Del.icio.usAndre 3000
Andre was born Andre Benjamin in Atlanta, Georgia and raised in poverty by a single mother. He met Antwan "Big Boi" Patton, his OutKast partner, when the two attended the same high school in East Point.
Andre dated musician Erykah Badu for several years, and has chronicled the relationship and its breakup in various OutKast songs, including "Ms. Jackson," the first single from the album Stankonia. The song is addressed to Badu's mother. (Badu's given surname is Jackson). Andre has also written songs about his turbulent youth, including his experiences as a drug dealer before his days in OutKast.
In 2003, Outkast released Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, a double album that highlighted the differences in the musical styles of the group's two members. Andre's half of the album, The Love Below, has to date been the more commercially successful, with the popular singles "Hey Ya!" and "Roses." He is the subject of much critical acclaim and is currently looking to expand into other genres.