André 3000's new album New Blue Sun couldn't be farther from a rap album in most people's eyes- or ears, rather. Moreover, many folks took issue with Pitchfork's review of it- not because of the score (8.3, Best New Music), but because of the categorization. Instead of "New Age," "Jazz," "Ambient," or other appropriate genres that describe the flute-heavy, fully instrumental project, the publication put it under the "Rap/Experimental" genre. Mariah The Scientist agrees with this criticism, as she reposted a tweet on it on her Instagram Story on Monday (November 20).
"André 300 did NOTHING but play the FLUTE and they STILL labeled it a RAP album," the tweet in question reads. "Do we not see the problem with this?" However, before we get ahead of ourselves, there's a legitimate reason for this categorization that might calm Mariah The Scientist down. Pitchfork designed their content management system (CMS) that they use to publish work and organize it in the "backend" so that the genre of an album ties to the principal genre of its artist. As such, since they have the Outkast member as mostly a rap and experimental artist, they couldn't change the genre to reflect New Blue Sun's direction.
Mariah The Scientist Agrees With Pitchfork Slander For André 3000 Review
So, with that in mind, maybe you understand the music media icons a little bit more. But the criticism itself is very valid and applicable to other people's discussions around the project. In fact, it's something that the 26-year-old has addressed about her own music. "I put music out, and it's automatically supposed to be R&B?" Mariah The Scientist asked Complex during a video interview.
"Anybody that sings and is Black, or they think you Black... they, like, put you in this category of 'She makes R&B music,'" she continued. "But if Lana Del Rey is singing about heartbreak, why [do they categorize] her album as alternative? But I put music out, and it's automatically R&B? What if it's neither of those? I told somebody that I wanted to make a new genre and I wanted to call it A&B for alternative and blues. I don't know if it will happen, but if I did have to categorize myself, it would be that." For more news and the latest updates on Mariah The Scientist and André 3000, log back into HNHH.