4Ever (5:35 p.m. to 6:35 p.m.).
Foundation Stage: Rimea Jazz All Stars (12:05 p.m. to 12:25 p.m.), URI Jazz Collective (1:25 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.), Newport Jazz Camp (2:55 p.m. to 3:20 p.m.), Terri Lynne Carrington Workshop (4:25 p.m. to 4:50 p.m.), Salve Dance (5:55 p.m. to 6:25 p.m.).
Newport Jazz Festival Set Times For Sunday, August 4, 2024
Fort Stage: Newport at 70 (12:30 p.m. to 1:25 p.m.), Meshell Ndegeocello (1:55 p.m. to 2:55 p.m.), Laufey (3:25 p.m. to 4:25 p.m.), Robert Glasper (4:55 p.m. to 5:55 p.m.), Nile Rodgers & Chic (6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.).
Quad Stage: The Messthetics With James Brandon Lewis (11:05 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.), Julius Rodriguez (12:15 p.m. to 1:10 p.m.), Cimafunk (1:40 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.), Shabaka (3 p.m. to 3:55 p.m.), Noname (4:25 p.m. to 5:25 p.m.), Christian McBride’s Jam Jawn (5:55 p.m. to 6:55 p.m.).
Harbor Stage: Buster Williams (11 a.m. to 11:40 a.m.), Kassa Overall (12:05 p.m. to 12:55 p.m.), Sunday Jazz (1:25 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.), Amaro Freitas (2:45 p.m. to 3:40 p.m.), Alex Isley (4:10 p.m. to 5:05 p.m.), Makaya McCraven & Jeff Parker (5:35 p.m. to 6:35 p.m.).
Foundation Stage: Rimea Jazz All Stars (12:05 p.m. to 12:25 p.m.), URI Jazz Collective (1:25 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.), Kassa Overall Workshop (4:25 p.m. to 4:50 p.m.), Cimafunk Workshop (5:55 p.m. to 6:25 p.m.).
Andre 3000 and Ryan Garcia are two very opposite people. Outside of the obvious field of work difference, personality wise, they are starkly different. Overall, it seems that the rapper and instrumentalist is more reserved and laid-back, whereas the boxer possesses an explosive and unpredictable persona. The latter is partially why the superstar is so controversial. His various rants about religion, celebrities, and his opponents are just the tip of the iceberg. It seems like every week; Garcia makes a new questionable decision that either alters his career or image. Whether its PEDs, suspensions, or issues with his ex-wife, the polarizing figure cannot seem to stay out of trouble.
All of these reasons are why fans are having an absolute field day with some recent photos of Andre 3000 and Ryan Garcia. Thanks to a repost on X from one of DJ Akademiks’ accounts, Akademiks TV, they are causing quite a bit of traction online. They were extremely friendly with each other, which is leading fans to believe that Three Stacks has no idea what kind of reputation the boxer has. “If Andre knew about his rants he would’ve left him hanging”, one user replies.
“Andre 3000 has no idea he took a pic with a high functioning crackhead”, another adds. Someone else made a quip that he mistook him another similar-looking celebrity. “Im sure he just thought it was mario lopez and wanted to catch up a bit”. Then there are others were trying to push the idea that the rapper does in fact know who he is but was not able to avoid flicking up. “3k trying to get outta there before the pic”. Regardless, it was good to see Garcia appear to be happy in this moment.
What are your thoughts on Andre 3000 and Ryan Garcia linking up? Do you think the rapper is actually unaware about the boxer’s track record? Is the most random photo you have seen with a rapper and an athlete? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Andre 3000 and Ryan Garcia. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
André 3000 appeared on the latest episode of LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s The Shop alongside Sexyy Red and others. They touched on a variety of topics, including André’s New Blue Sun and why he has yet to release a solo rap album. He and Sexyy Red also talked about how haters motivate them. That conversation sparked social media memes. Fans of André started “hating” on him so he could release a rap album.
The panel also touched on one of the most common critiques of modern popular hip-hop: it all sounds the same. Older fans lament the change in sound and pine for the days where hip-hop sounded the way it did a generation ago. Thanks in part to the rise of SoundCloud and the explosion in popularity of artists like Future and Young Thug in the mid-2010s, hip-hop evolved. André explained why he thinks so many new artists sound like what’s already popular, and his answer was a straightforward one.
André 3000 On Why He Believes Many New Rappers Sound The Same
“If we were to come out as OutKast when we thought we were ready, we wouldn’t be around today ’cause we sounded like everybody else. We sounded like who we were listening to,” said André 3000. “Now, I don’t think artists have time to cultivate themselves, so a lot of artists sound the same. You can quickly jump on a microphone — it’s awesome because you’re getting an immediacy, but you don’t get time to hone who you are […] Even Future came up in the Dungeon. I know Ray has Future recordings where Future sounds different; Future was rapping. It takes a minute. Even 2 Chainz. Like, Tity Boi was rapping.”
André 3000s’s critique of the artist development process, or lack thereof, is not an uncommon one. TikTok trends have made it the easiest it’s ever been to become famous. There are limited opportunities for development before they’re thrust onto a national scale. Rappers like J. Cole or Kendrick Lamar performed on small stages before getting their mainstream moment. Lamar infamously performed at Best Buy in Compton once. That opportunity for development no longer exists in how it did for rappers from their era. Future and 2 Chainz, the two rappers André cited, underwent dramatic changes in their approaches to music before becoming popular. If they came out today, they might not have had the chance because of how easy it is to release music and find fame. André’s perspective is an interesting one, and may provide an explanation for the way hip-hop continues to develop.
Andre 3000 has never liked conventions. He was breaking stylistic and sonic boundaries at every turn as part of Outkast. As a solo artist, he’s broken even more ground. Andre will stop appear on a rap song and deliver a devastating sixteen, but rapping doesn’t excite him like it used to. The artist prefers to play the jazz flute, as evidenced by his album New Blue Sun. Fans and rapping peers may want him to do what made him famous, but Andre 3000 is more concerned with following his muse.
The artist talked about his transformation from rapper to flute player during his recent appearance on HBO’s The Shop. He freely admitted that he was not an exceptional flute player. He went as far as to say that he doesn’t know what he’s doing when he’s on stage. The lack of awareness, and mastery, however, is part of the appeal. “I don’t know what notes I’m playing, to be completely honest,” he told the hosts. “I’m not trying to pretend like I know what I’m doing, in a way. I actually don’t know what I’m doing and that’s part of the art.”
Andre 3000 also addressed the his controversial statement about not wanting to rap over 40 years old. He told The Shop hosts that he supports people who continue to rap, but simply feels that he does not have the passion he once did. “I got homies my age and older than me that still rap,” he admitted. “So if it’s in you, you should rap until you die… But what I’m saying is, what it takes for me to do it, I’m always looking for the next.” The Outkast artist stated, very clearly, that he does not intended to do what’s expected of him simply because it’s expected.
Those lamenting the lack of Andre 3000 bars in the future needn’t throw in the towel, though. Three Stacks made it clear that he is open to rapping again, but it will need to be under circumstances that inspire him. “I can’t say [things] 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,” he explained. “So I can’t talk for another rapper about what they doing. I just say, ‘Man, go for it. If it’s in you.’”
Following André 3000’s November 2023 interview with GQ, his tank runneth over. To this day, he continues to receive pushback regarding his “rapping over 40” comment. So, during his appearance on The Shop he addressed that and latest critic of his stance, LL Cool J.
“To me, I feel like if it’s in you,” he said. “Cause I got homies my age and older than me that still rap. So if it’s in you, you should rap until you die. You should perform until you die. 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.”
Despite his perceived indifference to making an official return to rap, he hasn’t completely turned away from the possibility. “Of course, I have things to say now,” he said. “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. So I can’t talk for another rapper about what they doing. I just say, “Man, go for it. If it’s in you.’”
Watch The Shop episode starring André 3000, Sexyy Red, Jerry Lorenzo, Jiaoying Summers, and Nigel Sylvester above.
Andre 3000 dropped several gems during his recent appearance on The Shop. He discussed taking hatred from others and using it to fuel creativity. He also talked about his experiments with jazz, and how it’s freed him up to do whatever he wants. The most fascinating revelation, though, was when the show’s other guest, Sexyy Red, asked about his iconic speech at the 1995 Source Awards. Andre 3000 reflected on the speech, before admitting that he doesn’t really remember what he said.
Sexyy Red was born in 1998, so she inquired about the intention of the speech during their Shop talk. Andre 3000 told the younger rapper that his memory of being onstage was hazy. “I don’t even remember the whole thing,” he admitted. What he did remember, however, was the sense of frustration he felt in the years leading up to the Source Awards. “N**gas hating on the South at that point,” he said. “I remember being really angry and driven because we’ve been creating this music, man. We’ve been in the Dungeon. And we just felt like, ‘Y’all don’t get it.’”
Andre 3000 Recalls Being Extremely Nervous On Stage
The reason why Andre 3000 struggles to remember his speech was because he was extremely nervous while giving it. “It was not planned,” he admitted. “It looked brave, but I was nervous as a motherf*cker. I was just angry, man.” Three Stacks, who was one half of Outkast at the time, felt that the South was not being afforded the same respect that New York was. Further adding to the frustration was the fact that both Andre and Big Boi were fans of the NY sound. “We love New York,” he said. “We grew up on all New York music, man. I just felt like, I don’t know, it just came out. And I just said that.”
Andre 3000’s speech has since been lionized by fans. It’s a classic moment in both Source and Southern hip-hop history. It was so prominent, in fact, that Outkast used audio from the speech on their 1998 song “Chonkyfire.” The phrase that Andre 3000 uttered towards the end of his speech has become a rallying cry of sorts for the entire South. They had something to say, and so did Three Stacks. Even if he doesn’t remember it clearly.
Everybody wants Andre 3000 to rap. Fans want it, other rappers want it, this writer wants it. The problem is, Andre 3000 doesn’t. The Outkast icon decided to release his first solo album in 2023, and many were shocked to find that it was a collection of flute instrumentals. In an effort to quell the confusion (maybe a better word would be frustration), Three Stacks has gone on an extensive press tour. He even stopped by HBO’s The Shop to discuss his genre pivot. Hear him tell it, it’s the most important thing he’s done.
Andre 3000 told Shop hosts LeBron James and Maverick Carter that he does not claim to be an expert when it comes to jazz. He’s a fan, but he concedes that he’s far behind the musicians who have spent their lives studying the genre. “I don’t take myself that serious,” he explained. “Jazz is a studied music so I kinda just try to humanize [it].” The musician alluded to the song titles that he chose for the album. He admitted that he chose silly titles in an effort to remove the seriousness from the music. “It’s so elitist in ways,” he noted. “A lot of jazz cats went to school… I don’t want people to think I’m trying to be a jazz musician.”
Three Stacks then coined the term “sonic displayist,” which would have been a killer album title, frankly. “I don’t know what notes I’m playing to be completely honest,” he told the room. “I don’t know what I’m doing and that’s part of the art.” Andre 3000 compared the process of making jazz to rapping, and went on to admit that he’s never felt more free as an artist. “This is most free I’ve ever been,” he admitted. The biggest difference, from Andre’s perspective, is the way in which he’s able to let the music, rather than the lyrics, guide him.
Andre 3000 considers himself a songwriter over a freestyler, which means his Outkast verses were always words first, music second. By removing words, the artist is able to follow his muse anywhere he sees fit. This means that every performance is different. “We really don’t know where we gon’ go,” he explained. “And it’s kinda like you have to feel it out. It’s really an exploratory thing, man.” As much as fans want to hear him rap, it’s difficult to deny Three Stacks’ passion.
”. Regardless, it was good to see Garcia appear to be happy in this moment.