In a surprising turn of events, André 3000 has emerged victorious in the realm of first-week album sales with his unconventional debut solo project, “New Blue Sun.” Legendary producer Buckwild took to Instagram on Monday (November 27) to commend the OutKast luminary for outshining notable rap heavyweights, including Nas and Lil Wayne.
Buckwild’s post highlighted the success of André 3000’s flute-infused album, which amassed over 24,000 in first-week sales. The list of artists surpassed by 3 Stacks included Nas with “Magic 2” (17,000), Lil Wayne’s “Tha Fix Before Tha VI” (19,000), Kodak Black’s “Pistolz & Pearlz” (23,000), French Montana’s “Coke Boys 6” (21,000), and Ice Spice’s “Like..?” (15,000), among others.
“Outselling mainstream rappers with an ambient flute album is such an Andre 3000 thing to do,” Buckwild remarked, acknowledging the distinctive nature of André 3000’s artistic choices.
While the reported debut at No. 30 on this week’s Billboard 200 with 24,244 album equivalent units is notable, it’s essential to await confirmation from Billboard as the chart is yet to be updated in full.
In a chart shakeup, Drake’s “For All the Dogs” reclaimed the top spot, fueled by the success of its deluxe edition, “Scary Hours 3,” accumulating 145,000 units over the past week. Notably, the album has now surpassed 1 million units in the U.S., positioning it for platinum certification.
André 3000’s decision to release an instrumental album centered around his flute playing took the music world by surprise a few weeks ago. In the press release, he clarified his departure from traditional rap, expressing a desire to create a rap album in the future but underlining the need to convey his thoughts in an engaging and age-appropriate manner.
Despite mixed fan reviews, “New Blue Sun” has garnered praise from influential figures in the industry, with Questlove describing it as “medicine” for the soul and Pete Rock labeling it “amazing.” Lupe Fiasco even went a step further by rapping over the album’s intro, sparking both admiration and criticism, notably from Joe Budden.
