André Lauren Benjamin (born May 27, 1975), known professionally as André 3000, is an American rapper, singer, record producer and actor. Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, he is one half of the hip-hop duo Outkast along with rapper Big Boi, which they formed in 1992. Often recognized for his early use of rap-singing, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. In 2025, Benjamin was inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Outkast.
As part of Outkast, the duo's six studio albums were each met with critical and commercial success, spawning hit singles including "Ms. Jackson", "Roses", "So Fresh, So Clean", and "Elevators (Me & You)", among others. Their fifth, a double album titled Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003), contained a solo single performed by Benjamin: "Hey Ya!", which peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100 and won Best Urban/Alternative Performance at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards. After the duo split in 2007, Benjamin became less active as a solo act compared to Big Boi, although he made several highly acclaimed guest appearances on releases by other artists; such activity has earned him an additional three Grammy Awards—from eight nominations—as a solo act. Benjamin signed with Epic Records to release his debut studio album, New Blue Sun (2023), an instrumental recording showcasing his performances on flute. It was nominated for the Album of the Year at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, his first solo nomination and third overall in the category after Stankonia (2000) and Speakerboxxx/The Love Below with Outkast, the latter of which won the award.
Outside of music, Benjamin has acted in films and television series such as Families, The Shield, Be Cool, Revolver, Class of 3000, Semi-Pro, High Life, Four Brothers, and in the lead role of Jimi Hendrix in All Is by My Side. He played Fredwynn on the AMC series Dispatches from Elsewhere, and was featured in the 2022 adaptation of the Don DeLillo novel White Noise.
