André 3000 has released a new film to accompany his New Blue Sun album – nearly a year since the album came out.
The Outkast artist premiered Listening To The Sun – what he described as an “intimate” film – on Thursday (August 29).
Coming in at 88 minutes, Listening To The Sun spans the same length as New Blue Sun and finds 3 Stacks peacefully meditating in a blue room, lighting candles and zenning out.
Get into the full movie below.
The ambient instrumental project, partly built around André 3000’s flute playing, divided fans following its release last November due to its lack of rapping.
LL COOL J was among those disappointed by the project and shared his brutally honest thoughts on LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s The Shop earlier this year.
“Listen, he is amazing. His bars are all the way up. Not the flute, B. Not the flute,” he said. “Let’s not lie to ourselves. I don’t wanna hear him do the flute. You wanna hear me do a violin album?”
The New York native also urged 3 Stacks to return to rap, saying: “I wanna hear him get with Big Boi, I want them to make an OutKast [album] or [for him] to do a solo album. Everytime he does a verse, it’s enough material for an album! He’s so gifted. So it’s like, ‘Come on, B. Not the flute.’ That man needs to know the truth.”
During his own appearance on the YouTube series, André 3000 was asked about LL’s criticism and issued a measured and well-mannered response.
“To me, I feel like if it’s in you — ’cause I got homies my age and older than me that still rap — so if it’s in you, you should rap until you die. You should perform until you die,” he said.
André 3000 Hits Back At Rappers Who Criticized His Age Comments
“But what I’m saying is, what it takes for me to do it, I’m always looking for the next. I’m not trying to uphold a thing that I’ve done before.”
He added: “Of course, I have things to say now, but if I can’t say them in a fresh, innovative way, if I feel like I’m just hanging onto the same flow that I used to do, it’s not enough for me.
“So I can’t talk for another rapper about what they doing. I just say, ‘Man, go for it. If it’s in you.’