André 3000 announces debut solo album, featuring no lyrics: 'I don't want to troll people'
André 3000 is dropping his first solo album Friday, and it's unlike any other project he's done before.
For those who have known him as a critically acclaimed lyricist and one-half of the rap duo OutKast alongside Big Boi, André 3000 is reintroducing himself as a flutist.
The 48-year-old singer and rapper announced in an interview with NPR Music Tuesday that his upcoming album "New Blue Sun" has no vocals: He is only playing various flutes.
"I don't want to troll people. I don't want people to think, 'Oh, this André 3000 album is coming!' And you play it and like, 'Oh man, no verses,'" he said. "So even actually on the packaging, you'll see it says, 'Warning: no bars.' It's letting you know what it is off the top."
The opening track title, "I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A 'Rap' Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time," addresses how fans might feel about his return to music being centered around the woodwind instrument.
Different artists he met after moving to Venice Beach, California, also contributed to the album. "It ended up being the core four of us – me on different woodwind instruments and digital flutes; Carlos Ni?o on percussion; Nate Mercereau on guitar, and he hardly ever sounds like he's playing guitar, but he's an awesome guitarist, he's kind of like a magician in a way; and then Surya Botofasina, he's a keyboardist," he told NPR.
André 3000 discussed his unexpected path leading to hip-hop, sharing, "I didn't know I'd be rapping. I didn't know I'd start producing. I didn't know I'd start singing. I didn't know my style would go a certain way. I didn't know I'd put a wig on. Like, I didn't know none of this. So, I'm on the ride with y'all.
"I'm expecting anything just like y'all. I didn't know I'd be playing a flute," he added.
André 3000 revealed that he previewed the album with friends, including musicians Tyler, the Creator and Frank Ocean as well as his "homies in Atlanta," who affectionately tease him about the flute.
"I'm always in on the joke," he said. "I understand. If I was on the outside, I would feel the same way."
When it comes to his transition away from hip-hop, André 3000 said he still holds the genre close to his heart.
"I love rap music because it was a part of my youth. So I would love to be out here with everybody rapping, because it's almost like fun and being on the playground. I would love to be out here playing with everybody, but it's just not happening for me," he said. "This is the realest thing that's coming right now. Not to say that I would never do it again, but those are not the things that are coming right now. And I have to present what's given to me at the time."
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Andre 3000 new album: Rapper to only play flute on debut solo project
