Andre 3000 Expands "7 Piano Sketches" Project With New MUBI Short Film

BY Aron A.
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The OutKast legend's latest visual project transforms his instrumental EP into a surreal meditation on creativity, connection and the passage of time.

The chances of getting a rap album from Andre 3000 are not only slim but basically improbable at this point. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t dishing out new music. We already got a flute album from him–a project that no one could have ever predicted would have happened. And then last year, he came through with his instrumental project, 7 Piano Sketches. That particular project now has an accompanying short film that is available exclusively on MUBI.

Written by Andre alongside filmmaker Graham Mason, who also directs the short film, 7 Piano Sketches follows the musician through a surreal journey in which he carries a piano on his back while traveling to work, accompanied by a notebook filled with creative ideas. Of course, much of this is inspired by the 2025 EP itself.

Along the way, André encounters a variety of unusual figures whose distinctive characteristics mirror and interact with the instrument he transports. The result is both whimsical and reflective, exploring what binds together creativity, human connection, and the passage of time. 

Funny enough, Andre previously explained that the title of the album was about to reflect the evident demand for a new rap album. “The original title for it was ‘The Best Worst Rap Album In History’ 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.’”

Andre 3000’s Short Film Inspired By His EP

The short is soundtracked by the seven-track EP that inspired it. The collection consists entirely of solo piano recordings and continues André’s recent focus on instrumental music. Portions of the material were composed and recorded before the release of New Blue Sun, his 2023 debut instrumental album, which later earned three Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year. Check out his short film here.

About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.

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