André 3000 is coming home. The OutKast member who traded rap lyrics for Mayan flute notes will perform in Atlanta for the first time in eight years with the “New Blue Sun” tour.
The tour will kick-off on Jan. 29 in Brooklyn, NY followed by a three night residency at the legendary Blue Note Jazz Club in New York.
He will make his way to Atlanta on Feb. 27 and do three shows at the Variety Playhouse. On March 2, he will perform at Center Stage which is larger venue.
The last time André 3000 performed in Atlanta, it was in 2016 at the ONE Musicfest. He joined OutKast member Big Boi for the historic Dungeon Family reunion. In 2014, OutKast performed three shows at Centennial Olympic Park for the legendary ATLast concert series.
Since then, André 3000 hasn’t performed consistently and only raps as a feature artists. He’s featured on Killer Mike’s latest album “Michael,” and the both received Grammy nominations for the song “Scientist & Engineers.”
His latest album “New Blue Sun” is not a conventional rap album. The project does not feature rhymes, beats, or lyrical melodies. It’s a musical journey of André 3000 playing contrabass flute, Mayan flutes, bamboo flutes and other digital wind instruments.
During a recent interview with CBS News, the Atlanta-raised artist spoke about his ordeal with rapping during this period of his life.
“Like I’m 48 now,” he said. “I think like the older you get, you kind of get this skin or this…protective layer that’s like…things kind of roll off or you better because you have a better understanding of the rollercoaster in a way.”
He continued, “I don’t sit and try to rap every day like when I was younger, and that’s all I did when I was younger. I miss those times a lot, but it’s like: life changes, life moves on.”
In its first week, “New Blue Sun” debuted at No. 1 on Billboard New Age Albums chart and No. 5 on the Top Alternative Albums chart.
