Today (Nov. 14), NPR Music published a new interview with André 3000, who used the platform to announce that he’s releasing a new album. Titled New Blue Sun, the Atlanta legend’s first official solo LP will mark his evolution as an artist who transcended the typical confines of hip hop music.
In the feature, André spoke on the upcoming project and the aid that he received from a couple of Odd Future alumni. “Once we started recording New Blue Sun, I think like three songs in I was like, ‘Oh, we got something,'” he said. “I remember I had maybe four songs, and I was just kind of testing it out ’cause I wanted to see how a younger audience would perceive it. I live in Cali now, so I reached out to [Tyler, The Creator] for him to check it out, and I went to his house.”
The Outkast talent continued, “So we’re sitting there, and Frank [Ocean] just happened to drop by. So it’s us three sitting there listening to these three songs, and I just kind of wanted to get an opinion. And it was just good for me to hear with somebody else.”
One thing that was made clear about New Blue Sun was that it is completely devoid of rapping — in fact, there aren’t any words on the project at all. In regard to hip hop, André stated that, while he’s still in love with the culture, he isn’t currently connected to that art form from a creative standpoint.
“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 admitted. “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.”
Check out the full track listing for New Blue Sun — complete with wild song titles — below.
New Blue Sun tracklist:
- “I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time”
- “The Slang Word P**sy Rolls Off The Tongue With Far Better Ease Than The Proper Word Vagina . Do You Agree?”
- “That Night In Hawaii When I Turned Into A Panther And Started Making These Low Register Purring Tones That I Couldn’t Control … S**t Was Wild”
- “BuyPoloDisorder’s Daughter Wears A 3000™ Button Down Embroidered”
- “Ninety Three ‘Til Infinity And Beyoncé”
- “Ghandi, Dalai Lama, Your Lord & Savior J.C. / Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, And John Wayne Gacy”
- “Ants To You, Gods To Who ?”
- “Dreams Once Buried Beneath The Dungeon Floor Slowly Sprout Into Undying Gardens”