Taken from ESPN and The Undefeated’s forthcoming EP compilation Liberated/Music From The Movement Vol. 3. In related news, Cordae will also be donating his proceeds from the EP to fund scholarships for students attending HBCUs.
Common Feat. Bilal – Letter To The Free (Video)
Taken from Common’s Black America Again (as well as the documentary The 13th).
Lil Bibby Feat. Common – Speak To Em
This is dope: Chicago’s Lil Bibby links with fellow peer and Hip-Hop vet Common for the track ‘Speak To Em’, produced by Jake One. Free Crack 3 drops November 27th.
Common To Host/Executive Produce New Show On Spike TV
Now this is a reality show that I would watch…spotted on EW:
Framework is coming to Spike TV. Hip-hop artist, actor, and author Common will host the non-scripted, 10 one-hour episode series created by Dwight D. Smith and Michael Agbabian.
The series follows 13 aspiring furniture designers over the course of 10 weeks as they compete in a series of challenges for $100,000 and the chance to have their work sold by a major manufacturer. A contestant will be eliminated each episode by a panel composed of Common and successful names in the furniture industry, Nolen Niu and Brandon Gore.
Smith and Agbabian will produce alongside Andrea Richter and Common. Framework premieres Tuesday, Jan. 6 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
MC Lyte Feat. Common – Dear John (Video)
MC Lyte’s new track, “Dear John” f/ Common & 10Beats, is the anthem for #EducateOURMen, which is the signature scholarship initiative of MC Lyte’s Hip Hop Sisters Foundation, which has presented two $100,000 university scholarships during the Soul Train Music Awards Red Carpet Pre-Show each year since the organization’s founding. This year, the foundation will present dozens of scholarships earmarked to send men to HBCU’s. Russell Simmons, Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Jada Pinkett Smith and Faith Evans are just of the few celebrities who support the foundation’s movement (EducateOURMen.info).
Lil Herb Feat. Common & Chance the Rapper – Fight Or Flight (Remix) (Video)
Chicago unites in the latest visual for Lil Herb, which sees him trading lyrics with city peers Common and Chance The Rapper for the remix to ‘Fight Or Flight’.
EVERYBODY UP: Roll Call (Feat. Common)
An NBA promo, with words of wisdom courtesy of Common.
Common – Kingdom Remix ft. Vince Staples & Jay Electronica
After a teaser, Common and slept-on Vince Staples add the elusive Jay Electronica to one of my favorites from his latest album. Ehhh Jay verse though
Common Talks New Album, Chicago With Hard Knock TV
Courtesy of Hard Knock TV (obviously):
Exclusive in-depth interview with Common. In part 1 Common talks to Nick Huff Barili about the concept behind his 10th album Nobody Smiling, working with Vince Staples on tracks for album, why the track he worked on with Chance The Rapper didn’t make the album, how he feels about Chiraq and much more. Stay tuned next week for more with Common.
Common Signs To No I.D.’s Artium Records/Def Jam
Common has announced that he signed a new deal with No I.D.’s Artium Recordings/Def Jam Recordings. Common’s last album The Dreamer/The Believer came out in 2011 under Warner Bros. Common has also announced the release date for his new album Nobody’s Smiling which is set to hit stores on July 22th.
No ID had this to say about Common Joining his label below:
“I’m honored to team up with No I.D. and be a part of the Artium and Def Jam family. Creating this album and signing to Def Jam feels like a new beginning for me. I feel like a new artist because I created this album with the purpose to give back to my city and to the culture of hip hop. Def Jam is part of the foundation of hip hop and being able to work with No I.D. was returning to my foundation now with new energy and new hunger.”
Common had to say about joining No ID’s label below:
“Common and I have a long history of making great music together,” said No I.D. “His rich legacy and robust talent are perfect additions to the Def Jam family. It’s particularly significant that he’s coming under our roof for his 10th album as a matured artist and cultural ambassador. It’s a tremendous boost for the spirit of Def Jam as well as the world of hip-hop.”
Common x Vince Staples “Kingdom”
After releasing his trailer yesterday, Common releases his new single with Vince Staples off his upcoming album Nobody Smiling. Produced by NO ID. The official video which is directed by the Legendary Hype Williams should be dropping very soon. I am very excited about this new Common album I think this album will be very dope.
Common x Vince Staples – Kingdom [Preview]
Common release the trailer for the first single “Kingdom.” with Vince Staples from his upcoming album Nobody Smiling, The track was produced by No I.D,directed by director Hype Williams. The track drops tomorrow and the album should be dropping sometime this year.
Dreezy x Common and Ross Augusta “No Good”
Dreezy releases her new track with her new Chi-town homie Common and Ross Augusta. Dreezy has really been on fire since the release of her Chi-raq freestyle. This new track could be a sign of a new project on the way. I really fucking with Dreezy right now, her “No Good” is a real good smooth record for the summer.
Common Talks ‘Chicagoland’ & Youth Jobs Initiative On CNN
Common stopped by CNN to talk about his appearance on Chicagoland and his Common Ground Foundation’s collaborative youth jobs initiative with Donda’s House.
Kanye West & Common Create 20,000 Jobs For Chicago Youth
Common (and Rhymefest, apparently) recently held a press conference to announce that his Common Ground Foundation has linked up with Kanye West’s Donda’s House to create 20,000 jobs for the youth in the city of Chicago. Statistics from the Chicago Urban League revealed that a whopping 92% of all Black male teens are currently unemployed. From Poppinlines:
Common is hopeful that The Chicago Youth Jobs Collaborative and its jobs will provide black youth with enough opportunity to detour them from a life of crime.
“Obviously, one of the biggest reasons our kids are going through what they’re going through is because of poverty. I was doing an event in the neighborhood and there were some kids from Englewood and I said, ‘Man, what do y’all really need? What’s gonna stop this?’ And they were like, ‘We need money. Man, if we could work.’ They want a chance,” said rapper Common.
And these won’t just be temporary jobs….
“It’s one thing to provide summer jobs for these kids, but we’re trying to provide year-round jobs,” said Andrea Zopp, CEO of the Chicago Urban League. “We’ve had hearings and the kids have told us that they need jobs year-round.”
The initiative will also launch a musical festival, the AAHH! FEST, that will act as a yearly fundraiser to raise money for the jobs and other programs. It will be held September 20-21 at 6300 S. Hayes Drive, behind the Museum of Science and Industry in Hyde Park. No word yet on the line-up for the festival but the organizers are hoping to pull a few big names from the Chi.
Common & Dreezy Speak On “Chi-Raq” On WGCI
Common & Dreezy stopped by WGCI to talk about Nicki Minaj & Lil Herb’s record ‘Chi-Raq‘ with UB Rodriguez. Common spoke about being inspired from the younger Chicago generation, and Dreezy (who has a version of the aforementioned single) inspires to be one of the best in the game. Common also announced the release date of his upcoming albumm, which is set to hit stores June 24th.
Wale x Rick Ross & Common – Sunshine (Remix)
Wale releases the remix for Sunshine with Rick Ross & Common off of 2013’s The Gifted. Produced by Tone P and Stokley Williams.
TRAILER: Common, Wale, Snow Tha Product & More – Catch The Throne (Mixtape)
Haven’t been watching the Throne lately? Luckily, HBO’s hit series Game of Thrones is helping viewers (both newbs and vets) catch up on seasons past with the Catch The Throne mixtape. Based off the novels penned by George R. R. Martin, the show gives fantasy drama its swag back, with the help of dragons, the smoking hot “Mother of Dragons” Khaleesi, inter-family scandal and sword-clashing across Seven Kingdoms.
Now, for season 4, HBO is adding hip-hop to the mix. Catch The Throne will carry new tracks from self-proclaimed GoT fans Common, Wale, Big Boi and Daddy Yankee, while also giving rising rappers, like Bodega Bamz and Snow Tha Product, shine. Each artist hopped in the booth and spit fire (pun intended) about the show’s characters and prevalent theme of power struggle.
“Game of Thrones centers around battles for power and rap is definitely a battle for power,” Comm says.
While the goal of the project was to attract more eyeballs for the new season, it was also intended to reach various audiences.
“Helping people catch up was the genesis of the idea,” Lucinda Martinez, the SVP of Multicultural Marketing at HBO told VIBE. “We know that hip-hop impacts all audiences and realized there were a lot of artists who were fans of the show. We thought this could be a great opportunity to have them sing or rap or whatever their artistic interpretation of the show was to help us create stunts that we could share through music.”
Expect Catch The Throne to drop on Soundcloud this month right before the show kicks off season 4 on April 6 on HBO. GoT Stans can also unite at the New York’s Barclays Center to catch a special screening on March 20. — Adelle Platon
Common Talks NFL’s N-Word Ban On ‘Outside The Lines’ (Video)
Apparently, NFL has now incorporated a new rule: if any player (or team member) gets caught saying the N-word on the field, the offending team gets hit with a 15-yard penalty. Homophobic slurs are apparently next in line for review as well.
Above, Common appeared on ESPN’s Outside The Lines to speak on the matter.
Blaqstarr x Common – Dear Diamond (Video)
Baltimore DJ Blaqstarr — who is signed to Diplo’s Mad Decent imprint — releases a visual for a record with Common from his EP Blaqfiles. Next month, he plans to release a new 3-song EP entitled Trinity.
Common – The Liftoff Freestyle (Video)
Common dropped some bars over ‘The Food’ instrumental during his visit at Power 106 in L.A.
Common ft. Ab-Soul – Made In Black America (Prod. by No I.D.)
The LA Leakers drop a new leak from Common’s upcoming album Nobody Smiling, produced by No I.D. (Of course) and featuring AB-Soul.
Common Speaks On Chance The Rapper, Vic Mensa, Lil Bibby & More
In the second part of his interview with VIBE, Common talks about some of the new artists coming up in Chicago. The veteran emcee says that he has a lot of love for Chance the Rapper specifically, and loves his style.
Common Speaks On Features On His New Album
Common sits down with VIBE Magazine to talk about his new album Nobody Smiling, which is set to hit stores in the Spring. In the interview, he gives details on the album’s features….Vince Staples and James Fauntleroy will appear on the album along with a few up and coming Chicago rappers.