André 3000 Reveals Why He Has an Instagram Account Despite Avoiding Social Media
Legendary rapper André 3000 of OutKast fame has shed light on his reluctance to engage with social media, specifically addressing his presence on Instagram.
During his appearance at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in Cannes, France, André 3000 had a candid conversation with Meta’s Alvin Bowles. He explained that his Instagram account, which boasts over 938,000 followers, exists solely to prevent others from misusing his name.
“I’ve never had a Facebook account,” he stated, according to The Drum. “I only have Instagram to prevent people from stealing my name, but I’ve never posted anything.”
His Instagram account has primarily served to promote his debut album, New Blue Sun, released last November. Despite this minimal use of social media, André 3000’s avoidance stems from deeper issues, including social anxiety, which he discussed in an interview with GQ at the end of last year.
“It never goes away,” he said about his social anxiety. “It’s not like a cure-all kind of thing. It just becomes a part of life and you just have to take a deep breath, smile a little bit, and just get through it for tomorrow. That’s the best I can say.”
André 3000 also revealed insights from conversations with his therapist, who highlighted the paradoxical relationship between his artistic gift and his discomfort with the spotlight.
“He was like, ‘Well, son, the thing that makes your art what it is, is the thing that you don’t like either,’” André 3000 shared. “So it’s like, ‘Fuck, what am I going to do?’”
As he navigates his return to the public eye, André 3000 discussed the internal conflict he faced while deciding whether to promote New Blue Sun or remain in the background.
“That’s the problem. The balance, like, I do have an urge because I wanna create things. I’m happiest when I’m creating things,” he said. “And I was talking to my manager and publicist, I had to really ask myself: ‘Do you wanna possibly be famous again?’ Like, ‘Do you wanna turn it up again?’ And I was like, ‘Uh, well, I’ll just put the record out and just don’t do any press for it or anything like that.’
“But then it’s kinda a disservice to the music because I want people to check it out, I want people to hear it. I had to find some balance.”
This balancing act between creative expression and personal peace continues to shape André 3000’s approach to his career and public presence.
