AceShowbiz -

After collaborating with artists like Drake, Ke$ha and Frank Ocean and being a featured artist in Jay-Z-produced "The Great Gatsby" soundtrack earlier this year, Andre 3000 a.k.a Andre Benjamin is on his way to releasing his first solo album since his Outkast duo with Big Boi went on hiatus back in 2007. The welcome news was broken on Twitter by BET executive Stephen Hill.

"Me: hey what's up? You got the movie coming, right? Andre 3000: yeah...and I got a solo album coming top of the year. Me:*droptofloor*," wrote Hill on Saturday afternoon, August 3, recounting a conversation he had with 3K backstage at Lil Wayne's show in Washington D.C. with T.I. and 2 Chainz.

The said album is quite eagerly awaited by fans of the elusive rapper since his last LP was the soundtrack to the 2006 film "Idlewild" followed only sporadically by collaborations, the latest of which is a duet with Beyonce Knowles where they did a cover of the Amy Winehouse hit "Back to Black".

But before Andre's fans flip out over the good news, his publicist is quick to point out that nothing's finalized yet. "Regarding reports of a specific plan to release an album in early 2014, there is no official confirmation on that report," the rep said.

Perhaps Andre was only thinking wisely ahead that releasing an album early next year will be perfect timing and good business sense on his part since it will get a boost from the premiere of his Jimi Hendrix biopic "All Is by My Side".