André 3000, revered for his genre-defying career with OutKast, has once again stirred the pot with the surprise release of his piano EP 7 Piano Sketches. Dropped shortly after his Met Gala appearance—where he boldly strapped a full-sized piano to his back—the EP follows in the footsteps of his 2023 experimental flute album New Blue Sun. But not everyone is impressed.
Veteran jazz pianist and composer Matthew Shipp has taken to Facebook with an unapologetically harsh critique of the project. Calling it “complete and utter crap” and “insipidly wretched nothing,” Shipp didn’t hold back. “The guy is not a pianist – that is the beginning and the end of it,” he wrote, dismissing the EP as “pure fraud” and accusing André of disrespecting the discipline of piano.
7 Piano Sketches is a collection of at-home, improvisational recordings, which André admits were never initially intended for public release. “I simply like the sound and mechanics of piano playing,” he explained. Drawing inspiration from Thelonious Monk and Philip Glass, André’s intent was emotional expression, not technical mastery.
The backlash highlights a deeper tension between formal artistry and experimental exploration. While André 3000’s star power ensures attention, it also invites scrutiny—especially from traditionalists like Shipp.
Is André redefining what it means to be a musical artist? Or overstepping into a world he doesn’t fully understand?