André Benjamin

ANDRÉ BENJAMIN

Date of Birth: May 27, 1975

Best known as half of the music duo, OutKast, André Benjamin (aka André 3000) was born in Georgia. In high school, he met Antwan Patton (aka Big Boi) and they joined forces to record the single "Player's Ball." The following year, they signed with record company La Face and released their debut album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzic, which went platinum.

Their second album, ATLiens, was also a hit, but the single "Rosa Parks" on their third album Aquemini gave them legal troubles when Parks sued them for using her name without permission. The dispute was eventually settled out of court when Outkast and their record company agreed to work in conjunction with the Raymond and Rosa Parks Institute of Self Development on a number of educational initiatives. (Parks, a black woman, was arrested in 1955 after refusing to give up her seat on the bus to a white man in the segregated southern US, a move that earned her the title "Mother of the Civil Rights Movement.") With their fourth album, Stankonia, they embraced a pop sound and enjoyed even more success as the single "Ms. Jackson" topped the charts.

With their next release, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, Patton and Benjamin each crafted a solo record and released them as a double album. Benjamin'?Ts single "Hey Ya!" became one of the best-selling singles of the year, including the year's most downloaded Internet single. As well, OutKast won numerous awards for the album including three 2004 Grammy Awards; Hip-Hop Video of the Year and Video of the Year at the MVPA Awards, the MTV Music Video Awards and the ASCAP Awards.

Meanwhile, Benjamin had begun an acting career, providing a voice for the animated Whasango (2000) and making his first movie appearance with a supporting role in Hollywood Homicide (2003) starring Harrison Ford and Josh Hartnett. He played another supporting role in Be Cool (2005) starring John Travolta, before being elevated to a starring role in Four Brothers (2005) opposite Mark Wahlberg.

In addition, Benjamin and Patton have composed and starred in their own movie, the musical drama My Life in Idlewild (2005), set in the Prohibition era. He also plays a starring role in Guy Ritchie's Revolver (2005) and voices a character in Charlotte'?Ts Web (2006), starring Dakota Fanning. He also landed a part in the animated comedy Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012).

Benjamin likes to design his own clothes and has been named the World's Best Dressed Man by Esquire Magazine. He was also voted Sexiest Male Vegetarian in 2004 by PETA. He has a son named Seven from a former relationship with singer Erykah Badu.

Filmography:

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012)
Semi-Pro (2008)
Battle in Seattle (2008)
Charlotte's Web (2006) (voice)
Scary Movie 4 (2006)
Revolver (2006)
Idlewild (2006)
Four Brothers (2005)
Be Cool (2005)
Hollywood Homicide (2003)
Whasango (2001)