*André 3000 shared details about his forthcoming solo album in a new interview with NPR Music’s Rodney Carmichael.
The former member of OutKast will drop his debut solo album, “New Blue Sun,” on Friday, Nov. 17th, according to a news release. The project marks André’s first full-length album in 17 years since OutKast’s sixth album “Idlewild.”
“I didn’t know I’d be rapping,” André 3000 told NPR about his journey. “I didn’t know I’d start producing. I didn’t know I’d start singing. I didn’t know my style would go a certain way. I didn’t know I’d put a wig on. Like, I didn’t know none of this. So, I’m on the ride with y’all.”
The musician is aware that his fans may give him a side eye once they hear his new music as it deviates from his usual style. So much so that the first song is titled: “I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time.”
“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.’ It’s letting you know what it is off the top,” he explained.
“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,” André said during the hour-plus conversation with Carmichael.
“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,” he added.
You can hear the entire interview via the player below and read an edited conversation transcript at NPR.org.
READ MORE: Erykah Badu Calls Ex André 3000 ‘One of My Best Friends’
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