Rap enthusiasts have argued that the opening verse to UGK’s “International Players Anthem” by Andre 3000 is one of his most iconic lyrical performances. Everything about it, from powerful world play to the melodic flow, creates the perfect formula for a rap verse.
Although this is one example, Andre 3000 is held in regard for his lyrical prowess. Whether it is eclectic combinations with Outkast group mate Antwan “Big Boi” Patton or a smooth feature, fans get excited when Andre 3000’s name is mentioned because they know something great is about to come.
Born Andre Lauren Benjamin, the Atlanta, GA, native became famous as a member of Outkast — the iconic rap duo. Andre 3000 and Big Boi would make waves in rap, highlighting the talent, depth, and presence of rappers from the South.
During the 1995 Source Awards, Outkast won the award for Best New Artist. In a room filled with tension and clamor from rappers representing the East and West Coasts, Andre 3000 took the mic and, without any fear, declared words that would help launch Southern rap into the mainstream.
“But it’s like this; the South got somethin’ to say. That’s all I got to say.”
Not only has the South had something to say, but it has also, in many regards, taken the lead and set the tempo for culture. With the major success of artists like Migos, Gucci Mane, Lil Wayne, GloRilla, and many more, Andre 3000’s bold statement proved to be prophetic.
With hits like “Hey Ya,” “Ms. Jackson,” “Prototype,” and “So Fresh, So Clean” through group and solo projects, the 48-year-old has continued to live out the words of his bold statement made nearly 30 years ago.
His impact has proven to go beyond rap. In November 2023, Andre 3000 released “New Blue Sun,” an instrumental album highlighted by his flute playing. And for those who questioned the use of simple instrumentation from such a profound lyricist, listeners can look to the album’s opening song titled: “I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time.”
“Even now, people think, Oh, man, he’s just sitting on raps, or he’s just holding these raps hostage. I ain’t got no raps like that,” Andre 3000 said in an interview with GQ. “It actually feels… sometimes it feels inauthentic for me to rap because I don’t have anything to talk about in that way. I’m 48 years old. And not to say that age is a thing that dictates what you rap about, but in a way, it does. And things that happen in my life, like, what are you talking about? ‘I got to go get a colonoscopy.’ What are you rapping about? ‘My eyesight is going bad.’ You can find cool ways to say it, but….”
Although his most recent work was not the musical offering many expected, its success didn’t disappoint. According to Billboard, “New Blue Sun” landed at No. 1 on the New Age Albums charts.
Despite his latest musical direction, Andre 3000 has enjoyed the fruit of his labor, with Celebrity Net Worth reporting an estimated net worth of $35 million.
And while music has been the centerpiece of his life’s work, it isn’t the totality of it. Andre 3000 has experimented with acting, appearing in films such as “Four Brothers” with Tyrese and musical “Idlewild.”
Beyond music and film, he has dabbled in business, primarily around fashion. In 2020, a separate Billboard report noted that the father of one turned his iconic message-based jumpsuits into a T-shirt line to support the Black Lives Matter movement.
Although those shirts spoke to the social unrest experienced during the 2020 pandemic, Andre 3000, aka 3 Stacks, still has an appetite for fashion. In the previously mentioned GQ article, he shared he is developing a workwear brand, modeling his current signature look, named From Now On They Will Have No Choice But to Call Us The Ants. Further, he intends to open a store called A Myriad of Pyramids, selling clothes and artwork.
It was not clear whether the workwear brand would be housed in a future store, but the “Stankonia” rapper plans to use the store as a move to cement his legacy further.
“I’d like to make things that when I’m dead and gone 3,000 years from now, people may dig up and find. So if that’s sculpting, if that’s actually physical artwork, painting, designing instruments, that’s where I’m at right now,” Andree 300 told GQ.
