André 3000 has set a new record on the Billboard Hot 100 thanks to New Blue Sun.
The opening song on 3 Stacks’ debut solo album, “I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time,” is now the lengthiest track to appear on the chart in its almost 70-year history.
The ambient, flute-laced instrumental, which debuted at No. 90 on the Hot 100, has a runtime of 12 minutes and 20 seconds.
The record was previously held by Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” which clocks in at 10 minutes and 13 seconds. That song topped the Billboard Hot 100 back in November 2021.
Released on November 17 via Epic Records, New Blue Sun debuted at No. 30 on the Billboard 200 after earning just over 24,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.
Producer Buckwild recently praised André 3000 for outselling recent releases from fellow rap greats like Nas and Lil Wayne.
“@andre3000 first week sales reign supreme,” he wrote on Instagram. “Outselling mainstream rappers with an ambient flute album is such an André 3000 thing to do.”
The list included albums like Nas’ Magic 2 (17,000), Lil Wayne’s Tha Fix Before Tha VI (19,000), Kodak Black’s Pistolz & Pearlz (23,000), French Montana’s Coke Boys 6 (21,000) and Ice Spice‘s Like..? (15,000), among others.
André 3000 explained his decision to ditch rapping on New Blue Sun during an in-depth interview with NPR earlier this month.
“I don’t want to troll people,” he said. “I don’t want people to think, ‘Oh, this André 3000 album is coming!’ And you play it and like, ‘Oh man, no verses.’ So even actually on the packaging, you’ll see it says, ‘Warning: no bars.’
“It’s letting you know what it is off the top. But also, I love rap music because it was a part of my youth. So I would love to be out here with everybody rapping, because it’s almost like fun and being on the playground.”
He continued: “I would love to be out here playing with everybody, but it’s just not happening for me. This is the realest thing that’s coming right now. Not to say that I would never do it again, but those are not the things that are coming right now. And I have to present what’s given to me at the time.
“So the title, ‘I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time’ [is] because this album is about wind and breathing. In that way, it is true. It is literally blowing me this way and I’m blowing flutes and I’m blowing digital instruments.”
Let’s eat bullshit! 1 billion flies can’t be wrong.
I downloaded that flute album and tried to give it a chance on my commute to work. That first track was brutal, I damn near fell asleep driving and almost hit the car in front of me. I cut it off in the middle of track 2, I couldn’t take it any more. I tried…
This shit is garbage but they gon lick his ass and suck his balls anyways cause he’s andre 3000
Bruh…you might wanna rethink the mental pictures…your porn addiction is showing…
You should come and join us! It taste so good, son.
Only musicians can appreciate this album. Also if you meditate man it will take you places beautiful places. Also making love to this album, dope
the album is alright. it’s not a classic. it’s not meant to be consumed like a rap album. but it’s cool. I listen to it when I’m working or trying to sleep. I’m the biggest Outkast fan, but I’m not gonna act like it’s album of the year (that belongs to fellow DF member, Killer Mike).
The Emperor has no clothes.
“The Emperor has no clothes.”
This record isn’t even in the top 5 AMBIENT records this year. People will buy anything.