Andre 3000 Finally Uses His Voice On Massive 26-Minute Single, But It's Not What You Think

BYGabriel Bras Nevares6.4K Views
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Syd For Solen In Copenhagen
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK - AUGUST 9: Andre 3000 with band New Blue Sun performs on stage during Syd For Solen on August 9, 2024 in Copenhagen, Denmark. (Photo by Matt Jelonek/Getty Images)
Did we get a new 3 Stacks verse? Well...

Andre 3000 is back with a new song, and it's more from the ambient, spiritual jazz journey that he's been on artistically in recent years. It's titled "Something Is Happening And I May Not Fully Understand But I’m Happy To Stand For The Understanding," it's an enveloping and engrossing 26-minute behemoth, and it finally features his vocals... Kind of. If you were hoping for a fresh new 3 Stacks verse in 2024, we're sorry to say that your wishes were not granted this time around. Instead, at around the 22-minute mark of the song, his reversed jazz scats come in. At least it's nice to hear the Atlanta native speak on wax for the first time since "SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS," albeit via warped gibberish.

Nevertheless, none of this changes how compelling and hypnotizing "Something Is Happening" is throughout its runtime if you appreciate this kind of music. For those unaware, André 3000's latest song is part of the TRANSA compilation project by Red Hot Org, a 46-track odyssey about transgender awareness. It will release in full on November 22 and features other artists like Sade, Sam Smith, and Julien Baker. As for this track from the "punk jazz" artist, it sounds quite distinct from New Blue Sun despite some overlapping similarities.

Andre 3000's "Something Is Happening And I May Not Fully Understand But I’m Happy To Stand For The Understanding": Listen

"It’s kind of funny," André 3000 previously said of the backlash to his lack of rapping per UPROXX. "The backlash is actually not from the rap community, or the jazz and spiritual jazz community. There’s actually more support, surprising support, from both sides. I think it’s more [OutKast] fans, which I understand. I always try to put myself in their shoes. If my favorite rapper said, ‘I’m not rapping’ and I like it, I like it. But if I don’t, I move on. I think some people take it as blasphemy or something."

Meanwhile, André 3000 fans must resort to their imagination if they want new hip-hop verses from him. He recently revealed that he wrote several diss tracks that never came out, which is a holy grail considering that he's never been in a beef. Regardless, maybe next time the vocals will be played normally instead of in reverse, but we're not counting on them to spit a hot 16 anytime soon.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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