André 3000 was as shocked as anyone that his move from Hip Hop into “punk spiritual jazz” has resulted in his second Album of the Year nomination at the Grammys for his instrumental project New Blue Sun.
The former OutKast member’s first such nomination, of course, was two decades ago for the duo’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. And when talking to The New York Timeson Friday (November 8), André reacted to the news that his excursion far outside of Hip Hop had resulted in a second.
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“I was just waking up and I heard that the nominations came in,” he explained. “We were trying to be nominated in some type of way for alternative jazz or ambient, possibly.
“But I was totally surprised by this. So yeah, it was super, super, super duper cool.”
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A few days prior to receiving his big Grammys honor, André presented a different accolade to his former partner Erykah Badu.
On October 29 he took to the stage in New York City to present Badu with the Fashion Icon Award at the 2024 CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) Awards.
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“When Erykah said to me, ‘I got some good news to tell you,’ I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know if she was gonna say, ‘I’m pregnant’ or ‘I’m in a new relationship,’” 3 Stacks joked.
“So then she lets me know, ‘I’m getting the CFDA Award, Fashion Icon Award.’ And then our excitement and celebration, we said something like, ‘Wooo! This the one. And what took ’em so damn long to recognize?’”
André then heaped high praise on the R&B songstress, saying: “Erykah is one of the most original and unique human beings I’ve ever known. Her style is truly original. She’s an inspiration to everyone she meets. She’s an iconoclast, an outcast, a warrior, rule-breaker, educator, activist, magician, seer, songwriter, singer, mother and a great, great friend.
“She makes the world a brighter, more colorful, joyous, committed and meaningful place to be. It is my pleasure to present the CFDA Fashion Icon Award to Erykah Badu.”
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Wearing a typically eye-catching outfit complete with dangling head jewelry, Erykah Badu then graced the stage and shared a hug with her “Hello” collaborator, who she referred to as her “best friend.”
She then spoke about her love for fashion: “This is sport for me. I don’t feel right if I don’t leave the house and my shit’s not together. It’s my therapy, it’s my workout, it’s my husband — no offense.”
