André 3000 rules out chances of new Outkast music: “It’s a chemistry thing”
No matter how much instrumental music André 3000 shares with the world, hip-hop fans will always demand a new Outkast album or simply material from him as a rapper. However, during a new interview, he shot down hopes of either scenario happening in the near future, revealing that Outkast is further away from releasing new music than ever before.
3000 revealed that a lack of chemistry with Big Boi, combined with being unable to rap in general, is making it difficult for Outkast to become a thing again. Up until a decade ago, he was ambitious about a reunion album.
“I’ll say maybe 10, 15 years ago, in my mind, I thought an OutKast album would happen,” he told Rolling Stone. “I don’t know the future, but I can say that we’re further away from it than we’ve ever been. I think it’s a chemistry thing. We have to be wanting to do it. It’s hard for me to make a rap, period, you know? And sometimes I’m in the belief of ‘Let things be.’”
Despite the lack of music between him and Big, he has fond memories of their era of dominance. “It was a great time in life, and our chemistry was at a certain place that was undeniable,” he said. “And I think the audience sometimes believes that something has to last forever, and I don’t think that. Any kind of art form, I think that’s probably the opposite. It probably should not last forever.”
3000 released his first solo album, New Blue Sun, in November 2023. It was an instrumental record with elements of ambient, new-age, and spiritual jazz. Knowing how much his fans wanted to hear him rap, he even titled the opening track, ‘I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a ‘Rap’ Album but This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time.’
Addressing the project, he said, “Even when New Blue Sun came out, people were like, ‘Man, this is his first solo album in 17 years.’ If a person hasn’t given you a solo album in 17 years, do you really think that was going to happen? I don’t know, maybe I just think differently. I know I wouldn’t be sitting around waiting.”
Outkast released their last album Idlewild in 2006, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 chart. In 2014, 3000 and Big reunited for a reunion tour.