off rhythm laughter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe_wmpy_128



https://pitchfork.com/news/andre-3000-surprise-releases-new-project-7-piano-sketches-listen/?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=p4k&utm_mailing=P4K_HotLinks_050625&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&bxid=633c2c358fe035d226066fca&cndid=71028083&hasha=026db78af9d1545619ce70d3f1ca30ae&hashb=c917d26213a500b355f7071957c45f96a898f0ff&hashc=33591a290bf21adb2936957ac2f3c0f8d2a0f340f2ffdd3d675a125c3e550f16&esrc=90sreaderspoll&utm_term=P4K_HotLinks_NewMusic


André 3000 Surprise-Releases New Project 7 Piano Sketches: Listen

The Outkast artist’s first new music since the flute-centric New Blue Sun

By Nina Corcoran

May 5, 2025


André 3000 has surprise-released a new instrumental project dubbed 7 Piano Sketches. As the name suggests, it’s a seven-song collection that centers around piano, with the individual tracks prefaced by himself, Emmy Paalman, or Fatima Robinson reading off the song titles. Vocal effects and occasional samples, like a laugh track on “Off Rhythm Laughter,” also intermittently appear. Give it a listen below.

“The original title for it was The Best Worst Rap Album in History,” André 3000 said in a press release. “And here is an excerpt from the original liner notes: ‘It’s jokingly the worst rap album in history because there are no lyrics on it at all. It’s the best because it’s the free-est emotionally and best I’ve felt personally. It’s the best because it’s like a palette cleanser for me.’”

Partially composed and recorded prior to New Blue Sun, 7 Piano Sketches first took shape nearly a decade ago when André 3000 stayed in a sparse Texas house with his son that only had a piano, two beds, and a few TV screens. “Having lived with the recordings for a time, André was drawn to the idea of creating more and sharing them in the Spring, a time of year that promises that life, creativity, and possibility are ever-renewing,” a press release elaborates.


It’s no coincidence that André 3000 dropped this new project late at night. He timed the release to align with his appearance at the 2025 Met Gala in New York, where he wore a bespoke piano by Burberry on his back, in collaboration with Benji Bixby—an evolution of Benjamin Bixby, André 3000’s late aughts fashion line—and styled by Law Roach. His outfit appears to align with the illustration on the 7 Piano Sketches’s cover artwork.

7 Piano Sketches is André 3000’s first new music since releasing the flute-focused album New Blue Sun in 2023. That served as the Outkast rapper’s debut solo LP, and it earned him three Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year. The 2024 short film Moving Day, directed by Dexter Navy, documented the making of New Blue Sun and included a previously unreleased track from those recording sessions.

but PLEASE start rapping again.

dis tracks aimed at 3K to try to get him to start rapping again

just give it up yall he is done rapping.

you playing, but....

Keep your heart KeyStacks, keep your heart.

feat. Christopher Walken

**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

"Get ready....for your blessing....."
"Bury me by my Grand-Grand and when you can come follow me"

drop an accompanying new LP lulz. i fux wit bro but he wildin

good!
dont release shit if you dont want to, FUCK them

niggas just want him to start rapping again so they can shit on it and say he dont have it no more

mans left the game with a pretty high batting avg, leave it alone

>niggas just want him to start rapping again so they can shit
>on it and say he dont have it no more

Not once not never.

People want to hear him spit for *literally* the exact opposite reason.

gonna sell a product. folks are buying this shit for novelty reasons and it has no replay value. i listened to one of his piano "tracks" and it sounded like a small child banging on the keys. but because its 3k it will be regarded as high brow genius level art...cmon bro

So I guess that number 7 continued to define the project for me.

gonna transform into and present yourself as a performing musician then at least respect the craft and learn it. i really hope this guy isnt trolling us :(

its damn near criminal.

“I’d rather go amateur interesting than master boring,”

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/andre-3000s-seven-piano-sketches-1235333577/

interesting take on things

celebrating shitty child level instrumentals is wild.. lol.

None point none. It's never happened. Such weird mythmaking.

Direct quote:

"niggas just want him to start rapping again so they can shit on it and say he dont have it no more"

Pretty sure there's a "say" in there. Which is exactly what we responded to.

Don't be mad at us cuz you make up fairytales in your head.

No one's ever shat on a 3k verse, nor do they want to/want to say "he don't have it no more". It's never happened.

The absence of anyone in the past having said "he don't have it no more," makes your argument that they *want* to say that fucking stupid and baseless.

Such a weird argument. If you enjoy old folks playing instruments at toddler levels and recording it just say so, damn.

i hope he continues to make the art HE wants just to spite ignorant fools like you

I don't particularly care for toddler-level piano albums, and I definitely want to hear him rhyme more (specifically cuz he's great, not so I can say "he don't have it no more" like your dumb ass so desperately wants to be true for some reason), but I 1000000% support him doing whatever he wants to do with his artistry. I'm a huge fan of 3k as an artist and a human being.

Meanwhile, it seems you have a strange & childish habit of pretending you know what everyone's thinking and feeling. Just here to call you out on your bullshit.

Dynamite drop-in, Monty.

They’re doing one more album and tour and calling it quits. He did a verse on their 2020 album, so….maybe he’ll do one here?

or glockenspiel or some other obscure instrument

The juxtaposition of narcocorrido music as both very violent and pseudo polka music is something worth talking about.

I'm sure he could get some inspiration from there as far as making it work.

aww legs 🙁

he could solve he American drug crisis for about a week.

Surely you gotta feel some kinda way about a rapper who plays many levels below you getting so much attention.

************************

but internally they have to be fuming at these clunky ass notes

like you said, those checks.

they'll get more recognition and he toured with that last album. he's just part of the band when they're on stage.

sure they appreciate the checks but these mfrs despise real musicians so I’m sure the level of hate for him is strong.

I know they want to knock him off that piano bench like in the five heartbeats

https://youtu.be/hTVjuZuhncI

3k is getting by on his fame, kinda like those musicians on IG/TT that get by on their looks and/or body. Dude is like the chick that can't play guitar all that well, but gets mad views and attention because they are playing the guitar in lingerie w/ their boobs resting on top of the guitar in their videos.

>3k is getting by on his fame, kinda like those musicians on
>IG/TT that get by on their looks and/or body. Dude is like the
>chick that can't play guitar all that well, but gets mad views
>and attention because they are playing the guitar in lingerie
>w/ their boobs resting on top of the guitar in their videos.
>
>

statement.

n.m

https://www.stereogum.com/2307537/jazz-pianist-matthew-shipp-slams-andre-3000s-new-improvisational-piano-ep/news/

I think it is complete and utter crap -horrific-god awful insipidly wretched nothing . oh my fucking god this is some atrocious shite

I can see how folks who've been playing for years with a lot less recognition can be salty, but ehh.

I read that one. He's real bitter and mad.

and getting elevated to grammy nominated just based off his name?

wont ever happen but rap fans get offended by rappers who aren’t nearly as bad just based off voice, face or cadence.. lol

someone needs to step in before a random musician attacks 3stacks.. lol.

to brew & legs points: I also don't know anyone who enjoys hip-hop who doesn't appreciate 3k's bars. He was one-of-a-kind. Can't say I enjoy his foray into piano and other instrumental projects, but to each their own.

But damn it's kind of like watching an all-time great dunker refusing to dunk anymore and just shoot boring one-legged baby hook shots lol.

-->

than these two Andre 3k side projects… but thats how the industry works

This reminds me of people going crazy over Kanye’s “piano performance” of Runaway lol

The idea that he's out of touch with rap doesn't make sense to me. He detached himself from all the rap culture cliches a long time ago.

I do wonder if he just doesn't want random people inside his head anymore.

likely won't happen regardless of how good it would be. he'd possibly be seen as failing at the thing he's an expert at.

with the other projects, that pressure isn't there. so even if it gets panned, he's more accepting of failing at it.

Because I was thinking it would be more about critical acclaim.

Shit, maybe it’s both though.

As a fan, obviously I want to hear him rap more. He’s incredible. But he can do whatever he wants, I’m not mad at it. Not going to pretend to like the music though just because it’s him.

being a pressure on his creative process. I think that along with the pressure from fans who will nitpick whatever he does.

he knows he's always under a microscope based on he well Kast has done and it seems to be making him gun shy with rap.

to me, seems to come from a lack of confidence and possibly running out of steam for the hip hop machine.

>RE: He has been a standard bearer for grown man rap since Atliens
>The idea that he's out of touch with rap doesn't make sense
>to me. He detached himself from all the rap culture cliches a
>long time ago.

You weren’t rapping about getting your wisdom teeth out back in ‘94 either.

I think there’s plenty of topics for grown men to rap about, beyond their doctors visits.

But again, if HE in particularly feels he doesn’t have anything he wants to talk about, then I guess he doesn’t have anything to talk about and share with the world.

But there’s many who do. Bumping Von Pea - City for Sale right now. What an album.

I always thought their last double album was kind of weak compared to their previous work.

Personally, it felt like Big Boi had a full album and Andre had a collection of half finished ideas. I always thought his next move would be an alternative album or like Phonte with an album of mostly singing. Hey Ya was the shit but it felt light years ahead of everything else on his side of the album.

and I heard stories that Big Boi was always on the studio and would have to find Andre to finish verses. Its much easier to make bangers when you only have to make 50% of the raps and your partner is pushing you competitively but once you are on your own.

Plus.. people forget this is work. Being under the pressure to finish an album by yourself may have turned him off from the game.

But dude can still murder any track he is on. Wish he would come back but ummmm

his playing skills are trash and I wish someone would say “dont do it, reconsider read some literature” on not releasing any more music like this.. lol

He did a lot of singing on The Love Below, the one time he did a full album. Almost like his rap energy force explodes in spurts where he can give you pure fire for a verse or two, but doesn't sustain it like a Black Thought for instance. I think he knows his creative limits. People think "Wow, we need a whole album of that fire you gave us in this verse", but maybe it's worth considering that he knows he can't do that... or at least doesn't have the discipline.

The only thing I have to disagree with is this:

>Hey Ya was the shit but it felt light
>years ahead of everything else on his side of the album.


I thought Roses, Prototype, She Lives In My Lap, Happy Valentines Day, Love Hater were all just as dope as Hey Ya.



Lmao at this tho...

>his playing skills are trash and I wish someone would say
>“dont do it, reconsider read some literature” on not
>releasing any more music like this.. lol

they weren’t polished with that pop formula like Hey Ya.

I always felt like Hey Ya was made after all those other songs because they needed a radio cut.