Common and Q-Tip Tour Together

(Swiped from Pitchfork Media)

Common and Q-Tip will herald the release of the B-Ball Zombie War compilation (on which Q-Tip appears) with a tour together, sponsored by 2K Sports. Joining them will be Stones Throw MC and fellow Zombie contributor Percee P, who just released his long-awaited debut LP.Tip has a couple long-awaited, oft-postponed albums in the works; right now, The Renaissance is due in "early 2008" according to a press release. And in a recent interview with XXLMag.com, he announced that he and Common have formed a group together called the Standard. (These guys are probably pissed.)

The two have not, however, started recording together yet, and the remaining details remain unclear, except that Q-Tip will handle most of the production and that a few tracks may feature Kanye West. In addition to the joint tour, Common has a handful of dates on his own. He's also in the movie American Gangster with Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington coming out soon, and is filming Wanted with Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman and The Night Watchman with Keanu Reaves and Forest Whitaker.As previously reported, Stones Throw will release B-Ball Zombie War on October 2.

Common - Drivin' Me Wild (Featuring Lily Allen)

Drumroll usage = Sickness.

Lily Allen is too cute, seriously. She's awesome.

Common is #1!

After 14 years of giving us such classics as "Resurrection," "One Day It'll All Make Sense," and "Like Water For Chocolate," Common has finally notched his first #1 album with "Finding Forever," a Kanye West led excursion through the land of the Soulquarians Sound. This was a period in which "Like Water For Chocolate" still resonates with Common's core fanbase, where the beats were a rich tapestry, the hammond organs churning, the drums were pulsating, vibrant, yet relaxed, and the lyricism showed more of a reflective and conscious side.

So many people may ask, after hearing the Chi-town soul of "Be" what the difference is between Finding Forever and Be. If anything, some people have gone so far as to dub it "Be-Lite," but there is several reasons as to why this CD is awesomely dope. Kanye chooses the same approach as on last year's "Be" using old school soul interwoven into a deftly made canvas to allow Common to place his conscious and hard hitting lyricism. Take for example "Misunderstood" which is made by Devo Springsteen, which utilizes the Nina Simone song of the same name. Simone's vocals are reshaped into a soulful and heartfelt song about getting closer to God, while "Black Maybe" focuses on how behavior and culture meet and the consequences it can cause, specifically focusing in on the second verse which seems like it refers to a quick witted rise and fall of the modern day sports star, and how his friends will be quick to shoot him in the back.

This may be just a quick synopsis if nothing else of what to expect on Common's album "Finding Forever." While not entirely his best effort, it's still a worthy mention.