Common is celebrating Hip-Hop 50 with one of the genre’s finest producers: Pete Rock. On a recent episode of MSNBC’s The Beat With Ari Melber, the Chicago rap legend surprised viewers with news that he’s collaborating with Rock for a forthcoming album.
“I been listening to a lot of ’90s hip-hop because I 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.”
He added, “But I am creating new music right now. I’m in a great space.”
Common, who was also a rap guest during VP Kamala Harris’ hip-hop celebration last weekend, added that being a part of the genre’s 50th anniversary is “a part of the progression” and that the music “brings people together.”
Rock, known for his collaborations with legendary emcees like CL Smooth, Nas, and Camp Lo, has long worked with Common, including Ice Cube diss track “The B**** In Yoo.” Recently, Cube opened up to Chicago’s FakeShoreDrive about Common supporting him during his first show in the Windy City.
“Love Chicago. My first show — my first big show outside of L.A. was at the Regal Theater in Chicago,” Cube said. “We forgot our record. We forgot one of our records that we were performing. Guess who took me to the record store to buy the record? I had to go buy our own record. It was Common.”
He continued, “He was opening up for us. I mean, we didn’t really know who he was and you know that’s just ya know one of those footnotes. Chicago has always welcomed us before the rest of the country. It was Chicago.”
The beef between Cube and Common has long ended, but the latter has continued his streak in hip-hop. The artist’s fourteenth and latest album, A Beautiful Revolution Pt. 2, released in 2021.
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