GRAMMY-winning rapper/actor André Benjamin — aka André 3000, one-half of the six-time GRAMMY-winning duo OutKast — recently portrayed legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix in the film, Jimi: All Is By My Side, which was released Sept. 26. In an exclusive GRAMMY.com interview with Nick Huff Barili of HardKnock.TV, Benjamin discussed how he was able to relate to Hendrix for the film, the importance of an artist's support team, being surprised by OutKast's 2003 GRAMMY win for Album Of The Year, and how the hip-hop game has changed as he's gotten older.

"The older you get, you get further away from the hipness. You can know what's going on, but there's always new slang, there's always new rhythms [and] new patterns," said Benjamin. "Once you start trying to imitate that, people see it and it becomes embarrassing. … I just feel like I wouldn't have much to offer to the game after a certain point."

Benjamin was born and raised in Atlanta, where he met Antwan André Patton (aka Big Boi), while attending high school. The duo formed OutKast in 1992 and signed with LaFace Records, releasing their debut album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, in 1994. The album hit No. 20 on the Billboard 200 and spawned the Top 40 hit "Player's Ball." OutKast's unique blend of Southern soul, rap and funk elements on subsequent albums — ATLiens (1996, No. 2) and Aquemini (1998, No. 2) — catapulted their rise as leaders of the emerging Atlanta hip-hop scene. In 2000 they released Stankonia, which reached No. 2 and garnered the duo their first two GRAMMY wins for 2001 for Best Rap Album and Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group for "Ms. Jackson." They collected three GRAMMYs for 2003, including Album Of The Year, for the acclaimed No. 1 double album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.

Directed by John Ridley, Jimi: All Is By My Side, chronicles Hendrix's life in New York and London as his career took flight. Benjamin, who is right-handed, reportedly spent six hours per day playing the guitar left-handed in preparation for the role. Benjamin has previously starred in films such as 2005's Be Cool and Four Brothers, and 2006's musical film Idlewild, which also starred Big Boi. The Idlewild soundtrack was released as OutKast's sixth studio album and garnered two GRAMMY nominations for 2006, including Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group for "Mighty 'O.'"

OutKast are currently in the midst of an international tour in celebration of the 20th anniversary of their debut album, with dates scheduled through Oct. 31.