Ja Rule has shared his thoughts on André 3000 not wanting to rap anymore, and called for older stars to continue to create “classic” songs.

Last year, André 3000′ released ‘New Blue Sun’ – his debut solo album made up of instrumental tracks that showcased the artist as a flautist. Ahead of the album, the 48-year-old warned fans that there were “no bars” on the album. He later explained it felt “inauthentic” for him to rap and suggested he was too old to do so, saying it “was a part of [his] youth” and that rapping felt like being on “the playground” to him.

Recently, the New Yorker stopped by The Tamron Hall Show where he was asked what his thoughts were on 3000 saying he no longer is “inspired enough” to rap. Rule replied, telling Hall he was “heartbroken” by the OutKast member’s decision.

“We all love 3G,” he began. “For me, I think that hip-hop is moving into that stage like how rock ‘n’ roll did – it grew up.”

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He continued: “Hip-hop is growing up and I think it’s time for artists in my age bracket to continue making music so we have those classic hip-hop stations and those classic hip-hop songs.”

The ‘I’m Real’ rapper concluded: “The problem is that it’s still a pretty young genre when it comes to the art form and people who make it. I think it is time for us to kinda keep putting out that good music so we can have something for the fans.”

Lil Wayne also said it was “so depressing” that 3000 no longer wanted to rap.

“I thought that may be a downfall of me staying in it because at our age you may hear what’s going on and feel I’m so out of that,” he said. “I ain’t about to drop nothing. So that’s why I say I don’t listen. I just go in my little hole, I love what I do, put it out, and hopefully, we swing for the fences, man.”

Rule will be soon be releasing new music and embarking on a world tour, starting in the UK this March. His next record ‘Can We Watch The Sunrise Together?’ comes 12 years after the 2012 album, ‘Pain is Love 2’, and will honour the 25th anniversary of the 47-year-old’s debut single ‘Holla Holla’ and first-ever album ‘Venni Vetti Vecci’.

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He briefly explained the meaning behind the album title, saying: “If anybody’s [not] familiar with the significance of a sunrise; it’s new beginnings, fresh starts, resurrection. You always have a fresh new start every day and that’s what the ‘…Sunrise?’ project is about.”

Rule’s upcoming UK and Ireland tour – dubbed ‘The Sunrise Tour’ – will kick off on March 1 at Cardiff’s Utilita Arena Cardiff. He and fellow ’00s R&B juggernauts Keri Hilson, Lloyd and Mya will hit Birmingham, London, Liverpool and more before ending in Glasgow’s OVO Hydro. Those who want to buy tickets for ‘The Sunrise Tour’ can find them here. The tour also coincides with the 20th anniversary of Rule’s 2004 sixth studio album ‘R.U.L.E.’.

In other news, André 3000 recently revealed that he has collaborated with the mysterious British collective SAULT.