André 3000's pop-up concerts reflect his love for Atlanta, creative vision
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André 3000 performed pop-up concerts across Atlanta. Photo: Courtesy of Melissa Alexander
Nobody does surprise quite like André 3000, as shown by his free pop-up flute performances around Atlanta.
Why it matters: The rapper and flutist is rarely spotted around town, but these outings could be a sign that we might see more of him — and not just because he may be promoting new music, said Maurice Hobson, a historian and Georgia State University professor.
- I really think that André is going back to his roots," said Hobson, the author of "The Legend of The Black Mecca: Politics and Class in the Making of Modern Atlanta."
- Over the years, Hobson said, André 3000 has been "misrepresented" as a "skateboard kid" or pianist, but he's always reminded people that he hails from southwest Atlanta and East Point.
- "He's coming home, and he got the people who brought him into the world around him," Hobson told Axios.
Catch up quick: André 3000, whose real name is André Benjamin, was seen performing last week in neighborhoods across Atlanta, including on Metropolitan Parkway, Campbellton Road and in Old Fourth Ward.
- Grady Health System posted Thursday on Instagram that he serenaded women and their newborn babies during a performance at their hospital.
- André 3000 said in a brief interview that he chose to perform in places where people may not have the chance to hear the type of music he plays.
What they're saying: Regina Bradley, a Kennesaw State University professor, researcher and author of "Chronicling Stankonia: The Rise of the Hip-Hop South," told Axios "nothing and everything is a surprise with André 3000."
- "He's elusive, and that makes his stock rise," she said.
- The buzz generated around his appearances is proof that he's a creative and "not just a rapper," Bradley said. "He gives us what he wants, and we anxiously await what's next."
Context: This is already shaping up to be a big year for André 3000, who along with Antwan "Big Boi" Patton make up the iconic rap duo Outkast.
- It was announced in late April that Outkast will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year.
- Last month, he attended the Met Gala wearing a bespoke piano strapped to his back — around the time he released a new EP, 7 Piano Sketches.
- He was also awarded an honorary doctorate from Boston-based Berklee College of Music.
The big picture: Hobson said André 3000's pop-ups are a "full-circle moment" for Atlanta.
- In the 1970s, then-Mayor Maynard Jackson created the Bureau of Cultural Affairs, which was an effort to make all forms of art accessible to all Atlantans.
- André's free flute performances, he said, reflect Jackson's vision.
The bottom line: André 3000's pop-ups reflect how he's curated his art, Bradley told Axios.
- "This time it's the flute, and a few years ago it was sitting down and drawing in front of a crowd," he said. "André is more than a rapper, and that's something he's consistently and intentionally leaned into for years."