11 Questions with Common

Name: Common

Current Release: 'B.E.'

11 Questions Quotable: She is expressing her creative side, her gangster side, her businesswoman side.
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What was your reaction when first found out you were nominated for five Grammys?//


It’s been a beautiful rebirthing for my career. I just said God is good, that’s all I could think. I couldn’t wait to tell my mom’s. It was just a beautiful experience.///


Between yourself, John Legend and Kanye West, you were all nominated for 21 Grammy nominations. What were the phone conversations like?///


We were happy but at the same time we were confident and just feeling like, man, our music is getting recognized by people that regard music and who have been around music. It would be really good if we came out of there with a lot of Grammys.///


Are you surprised that it took this long for Chi-town hip-hop scene to get its due?///


Naw I ain’t surprised. It just took time. It came at the right time where I laid down certain foundations, Twista done what he could do, Kanye came and just took it to the next level and still embraced every Chicago artist. It just came at the right time with the right people.///


Growing up, which MCs influenced you?///


KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, Special Ed, EPMD and NWA.///


After your relationship with Erykah Badu, do you prefer dating someone who is in the public eye or who is behind the scenes?///


I prefer behind the scenes. Because its your personal life, you might not want to share everything with the public because everybody doesn’t have your best interest at your heart.///


Before recording ‘Electric Circus,’ you started listening to rock artists to draw inspiration. What new influences have there been on your latest title, ‘B.E.’///


In terms of new music, mostly Kanye only. I went back and listened to ‘Illmatic’ and ‘Cuban Link’ and ‘Midnight Marauders.’///


What do you say to your fans who didn’t understand or enjoy ‘Electric Circus’///


It’s part of my journey of being an artist. It’s part of the growth for me.///


On the single “The Corner”, you collaborated with The Last Poets. Would you label yourself as a modern day Last Poet?///


Naw, I can’t say that. I can’t say I’m a modern day Last Poet. Because the Last Poets were doing something so revolutionary. And I’m making hip-hop music and hip-hop is what it is right now. I would like to be able to carry some of the traditions and sprit they brought because it was very powerful and revolutionary and soulful. I do read their songs to get inspiration.///


What was the relationship like between you and your uncle who passed away from AIDS and talk about your involvement in “The Know is Spreading,” campaign.///


How I got involved was it was something I wanted to speak out about. My uncle did pass and that was part of the inspiration of me wanting to participate in that campaign. I felt like I gotta say something in the world.///


In reference to ‘I Used to Love Her,’ what is she/hip hop doing now?///


I think she is becoming a grown person. She is expressing her creative side, her gangster side, her businesswoman side. She’s been through a lot of trials and tribulations and is still actually showing growth. She’s open minded and allowing progressive artists to touch her and allowing gangsters to touch her. She is taking care of business. I love her. I love hip-hop.///


'BE' is your most successful album so it would be great to gauge your ideas on that.///


A lot of people didn’t even know about my previous albums so it’s a new beginning. Putting out music that means something that can touch people, motivate people, that’s fire.///



ITS G.O.O.D!

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Oh, aight.

Now are you interested?!

lmao!! .

thats extremely dope..before get lifted, late registration, and be dropped i was tryin to invesy in G.O.O.D. but couldnt find any info on it...now they nominated for 21 grammys...i'da been rich

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That's tight, although his underated, he has some of the best rhyming/poet skills in the industry. keep it up common.

thank god someone like common is getting that kind of recognition....im happy about that

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ye its about fuckin time common was recognized for his talents. props