Outkast’s André 3000 Snags Venice Beach Compound

We like the way he moves! André Benjamin, better known to legions of music fans as André 3000 — or often as one-half of majorly successful hip-hop duo Outkast — has bought a West Coast outpost in the packed oceanside community of Venice Beach, where the “Roses” really smell like something else and he can say “Hey Ya!” to new neighbors like the Beastie Boys’ Mike D, YouTuber Cody Ko, actress Margot Robbie and fellow rapper Lil Dicky. The new Outkast outpost also lies immediately next door to the former Casey Neistat residence, which was featured in Architectural Digest and sold off in 2020 for $3.9 million.

Located on one of Venice’s most desirable streets and newly built in 2019, the contemporary home was never publicly offered for sale, so photos and details remain unfortunately scant. Cloistered securely behind gates, the boxy main structure packs four bedrooms and four bathrooms into about 2,400 square feet of living space. There’s also a detached accessory structure at the far rear of the property — accessible via a discreet alleyway and behind black metal gates — that includes a two-car garage and upstairs living space. For all that, records reveal the mini-estate set Benjamin back a hefty $3.6 million.

Born and raised in Atlanta, where he still owns a home in the Stone Mountain suburb, Benjamin and fellow rapper Big Boi first shot to fame in the mid-1990s, with Outkast’s funky blend of rap and soul attracting critical acclaim. The duo reached their professional zenith in the early 2000s, first with the release of the “Stankonia” album and the iconic “Ms. Jackson” single. 2003’s double album “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” subsequently became a massive hit, selling millions of units worldwide and spawning the hit singles “Hey Ya!” “Roses” and “The Way You Move.” For that effort, Outkast also took home Album of the Year at the 46th annual Grammy Awards.

And while he remains a Georgia local, by his own admission Benjamin has been mainly based in Venice for some time — at least since the onset of Covid, in early 2020, and initially in a luxury rental home. Though he’s gained a reputation in recent years for being somewhat “elusive,” Benjamin, 46, will appear in a Super Bowl commercial alongside “Euphoria” superstar Zendaya.