André 3000 has shared ‘Listening To The Sun’, a full-length film featuring the music of his 2023 experimental flute album ‘New Blue Sun’.
The OutKast rapper dropped the surprise project in November last year, marking his first solo album in 17 years. But upon its release, fans were surprised to discover that rather than the rap album they had been anticipating, it was an 87-minute ambient flute record.
Now, he’s released visuals to go with the 88-minute LP. ‘Listening To The Sun’, which premiered yesterday (August 29), sees André deeply immersed in his album while lounging in a mysterious blue room.
As the record plays, he occasionally interacts with an eclectic mix of props, including candles, a traffic cone and an extra pair of shoes — which he briefly wears on his hands.
Check it out below.
Explaining the new creative direction of ‘New Blue Sun’ earlier this year, André 3000 admitted he felt he’d aged out of the genre that kick-started his career: “Sometimes it feels inauthentic for me to rap because I don’t have anything to talk about in that way. I’m 48 years old. And not to say that age is a thing that dictates what you rap about, but in a way it does.”
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It’s a comment that sparked controversy in the rap world, with LL COOL J, Ja Rule, Killer Mike and Lil Wayne among those who expressed dismay towards his decision. The latter said it was “so depressing” that André 3000 felt “too old” to rap, while Ja Rule said he was “heartbroken” that the album contained “no bars”.
More recently, he performed an intimate set in London before a divisive performance at All Points East.
New music from the rapper-turned-flautist may be on the horizon sooner rather than later, with André 3000 announcing in January that a collaboration with SAULT is on the cards after he spent time in the studio with the mysterious British collective.
André also recently announced a fresh series of shows in the US later this year, following the success of his US tour earlier in the spring. Beginning in September, the tour will kick off in New Orleans’ Orpheum Theatre, visiting a host of new cities including Houston, Seattle, Vancouver and Salt Lake City. Tickets are on sale now, and you can get yours here.