Hip Hop Crush: I Love You 3000

While Nelly has made my hormones go a little wild since teaching the world about grammar of the country variety, I couldn’t help but highlight a hip hop crush that just seems like an absolute trip to me and that is one-half of Outkast, the one and only Andre 3000. His mouth can move as fast as Sonic, owns the idea of a Polaroid picture more than the camera company, and wanders around playing music like a modern-day troubadour. How could you not crush on this guy?

I was a mere 13-years-old when Outkast entered my reality as ‘Stankonia’ dropped and videos for “So Fresh, So Clean” and “Ms. Jackson” played around the clock on MTV and even Vh1 hopped on board because those songs were undeniable, no matter if you were a ‘Tiger Beat’ reader obsessed with boy bands or a tween under the spell of Nu-Metal. Outkast was one of those groups that broke into everyone’s life, including mine. Of course, I was more of a casual fan but Andre 3000 intrigued me like no other.

As time rolled on, I would pay attention to what he did here and there because he was hard to not pay attention to. He represented hip hop but he also had this alternative beat to him that made me feel a little-seen as I was this weird mixed kid who didn’t dress like the kids who looked like me at school. I wasn’t running around in things as wild as him, but I also lived more for Hot Topic than any other store at the mall. For the kids reading, a mall is a place where a shit ton of stores are. We used to go there on the weekend and hang out. It’s like the internet but face to face. 

Andre 3000 caught my attention as a kid but kept it as I grew up as he became more of an enigma as Outkast sort stepped back from the spotlight. He’s featured here and there over the years but I think we’re all waiting to see what he does next, be it an album or doing his intriguing troubadour-like song and dance around town. 

My hip-hop crush stemmed from seeing a rapper with an alternative essence who never failed to impress since I was in middle school. For my guest this week, Rodney Coursey, his hip-hop crush dates back even further when he was just a little kid watching ‘Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit’ at summer day camp. We’ll talk more about that Wednesday and if you’re reading this later – just head to YouTube and check out our crush chat there now.