What Is André 3000's Net Worth?
André 3000 is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and actor who has a net worth of $35 million. André 3000 is probably best known for being part of the duo Outkast alongside Big Boi. He is considered one of the greatest rappers of all time and is consistently mentioned in lists of "top ten rappers" by various media sources.
Outside of his work with Outkast, he has embarked on a solo music career. André 3000 is also an established actor, having appeared in a wide range of different films and television series. In addition, the musician is an entrepreneur who has launched his own clothing line.
Early Life
André Lauren Benjamin was born on May 27, 1975, in Atlanta, Georgia. André was raised by a single mother who sold real estate, and he spent time in various parts of Georgia, such as East Point and Bankhead. During his high school years, he met Antwan Patton, who would later become known as "Big Boi." While the pair was still in high school, they came together to form the group Outkast.
Career
Benjamin and Patton quickly signed a record deal with LaFace Records after graduating from high school. Outkast's first album, "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik," was released in 1994 and achieved platinum status. Its success was largely due to the popularity of the single "Player's Ball." By 1995, Outkast was widely considered one of the best new rap groups around.
In 1996, Outkast capitalized on their earlier success with a follow-up album called "ATLiens." Now that the group was successful, they were free to experiment with new and interesting sounds and influences, including trip-hop and funk. The gamble paid off, as the album enjoyed widespread commercial and critical acclaim. Outkast continued to experiment and innovate with their 1998 album, "Aquemini."
Prior to this point, Benjamin was using the stage name "Dré." In order to distinguish himself from Dr. Dre (and for other reasons), he started using the stage name "André 3000" and completely reinvented his persona before the release of Outkast's next album, "Stankonia." This album would prove to be one of their most successful, as it contained the chart-topping "Ms. Jackson." Outkast then followed up with a greatest hits album in 2002.
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In 2003, the group decided to highlight their differences, and each member released a separate tracklist in the double album "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below." Both albums were successful, but André 3000 had the most commercial impact with hits like "Hey Ya!" and "Roses." Popular music videos accompanied these tracks, and they received tons of radio airtime. In contrast to his earlier work, André 3000 mostly sang on these tracks instead of rapping. They had very little in the way of hip-hop elements, instead relying on funk, jazz, and alternative sounds.
The year 2006 was all about "Idlewild," a film that Outkast had been working on for years. The musical film took place in the 1930s, and the group released an accompanying soundtrack album. After "Idlewild," Outkast decided to take a hiatus from recording. However, André 3000 would only take a relatively short break before returning with solo work in 2007.
Benjamin re-emerged in the music scene by collaborating with several artists, such as Lil Wayne and Jay-Z. This trend continued for the next few years, and some of André 3000's most notable contributions were to songs like "Ride" by Ciara or "The Real Her" by Drake. Although he continued to feature on a range of songs by different artists, he didn't release a solo album of his own during this period. This might have been due to his disenchantment with the hip-hop world, and he expressed as much when he featured on the track "Solo (Reprise)" by Frank Ocean in 2016.
However, in 2018, Benjamin finally released songs of his own through his SoundCloud account. The first song was "Me&My (To Bury Your Parents)," while the second track was a 16-minute instrumental. During his solo career, André 3000 continued to collaborate with Big Boi on tracks such as "Lookin' 4 Ya." Outkast also celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2014 by touring together and appearing at over 40 music festivals, including Coachella.
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Film and Television
Benjamin continues to cultivate a successful acting career outside of his musical activities. Some of his most notable TV appearances were in shows like "The Shield" and "Families." In terms of film, he has booked roles in productions such as "Be Cool," "Revolver," "Semi-Pro," and "Four Brothers." He also had a starring role in the Outkast-created film "Idlewild." Benjamin is an established voice actor, and he voiced the character of Sunny Bridges in the animated series "Class of 3000," which he also produced.
In addition, he appeared in the political thriller "Battle in Seattle" and played Jimi Hendrix in the film "All Is By My Side." He then followed up with a recurring role in the series "American Crime."
Fashion Line
In 2008, Benjamin launched his own fashion line called Benjamin Bixby. The line has strong varsity influences and 1930s aesthetics.
Relationships
After the success of his first two albums with Outkast, André 3000 sparked a much-publicized relationship with singer-songwriter Erykah Badu. However, by the year 2000, the pair had split, and the emotional impact of this breakup prompted André 3000 to start using his stage name for the first time. The song "Ms. Jackson" is loosely based on his relationship with Badu and their split. During their relationship, the couple had one son together, who they named Seven Sirius.
