Jamil “Mal” Clay is facing backlash following a recent episode of the New Rory & Mal podcast.
Mal said the Outkast star no longer ranks in his personal top five rappers. “The most overrated rapper to me,” Mal said, “Andre 3000. Only because he’s never put out a solo rap project, and he gets GOAT status.”
Co-host Rory pushed back, arguing that Andre’s verses alone justify the praise.
“I fell victim at one point to having 3000 in my top five rappers of all time,” Mal explained. “And I had to really think about it. That’s not fair to somebody whose entire career is a solo career.”
Mal clarified that his criticism was not a dismissal of Andre’s talent. “That doesn’t mean that Andre 3000 is not a great rapper and a great MC,” he said. “I’m just saying that, me personally, I can’t have him in my top five.”
Andre 3000 Overrated?? We need a SOLO Album | Great but we can’t Stamp that GOAT Status pic.twitter.com/Y6UkdPTyib
— New Rory & MAL (@newrorynmal) January 8, 2026
In November, Outkast was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. During the ceremony, Andre reflected on the duo’s beginnings alongside Big Boi.
“Great things start in little rooms,” Andre said, crediting mentor Rico Wade and referencing comments from Jack White.
Back in 2023, Andre 3000 revealed why he’s no longer rapping.
“People think, ‘Oh man, he’s just sitting on raps.’ Or ‘he’s just…holding these raps hostage,’ I ain’t got no raps like that,” he said at the time. “Sometimes it feels inauthentic for me to rap, because I don’t have anything to talk about in that way. I’m 48 years old. Not to say that age is a thing that dictates what you rap about, but in a way, it does.”