Lost & Found: Common Interview

Thursday, 05 July 2007 20:33

Common It was a Saturday morning and Rap City's Top 10 was on B.E.T. on a day when the sun must have been in a good mood as the sky was free of any dreary expressions. It was the first time my 11-year old ears heard I Used to Love H.E.R. That was over ten years ago and that morning is as crisp in my mind as my first kiss. That became the day when Common became my favorite emcee. Sure, he had an album prior, but Resurrection introduced a growing man attempting to leave his squeaky voice of Take It EZ and venture into the realm of adulthood. Every album released afterwards continues to show an artist challenging himself more spiritually and musically. So, when the experimental and overlooked Electric Circus was released in 2002, something that may have been natural to him seemed to not be slow enough for a fan base that was being spoon fed a declining mush known as 'rap music.' But now with his second album with fellow Chi-Town native Kanye West, he seems to overstand the system and find that balance between being artistically free and commercially appealing. Hoping to repeat and surpass where he left off with Be, he comes with Finding Forever, a dedication to Dilla and an attempt to make timeless music -- a road that seems less traveled. It's funny that we started our conversation about the album he loves least.

"When I explored with Electric Circus the masses wasn't ready," Common admits. "The difference with this new album compared to the others is the timing. This album is me rapping some of my best." And judging by the word on the street he ain't lying. Finding Forever is his seventh release, and in addition to working with Kanye West, he's drafted will.i.am for the production. This being the first album since the untimely death of J Dilla, Common's ex-roomate and frequent collaborator, Common admits that the title pays homage to his comrade. Dilla's sound, first heard with Common on Like Water for Chocolate, seemed ideal for the Chi-town ambassador. An emcee that we can depend on to have superior production is a factor that Common doesn't take lightly.

"I think with my albums the production was always good. But this time around the production is real good and accessible and what the people want. What they missin', pure Hip Hop everyone wanted." True to the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" approach, Common released the first two songs The People (featuring the soulful vocals of Dwele) and The Game featuring scratches by DJ Premier. (Both songs were produced by 'Ye). Since his first certified platinum album Be, Common seems to be more focused and in more places than ever.

Common He's started an acting career with Smoking Aces (featuring Alicia Keys who is a natural) along with the upcoming Denzel Washington-starring drama American Gangster (also featuring rapper T.I). Admitting that there's more acting gigs in the works, Com believes that the music is the top priority as he remarks about going home empty-handed at the last Grammys: "People said I looked sharp on TV/ at the Grammys/ though they tried to India.Arie me."

Right or wrong, Com has always come forth with honesty. He relates to his fans is able to talk about his insecurities and vanity alike. He began to talk about some of his favorite songs from his catalogue.

"All the songs are me and possess my spiritual tones. Like on Be my favorite song was Your World and it's from the perspective of me and my friends being in another world. And another verse I talk about a prostitute whose soul was flat out hurt. She had mad problems with guys which led her to where she was and it was real. I talked with a prostitute and this was actually things she was telling me. And my pops was talking on the end which made this song really move me the most on that album."

Ever since the Resurrection album, we've been blessed with vocal gems from Lonnie Lynn Senior (a.k.a Poppa Common). I remember childhood memories when I would get in trouble for writing rhymes in class as opposed to doing schoolwork, which made my father loathe the music wanting to be as far away from it as possible. Then there's Common's father. From his answering machine interlude on One Day… to his spoken word opuses on all of the albums since Resurrection, you realize that Common's upbringing is a part of him as an artist. He's your favorite emcee's emcee and isn't afraid to be himself even when it's not the norm. In a time when being politically active with your music isn't as popular as it was when Public Enemy did it in the late '80s, Common still ends up crafting such gems as A Song For Assata.

In the song Common talks about the life of Assata Shakur, an ex-Black Panther who was unjustly imprisoned but then miraculously escaped and became a political refugee in Cuba. Recently, the F.B.I. put a bounty on Assata's head with a one million dollar prize for her capture, an incident unlikely to happen since Fidel Castro made it clear that he wouldn't give her up. The Che in Common seems to come out as he begins discussing his encounters with Assata.

"She really felt the song that I did for her, she loved it. I played it for her and it truly moved her. I think what they're trying to do to her now is just showing how much things are just out of control. It ain't nothin' but the ignorant, the evils putting a bounty on her. It just doesn't make sense; the evil ones just can't get right. They can't just let peace remain, they always gotta disrupt it."

As Common speaks about Assata Shakur, he reveals why he has remained so significant with the times. Passion. Even Jay-Z, a multi-platinum artist who sold out shows at the Garden in record time, Beyoncé on his side, still declares that he would like to rhyme like "Common Sense". Even though he's regarded as one of the best in the biz, he's still uneasy.

"You know what I really want to prove with this album? I want this album to be for the people who said that, 'Aww man, Com is soft. He ain't hard with his shit. I can't listen to this conscious tip.' For them folks, I just want them to know that I've awaken. Something's gotta die to wake up the good. This album feels right and it feels good to know I got a place in this world. You'll see."

(photo credit: Dherick Jacobs)

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