André 3000 Releases Official Music Video For TRAИƧA Contribution
Last year, the storied activist and music production non-profit Red Hot released the acclaimed concept album, TRAИƧA. Today, André 3000 has shared a music video for his contribution to the project, the 26-minute “Something Is Happening And I May Not Fully Understand But I’m Happy To Stand For The Understanding.” The video weaves a dense tapestry of 2D and 3D landscapes; organic subjects, digitally composed. Drawing inspiration from Édouard Glissant’s ‘Poetic Intention’ and the opaque aesthetics of fifth generation console games, it investigates what it means to “be born into the world…to conceive the world as a relation…as a poetics of alterity.”
This track by André 3000 sits at the helm of TRAИƧA’s “Awakening” chapter, guiding a process of expansion alongside the listener. It marks a new era for the artist of composing without bars. Stretching nearly half an hour, its mystical chatter and unfolding ceremony become a new kind of language—a tongue for hearing. The track features Carlos Niño, Deantoni Parks / Technoself and Nate Mercereau with Diego Gaeta, Maia, Matthewdavid, Shabaka, and V.C.R.
With production beginning in 2021, and over 100 artists contributing, TRAИƧA marks one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by Red Hot – a spiritual journey across 8 chapters and 46 songs, spotlighting the gifts of many of the most daring, imaginative trans and non-binary artists working today. The sprawling collection of originals and covers features the first Sade song in 6-years, the 26-minute André 3000 piece whose accompanying video is out today, ANOHNI, Sam Smith, Laura Jane Grace, Hunter Schafer, Teddy Geiger, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Yaeji, Julien Baker, Clairo, and many more.
The concept album has had a rapturous critical reception with coverage in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Them, The Guardian, Vogue, i_D, Pitchfork and much more. Dive deeper into the world of TRAИƧA via these in-depth features:
André 3000 Press Photo by Michelle Helena Janssen