Andre 3000 Thinks He’s Gotten Too Old To Rap

[ball15life]

But this has nothing to do with age. Obviously he has more responsibilities and less time to devote to music. But to say he ain't sharp, he dropped some lines. Yes, Jay dropped an occasional mediocre but he's been doing that since his 30s. And I will admit I wasn't a fan of either Tribe nor de la's albums but in terms of competition they were still better than a lot of shyt coming out. And there is Rick Ross, who again, musically, sales, popularity, work ethic (basically has not fallen off) still competing with cats half his age too.

Good point. He still is sharp, but I was saying he isn't as consistently sharp. But that definitely has to do with his lifestyle and stuff


But for the sake of argument "hunger" could only be some of the equation. I really think mentally Jay couldn't make another black album lyrically

 

[Doobie Doo]

People were just saying that Jay sounded off with his flow on 4:44. Flow often requires a good degree of breath control, and you can imagine most mid-40s dudes have less of than that someone 20 years younger, unless they're somebody like LL or Will Smith whose lifestyle is in the gym. So in that regard you can "slow down" like a boxer.

But Andre been saying this for like a decade so for him it's purely mental/cultural.

That's all mental tho. And losing a step in breath control would only affect you live. You can bluff that in the studio with a punch in or if you're creative flip the flow and remove a word or two to take an extra breath. None of that should affect the overall impact of your music. If it ain't hitting like it used to it's either cuz the artist ain't adapt or isn't hungry it's not because they aren't physically capable of making great music anymore that gets airplay, sales, popularity and resonates with the people.

 

[King Karim]

I agree 100% with your first point

But as for the second, Stankonia was honestly supposed to be the final Outkast album. They met with LA Reid and told him they didnt want to record as a group anymore. Speakerboxx was originally a Big Boi solo album. Andre called LA Reid three weeks before it was supposed to drop and asked him how long he had to record an album to package with Big Boi's. Reid told him he had two weeks. Andre recorded Love Below IN TWO WEEKS.


So it's not like Andre ever left Big hanging, they've been "broken up" at least since Stakonia

 

[jaguar paw]

This is just pathetic. He's got generations of kids that can use his wisdom and words. You don't stop growing. Or learning.

It's a gift from the Almighty. Selfish ass nikka.

 

[vdfebduderocks]

if he don't want to rap, then he don't have to rap. Point blank period. He's got enough verses out there to educate the kids.

 

[King Karim]

be honest w/yourselves guys....rap music is geared toward the YOUTH. yes rap is art but its a young's man game.

there is a reason u don't see teenagers or cats in their early 20s listening to blues/classical or jazz really b/c it's not geared for them.

Dre just keeping it funky. Not everybody get off on jewelry, big houses, cars, and smashing 2 and 3 bishes at the same time.

I remember when they was promoting the Double Album....Big boi said that Dre hadn't bought a new vehicle since the 1st album

 

[Shadow King]

That's all mental tho. And losing a step in breath control would only affect you live. You can bluff that in the studio with a punch in or if you're creative flip the flow and remove a word or two to take an extra breath. None of that should affect the overall impact of your music. If it ain't hitting like it used to it's either cuz the artist ain't adapt or isn't hungry it's not because they aren't physically capable of making great music anymore that gets airplay, sales, popularity and resonates with the people.

You're not really wrong, though I can imagine Andre being the purist type not to want to bluff any flow with punch-ins. But like I said for him it is mental. He doesn't want to attempt to fit in with the youth. Now we can say "he doesn't have to" but he's one of those people who care a great deal about how his material is received or respected. Most rappers who stay relevant into their late 30s and 40s either adapt or blatantly ride waves of the youth, or their business-oriented and their ventures keep their names in people's mouth. Andre is neither of those types and probably believes without that his material wouldn't get the attention and/or respect he feels it would deserve.

So yeah its mental but I can't really be mad at him for not wanting to play the game. Maybe cause I relate.

 

[Ziggiy]

Real talk it's in his book


“Then in early 2003, I went to Atlanta to have a meeting with Outkast at their Stankonia Studios, named after their album. I went in assuming that we were going to talk about their new upcoming album, but right away it was clear they had a different conversation in mind. They told me at this meeting that they might not want to work together as a group any longer. In fact, I’m not sure Big Boi knew before this meeting that André had come to this conclusion—I couldn’t tell. I was shocked and stunned, but this was too sensitive to betray their confidence. Whether this was happening because of personal jealousies or divergent creative directions or whatever, they never let on.”

Excerpt From: Reid, L.A. “Sing to Me.” HarperCollinsPublishers, 2015-12-16. iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.

Check out this book on the iBooks Store: https://itun.es/us/QkG5Z.l


“Sometime later, Big Boi told me he wanted to make a solo record. He went in the studio and he records, records, records, records. I started to hear the songs he sent me or his manager brought. I loved them. He played me one, “The Way You Move,” that sounded like a real smash. Then he played me others that sounded so good I got confused. This album was full of songs that I really loved and I couldn’t wait to put out. I went to Atlanta for his photo shoot. He had speakers everywhere, big speakers, small speakers. He was sitting on top of speakers. The name of the album was Speakerboxxx.
As it all came together, the company back in New York had been making plans to market and release the album by Big Boi, when I got a call from his former partner, André 3000.
“Reid,” he said, “when are you putting out Big Boi’s album?”
“The release date is five weeks away,” I said.
“So if I want to make an album and turn this into a double album, how much time do I have?”
“Three weeks.”
“Damn, three weeks,” he said and paused, as[…]”

Excerpt From: Reid, L.A. “Sing to Me.” HarperCollinsPublishers, 2015-12-16. iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.

Check out this book on the iBooks Store: https://itun.es/us/QkG5Z.l

 

[Doobie Doo]

You're not really wrong, though I can imagine Andre being the purist type not to want to bluff any flow with punch-ins. But like I said for him it is mental. He doesn't want to attempt to fit in with the youth. Now we can say "he doesn't have to" but he's one of those people who care a great deal about how his material is received or respected. Most rappers who stay relevant into their late 30s and 40s either adapt or blatantly ride waves of the youth, or their business-oriented and their ventures keep their names in people's mouth. Andre is neither of those types and probably believes without that his material wouldn't get the attention and/or respect he feels it would deserve.

So yeah its mental but I can't really be mad at him for not wanting to play the game. Maybe cause I relate.

I'm not mad he doesn't want to rap anymore. He can do what he pleases. I just think that boxing analogy is wack. Ever single thing he said he can apply to himself. He's not hungry no more, he has no desire to compete. Fine, but once you say "No matter who you are this happens" that's when you start saying the other nikkas your age are in that same space as you and Big Boi released a pretty good album, he low key saying cats like Big Boi can't compete no more? Nah, it's just him.

 

[MrRDU]

damn i guess this dont apply to any other genre of music. how stupid you gotta be to put a age limit on YOUR craft/occupation/source of income ?

 

[Big Boss]

 

[MrRDU]

Jim Jones & The Game always had something to say about being 40 & rapping as a negative..... but look at them now...either over 40 or close & still rapping

 

[King Karim]

Real talk it's in his book


“Then in early 2003, I went to Atlanta to have a meeting with Outkast at their Stankonia Studios, named after their album. I went in assuming that we were going to talk about their new upcoming album, but right away it was clear they had a different conversation in mind. They told me at this meeting that they might not want to work together as a group any longer. In fact, I’m not sure Big Boi knew before this meeting that André had come to this conclusion—I couldn’t tell. I was shocked and stunned, but this was too sensitive to betray their confidence. Whether this was happening because of personal jealousies or divergent creative directions or whatever, they never let on.”

Excerpt From: Reid, L.A. “Sing to Me.” HarperCollinsPublishers, 2015-12-16. iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.

Check out this book on the iBooks Store: https://itun.es/us/QkG5Z.l


“Sometime later, Big Boi told me he wanted to make a solo record. He went in the studio and he records, records, records, records. I started to hear the songs he sent me or his manager brought. I loved them. He played me one, “The Way You Move,” that sounded like a real smash. Then he played me others that sounded so good I got confused. This album was full of songs that I really loved and I couldn’t wait to put out. I went to Atlanta for his photo shoot. He had speakers everywhere, big speakers, small speakers. He was sitting on top of speakers. The name of the album was Speakerboxxx.
As it all came together, the company back in New York had been making plans to market and release the album by Big Boi, when I got a call from his former partner, André 3000.
“Reid,” he said, “when are you putting out Big Boi’s album?”
“The release date is five weeks away,” I said.
“So if I want to make an album and turn this into a double album, how much time do I have?”
“Three weeks.”
“Damn, three weeks,” he said and paused, as[…]”

Excerpt From: Reid, L.A. “Sing to Me.” HarperCollinsPublishers, 2015-12-16. iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.

Check out this book on the iBooks Store: https://itun.es/us/QkG5Z.l

read what u posted...it doesn't say "he recorded the album in 2 weeks"

impossible!!

infact Dre had been working on that music for quite some time. It was music to a musical/film he wanted to put out (which eventually became Idlewild)...He may have added a few tracks and changed some things here and there, but he been had did that music Man.

 

[Billy Ocean]

be honest w/yourselves guys....rap music is geared toward the YOUTH. yes rap is art but its a young's man game.

there is a reason u don't see teenagers or cats in their early 20s listening to blues/classical or jazz really b/c it's not geared for them.

Dre just keeping it funky. Not everybody get off on jewelry, big houses, cars, and smashing 2 and 3 bishes at the same time.

I remember when they was promoting the Double Album....Big boi said that Dre hadn't bought a new vehicle since the 1st album

Scust at you for implying that's all that rappers can rap about. Nas rapped about possibly not being the best father to his daughter. Prodigy has a song rapping about the trials and tribulations he had being inflicted with Sickle Cell. Ghost rapped about going underwater and seeing cartoon characters and Islamic images. Cube and Chuck rapped about Black social issues. J. Cole rapped about the anxiety he had the first time he was with a girl sexually. Pac has a song about uplifting Black women. GZA is creating a whole album about the universe. Yall nikkas have to stop putting limitations on rap music. A rapper does not have to rap about NONE of that shyt you mentioned to make dope rap music.

 

[MillionMills]

OP is old as fukk and a wanna be rapper so I get why he's upset

Y'all nikkas don't wanna accept that 3000 don't wanna rap anymore. Just let it go. They was rappin at age 17