10 Little Known Facts About The Mysterious André 3000

Since his rise to the limelight with the Outkast in the 90s, Andre 3000 has maintained a low profile, shying away from media attention.

Today’s technology allows fans to find out more than ever about their favourite celebrities. So what is it that we do not know about Andre? Keep reading for some secrets…

#10 – He recorded an album under the pseudonym “Diamond” when he was in high school.  He used this alias in hopes of avoiding detection by other students who would have teased him mercilessly if they knew he was making music.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sryA7oBFNX4

#9 – He attended the same high school as Lil Wayne. The two were not friends at school and Andre openly admits that his music was influenced by the “original” hip-hop greats, such as Public Enemy and NWA rather than Wayne’s Cash Money crew of rappers.

#8 – In 1993 Andre 3000 became romantically involved with Erykah Badu after meeting her on a tour stop in Atlanta, Georgia. They have remained close friends to this day.  Andre has been quoted praising Erykah’s new album New Amerykah Part One explaining that he is a big fan of modern artists who respect their musical history and embrace what came before them rather than attempting to copy or re-invent the wheel.

#7 – He is an avid collector of art. He is often seen sporting paintings from the Rythm Nation/French modernist school in his videos and has a huge collection in his home.

#6 – In a 2001 interview with Rolling Stone Andre 3000 was quoted saying “My only goal is to have my own legacy, not to be part of anybody else’s.” This suggests that he does not care much for commercial success but rather prefers artistic satisfaction over fame and fortune.

#5 – In 2007 he turned down an offer from Anthony Kiedis to join Red Hot Chili Peppers. His reason being that he did not want the group’s lead singer showing up on stage wearing face paint or costumes which would keep him from being taken seriously as an actor.

#4 – He is not a fan of his own music. When asked what it was like to be standing in front of thousands of people performing his songs, he stated that listening to himself made him cringe and did not feel connected to the work even though he did enjoy the process of creating them.

#3 – Over 300 unreleased tracks exist featuring Andre 3000. Little information is known about these tracks but they are rumoured to contain guest performances by musicians such as Tom Waits, Biz Markie and J-Live among others making this collection one of hip hop’s most highly coveted bootlegs.

#2 – His real name is not Andre 3000. It is actually Andre Benjamin which explains why he often refers to himself in the third person.

#1 – His favourite drink is orange juice. He drinks it religiously every morning before going to the gym so he can stay hydrated throughout the day.