I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a 'Rap' Album but This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time

"I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a 'Rap' Album but This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time" is an instrumental by American musician André 3000 and the opening track from his debut studio album New Blue Sun (2023). Upon its debut on the Billboard Hot 100, it became the longest song to chart on the Hot 100, overtaking Tool's "Fear Inoculum".

Background
In an interview with NPR Music, André 3000 explained the song's title saying: "So the title, "I Really Wanted To Make A Rap Album, But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time" [is] because this album is about wind and breathing. In that way, it is true. It is literally blowing me this way and I'm blowing flutes and I'm blowing digital instruments." He chose the song as the opening track from New Blue Sun because he wanted to make it clear that the album did not contain rap, not wanting to mislead people.

Composition
The song is instrumental and ambient, without vocals. It features instrumental contributions from André 3000 on flute, Carlos Niño on percussion and production, Surya Botofasina on keyboard, and Nate Mercereau on guitar.

Reception
AllMusic's Fred Thomas described the song as "among the most structured pieces, moving in patient ripples." Sadie Sartini Garner of Pitchfork described it as flooded with "a mood as blue and deep as the water off Catalina." HipHopDX 's Dash Lewis described André 3000's "command of rhythm" as "sinewy and elastic as ever." Gerrod Harris of Spill Magazine wrote that the song is "an exercise in anticipation, but rather than cause tension as it builds, the anticipation is accompanied by a sense of peace." American rapper Lupe Fiasco released a remix to the song, rapping over the instrumental.

The song debuted at number 90 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is André 3000's seventh Hot 100 entry as a solo artist. Upon the song's release, it became the longest song to chart on the Hot 100, overtaking Tool's "Fear Inoculum".