INTERVIEW: Common Talks About His New Album
By Jessica Mlinaric in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 3, 2014 4:00PM
Chicago hip hop icon Common previewed tracks from his upcoming album at an event held at Untitled on Tuesday. Nearly 400 attendees packed the River North venue to listen as Common provided insight into each track. Common’s 10th studio album, Nobody’s Smiling, is set for release on July 22.
Presented by Miller Fortune and Complex, the event was emceed by Rhymefest and featured DJ sets by DJ Timbuck2 and DJ Jermaine. Common joined Def Jam last month, signing to the label’s No I.D.-helmed ARTium imprint. Common’s collaboration with longtime friend No I.D. on Nobody’s Smiling arrives just in time for the 20th anniversary of his breakthrough album Resurrection, also produced by No I.D.
For Nobody’s Smiling, the Chicago natives set out to create a concept album addressing the city’s violence epidemic. Addressing the crowd on Tuesday, Common said, “We’re more than musicians, we’re activists. We want action.”
The album’s first single, “Kingdom,” featuring Vince Staples and backing by a gospel choir, equates survival with spirituality to chilling and powerful effect. On the Notorious B.I.G.-sampling “Speak My Piece,” dropped just this week, Common insists he’s not going to take the state of the city sitting down: “Lay it down for the world, for Chicago I stand.”
Along with the two previously released singles, Common previewed the album’s eight other tracks. They ranged from the bombast of club-friendly “Diamonds” to the heart-rending reflection of time lost with No I.D. and the late J Dilla on “Rewind That.”
Common expressed that one way to make up for lost time with friend and producer No I.D. was to bring Nobody’s Smiling back full circle to their Chicago roots. In an interview with Chicagoist he said, “I want people to feel motivated. I want them to feel inspired. This album is dedicated to Chicago in many ways, but it’s not only for Chicagoans to listen to. I want the whole world, universe, people, to listen to it and feel like, ‘Man, I can accomplish something in life. No matter what dark space I’m in, there’s always light somewhere.’”
Nobody’s Smiling features a stratified sound texturally and lyrically with challenging time signatures. Rhymefest was quick to point out influences spanning world music to Chicago house. “There’s really a fresh sound to this album,” said Common. “No I.D. has never done production like this, and I feel like I’ve never rapped the way I rap on some of these songs. It feels good to have something new.”
Don’t expect to see the Grammy Award winner and actor on the cover of Nobody’s Smiling. The album has multiple covers which feature Chicago street rappers including King Louie and Dreezy in addition to one of himself.
“I’m very proud of having an album cover that I’m not on. Featuring different artists from Chicago is a real pure way for me to give back,” he said. “They represent Chicago and they represent Nobody’s Smiling, so I’m proud of that…If I’m going to talk about helping Chicago then I’ve gotta help out the artists too. To give back, I owe it to them.”
Despite the city’s challenges, Chicago is a place Common is honored to represent. “It’s something that I wear with pride. I’m grateful,” he said. “We were some of the first hip-hop acts to come from Chicago: Twista, Common, No I.D., and The Twilight Tone. It’s an honor to be from a place that has now produced everybody from Lil Herb, Lil Bibby, Lil Durk, to Dreezy, to Kanye, to Lupe, to Chance, Vic Mensa. It’s a lot of talent.”
Nobody’s smiling on the covers of Common’s latest album nor in many of Chicago’s streets, but Common’s work is ultimately hopeful, “I’m just putting this music out to motivate and inspire.”