André 3000 was famously spotted playing his flute at an airport earlier in the summer. Turns out the sighting was more than just a one-off moment of musical serendipity. The Outkast rapper has apparently been serenading random strangers with his woodwind skills all over Philadelphia, New York, and Los Angeles.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, locals have eyed André 3000 at “least a dozen times” throughout the City of Brotherly Love, including at a Whole Foods and a local craft store. The Atlanta native born André Benjamin was also seen playing his flute on the steps of a church, by the Liberty Bell landmark, and on a street corner near this year’s Netroots Nation political convention. Residents of NYC and LA have reported hearing his fluting in their cities as well.
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Naturally, fans have been left in total awe by the MC’s surprise appearances and flautist skills. “I looked at [Benjamin] and he looked at me and I was in total shock,” Dayna Allen told The Inquirer after seeing André 3000 at an LA airport before boarding the same flight to Philly. “I immediately regretted not saying anything [at the restaurant], because it was like he wanted to be recognized.”
“Wasn’t tripping. It’s him,” Philly resident Russ Jackson tweeted after seeing the Outkast member out and about. Per Jackson’s retelling, André 3000 told him that he’d learned to play the flute just a few years ago and was in the city for two weeks to film a TV project. “3 Stacks in the flesh,” Jackson added, “and his flute game is A-1.”
Basically Where’s Waldo? needs to move aside, ’cause there’s a new celebrity in town and his name is André 3000. And instead of a cane, the man carries around a giant wooden flute.
Below, check out various photos of André 3000 and his flute.
Wasn't tripping. It's him. 3 Stacks in the flesh. And his flute game is A-1. pic.twitter.com/xbQTqjsJiC
— Russ Jack (@Russ_Jack) July 9, 2019
HEY YALL I JUST MET ANDRE 3000 AT A RANDOM CRAFT STORE. HE WAS PLAYING THE FLUTE pic.twitter.com/UUnqX5eqXl
— Qtip (@dagoodhoodwitch) July 10, 2019
"It was the flute that caught my attention" cant run from that🍾
Tho "I hated all the attention so I ran from it" @andre3000 #Andre3000#breadcrumbs 💯 pic.twitter.com/5hPoFmXimX
— |Yogv| (@haze_yc) July 12, 2019
So basically at #NN19 in Philly when me and a gang of Muslim activists were getting ice cream after dinner & chatting on sidewalk after the rain – good wholesome fun – when this guy was playing flute around us. And who else plays flute in public wholesome spaces?
AdvertisementANDRE 3000. pic.twitter.com/dCk60tWtYq
— Taz Ahmed (@TazzyStar) July 12, 2019
If you live in Philly there's a good chance you'll see André 3000 walking around playing a double Flute. 👀https://t.co/FEzeEaqVgH pic.twitter.com/s74bBxAOea
— Okayplayer (@okayplayer) July 16, 2019
A very lucky fan ran into André 3000 playing his flute last week in Los Angeles 🎶 pic.twitter.com/KUHe9RkMF3
— Pigeons & Planes (@PigsAndPlans) July 8, 2019
Andre 3000 is playing his flute around Philly during Netroots Nation https://t.co/avbyYTJhVS pic.twitter.com/4M436iEQhp
— Billy Penn (@billy_penn) July 13, 2019
Met Andre3000 in Manhattan, New York playing his flute on a street corner lol #andre3000 pic.twitter.com/GKTUWsF0s8
— J Lewis 🇹🇹 (@BrokeHomieJ_) July 14, 2019