The difference between André 3000 and André Benjamin
Yeah, yeah, you’re right. André 3000 and André Benjamin are the same person. And not in a Clark Kent and Superman kind of way: publicly, it is known across the world that André 3000 is the music persona of André Benjamin used primarily in the context of hip-hop duo Outkast.
And when Benjamin wanted to extend his creative prowess to more serious and thoughtful projects outside of OutKast – predominantly within the film industry – he used his birth name, André Benjamin. Generally speaking, André 3000 is the moniker used for his music career, and André Benjamin for personal projects he wants to be perceived as himself, rather than a hip-hop character.
In an interview with IGN in 2012, André Benjamin broke it down in his own words.
“How do you define the difference between Andre 3000 the rapper/singer and Andre Benjamin the actor?” the interviewer asked.
“I guess André 3000 would lend itself more to what people see in those videos,” Benjamin replied. “I mean, he’s a character, you know? André Benjamin is I guess who you are talking to now. André 3000 is the person that they think is wild and crazy and all that type of stuff.”
“So André Benjamin is closer to the real you?” the interviewer replied. “Oh yeah,” said the musician and actor. “I’m André Benjamin. [André 3000] is the character I had to play for that song or that video or that album.”
The interviewer then touched upon the significant increase in film projects Benjamin had thrown himself into in the early 2010s, when the interview was conducted. These include the Jimi Hendrix biopic All Is By My Side, in which Benjamin plays the iconic counterculture musician, a performance that was met with great acclaim from critics.
“What appeals to you so much about acting for you to pursue it so heavily over the past few years?” the interviewer asked.
“The challenge to play a normal human being, being that I’m an entertainer,” Benjamin explained. “People put you on this star type of pedestal and you need to actually break yourself down. To be a normal human being is kind of therapy. I dig it.”
In music, Benjamin first rose to prominence as one half of the ground-breaking hip-hop duo OutKast, which – outside of making bonafide bangers and iconic music videos – was part of the movement to redefine Southern rap through innovation, genre-mixing, and originality in lyrics. Albums such as ATLiens, Aquemini, and Speakerboxxx/The Love Below highlighted Benjamin’s versatility, risk-taking, and asserted his influence on modern hip-hop. Through media appearances, his alter ego also became known for eccentric fashion, inventive flows, and artistic freedom.
André Benjamin, on the other hand, has a respected acting career attached to his resume. Focussing on more experimental projects that are introspective in tone and reflective of his commitment to artistic freedom and expansion, his credits include High Life, Four Brothers, the aforementioned All Is By My Side; and even the lending of his voice to children’s films such as Charlotte’s Web and Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted. Potentially the most creatively free film of them all.