Andre 3000 has become a mystic figure in hip-hop lore, and the literary-minded poet slash prolific Outkast emcee recently sat down with GQ Style for an in depth interview. In keeping with Three Stacks' Dungeon Family connection, it's only appropriate that the interview took place from the shelter of Andre's nuke-safe New York basement. As to what led the ATLien to relocate, Andre's reasoning was surprisingly relatable: "I guess why most people move to New York City: a change, a new start." And while Andre has currently been enjoying his personal time, cultivating his creativity by attempting to master a musical instrument, it doesn't take long before the conversation turns to the legendary Outkast.
"But if I were to drop dead right now, honestly, we’ve done it. And that’s the truth. You know what I mean? Here’s the only thing that I would regret: Man, you know, there is still that album that you wanted to do," says Andre, perhaps alluding to the fabled solo album fans have spent nearly two decades anticipating. "Like, I wanted to put out my own project.Things I’ve been working on. But that’s for my personal [satisfaction], you know?"
He also reflects on his public image as a straight edge vegan, delivering this hilarious gem in the process. "My homie Cee-Lo, from Goodie Mob, he has this joke. He’s like, “Man, I don’t know why these women think we’re sitting cross-legged with incense like some Buddhists, praying with our hands. I mean, we out here fucking these bitches.”
Andre goes on to reflect on his own mortality, claiming that when he passes away, they'll find "hours and hours of files." However, the majority of them seem to be him attempting to chase inspiration through different musical instruments. "I was trying to find out: What can I be excited about? Because I never was, to me, a great producer or a great writer or a great rapper. I always felt that I was less than everybody else, so I fought harder."
Eventually, Andre dives into the Outkast dynamic, especially during those early years. Three Stacks has nothing but praise for his partner Daddy Fat Sax, who often feels left out of the top ten discourse. However, as Andre tells it, Big Boi may very well be worthy of a top spot: "Big Boi is smart as fuck. We went to the same high school. I dropped out in 11th grade. Big Boi graduated with honors. When you watch early OutKast videos, Big Boi’s the leader. He always had the confidence, where I was kind of like the shy one. Big Boi can rap better than me—I always said that. If somebody said, “Pick who you want from OutKast to go to battle with you,” it wouldn’t be me. ’Cause like, what I’ma do? Say some mind shit? You can’t have thoughts in a battle—nobody gives a shit about that."
There's more where that came from over at GQ. Check out the full interview, and consider throwing on your favorite Outkast track on this fine autumn day.