Erykah Badu is sharing her thoughts on André 3000‘s latest solo album, New Blue Sun. The project comes 17 years after his last album with Big Boi, but it comes with a twist. The 48-year-old, widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers ever, didn’t rap a single lyric on the album. He also didn’t say a word on the entire album. It’s an instrumental project that prominently features woodwind instruments.
The release wasn’t a complete shock to many fans because he’s spent a greater part of the past decade, after his 26-year-old son Seven turned 18, walking around cities while playing woodwind instruments. While many fans recognized him and posted the clips to social media, 3000 recently told GQ magazine some people don’t notice him and he’s even been given money for his public, informal performances. In a 2020 interview with Def Jam co-founder Rick Rubin, 3000 said he wanted to release an album of him just playing his instruments, but he was fearful of the fans’ reaction to him not rapping.
The drop of New Blue Sun garnered many reviews online, with one of the most notable coming from Badu.
“‘Y’all n—- ain’t deserve words’ -André 3000,'” Badu posted on her Instagram story, with a picture of 3000 holding an instrument. “He didn’t say that, but…”
— PGD (@PGradDepression) November 18, 2023
Badu is the mother of Seven, and the two have had an apparent smooth co-parenting relationship publicly. Big Boi, the other half of OutKast, publicly supported and promoted the album during the rollout.
“I want to tell y’all, go get that new André 3000 album on Friday,” Boi said at a show in Bahamas. “Show him some love. I heard it back in February, you’re going to love it, man.”
Live from the Bahamas….@RockTheBells pic.twitter.com/TerECXpJnO
— Big Boi (@BigBoi) November 14, 2023
