OutKast’s André 3000 Returning to Music for New Solo Album

André 3000 is back. On Tuesday morning, the 48-year-old rapper who makes up one-half of the legendary duo Outkast, announced that his new album called New Blue Sun, will be released on Friday, Nov. 17. However, the album may not be what fans are expecting as it’s not a rap album. According to NPR, the album features “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.”

Before the official announcement, André 3000 spoke on the NPR podcast All Songs Considered about the album and explained why he went a different route for his first album in 17 years. “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,’” he said when asked about the first track on the album titled. “I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A ‘Rap’  Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time.”

“It’s letting you know what it is off the top. But also, I love rap music because it was a part of my youth. So I would love to be out here with everybody rapping, because it’s almost like fun and being on the playground. I would love to be out here playing with everybody, but it’s just not happening for me. This is the realest thing that’s coming right now. Not to say that I would never do it again, but those are not the things that are coming right now. And I have to present what’s given to me at the time.”

This will be André 3000’s first solo album that is not associated with Outkast. In 2004, the duo, which also includes Big Boi, released Speakerboxx/The Love Below, a double album spread across two solo albums from both members. André 3000’s album is The Love Below and includes different styles of music including jazz, funk and pop. The double album earned critical acclaim, earning Grammy Awards for Best Rap Album and Alubm of the Year. 

Outkast was created in 1992 by André 3000 and Big Boi. The Atlanta natives released six studio albums from 1994 to 2006 and won six Grammy Awards. Outkast produced three No. 1 hits, including “Ms. Jackson,” Hey Ya! and “The Way You Move.”