Andre 3000: Rap Classic, Fantastic By Celia Thomas
He goes by many names: Andre 3000, Dre, Andre Benjamin etc. He’s starred in movies such as Idlewild and Charlotte’s Web. He was named PETA’s “World’s Sexiest Vegetarian” in 2004. This Outkast member is known for his outlandish fashion sense and funky tunes. In the music world, Andre 3000 is not only a jack of all trades, but a master of fun. Andre met fellow Outkast member “Big Boi” in high school, and formed the group after battling each other in many rap competitions. All that practice sure helped, because Laface Records signed them after graduation. That’s where Andre’s music genius started to shine. Some would say Outkast is strictly about making rap music. That may have been true when they
first got in the game. But after their ATLiens album, Andre showed their audience a new way to perform. Big Boi’s fast-paced rhyming skills were the perfect opposite to Andre 3000’s jivetalking and soul-singing. One song in particular, So Fresh and So Clean, has Andre 3000 doing a mixture of rapping and singing with an ethereal, space-age twist. Album after album, Andre 3000 changes his musical style just a little to accommodate his audience and what pop culture is feeding them. Some songs like “Hey Ya” can pass as an energetic R&B tune, while others like the remix of Chris Brown’s “Deuces” are adored by lyrical fans for his witty and new-age verses. It’s a wonder how Outkast, Andre 3000 in particular, can be grouped in only the rap genre. Further down in his career, Andre could be seen doing collaborations with everyone from Gwen Stefani to Kanye West. The more
people he works with, the more they reflect in his clothing styles. Not that Andre dresses like an alternative songstress or hip-hop’s quintessential pretty boy, but to grab attention. His clothes make a statement that everyone enjoys. Andre 3000 can go on stage in pink furry pants with a baby blue tank top and get the same response from the crowd as if he came out in a wife-beater and jeans. Just as his music style changes, his clothes change. It seems like the more we see and hear Dre, the more exciting and eccentric he gets. He’s not just Andre Benjamin anymore. He is Andre 3000. He is… the love… below.
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