According to a Andre 3000 through a Life and Times interview, Big Boi is "damn near through with his next album." Another release would give Big Boi three solo albums since OutKast's Idlewild in 2006. Since 2010's Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty, Big Boi is about to have completed the same amount of solo albums as 21st century OutKast albums.
Andre 3000 has yet to start his first solo album. We think. Or has he already started? Or is it already sort of partly maybe done? Let's explore what we know:
- In July 2011, Hip Hop Wired reported that Andre 3000 was working on a solo album, and that he was aiming to have it out at the end of 2011. They also reported that Big Boi wanted to have an album out that year too, and that another OutKast album was in the works to be released in early 2012. All of this ended up being wrong, but the thirst within the industry for a Three Stacks album was there.
- In February 2012, he told GQ, "I've just really been feeding off of that and this year I think I'm planning to do a solo project. I don't know when it will come out, but hopefully it'll come out this year." Solid—an actual quote from the unicorns mouth! Sounds like an artist who's ready to work.
- 28 months later (so much for those 2012 plans) in June 2014, Hip Hop Wired reported (again) that Andre 3000 had actually told them (but in an off-the-record conversation) that he was working on a solo album. Okay.
- Two months later, Stephen G. Hill, President of Music Programming and Specials for BET Networks, tweeted that Dre told him that a solo album was coming "top of the year." Still not a formal interview, but we're getting somewhere.
- Just weeks later, he got on record with the New York Times, saying that he'd "love to put out an album." He even confirmed that there was material waiting to be worked on too: "I have all these half-songs on my hard drive, and I don’t want that." Andre didn't seem to be in the right head space though, saying, "When you feel it [a new album], it’s right. If you don’t feel it, then why? Honestly, think about it. Why do it? Why?" What? Why Andre Benjamin? BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WANT YOU AND LOVE YOU.
- While making the press rounds for his new Jimi Hendrix movie, he told Billboard last week that, “I’ve got to find something I’m excited about.” Sounds like a man who's super uninspired by his summer-long tour with Big Boi. *sigh*
BUT TODAY—yes, TODAY—Andre 3000 flip-flopped on the status of where he was mentally at in order to record a solo album (how ridiculous are these updates getting?). He told Life and Times:
"I’ve been thinking about recording this album that I always wanted to record. We’re both working on solo albums. Big Boi is damn near through with his next album. I think after we finish this last show on October 31st in New Orleans. I’d love to get in the studio and see if I can conjure up something.”
"We’re both working on solo albums."
YES!
"I’d love to get in the studio and see if I can conjure up something.”
It's coming!
1.
(Until next week of course, when another journalist will ask him about his solo album and he'll tell him/her, "I had some bad Mexican last night, so I'm just not feeling new material right now. Also I lost my hard drive full of half-finished songs last like week. Oh well.")
:(
