Common
Source: @conradclifton / Hip-Hop Wired
Legendary Hip-Hop icons Common and Pete Rock sat down for the latest edition of I Got Questions.
For Common and Pete Rock, their collaborations in the past have been a blessing for Hip-Hop culture. And the public got to see one of their dreams realized as the duo released The Auditorium, Vol. 1 as the summer began. Now, as the two are finishing off their tour in support of the album in New York City this week, HipHopWired got them both to sit down and discuss their careers and partnership in the latest edition of the digital series I Got Questions.
Source: @conradclifton / Hip-Hop Wired
The conversation starts with a bang as Common discusses their first collaboration, the scathing 1996 diss track “The B*tch In You,” which was part of the feud the Chicago rapper had with Ice Cube.
“That was a tough time, but what made you decide to do that beat?” Common asked. “Just being in your house at that time, meeting your moms, and being concerned. Like, calm down,” Pete Rock said with a laugh. At that point, Common revealed that a lot of producers had initially turned him down for that track, surprising Pete. “I know what it’s like to want to get something off your chest,” he replied, as Common agreed and said he’s glad the team up happened and that it’s now a part of Hip-Hop.
Both discussed their first steps into rap, with Common sharing how he started rhyming through his late cousin’s crew in Cincinnati, Ohio, as well as being part of a group with veteran producer No I.D. and opening for Big Daddy Kane and N.W.A. Pete Rock reminisced on when he first met C.L. Smooth in high school and getting signed off the strength of their demo tapes. “That bugs me out to this day,” he said, “because I was just learning how to formulate music, and to get signed off of that by a major label…it was cooking.”
Source: @conradclifton / Hip-Hop Wired
Other gems from the conversation include Common revealing that The Source had planned to do an album full of Unsigned Hype artists like himself including The Notorious B.I.G., Mobb Deep, and Eminem, as well as Pete Rock detailing how he and Nas got together with the help of Large Professor to make the classic “The World Is Yours” track from the Queensbridge MC’s Illmatic.
Check out the entire I Got Questions episode featuring Common and Pete Rock above.
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You know you can’t have a Democratic presidential campaign without Common‘s involvement. On Tuesday (August 20), the Chicago MC performed at the United Center to open the second night of the Democratic National Convention in his hometown.
The “Chi-City” rapper hit the stage with Grammy Award-winning Gospel singer Jonathan McReynolds to perform “Fortunate.” The song appears on The Auditorium Vol. 1, Common’s recently released, critically acclaimed collaborative album with producer Pete Rock.
Also schedule to perform is iconic Soul singer Patti LaBelle.
The keynote speakers for the evening are scheduled to by Dem royalty and former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.
And in another example of Hip-Hop’s presence at the DNC, DJ Cassidy brought his Pass The Mic theme by provided the music to the roll call vote. Can we say a DNC roll call vote has never been this entertaining.
Actually, Lil Jon came out to perform during Georgie’s roll call vote, so it’s official.
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OG Hip-Hoppers know that Pete Rock is one of the GOAT producers of the game. Though he hasn’t experienced the commercial success that some of your favorite beatsmiths have over the last few decades, the man has created many classics with some of the greatest MC’s to ever touch the mic.
Now that he’s been in the lab with the legendary wordsmith in Common and crafting a brand new project in The Auditorium, Vol. 1, Pete Rock and Common are collaborating to bring some soulful sounds with meaningful content to their day-one fans and the culture in general. Dropping off their first single in “Dreamin,’” Common brings back the denim vest while Pete Rock returns with the pimp tracksuit to show y’all they mean business. If this first cut is any indication of what we can expect from The Auditorium, we’re definitely in for quite a show as the chemistry between these two artists blend perfectly.
In a press release for the project, Common explains how it was working with the legendary Pete Rock in the studio:
“Pete Rock is one of the greatest creators Hip-Hop and music has ever seen. It has been a dream of mine to work with him on an album. And once we got together and I I was around him and all his records and his MPC, I felt the spirit of what I always loved in Hip-Hop in soul music and why I wanted to be a part of the artform. His beats, his production, his scratches, took me to a place where I could just MC freely. It felt I like I was home.”
Check out Common and Pete Rock’s first single “Dreamin’” below, and let us know if you’ll be checking for The Auditorium, Vol. 1 when it drops July 12.
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It’s been a few months since Common revealed that he and legendary Hip-Hop producer, Pete Rock were in the kitchen cooking up some new work for the old heads that have been following their careers since the early 90’s. On Wednesday, May 22, we get a sample in the form of their new single “Wise Up.”
Wanting to take it back to the essence of Hip-Hop, Common and Pete Rock collaborate to create a sound reminiscent of Hip-Hop’s golden era while sonically giving heads something to bump and bop to in 2024. In a press release for the new single, Common explains why they decided to go with this record for their first single.
“’Wise Up’ represents the coming together of a New York Producer and a Chicago MC doing the hip-hop we love. It feels like the spirit of where we come from, the boom bap, the basement, but it also feels forward and new. We wanted this to be the first joint because this record captures a new sound and is a new light but speaks directly to our hip-hop family” said Common in a statement.
Pete Rock echoed the feeling and praised Common for his artistry and mastery of the mic, adding, “Working with Common was a breath of fresh air. We both connected to a higher power, which helped us tap into our greatest level of creativity. We constructed an amazing project! Common has an incredible soul, so it was easy to connect with someone who is on the same page as me.”
The joint came out hella dope.
Check out the visuals to “Wise Up” and let us know your thoughts on the song in the comments section below.
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Jeezy and Common take part in a new documentary examining Hip-Hop’s journey to being embraced on the American political landscape.
As the 2024 presidential election season is in full swing, a new documentary is set to debut with a focus on the relationship that Hip-Hop culture now has with politics. Hip-Hop And The White House is a new feature that examines the journey of the culture’s acceptance by the executive branch of the nation, with prominent artists such as Jeezy and Common appearing to share their perspectives. The film is produced by &360, an anthology franchise created by Andscape, the multimedia platform created by ESPN and Disney to focus on the major contributions of Black people to American society.
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Hip-Hop And The White House will also feature notable figures such as U.S. Representative Maxine Waters, KRS-One, Roxanne Shante, Bun B, YG, Bakari Kitwana, Farai Chideya, Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, Curren$y, Dave “Davey D” Cook, Grandmaster Caz and more. Jesse Washington, who is also an executive producer of the documentary along with Jeezy, is directing. Other producers include Dwayne Bray, Jason Aidoo, Jordan Benston, Mary Almonte, Steve Reiss and Ernest Dukes.
Jeezy spoke at length about the documentary in a recent interview with MSNBC host and analyst Ari Melber. “This documentary was to educate people on how much our impact and our influence is needed in this country,” he began. “Because if you want to talk to Black and brown people, you got to talk through them. And we are the ones that are the translators, you can’t talk directly to them unless you come to one of us, whoever that may be.”
The Church In These Streets rapper continued: “I think that’s something that everybody should be able to understand, that this is not just violence when we talk about this…when you think about, you know, everything that comes along with Hip-Hop is always negative. We do positive stuff as well. We actually are able to speak to our people, mobilize our people. I think that’s important.”
Hip-Hop And The White House will make its premiere on Hulu on April 22. Check out the trailer above.
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Look out Hip-Hop purists for some ’90s heavyweight OG’s who are linking up to give us older heads something new for 2024.
On Monday (Jan. 22), Common was a featured guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers as he’s been making the media rounds to promote his latest book, And Then We Rise. During the interview, the Chicago MC, and actor, was asked if he was working on some new music for public consumption. A visibly animated Common excitedly announced that he is indeed working on a new project with none other than the legendary producer Pete Rock.
“I’m working on a new album with the legendary Pete Rock as the producer and man I’m so enthused and inspired about this project… and Seth, I’m already plugging and saying, can I come back and perform some of this music?” Common said.
After joking that he’d have to “run it up the flagpole” to his show’s producers, Seth gleefully accepted and told Common “I would love to have you back!” before calling him the “LeBron James of rap.”
Word?! We love Common but calling him the LeBron James of rap? We’re not sure about that one, but hey, we’re not mad at it either. Just sayin’.
After posting the clip from the show, Common also posted a picture of himself with Pete Rock in the studio with a caption reading, “The Legendary @realpeterock We are Cooking.”
With Pete Rock producing Common’s classic Ice Cube diss record, “The Bitch In Yoo,” we wonder if this project will feature another record in which Common goes at someone’s neck–even though he doesn’t seem to be beefing with anyone at the moment. Maybe he’ll rehash his drama with Drake or throw a dart or two at Tiffany Haddish. Hey, you never know.
What do y’all think of Common and Pete Rock dropping a brand new album together? Are y’all excited? Let us know in the comments section below.
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The rumors have been swirling around for months, but this week Common and Jennifer Hudson confirmed that they are dating.
The rapper is set to appear on The Jennifer Hudson Show today (Jan. 22).
In a teaser preview, Hudson, 42, introduces the Chicago rapper with a rap freestyle saying, “Now y’all know I’m a singer, but I’ve been around this hip-hop thing a little bit.” When he emerges, Common, 51, presents her with a large floral bouquet.
“Now, we gotta get down to business, Mr. Common. I’m a host and so I have to ask you this question ’cause everybody always wanna know this — are you dating anyone?” Hudson asks in the clip.
“I’m in a relationship that is with one of the most beautiful people I ever met in life,” he said coyly. “She’s smart, she loves God, she has something real down-to-earth about her, she’s talented.”
“But I set my standard kind of high because she had to have an EGOT,” he continued. “She had to win an Oscar on her first movie. I set my stand high. She had to get her own talk show.”
In the clip, Hudson blushes at his response.
They then reverse the performance with him asking her if she is seeing anyone and she responds that she is “very happy” in her current relationship.
Common adds, “This relationship is a happy place for me,” he shared. “Seeing her happy actually makes me really happy. So, I’m very grateful. I thank God each and every day, and I’m just letting God guide this relationship.”
The couple are both Chicago natives and rumors have been swirling that they were dating for nearly a year after they were seen out and about together in both Philadelphia and their hometown.
In November, Hudson sat down for an interview with Gayle King where she also confirmed that she was “very happy.”
“Word on the street is you’re very happy,” co-host Gayle King asked, according to BET. “I am very happy, yes ma’am,” the singer replied, though she stopped short of name-dropping who the person is.
“In a very nice relationship with someone who shall remain nameless,” King added.
It looks like that special “someone” is no longer nameless.
Check out the full clip below.
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Hip-Hop legends Common and Pete Rock are teaming up to incorporate the 90’s sound into today’s flows.
During a recent appearance on MSNBC’s The Beat With Ari Melber, the Grammy award-winning rapper confirmed he has a new project on the way with the legendary hitmaker and the project’s heartbeat will be centered around Hip-Hop from the 1990s.
“I [have] been listening to a lot of ’90s Hip Hop because I [have] been creating a new project,” Common said. “I’m working on a new album with Pete Rock and just, the energy of that music, whether it’s Brand Nubian, A Tribe Called Quest, or De La Soul because they just got their music on streaming, it’s been inspiring to hear. But I am creating new music right now. I’m in a great space.”
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Pete Rock also confirmed the news by sharing a screenshot of a post regarding the fact he was working with the Chi-Town wordsmith to Instagram on Wednesday (Sept. 13) and sounded off on what people can expect from the collaboration. “You ever miss that feeling of a good release in hip hop?” he asked in the caption. “Remember how exciting that felt??? We both excited as a mafugga. I always feel like I got something to prove but its just fun to me to make music,” the 53-year-old producer wrote. “Competing to make good music with all the different personalities involved today just gotten dry. We love hip hop and you will know just how much stay tuned!!!”
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The collab marks the third reunion between the dynamic duo. Common and Pete Rock first worked together over 25 years ago for “The B*tch In Yoo.” The 1996 track from the label compilation Relativity Urban Assault found Common responding to Ice Cube and Mack 10 for “Westside Slaughterhouse”—which appeared on Mack’s self-titled debut album, and marked an early Westside Connection posse cut whereby Cube jabbed Common for his lyrics in 1994 Resurrection single and video “I Used To Love H.E.R.”
Although “The B*tch In Yoo” landed on Common’s greatest hits compilation, that beef was later squashed, as Common and Cube worked together in film and music. Common would also guest appear on Pete Rock’s solo debut Soul Survivor on the verbal assault-driven track, “Verbal Murder 2,” alongside Big Pun and N.O.R.E.
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Source: Kevin Dietsch / Getty / Vice President Kamala Harris
Over the weekend, Vice President Kamala Harris held a huge bash to celebrate Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary.
One of the biggest parties celebrating Hip-Hop 50 went down in Washington D.C. on Saturday, Sep. 9, at the Vice President’s residence.
With the VP handling hosting duties with some help from Club Quarantine’s owner, DJ D Nice, Hip-Hop vets like Common, Roxanne Shante, Dougie Fresh, MC Lyte, and Slick Rick all hit the stage to perform tunes out of their iconic catalogs.
“Hip-hop now shapes nearly every aspect of American popular culture, and it reflects the incredible diversity and ingenuity of the American people. I truly believe hip-hop is one of America’s greatest exports,” VP Harris told the roughly 400 guests in attendance.
The Second Gentleman, Douglas Emhoff, added, “This is a hip-hop household!”
Lil Wayne Was A Big Surprise
The day also featured scorching performances from Fat Joe and Remy Ma, who hit the stage to perform “All The Way Up,” but the biggest surprise came when Lil Wayne made an appearance.
For those who still remember, Lil Wayne let us all down when he decided to take a picture with Agent Orange, disgraced former President and leader of the mayo-infused insurrection, Donald Trump.
Trump, more than likely caping for some Black votes, gave Weezy a pardon, but he denied shilling for Trump.
Per Variety, after his surprise set, which included a “Mrs. Officer” performance off his critically acclaimed album Tha Carter III during the concert, Wayne told attendees, “I can’t believe I’m here.”
We’re sure many of the guests felt the same due to his previous actions, but hey, we all can appreciate when a person rights their wrongs.
Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty
VP Kamala Harris Dancing To “Vivrant Thing” Was A Vibe
Of course, the reactions were pouring in on X (formerly Twitter) about the event, specifically the MVP’s dance moves. A video of VP Harris hitting her auntie two-step to Q-Tip’s classic record “Vivrant Thing” has made its rounds on social media.
Shoutout to the MVP for giving Hip-Hop its flowers and celebrating the art form in a space many would have never thought you would hear rap at.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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Photo: Getty Images
2. Love to see it
3. The VP is right
4. Hold up
5. Love to see it.
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