Andre 3000 explains why he doesnt listen to music by older artist

[Marlo Barksdale]

I can tell y'all didn’t listen to his verse on Rosa Parks where he talked about this exact thing 25 years ago

Met a gypsy and she hipped me to some life game
To simulate then activate the left and right brain
Said baby boy you're only funky as your last cut
You focus on the past your ass'll be a has but
That's one to live by or either that one to die to
I try to just throw it at you determine your own adventure
André, got to her station here's my destination
She got off the bus, the conversation lingered in my head for hours
Took a shower kinda sour cause my favorite group ain't comin' wit' it
But I'm wit' ya you 'cause you probably goin' through it anyway
But anyhow when in doubt, went on out and bought it
'Cause I thought it would be jammin', but examine all the flawsky-wasky
Awfully sad and its costly but that's all she wrote
And I hope I never have to float in that boat
Up - creek "It's weak" is the last quote
That I wanna hear when i'm goin' down when all's said and done
And we got a new Joe in town
When the record player get to skippin' and slowin' down
All y'all can say is them nikkas earned that crown, but until then


I’m the same way in that I don’t get excited by the old head rappers, especially since I’m still active. I personally enjoy YTB Fatt more than a new Nas song.

Older people don’t like to hear that hip-hop is made for the youthful. That’s always has been who has the power to control things on the ground level.

 

[Piff Perkins]

I don't think he's wrong about the freshness of younger artists and the things they can do that older artists can't do. My issue is the weird box he puts rappers in compared to other artists/genres. Dude just dropped an album where he's playing the flute. Should we dismiss that because he's nearly 50 years old? Or do we only do that for 50 year old rappers? Why can we acknowledge the greatness or genius of a veteran musician but have to quantify praise for a veteran rapper.

Miles Davis was 44 when he released bytches Brew and completely changed music. David Bowie was 69 when he released Blackstar. Kim Gordon is 71 and released an amazing album this year. The Cure's first album came out in the late 70s and they released a really good album this year. I'd imagine Andre has no issue acknowledging those albums so why can't we acknowledge LL dropped a great album this year at 56? A great thing about art is that there's a lot of great art. Every year. If you can't appreciate the greatness of the fresh youth and the aging master at the same time, I question your taste.

 

[2ATMsYouSteppinOrWhat]

yall gon chill with all that 3k slander

 

[Marlo Barksdale]

I don't think he's wrong about the freshness of younger artists and the things they can do that older artists can't do. My issue is the weird box he puts rappers in compared to other artists/genres. Dude just dropped an album where he's playing the flute. Should we dismiss that because he's nearly 50 years old? Or do we only do that for 50 year old rappers? Why can we acknowledge the greatness or genius of a veteran musician but have to quantify praise for a veteran rapper.

Again, hip-hop was literally found by youth for youth. That’s one thing that makes it (and punk music) so unique because it’s literally the voice of the defiant youth. They’re gonna take more risks with music whereas older artists gonna give you more of the same UNLESS they link with younger artists ala Yo Gotti, Future, etc

 

[Pure Water]

2 Chainz dropped his best album in 2017 at the age of 41 while being in the music industry as a known name since 2007. What are we talking about here.

 

[MikelArteta]

NHL Jersey under overalls I don't seen it all now

 

[Stick Up Kid]

this guy should just shut up and rap

 

[spliz]

Again, hip-hop was literally found by youth for youth. That’s one thing that makes it (and punk music) so unique because it’s literally the voice of the defiant youth. They’re gonna take more risks with music whereas older artists gonna give you more of the same UNLESS they link with younger artists ala Yo Gotti, Future, etc

Everything starts with the youth but everything also ages. Hip hop is over 50 years old. Hip hop was for the youth cause it was youthful in itself. A new artform. Its not new anymore. It's a half a century.

 

[Piff Perkins]

Again, hip-hop was literally found by youth for youth. That’s one thing that makes it (and punk music) so unique because it’s literally the voice of the defiant youth. They’re gonna take more risks with music whereas older artists gonna give you more of the same UNLESS they link with younger artists ala Yo Gotti, Future, etc

He also mentioned rock n roll, which differs from hip hop and punk in that regard. A lot of the the initial advances in rock were created by older (black) dudes. And some of the more recent-ish advances in rock over the last 30 years have come from older artists as well. Chuck Berry was in his 30s when he recorded Johnny B Goode. Radiohead was multiple albums deep and in their 30s when they released Kid A. Many of those garage rock bands were full of dudes in their 30s when that wave started.

I'm 100% fine with the youth being the bastion of creativity. That's true, overall. But let's not act like a massive amount of the most seminal, world changing music didn't come from older artists.

 

[Awesome Wells]

LL legit put out one of the best albums in his discography this year.

Andre has nothing left to talk about, which is fine, but just say that and move on already.

This here.

Common is damn near 35 years into his career and still getting nominated for Grammy's for dope projects. And he didn't do the album with a pop producer or someone who's huge on the charts. It's him and Pete Rock. Boom bap legends. Nas is cooking with Premier, as we speak.

So it's corny for Andre to keep bringing up age in every interview, and trying to push a narrative on the culture that's not even true. If he ran out of sh*t to say, then say "I don’t have anything left". But he goes into these long ass speeches about nothingness to pretend this isn't just about him not having the confidence to make dope sh*t anymore. He just told Rick Rubin a few years ago that he was trying to write new songs, but was having trouble. That's not an age thing. He just doesn’t have it anymore.

Dude should just be honest about being washed. Just say, "They gassed me up to be one of the GOAT's. But I can't make music on that level today because I'm washed and don’t have the confidence to drop a solo Hip Hop album. I'm weird and know my best days are behind me, musically". That's it.

 

[drifter]

I don't get 80% of the replies in here. It's almost like most of you are his age or close enough and you're offended he's being realistic about age and just stating his opinion instead of clapping & rapping when ya'll tell him to lol.....nah that can't be it

Because let's be honest, and this might hurt some feelings in fact I know it will, besides you coli nikkas and 1 coli bytch (respectfully) nobody's listening to LL and Nas in 2025 except you old nikkas. The labels know it, LL & Nas etc know it, and nobody expects 200k first weeks. The shyt's for people who were there when they were there and want a refill, and that's cool.

He didn't say anything offensive, if anything it's 100% true. Otherwise how come labels aren't beating down doors and rushing to sign rappers 40 and up? Why has the industry from punk to rock, hip hop etc only gone after youth? Old nikkas will sign 360s too, it's better than signing up to wear the brown and yellow at the united parcel services

The youth have and always will dictate culture, Dre's saying "I'm 50, what more can I say to you nikkas". What's Nas telling you nikkas that he didn't already tell you 30 years ago with the chipped tooth huh? Dre feels like he's mostly already said what he's had to say and that's fine, just like Nasir giving you a 2024 facelift on shyt he's already mostly said. Both sides of the coin are fine, and if Dre wants to channel his creative shyt outside what he's expected to do, that's fine too.

In fashion, designers name brands after themselves, sell them for hundreds of millions, then do interviews until they die talking about how they made the brand, how glad they are to be retired out of the game and everything in between. Only in rap and this dude especially, are people not only accepting of him doing other stuff, they actively hate him for it. Like because he can rap good that's what he's supposed to do until he dies. It's weird shyt

 

[Sleepy Floyd]

Punk music rock music

On a mayo podcast surrounded by cacs

Dude a dikkhead and a weirdo fr

Older hip hop innovated and was more original. Most these new artists just copy each other.

 

[SunZoo]

But he's being asked his opinion not forcing it on anyone. And the people mad KEEP clicking on the links to read, hear, and/or see him repeat what he has been saying for years and are expecting him to say or do something different. That is on ya'll. If you are mad or annoyed at something you could've avoided being mad or annoyed about, that's your fault.

I saw the thread title and instantly got annoyed. The only reason nikkas are even asking him questions is because of his rap and every time he opens his mouth it sounds like he has something negative or disparaging about it.

We get it, you don’t have anything else to contribute to the genre so play your flute, charm snakes, crochet your hats, make an origami asmr album, just stfu about rap.

I feel sorry for Big Boi on several levels. Being around this nikka had to be insufferable. And the only reason people aren’t asking him stuff instead 3K is because cacs latched onto his faggy Willy Wonka aesthetic.

 

[Awesome Wells]

I saw the thread title and instantly got annoyed. The only reason nikkas are even asking him questions is because of his rap and every time he opens his mouth it sounds like he has something negative or disparaging about it.

We get it, you don’t have anything else to contribute to the genre so play your flute, charm snakes, crochet your hats, make an origami asmr album, just stfu about rap.

I feel sorry for Big Boi on several levels. Being around this nikka had to be insufferable. And the only reason people aren’t asking him stuff instead 3K is because cacs latched onto his faggy Willy Wonka aesthetic.

FACTS!

 

[Higher Tech]

That's a dope perspective. I respect it.