Common Talks Kanye For President, Ice Cube, J Dilla, Activism

In this episode of People’s Party, Talib Kweli and Jasmin Leigh sit down with rapper, actor, author, activist, philanthropist, and winner of a Grammy, Emmy, Golden Globe and an Oscar — Common

Common and Kweli’s many years of collaborating and touring together, as well as remaining close friends gave way for one incredible interview. Things get started with talk about their original collab together with the recording of Black Star’s classic song and video “Respiration”. They then go on to discuss Common’s mother Dr. Mahalia Ann Hines and her influence on him growing up as a teacher, as well as his father Lonnie “Pops” Lynn, who was famously featured on Common’s “Resurrection” album. They also touch on the importance of HBCUs, and his hometown of Chicago being weaponized by politicians. Common gets to reflect on the making of one of the greatest concept records of all-time in “I Used To Love H.E.R.”. He digs into all the things that compelled him to write that song, and the profound influence it had on the culture, which naturally leads into talk about his past beef with Ice Cube stemming from a perceived diss to the west coast within those lyrics. He details where he was when he heard the first shot from Cube, the point in time when he felt he had to fire back with his own diss track, and how they eventually reconciled with the help of Minister Farrakhan. Common and Talib go on to reflect on their shared experience of meeting with activist Assata Shakur in Cuba through the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, as well as discuss recording at the famous Electric Lady Studios and how special that place is.