Common Interview with CraveOnline (talking about new Album and his future)

[Lazar]

By: Dante Maddox

After putting on one heck of a show at the Zune Live at the BBQ event, Common went back to his trailer and got ready to talk to CraveOnline about his new album (Finding Forever which hits stores on July 31st), his latest movie project, and where he stands at this point in his career. Having been a long time leader in the Hip Hop community in terms of his positive lyrics and fan friendly demeanor, it was truly an honor to get a few moments to ask…

Crave Online: What can we expect from the new album ‘Finding Forever’?

Common: The new album, Finding Forever is a growth from ‘Be’ it’s like, it really embodies what I think soulful Hip Hop is about where you have the boom bap and all the MC’ing on it but then, you know, you have instrumentation and certain other elements of soul singing that takes it to another place. I think it’s a fresh sound as far as the album is going.

Crave Online: Do you feel like at this point in your career, with the success of ‘Be’, that you have hit a new stride or even a second wind?

Common: Yeah, I definitely feel new energy since ‘Be’, I always say in interviews [that] ‘Electric Circus’ was a completion of one revolution, of one circle and boom it ended, and ‘Be’ was the start of a new circle. So, I really gotta keep going so that we’ll be here ten years from now and you can say that [I’ve] completed that next revolution, yo cause I feel like people ask me all the time like yo, with Hip Hop the way it is at a certain point you ain’t gone be makin’ no more Hip Hop. I look at it like a jazz musician might, because music is infinite ad I want to be able to make it as long as I’m breathin’.

Crave Online: Alright, we saw ‘Smokin’ Aces’, we saw you act, the movie was great, you were great in it. We heard about a new project with [Comic writer] Mark Millar, how is that going?

Common: That movie was really great, it was a great experience, its called ‘Wanted’ and it stars Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman, and James McAvoy, I play this character named the ‘Gun Smith’, and man it really was a beautiful experience, we shot it in Prague, I finished [the movie] up, they're still shooting, but man, I just learned a lot on there, to be one of those characters, its funny, most of the roles I’ve been getting I’m shooting guns, or holding guns and that’s the exact opposite of what Common is about, at least I ain’t for shooting for no reason, I’m only down if its to protect one’s self. Anyway, it’s ironic that I’m taking on those characters but its fun.

Crave Online: Will that be a big thing in the future? The acting and the music?

Common: Definitely cause I want to expand as an artist, and really grow. You want to stay excited about things you're doing and I think me being able to act adds more to me making music, it also takes some of the pressure off.

Crave Online: What’s the next big tour date?

Common: The next big tour starts in September, we definitely plan to put on a show. A true show with live music, DJ’in’, and theater, so that’s what it’ll be a mix of.

Crave Online: And finally we heard you have moved out to LA, how is the West Coast treating ya?

Common: I love LA man, LA is one of the freshest places on earth, its sunny, beautiful, it’s beautiful people out here, I like riding up the coast, and I get a lot of work done and feel relaxed.

Source: craveonline.com