Andre 3000
The hip-hop superstar finds eternal youth through cartoons.
by Gwynne Watkins
July 23, 2007
What would you say to people who say that there's no value in music classes for kids, that they should be learning math or science instead?
Oh, I think they should do both. And it's been scientifically proven — they should do a little research — that kids actually learn better academically if they have that other side working as well. You know, in Japan it's actually required that you learn some instrument growing up.
I like that the girls on Class of 3000 all play instruments. In that Jack Black movie School of Rock, which is in some ways similar to your show, all of the girls were all the back-up singers. That really bothered me.
Yeah, of course! Tamika plays that guitar.
You were basically a kid when you started making music, right?
No! Believe it or not, I'd been drawing and painting all my life until tenth grade, when I started to watch videos and said, "A lot of this is terrible." So I was like, "I could do this!" And so, you know, me and my partner, we started a group, and just started writing songs. And from
Even at a young age he was watching stuff like Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, because those were my favorites growing up. writing songs, that went to me picking up instruments and messing around with them.
Do you ever watch the show with your son?
Yeah! When I was creating Lil' D, I used a lot of his style — you know, that little hat that he wears? My son, when he was younger, he used to like to wear a hat to church, all the time.
What TV shows did you watch with your son when he was growing up?
Uh, Charlotte's Web, Blue's Clues, Bob the Builder, Thomas the Train . . .
You don't sound too excited about any of those shows.
No, no, they were cool shows, I'm just trying to remember. But even at a young age he was watching stuff like Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, because those were my favorites growing up, so I wanted him to see them. And he was amazed by them.
I loved those movies when I was a kid too, but they're so much darker than a lot of the stuff that's out now for kids.
I know. But I think kids are smarter than what we think. Actually, I heard Spike Jonze is working on Where the Wild Things Are, like a live-action version. And I heard it's amazing. Jim Henson's puppet company, they're involved. Actually, my production company, Moxie, we're working on a couple of kids' projects, live-action feature films — one called The Hit, where I play a modern-day Cupid. And I have this little friend that lives across the street, you know. But I can't get too far into that.
©2007 Gwynne Watkins and Nerve Media
About the Author
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Gwynne Watkins was Babble's founding Senior Editor. She has written for a variety of web and print publications, and her theatrical work has been produced throughout the New York area. Her new family musical, Tea with Chachaji, will premiere in early 2010. |
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