André 3000 in 2005, BMCL / Shutterstock.com
Birth Name: André Lauren Benjamin
Place of Birth: Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Date of Birth: May 27, 1975
Ethnicity: African-American, possibly other
André 3000 is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and dancer. He was a member of hip hop duo Outkast, with Big Boi. He is also known as Benjamin André, Johnny Vulture, 3 Stacks, Dré, and Sunny Bridges.
He is the son of African-American parents, Sharon Benjamin-Hodo, a real estate seller, and Lawrence Harvey Walker, a collections agent. André has a son with singer, songwriter, activist, and actress Erykah Badu.
André has said:
I’ll wear costume jewellery on stage, but I only actually own one piece of jewellery, and that’s a Native American beaded necklace that I wear all the time. I bought it years ago because my family has Native American roots – I’m part African, part Native American.
It is not clear if this Native American ancestry has been verified/documented.
André’s maternal grandfather is The Rev. Grant Benjamin, a minister.
André’s maternal grandmother is named Elnora Norris.
Source: Obituary of André’s father – https://familysearch.org
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