Earlier this week Common’s single Sweet premiered on Hot 97. He got on the phone with XXL to discuss the rant on the end of the song.
When I heard “Sweet†I though to myself, “I haven’t heard Common talk shit like that since One Day It’ll All Make Sense.†What made you bring that old Common back?
Common: It’s funny you say the old Common, ‘cause one of my boys said, “Man, you remind me of when you was at FAMU [Florida A&M University] when he heard that song. He was like, “I’ve been waiting for that song for 20 years from you. I think what I did was just not put that responsibility of saying, “Man, OK, just because I went to the White House, I can’t express that side of me. Or just because I’m doing this brand partnership and because I am speaking to the kids and say, “Do something right,†that still don’t mean I ain’t an adult that feel like, “Nigga, get yo’ hoe ass out of here,†or I’ma fight when I need to fight. I had to make that decision for myself and part of it was just me being more comfortable in my skin and being like, “I’m a man, I ain’t gotta sit around and be worried about what everybody is gon think. I just gotta be who I am, what I am and say what I feel and if that shit come out not the right thing, it’s not the right thing sometimes. But it’s right because it’s what I’m feeling and it’s true to the art and it’s music.
Common: It’s funny you say the old Common, ‘cause one of my boys said, “Man, you remind me of when you was at FAMU [Florida A&M University] when he heard that song. He was like, “I’ve been waiting for that song for 20 years from you. I think what I did was just not put that responsibility of saying, “Man, OK, just because I went to the White House, I can’t express that side of me. Or just because I’m doing this brand partnership and because I am speaking to the kids and say, “Do something right,†that still don’t mean I ain’t an adult that feel like, “Nigga, get yo’ hoe ass out of here,†or I’ma fight when I need to fight. I had to make that decision for myself and part of it was just me being more comfortable in my skin and being like, “I’m a man, I ain’t gotta sit around and be worried about what everybody is gon think. I just gotta be who I am, what I am and say what I feel and if that shit come out not the right thing, it’s not the right thing sometimes. But it’s right because it’s what I’m feeling and it’s true to the art and it’s music.
You also had the line, “Take a dive like Greg Louganis and his bitch ass.†He hit his head on the diving board. What made you come up with that line?
I mean, he was soft. He was gay. [Laughs] At that time, I was just saying what was on my mind. I had a different way of thinking then in a way. I’m still gon’ say what’s on my mind, but you know, now whatever that person doing, that’s what they do. You can hear on “Sweet†I’m like, “You soft ass muthafuckas, hoe ass niggas.†I’m just gon let it out, if I gotta let it out.
I mean, he was soft. He was gay. [Laughs] At that time, I was just saying what was on my mind. I had a different way of thinking then in a way. I’m still gon’ say what’s on my mind, but you know, now whatever that person doing, that’s what they do. You can hear on “Sweet†I’m like, “You soft ass muthafuckas, hoe ass niggas.†I’m just gon let it out, if I gotta let it out.
