Andre 3000 Says OutKast Fans Criticized His 'New Blue Sun' Album More Than Anyone Else

Turns out that Andre 3000 thinks the backlash he’s received following the release of his New Blue Sun album hasn’t been from the rap or jazz community — but from OutKast fans.

In a new interview with the Chicago Tribune published on October 17, the artist was asked if he’s received any pushback from jazz musicians for his foray into spiritual jazz.

“It’s kind of funny: The backlash is actually not from the rap community, or the jazz and spiritual jazz community. There’s actually more support — surprising support — from both sides. I think it’s more (OutKast) fans, which I understand,” he said. “I always try to put myself in their shoes: If my favorite rapper said, ‘I’m not rapping,’ and I like it, I like it. But if I don’t, I move on. I think some people take it as blasphemy or something.”

Prior to New Blue Sun being released, 3000 had stressed that the album wouldn’t have any rapping on it, saying in an interview with NPR that the “even actually on the packaging, you'll see it says, ‘Warning: no bars.’”

He reiterated this warning following the project’s release and the mixed reaction it received from fans, saying during a CBS Mornings interview in December last year, “Even on the artwork it says, ‘No bars,’ so I’m letting you know this is what it is. So, I don’t like that people are upset a little bit about it.”

Despite this, Three Stacks’ venture into jazz has done well, all things considered. He’s headlined some of the genre’s biggest and well-known music festivals, including this year’s Newport Jazz Festival.

Elsewhere in his Tribune interview, 3000 talked about why he didn’t release New Blue Sun under a different name.

“In retrospect, I’ve asked myself, ‘Would I have been better off releasing it under a new name?’ But I’m glad I didn’t,” he said. “The ridicule that I get from it is the thing I did not expect. If I’m a fan of anybody, I’m not waiting 17 years for this great rap album to come out. I’m thinking, ‘Well, that ship has sailed.’ I felt like the name ‘André 3000’ showed the bigger story — the journey from where I was to now. I kept it so that wouldn’t get lost.”

He also revealed that contributing production on OutKast’s beloved ATLiens album is what led to his interest in playing instruments.

“I bought drum machines and keyboards first, then bass guitar. On the road with OutKast, I went to a pawn shop and found a bass clarinet,” he said. “Clarinet and saxophone always interested me because I was a fan of jazz — of Coltrane, of Eric Dolphy.”