André 3000 has dropped off new music and, no, there's isn't any rapping on it. 3 Stacks shared 7 piano sketches to streaming services as the 2025 Met Gala kicked off on Monday in New York City.
"warning: no bars," he began in a post he made to Instagram about the release. He continued, "These piano sketches are improvisations. To conjure them up, I spread my fingers out on the keys and randomly but with purpose move them around until I find something that feels good or interesting. If it feels really good I will try to repeat it. I cannot name which notes, keys or chords that I’m playing. I simply like the sound and mechanics of piano playing. Some of my favorite piano music composers and players that inspire me are Thelonious Monk, McCoy Tyner, Philip Glass, Stephen Sondheim, Joni Mitchell and Vince Guaraldi."
André said he recorded most of the project using his iPhone. "Pardon the sound quality, they were all recorded with my iPhone sitting directly on the piano or my laptop microphone with the exception of ‘Blueberries’. (recorded in studio)," he wrote.
He closed out the post with some humor:
"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.”
2025 is a big year for André. It was recently announced that he will receive an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Music from Berklee College of Music on Saturday, May 10 as part of their graduating Class Of 2025. He will also be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame alongside Big Boi as OutKast.
You can stream 7 piano sketches over on streaming platforms like Apple Music and Spotify, and check out the track listing below.
1. bluffing in the snow
2. and then one day you’ll …
3. when you’re a ant and you wake up in an awesome mood, about to drive your son to school, only to discover that you left the lights on in the car last night so your battery is drained
4. hotel lobby pianos
5. blueberry mansions
6. off rhythm laughter
7. i spend all day waiting for the night