To celebrate one of the greatest rappers of all time and all his successes, we’ve teamed together a bunch facts you probably didn’t know about André 3000.
#1 Outkast wasn’t always called Outkast
Did you know that Outkast never intended to go by this name? André 3000 and co-worker Big Boi had several different names, including 2 Shades Deep and The Misfits. They firmly decided on Outkast after looking up the definition in the dictionary and seeing that it was a synonym for ‘misfit’.
#2 André 3000’s first rap name was Black Wolf
Speaking of names, André 3000 hasn’t always rapped under this name. He was originally called Black Wolf before changing it to Dré. Soon after this, André 3000 was born.
#3 André 3000 almost quit rap for college
André 3000 was turned down not once, but twice, by LaFace Records. This rejection tempted him to quit the world of rap and go to college. Big Boi convinced him to try one more interview and luckily, they were accepted. Third time lucky!
#4 He quit smoking and drinking for Outkast
After the release of Outkast’s 1994 debut album, André 3000 made the pact to quit both smoking and drinking.
#5 Heartbreak in 1993 shook André 3000
In 1993, André 3000 dated Keisha from R&B group Total. Speaking in a 2003 interview about the breakup, André 3000 was devastated for a year after being dumped by Keisha.
#6 Proud father: André 3000 has a son named Seven
Seven Sirius Benjamin is the name of André 3000’s son. André 3000 split from his son’s mother, Erykah Badu, in 1999. Seven was just a toddler but the parents remain friends.
#7 Merchandise designer: his ideas were stolen
André 3000 isn’t just talented in the world of music. He was also summoned to create merchandise for R&B star Anita Baker. Unfortunately, his ideas were stolen before production came to light.
#8 Acting debut: André 3000 starred in “Hollywood Homicide”
Speaking of other talents, André 3000 is also well known for his acting skills. He made his acting debut in 2003, starring in the comedy film Hollywood Homicide.
#9 Struggled with guitar for Hendrix role
We can’t do it all! André 3000 has openly admitted that he’s not very good at playing the guitar. He played Jimi Hendrix in the film Jimi: All Is By My Side and really struggled – especially as he had to pretend he was left-handed.
#10 Voiced Elwyn the Crow in “Charlotte’s Web”
Ever seen the animated film Charlotte’s Web? If not, you might want to, now that you know André 3000 voiced the character Elwyn the Crow!
#11 Bonded with Eminem over hip-hop love
André 3000 and Eminem once famously came together to obsess over their love for hip-hop collective the Hieroglyphics.
#12 Launched a successful sneaker collection
In 2019, André 3000 released a sneaker collection with Tretorn. These stylish shoes were a great success.
#13 Songs in tribute to his late mother
André 3000’s mother, Sharon Benjamin-Hodo, died the day after his 38th birthday. André has paid tribute to his mother in many ways, including in the songs “Me&My (To Bury Your Parents)” and “Look Ma No Hands”.
#14 Open about mental health struggles
In 2019, André openly spoke about his struggles with social anxiety and hypersensitivity disorder on a podcast with Rick Rubin.
#15 Turned down collaboration with Moby
In 2002, André turned down collaborating with Moby. Although not confirmed, it was rumoured that this was due to his feud with Eminem at the time.
#16 Multiple awards: 11-times platinum winner
André 3000 is an 11-times platinum winner thanks to one of the best rap albums ever, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.
#17 Credited on “Kids See Ghosts”
If you look carefully, you will notice that André 3000 is mentioned in the co-production credits of Kanye West’s Kids See Ghosts.
#18 André 3000 loves playing the Mayan double flute
Ever heard of the Mayan double flute? We hadn’t until André 3000 came along. The Mayan double flute is his favourite instrument to play. He’s even been spotted playing it at airports.
#19 Restarted life in New York City
Up until around the age of 40, André 3000 spent most of his life in Atlanta. However, once his kid went to college and both parents had passed, he made a big move to NYC. He felt he had outgrown Atlanta.
#20 Battles with confidence for a solo album
André 3000 has openly admitted that he’s nervous to make a new solo album. This is due to a lack of confidence.
#21 25 songs on the Billboard Hot 100
André 3000 has 25 songs (including Outkast songs) on the Billboard Hot 100.
#22 Early influences from Rakim
OutKast influenced a generation, but André 3000’s early rap influence was Rakim. He praises the greatest MC’s smooth flow and was inspired to perform in school talent shows because of this.
#23 Worked since he was a child
André has been a hard worker since he was a young teenager. His stepfather let him screenprint shirts as his first job at the age of 13.
#24 His Stepfather played the harmonica in Rosa Parks
Lastly, André 3000 is a massive family man. He let his stepfather play the harmonica in Outkast’s tune “Rosa Parks!”. What a cool story to tell the grandkids.
We have a lot to thank André 3000 for, and it’s safe to say he’s built an amazing life for himself. The rapper flips bad situations on their heads, finding the good in everything. Whether expressing himself through music or finding other avenues to showcase his talents, we can all take a leaf out of André 3000’s book!
