André 3000 shared his uncertainty in his music direction when he started playing the flute last November, dropping New Blue Sun, an album that highlights his exploration with the instrument.
READ ALSO:ANDRÉ 3000 TO RELEASE HIS FIRST SOLO ALBUM, ‘NEW BLUE SUN’ FEATURES NO BARS
On LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s podcast, “The Shop,” the Outkast luminary clarified that his flute music journey was not motivated by any specific agenda or a desire to become a jazz artist.
“I love jazz music,” he said. “I don’t want people to think that I’m trying to be a jazz musician. I don’t take myself that seriously. I kind of look at myself as a sonic displayist. I don’t know what notes I’m playing, to be completely honest. 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.”
André 3000 dropped New Blue Sun as his first album in 17 years, ending a long break from new music. The album, which departed from his familiar Hip-Hop style, left fans and critics intrigued and puzzled. Three Stacks aimed to challenge the perceived elitism in jazz and bring a playful and human touch to the music.
“Jazz is a studied music, so I just try to humanize,” he said. “Even with the title of the album I was just trying to poke fun at it, have fun.”
André 3000 made a surprising return in November 2023, but it wasn’t the typical Outkast fans were expecting. Rather than a traditional Hip-Hop album, he delivered 87 minutes of experimental jazz mainly created with his beloved instrument, the flute. The tracklist, revealed on Reddit, featured eight titles, with the first one, “I Swear, I Really Wanted To Make A ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time,” setting the tone for the unconventional album.
