André 3000 had to call JAY-Z and Beyoncé to approve a song title for his upcoming new album – and he’s delighted with the positive outcome.
On Friday (November 17th), Three Stacks will release its first musical work in over 17 years: New Blue Sun. Speaking to NPR about the project, the OutKast legend explained the backstory behind the title of track #5, “Ninety Three ‘Til Infinity And Beyoncé.”
“No. So 5 is called ‘Ninety Three ‘Til Infinity And Beyoncé.'” “It was more like when I was a teenager – Souls of Mischief was one of my favorite groups and ’93 ’til Infinity,’ everyone remembers that song,” began he.
“So it was kind of a funny nod and you know, Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story, he always says, ‘To infinity and beyond!’ You know? So it was something like “Ninety Three ‘Til Infinity And Beyoncé.” So it was kind of fun.”
He continued: “I was being silly. And thank you, Beyoncé, for letting me use the name! I actually had to sort it out. I had to call. And thank you Jay! I texted him and said, ‘Hey man, can you ask Beyoncé?’ I know I got that clearance for that song.” And I explained to him how I used it. And I’m just glad I get to use it, so thank you everyone. I appreciate that very much.”
You can listen to the full conversation here.
Fans looking for bars from André 3000 on his new album will unfortunately have to return to his old work. As if the tracklist wasn’t telling enough for fans – as the first song is titled “I Really Wanted To Make A Rap Album, But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time” – Dre explained why rap isn’t happening for him just in the same NPR interview.
“I don’t want to troll people. I don’t want people to think, “Oh, that André 3000 album is coming!” And you play it and go, Oh man, no verses. So even the packaging says: “Warning: no bars,” he explained. “It’s about letting you know from above what it is. But I also love rap music because it was a part of my youth. That’s why I’d like to be out here while everyone’s rapping because it’s almost like having fun and being on the playground.”
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He continued: “I would love to be out here and play with everyone, but that just doesn’t work for me. This is the realest thing coming now. I don’t want to say I would never do it again, but these are not the things that are coming now. And I have to present what I’m given right now.
“So the title: ‘I really wanted to make a rap album, but this time the wind literally blew me away’.” [is] because this album is about wind and breathing. In that sense it is true. It literally blows my mind, and I blow flutes and I blow digital instruments.”
New Blue Sun is André 3000’s first official solo album, although he also released a CD of solo material on OutKast’s Grammy-winning 2003 double album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. The album — which contains no lyrics — is also the Atlanta native’s first since his and Big Boi’s 2006 LP Idlewild.