André 3000 didn’t come to play (piano) at the Met Gala 2025

Ever wondered what a black bin bag, a red beret and a grand piano have in common? Well, they were all vital parts of André 3000’s Met Gala 2025 look, of course. This evening (April 5), the former rapper returned to the Met red carpet for the first time since 2008, and a grand return it was. 

Quite literally, André strapped a grand piano to his back and carried it breezily up the steps. Why? Because he dropped a surprise piano-only EP at the same time, consisting of seven improvisational solo-piano pieces. For OG André or OutKast fans, the thirst for rap will not be quenched here. Instead, the project builds on his previous 2023 album, New Blue Sun, which was entirely flute-based. The new EP, 7 piano sketches, even features an illustration of his Met outfit as the cover. 

Although the grand piano on his back was somewhat distracting, beneath it, he was wearing a Burberry jumpsuit decorated with tiny embroidered umbrellas. Styled by Law Roach, André wore a custom Daniel Lee design, paired with a red beret and peculiar black rubbish bag (this element remains a question mark). 

‘That’s dandy,’ wrote Erykah Badu on Instagram, sharing a reel of her ex’s look in praise. It makes sense for André to make his return this year, with the theme being Superfine: Tailoring Black Style and the OutKast MC being one of fashion’s key dandies during the 00s. He also had his own menswear label Benjamin Bixby, which he resurrected this evening, now rebranded as Benji Bixby instead. Clearly there’s a lot going on in André’s world right now – namely, tickling the ivories.