Andre 3000 To Retire From Rapping
One of hip hop’s most iconic performers, Andre 3000, one half of Outkast, may be hanging up his mic soon.
The rapper told media sources in August that he is planning to retire from rapping sometime in the near future.
He told New York Times that he loves hip hop but does not trying to be a rapper with settling wrinkles.
The rapper, whose real name is Andre Benjamin, is only 39-years old.
“I don’t want to be a 40-year-old rapper. I’m 39 now, and I’m still standing by that. I’m such a fan that I don’t want to infiltrate it with old blood.”
To challenge these sentiments, the Outkast rapper recently told MTV that he has a problem writing fresh material that an audience today will listen to, explaining that he plays some music from his son, 16-year old Seven with singer Eryka Badu, and his friends to see if the sound will fit in the new age.
Nowadays, Andre is only seen doing hooks for the songs of other rappers.
“I don’t sit around and write raps, I just don’t. Now the only time I’m really inspired to write raps is if an artist that I enjoy invites me to their party. So if Future calls and says, ‘Hey man, I want you to do this,’ I don’t want to let Future down. I don’t want to let Lil Wayne or Drake down, because I love them.”
Much of Andre’s focus has been to the on-again off-again filming of Jimi: All Is By My Side.
He played the music to the movie, practicing the guitar for 6 hours a day, after the production crew could not secure rights to use Jimi Hendrix’s original recordings.
Earlier this year, Andre 3000 and Big Boi, the other half of Outkast, went on tour for the first time in nearly years to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of their iconic album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik.
Andre said being on the stage again during the tour was foreign to him, according to an interview with New York Times.
“My head wasn’t there. I kind of fluffed through rehearsals. A few hours before the Coachella show, I get a message that Prince and Paul McCartney are going to be there. My spirit is not right, and idols are standing side-stage, so as the show started, I’m bummed.”
Andre said a brief conversation with Prince, who happened to be performing at Coachella was well, one of Outkast stops while on tour. Prince told Andre to simply grow up and give the people what they paid to hear.
“When you come back, people want to be wowed. And what’s the best way to wow people? Just give them the hits. You’re a grown man. You’re either going to do it or you’re not.”
The last album Outkast released was Idlewild back in 2006.
Andre 3000 and Big Boi made history when their fourth album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, an unusual but successful Outkast album showcasing solo efforts from both rappers, as the first rap album to win Album of The Year during the 2004 Grammy Awards.
[Image via BET]
