⁠⁠”As a 49-year-old rapper, you're just happy to get a shoutout” - André 3000 reacts to the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef

On Thursday (August 08), Outkast member and rapper André 3000 sat down for an exclusive interview with Crack Magazine to discuss the evolution of hip-hop, his impact on the music industry, and more.

The interview finds André recounting past glories and revisiting highlight moments across his career. The rapper even addresses the iconic 2024 beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, highlighting his appreciation for K-Dot name-dropping him on Metro Boomin and Future's Like That.

The record was included on Metro and Future's first collaborative project, We Don't Trust You, with Kenny's verse being the spark that ignited the public back and forth between the two rappers. André highlighted how he was "happy" to get a shout-out and still be recognized, given his age, and went on to state,

"But as a rapper, I’ve noticed myself walking around with this stick. So it was a line for me, too, and I was trying to find a way to use it. But Kendrick used it, so I had to say ‘Yeah, he got it.’"

He explained how although he's written several diss tracks at various points during his career, calling them "good exercise," the rapper highlighted that Drake vs Kendrick Lamar made him "sad".

André cites how rap battles these days don't just impact the individuals involved in the beef, but can also jeopardize those in their circles.

"But it’s not just people rapping now. You got people with 100 employees. You have livelihoods, empires, companies, deals – all of it can be jeopardised. If you don’t have anything to lose, sure, go for it. But if I already made it, I’m not sure it’s even worth it any more."

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André 3000 speaks on anxiety attacks, debut studio album, and more in an exclusive interview with Crash Magazine

André 3000's recent interview with Crash Magazine found the rapper speaking on various topics ranging from his debut studio album New Blue Sun, which was released in November 2023, to having anxiety attacks several years ago.

The feature highlights André as someone who enjoys doing exclusive interviews, with the rapper also explaining that as one "gets older" they usually just want to look back and reminisce on their life.

A notable moment in the interview was when the rapper addressed artists who were unhappy with what he said about a "rapper's age" being a primary factor in determining the longevity of their career.

"I’ve heard some rappers reply to what I’ve said about age, and I have to ask, ‘What are you rapping about?’ Some are the best braggadocious rappers in the world, and we love them for that – but it’s so much easier to do that for the rest of your life. I don’t necessarily rap like that. Our formulas are different.” - André 3000 stated.

André 3000 spoke about his newfound appreciation for flutes and recounts being introduced to the power of the instrument during his move to Venice. The rapper explains witnessing award-winning surfer Kassia playing soothing riffs during a post-class sound bath.

This inspired the rapper's fascination with flutes and is what led him to collaborate with percussionist, and co-founder of LA-based Dublab radio station, Carlos Niño, on his debut studio album New Blue Sun. The project marked André's first album in almost 17 years, officially following up on Outkast's 2006 Idlewild.

The official cover art for André 3000's debut studio album as a solo artist 'New Blue Sun' which was distributed to all major streaming platforms on November 17, 2023 (Image via Instagram/@andre3000)

The rapper explains suffering from "blinding anxiety attacks" from the fame and accompanying public spotlight placed on his life, highlighting how they rendered him unable to release music with confidence for several years. André 3000 also recounts being extremely anxious about meeting new people when he stated:

"I couldn’t look people in the eyes. I’ve never wanted to kill myself, but as humans, you wonder 'what if I wasn’t here?'. You get so low, where it’s worse than killing yourself. You’re just walking around dead.”

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He also expresses excitement for the evolution of AI and tools like ChatGPT, highlighting it as "the ultimate analyzer," hoping to find new ways to integrate artificial intelligence into his creative process.

André 3000 also explains that artists aren't wrong to be afraid of AI entering the music space, but suggests that adapting to the changing industry rather than resisting would be the right approach.