André Lauren Benjamin, better known by his stage name André 3000, was born on May 27, 1975, in Atlanta, Georgia. He is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is best known for being one-half of the Southern hip hop duo Outkast, which he formed in 1992 alongside fellow Atlanta-based rapper Big Boi.

André is widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. As part of Outkast, the duo's six studio albums were each met with critical and commercial success, spawning hit singles including "Ms. Jackson," "Roses," "So Fresh, So Clean," and "Elevators (Me & You)."

Their fifth album, a double album titled Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, contained a solo single performed by André 3000: "Hey Ya!," which peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance.

He was born to Sharon Benjamin, a real estate agent, and Lawrence Harvey Walker, a collections agent. He was raised by his single mother in Atlanta, East Point, and Buckhead. He attended several schools, including Sarah Smith Elementary School, Sutton Middle School, Northside High School, McClarin Success Academy, and Tri-Cities High School. In high school, he met Antwan "Big Boi" Patton, and they formed Outkast.

The duo's unique style and innovative music quickly gained them popularity.

In his personal life, he had a relationship with singer Erykah Badu from 1996 to 1999, and they have a son named Seven Sirius Benjamin. André is known for his eclectic and unique sense of style, often pushing fashion boundaries and inspiring trends with his bold choices.

His career has been marked by both his work with Outkast and his solo endeavors. After the duo split in 2007, he became less active as a solo artist compared to Big Boi, although he made several highly acclaimed guest appearances on releases by other artists.

This activity has earned him additional Grammy Awards among eight nominations as a solo artist. In 2023, he signed with Epic Records to release his debut studio album, New Blue Sun, an instrumental recording showcasing his performances on the flute.

Outside of music, he has acted in films and television series such as Families, The Shield, Be Cool, Revolver, Class of 3000, Semi-Pro, High Life, Four Brothers, and in the lead role of Jimi Hendrix in All Is by My Side.

He played Fredwynn on the AMC series Dispatches from Elsewhere and was featured in the 2022 adaptation of the Don DeLillo novel White Noise.