Exclusive: André 3000 reveals why his new solo album has no bars — and no boundaries
Exclusive: André 3000 reveals why his new solo album has no bars — and no boundaries
For the first time in nearly two decades, André 3000 is releasing an album of new music. New Blue Sun, set to be released this Friday, Nov. 17, is a stunning 87-minute mind-bender, minimalist and experimental, tribal and transcendent.
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, maya flutes, bamboo flutes — along with other digital wind instruments. In place of lyrics, he offers eight provocative song titles, the first of which almost reads like a lowkey apology, with a wink of irony: "I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A 'Rap' Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time."
In this sweeping, hour-long interview, the former member of OutKast speaks with NPR Music's Rodney Carmichael about the long road to making New Blue Sun, which traveled through phases of grief and inspiration. A departure album in the classic sense, New Blue Sun also feels like André has arrived.