Latest Release
- NOV 17, 2023
- 1 Song
- Like Water For Chocolate · 2000
- Be · 2005
- Electric Circus · 2002
- Finding Forever · 2007
- Resurrection · 1994
- Be · 2005
- Glory (From the Motion Picture "Selma") - Single · 2014
- Kanye West Presents: Good Music - Cruel Summer · 2012
Essential Albums
- Intimate yet expansive in its depiction of his Windy City, Be is Common’s return to his street-poet roots after the quirky Electric Circus. There’s a starkly real yet ultimately positive worldview throughout, because Common brings as much thoughtfulness to a track about gangbanging (“The Corner”) as he does the gorgeous self-love anthem “It’s Your World.” It’s the equivalent of listening to riveting stories from your pops . . . but over a soulful, scratchy beat.
- Instinct fuels Common during his pre-artistic makeover era. The most enjoyable tracks are the ones where Com lets his guard down and lets us peek inside his mind. "The Question" ponders the imponderable, in a way that Tribe Called Quest did on "What?" He exacts revenge on some stick-up kids on "Payback is a Grandmother." The finest moment is "The Sixth Sense," a collaboration with DJ Premier that has everything a hip-hop track should have: smart lyrics, sharp hook, plus beats and scratches. With Common flying by the seat of his impulses, Like Water For Chocolate serves as a reminder that he is a rapper first and social theorist second.
Artist Playlists
- He spent the first part of his career becoming one of hip-hop's premiere lyricists.
- The Chicago rapper’s clips reflect his decades as a hip-hop sage.
- Contemplative gems buried in the rapper's discography.
- Sophisticated flows, sharp politics, and bright orchestration.
- The thoughtful MC's diet of conscious soul and righteous hip-hop.
Compilations
- Bobby Gonz
- Clyde Cyrus, soho & GHOSTOF9
- Brasstracks & Jarreau Vandal
More To Hear
- Common and Questlove discuss their creative processes.
- The artist takes over to talk 'A Beautiful Revolution, Pt. 2.'
- The artist and chef share their message of nourishment.
- The artist and chef share their message of nourishment.
- Common discusses his project 'A Beautiful Revolution Pt. 1.'
- Featuring K. Michelle, Common, Will Packer, and DJ Touré.
- Common details the journey behind his sophomore album.
More To See
About Common
Socially conscious rap superstar Common is a modern-day renaissance man. He’s written two memoirs, championed numerous causes, and appeared in dozens of films and TV shows en route to becoming a household name. • The Chicago native went by the name Common Sense for his first two studio albums, 1992’s Can I Borrow a Dollar? and 1994’s Resurrection. • In 2003, Common took home his first Grammy, winning Best R&B Song for “Love of My Life,” a collaboration with Erykah Badu. The song appears on the soundtrack for the film Brown Sugar, which Common cameos in. • Following the experimental 2002 album Electric Circus, Common quieted detractors with 2005’s Be, a poetic break from the street-rap sound then dominating the mainstream. • The Grammy-nominated Be was primarily produced by fellow Chicago native Kanye West. Yeezy referred to Common as the “Marvin Gaye of rap.” • In 2015, Common and John Legend won both the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Original Song for “Glory,” their uplifting anthem from the 2014 film Selma. • Common has launched numerous social justice initiatives throughout his career. In May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he started the No. WeMatterToo campaign to push for better conditions for incarcerated people.
- HOMETOWN
- Chicago, IL, United States
- BORN
- March 13, 1972
- GENRE
- Hip-Hop/Rap