André 3000 has revealed that his long-awaited debut solo album New Blue Sun doesn’t actually count towards his contract with Epic Records.
The OutKast legend shared the startling revelation in an interview with journalist Touré, admitting that he initially “didn’t understand” why that was the case and even attempted to circumvent the clause.
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“They congratulated me on the process, they congratulated me on what the work was, but contractually, it’s very interesting. My label will not count this album against my contract — this is as a solo artist,” he said of his polarizing flute project.
After his lawyer explained to him the stipulation that prevents New Blue Sun from being acknowledged by Epic, however, 3 Stacks said he has come to realize why it belongs in his contract (and that of any recording artist, apparently).
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“I didn’t understand it at first and we tried to find ways around it, but I understand it in a way, too,” he continued. “My attorney explained it in this way: it was invented in the ’70s maybe, when artists were trying to get out of their deals so they were just pretty much turning in anything.
“And so you have to have some type of legal stipulation that stops you from doing that. It’s something where it says, ‘The next recording has to be 90 percent like the recording before it.’ You see what I’m saying?! It’s in everybody’s deal, they don’t know it ’cause most people are not doing this kind of thing.
“It stops you from turning in 10 tracks of handclaps and saying, ‘This is my album.’ And I get it! But Sylvia and the team, they’ve been so supportive. They know I’m not turning in an a handclap back — they get it. But as a business, this is the stance that they took.”
André 3000 admitted that he isn’t stressing over the setback and is in no hurry to leave the label, but still wishes New Blue Sun — which is nominated for Album of the Year at the 2025 Grammys — would’ve counted towards his contract.
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“I’m not like, ‘Let’s hurry up and get out of this deal. I want to put out this rap album.’ No, I don’t have a rap album, none of that kinda shit, so I’m not stressed about it,” he said. “If I get out of the deal, it is [what it is]. I may want to stay there. But I wish it would count.
“It’s interesting news that artists should hear: that this new album is not counting.”
The ATLien also confirmed to Touré that he’s working on another album, but didn’t say when it will be released or what it will sound like.
“Oh, for sure,” he replied when asked if a follow-up project is in the works. “At this point, I’m just trying to keep the momentum. There’s such a thing as creative momentum. The next stuff is very interesting, too. We’re almost a third — or halfway — into it.”
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He added: “I don’t know when it will be ready. Who knows.”
