André Benjamin

André 3000
André 3000 at the 2007 Comic Con in San Diego, California
Background information
Birth name	André Lauren Benjamin
Also known as	Andre 3K Dre 3 Stacks Johnny Vulture
Born	(1975-05-27) May 27, 1975 (age 41) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop funk jazz R&B
Occupation(s)	Rapper singer songwriter record producer dancer actor
Instruments	Vocals guitar bass guitar keyboards saxophone violin
Years active	1991–present
Labels	Epic LaFace RCA
Associated acts	Outkast Big Boi Organized Noize Dungeon Family Goodie Mob CeeLo Green Gwen Stefani TLC Kelis Gorillaz Frank Ocean Divine Council

André Lauren Benjamin (born May 27, 1975), better known by his stage name André 3000 (formerly known as André), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, and actor, best known for being part of hip hop duo Outkast alongside fellow rapper Big Boi. As an actor, Benjamin has made appearances in a number of TV series and films, including Families, The Shield, Be Cool, Revolver, Semi-Pro, Four Brothers, and the leading role of Jimi Hendrix in All Is by My Side. In addition to music and acting, Benjamin has also been an active entrepreneur. In the spring of 2008, he launched a clothing line called Benjamin Bixby. He has also been an advocate for animal rights. He is also known for his work on the Cartoon Network animated series Class of 3000.

In 2013, Complex included Benjamin on its list of the 10 best rappers of the 2000s. In 2015, Billboard included Benjamin on its list of the 10 Greatest Rappers of All Time.

Benjamin was born in Atlanta, Georgia, the only child of Sharon Benjamin-Hodo (d. 2013), a single mother who sold real estate, and Lawrence Harvey Walker (d. 2014), a collections agent. He is of African-American and Native American descent. Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, East Point, Georgia and Bankhead, Georgia, he attended Sarah Smith Elementary School, Sutton Middle School, Northside High School and Tri-Cities High School.