Hendrix: A totally new experience

Rapper Andre 3000 plays Jimi Hendrix in his early years. Photo / AP

Andre 3000 puts 'icon' aside to star as legendary guitarist.

To capture his best version of Jimi Hendrix for an upcoming biopic, Andre 3000 said he had to think of him as a regular dude and not a rock star.

"I didn't look at him as an icon because when you're in it, you don't know you're an icon. You don't know you're an icon until other people say you're an icon," the 37-year-old said. "So I had to take it as a person, you know what I mean? And I just tried to say, 'well, what would Jimi want people to know that they can't get off of YouTube?' And that's how I approached it."

Hendrix died in 1970 at age 27. He was ranked No 1 on Rolling Stone magazine's greatest guitarists of all-time list and with the Jimi Hendrix Experience, was known for albums Electric Ladyland and Are You Experienced.

All Is By My Side, which focuses on the early days of Hendrix's career, will be released next year. Andre 3000 is excited to see the film, which he's finished shooting in Ireland. He believes the public will be pleased.

Andre 3000, one-half of OutKast with Big Boi, has been out of the music scene in recent years, although he's been featured on songs by Beyonce, Frank Ocean, Rick Ross, Ke$ha and Young Jeezy.

OutKast's 2006 platinum-selling album, Idlewild, which accompanied a film of the same name starring the duo, was their last album. Their 11-time platinum Speakerboxxx/The Love Below won the 2004 Grammy Award for album of the year.

Big Boi, who released a solo album two years ago, will release another next month.

But Andre 3000 isn't in a rush to record an album.

"Some days I feel like I'll do it, some days I don't. Some days I feel like I don't need to, some days I feel like I want to do it before I die. So, I don't know where to fall. I am just hoping one day I get that inspiration. And I don't even know if it will be rap. I don't even know what it will be."

However, he could find the inspiration and complete an album in just a few days.

-AAP