Andre 3000 Set To Drop A Solo Album IN 2009

He’s hip hop’s most stylish spitter, so it’s little surprise that Andre 3000 has designed not only one of the best ‘celebrity’ lines we’ve seen, but one of the coolest collections of 2008 (and how hot is Green Light!!!). We give the Benjamin Bixby owner the Last Word…

Last time you were inspired to design clothes?

For Benjamin Bixby I knew I was going to be launching in Fall/ Winter. I’m a huge American football fan and what lets you know it’s fall in America is football because the leaves turn a certain colour and you start layering up to go to the game. I’m a big fan of early, early American football style, so this experience was inspired by that. And British tailoring too, which is pretty structured. You get a lot of that British tailoring with American cool.

Last time you picked up a needle and thread?
[Laughs] I can tell you this has been some of the hardest work I’ve done in the last two years. I’ve been involved in every single part of the line because I want to make sure it gets a certain identity. I’m pretty much putting my own money into it, so I’ve invested in myself.

Last time a chick changed your style up [*cough* Erykah *cough*]?
Yeah, that’s how people see it I guess, but it’s a misconception. All my friends knew what was going on, but I think at the time it looked that way. Since high school it was always about dressing up and doing your thing. Of course, becoming an entertainer gives you a bigger stage to pull off wilder and crazier things.

Last time you made a fashion faux-pas?
I’ve done that a lot of times, but it’s more costumes when I’m performing. But when I’m 80 with my grandkids, we’ll look back and laugh and see we had a good time.

Having killed it on the collabo front this year, last time you were in the studio for your own music?
I was just talking to my DJ the other night because I’m working on a solo album at the moment and I’m so excited. I just want to hear some new music from myself, but I’m not a fast writer. I envy every rapper out right now because they write so fast. Lil Wayne, T.I., Game... I wish I could have that much output. But I’m hoping it will be out the top of next year and I’m hoping it will be a rap album.

We do too...
I really pray that it’s rap because that’s what I’m feeling right now. I have a couple of titles, and a couple of concepts, but it really depends on the music. When I’m 75/ 80% done, I’ll know.

Last time your music was used to inspire an Olympic win?
Yeah, I heard Michael Phelps listens to old Outkast in the locker room. It’s always surprising when people bring up old songs because they’re so distant to me, it’s almost like another life.

Last album you listened to?
I’m listening to a lot of blues artists right now; Freddie King, BB King, Hendrix. And of course Lil Wayne is jamming, he’s got the world in the palm of his hands right now, he’s, really good. In fact, I can say he’s an outstanding rapper.

Last time you considered yourself one of the Top 5 MCs?
I like to think that I am, but I think the older I get, the more I have to hype myself up [laughs]. I get tired these days!

Benjamin Bixby is available from Harrods