Andre 3000 is probably the most eccentric and eclectic hip-hop artist of all-time and his body of work proves just that and why he is one of the greatest as well. Andre 3000 is known as one-half of the notorious and legendary hip-hop duo, Outkast alongside Atlanta rapper, Big Boi and surpassed superstardom with their list of albums. The two first arrived on the scene with their 1994 debut album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, which shook up the entire industry's perspective of southern hip-hop and after dropping hits like 'Jazzy Belle', 'So Fresh & So Clean', 'I Like The Way You Move', and 'Ms. Jackson' there was no denying that both Andre and Big Boi were a force to be reckoned with.
One flaw Andre 3000 might have is that he's never dropped an official solo album, the double disk, 'Speakerboxxx/The Love Below' could arguably be considered solo projects from both artists but still, puts an asterisk next to 3 Stacks name as the greatest of all time. Andre 3000 has supposedly retired from rap but pops up from time to time as a guest feature on other artist's projects. He recently released a two-song EP entitled, Look Ma No Hands, dedicated to his deceased mother this past Mother's Day.
When we think of inventors, the image that comes to mind is usually that of a frazzled scientist toiling away in a lab, not celebrities pulled from the pages of Us Weekly. However, a number of well-known public figures hold patents for various innovations. Some are related to the work that made them famous, while others are offshoots of hobbies or just a single great idea.
Part of guitar wizard Eddie Van Halen's signature sound was his two-handed tapping technique, but letting all ten fingers fly while simultaneously holding up the guitar's neck could get a bit tricky. Van Halen came up with a novel way to get around this problem, though; he invented a support (top) that could flip out of the back of his axe's body to raise and stabilize the fretboard so he could tap out searing songs like "Eruption." While Van Halen was obviously interested in improving his guitar work, the patent application he filed in 1985 notes that the device would work with any stringed instrument. Want to tap out a scorching mandolin solo? Find someone selling Eddie's device.
It’s probably not surprising that James Cameron—who designed a submersible to take him to the deepest known part of the ocean—will often invent technology to make his films if what he needs doesn’t exist. He holds a number of patents, including US Patent No. 4996938, “apparatus for propelling a user in an underwater environment,” that he and his brother, Michael, created to film The Abyss and patented in 1989. The device is basically an underwater dolly equipped with propellers that makes it easy for a camera operator to maneuver in the water—and allowed Cameron to capture the shots he wanted for the 1989 film, part of which was filmed in an abandoned nuclear reactor.
In 1987 Jamie Lee Curtis designed and patented a disposable diaper that included a waterproof pocket that held baby wipes. She hasn't profited from her idea yet, though, since she refuses to license the patent until diaper companies make biodegradable products.
You know him as a rock legend, but Neil Young also loves trains—so much that he owns a stake in a model train manufacturing company and has an extensive collection. He also holds seven patents related to model trains, including Patent No. US5441223, "Model train controller using electromagnetic field between track and ground."