André 3000 has released a new film to accompany his New Blue Sun album – nearly a year since the album came out.
The Outkast artist premiered Listening To The Sun – what he described as an “intimate” film – on Thursday (August 29).
Coming in at 88 minutes, Listening To The Sun spans the same length as New Blue Sun and finds 3 Stacks peacefully meditating in a blue room, lighting candles and zenning out.
Get into the full movie below.
The ambient instrumental project, partly built around André 3000’s flute playing, divided fans following its release last November due to its lack of rapping.
LL COOL J was among those disappointed by the project and shared his brutally honest thoughts on LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s The Shop earlier this year.
“Listen, he is amazing. His bars are all the way up. Not the flute, B. Not the flute,” he said. “Let’s not lie to ourselves. I don’t wanna hear him do the flute. You wanna hear me do a violin album?”
The New York native also urged 3 Stacks to return to rap, saying: “I wanna hear him get with Big Boi, I want them to make an OutKast [album] or [for him] to do a solo album. Everytime he does a verse, it’s enough material for an album! He’s so gifted. So it’s like, ‘Come on, B. Not the flute.’ That man needs to know the truth.”
During his own appearance on the YouTube series, André 3000 was asked about LL’s criticism and issued a measured and well-mannered response.
“To me, I feel like if it’s in you — ’cause I got homies my age and older than me that still rap — so if it’s in you, you should rap until you die. You should perform until you die,” he said.
“But what I’m saying is, what it takes for me to do it, I’m always looking for the next. I’m not trying to uphold a thing that I’ve done before.”
He added: “Of course, I have things to say now, but if I can’t say them in a fresh, innovative way, if I feel like I’m just hanging onto the same flow that I used to do, it’s not enough for me.
“So I can’t talk for another rapper about what they doing. I just say, ‘Man, go for it. If it’s in you.’
I never thought I’d say this about 3 Stax, but just go away…play your flute at home. You keep saying you hate fame, then why are you still in the public eye putting out background yoga class music? What bothers me too, is that his flute playing is the worst part of his album. His other musicians and producers have talent, then his flute part comes in and sounds terrible, like a 3rd grader playing his school-issued recorder. I feel kinda embarrassed for him.
Best comment I’ve seen on here in a while…. Facts.
Yeah Andrea just go home, you already kinda dissed hip hop by admitting you believe in ageism which in my opinion is him tryna deter us from the facts that either his heart isn’t in hip hop no more or maybe just maybe… he doesn’t have “it” anymore but he just can’t admit it out loud
dre rollin around on ground trippin out mane idk i guees its diff then boats n h os