Andre 3000 catches the rap bug

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

OutKast's Andre 3000 has been busy pursuing an acting career. The rapper recently wrapped production on Battle In Seattle and he scheduled to shoot Semi-Pro with Will Ferrell next. But Andre 3000 is experiencing a lyrical resurgence of sorts that's led to his return to rapping after primarily singing the past couple of years. The rapper is featured on remixes to Lloyd's "You" with Nas, DJ Unk's "Walk It Out" with Jim Jones and Big Boi, and Rich Boy's "Throw Some D's" with Jim Jones, The Game, and others.

Andre 3000 told MTV.com, "I'm just trying to find a mood. What's the next mood to be in? It's not just about recording songs and putting them out. I have to do them if I have something to say. In the meantime, I've been doing a lot of remixes."

The rapper added, "I've been getting in the studio with some of these new people that's out. I've just been showing up at the studio and people been asking, 'Yo, would you get on this remix?'Just asking -- they never think it could happen. I've been like, 'Yeah, yeah. Cool.'New fans that only hear 'Hey Ya!'or 'The Way You Move'forget I started out rappin'."

Big Boi is excited about his partner's return to form. He said, "Our homeboys produced those songs and asked us to be on these songs. If you got the urge to rap, you never lose it. Just when everybody thought it was safe ... I'm telling you, we're not to be f**ked with. We just doing what we doing. We just having fun living. My man is back out here rhyming. You know what that is."