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ANDRE 3000: In A 'Class' All His Own
By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices
"It's just another outlet to create, to tell stories and make music at the same time," Andre 3000 explained about his latest endeavor, a weekly animated series for the Cartoon Network, titled 'Class of 3000.'
The highly anticipated primetime half-hour show, created and executive produced by the OutKast frontman (legally known as Andre Lauren Benjamin), will debut with a one-hour premiere Nov. 3, at 8 p.m. (ET, PT), on the all-animated basic cable channel..
Not at all as racy as the network's wildly popular series 'The Boondocks,' 'Class' centers on an international music star named Sunny Bridges who gives up everything to teach a group of gifted musical prodigies in Atlanta. Featuring a new song every week from Benjamin within the context of a music video, the hip-pop superstar and actor will also voice the lead character.
So the show is safe for kids: no bitch, no hoe and none of that n-word rhetoric.
Benjamin, who --along with his OutKast partner Antwan "Big Boi" Patton-- has sold more than 15 million records (stateside) with their genre-defying music fare, said the lead character's life does parallel his own.
One way in particular is his hip-hop exit strategy.
"We have a lot in common," he emphasized. "We're both in music, we're both trying to figure out what's going on right now. And I know a lot of people think that I stopped doing music and that's totally not true."
"[But] I know I won't be doing music forever," he added, revealing: "I can stay on top but for so long so I've considered going back to school and becoming a teacher… it will probably be art class."
Whoa!!!
"It has been a blessing," he said of the success, which dates back to the mid-1990s when the Grammy Award winning dynamic duo helped put Atlanta on the map with their acclaimed debut album 'Southernplayalisticadillacmuzike.'
Since then, Benjamin has collaborated with pop stars (Gwen Stefani), starred in films ('Idlewild') and embarked on his own solo music projects ('The Love Below'). "It has been a ride."
Even though he's the father of a child who 'Class' would appeal to, Benjamin, affectionately known as "Dre," said that his son Seven (with neo-soul superstar Erykah Badu) just "subconsciously" influenced some of the areas of 'Class.'
"I don't sit and think, 'Well, would Seven like this?' but even when we were creating the characters he did play his part in it," Benjamin shared. "It's kind of like I just watch his life. Even though he's not [12-years-old] yet, I watch how he relates to his friends and everything."
Plans are underway to release a soundtrack component, featuring music from the show, and other merchandising tie-ins. But he's not willing to put the cart before the horse -- he's focused on the craft of the art.
"As long as I can create something, I'm fine."
And what a great way to be, indeed.
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MY SON WATCHES THE CARTOON. I LOVE THAT ANDRE IS BRINGING BACK THE MUSIC TO THE CENTER STAGE. HE IS A GOOD ROLE MODEL. WE NEED MORE ARTIST TO CATER TO KIDS WITH POSITIVE MESSAGES INSTEAD OF DRUGS, LOOSE WOMEN, AND GANGS.
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loved him in Idlewild! THATS MY KINDA MAN!!
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you play aGreat role
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My niece and nephew came over this weekend and on Saturday they were up singing and dancing looking at a cartoon. To my surprise it was Class of 3000 and the kids totally loved it and they said there friends were also into it.
Andre you have a hit and I wish you all the success you truly deserve for your creativeness.
Debbie
http://www.DebbieDonovanTravel.com
3/1/07 10:08 AM