By Eliott C. McLaughlin
CNN


(CNN) -- The rapper Common wants to take hip-hop in a new direction, he says, and he has an unsuspecting ally -- President-elect Barack Obama.
Common says he was looking for a new sound on his eighth album, "Universal Mind Control."


Obama "is going to change hip-hop for the better," predicted the rapper, whose eighth album, "Universal Mind Control" (G.O.O.D. Music/Geffen), hits shelves Tuesday.

"I really do believe we as hip-hop artists pick up what's going on in the world and try to reflect that," he told CNN, outlining his belief that mainstream as well as so-called "conscious" rappers -- the more socially aware -- will pick up on what he sees as the more optimistic prospects of an Obama presidency.

"I think hip-hop artists will have no choice but to talk about different things and more positive things, and try to bring a brighter side to that because, even before Barack, I think people had been tired of hearing the same thing," he said.

Likewise, "Universal Mind Control," with its hook-heavy, synthed-out tracks, represents a "broadening" of hip-hop's audience -- one that demands evolution rather than hackneyed revamps of old beats, rhythms and rhymes, Common said. Listen to clips from the album and Common's interview with CNN.com »

Not that Common, born Lonnie Rashid Lynn Jr., is altogether removed from the temptations of his hip-hop brethren.

He serves as a spokesman for Lincoln Navigator and purports on his new album to "rebel in YSL," a reference to designer Yves Saint Laurent. Money is also a weakness, as Common -- No. 14 on Forbes magazine's 2008 list of richest rappers -- regularly invokes the greenbacks he makes and spends.

Still, Common has come at hip-hop from a different angle from many of his colleagues. He was generally considered "underground" until he linked up with Kanye West, who produced his albums "Be" (2005) and "Finding Forever" (2007).


Even now, while paying homage at mainstream hip-hop's altar, the Chicago-born lyricist also enters parishes where most rappers wouldn't be seen. He's helped front movements for HIV/AIDS awareness and vegetarianism, and he's written two children's books emphasizing the importance of self-esteem.

Lyrically, violence has never been his thing; soft-drug use has been mentioned but rarely glamorized; he removed homophobic references from his lyrics years ago; and while there have been hints of misogyny and the occasional N-word in his verses, neither has been a staple of his rhymes.

"I've always been conscious, honestly," he said. "I made a choice on this album, 'Universal Mind Control,' to really make some music that was bright, that would be a little more lighthearted, just because of what was going on in the world." Read more from the interview

With a few exceptions, his latest lyrics are consummate Common. In his beat poet's cadence, the 36-year-old rhymesmith aggressively courts the ladies, personifies hip-hop, aggrandizes himself and his hometown (lovingly, "the Chi"), and respectfully doles out props to hip-hop's forefathers -- most notably to Afrika Bambaataa on the album's title track. Hear the title track »

The album's sound, however, is atypical, moving -- sometimes jerkily -- from club-banger to anthem to ballad to Top 40. The latter even runs counter to the opening verse of "Everywhere": "No pop, no pop, no pop, no pop/We gonna do this thing till the sky just drop."

But the sound is part of "a whole new sound and a new movement" in hip-hop, something he explored out of disdain for repetition and predictability, he said. That might explain Kanye West's relative absence on "Universal Mind Control."

The Louis Vuitton don appears on only one track, the pop-drenched "Punch Drunk Love." But West has long been credited, even by Common, with bringing his fellow Chicagoan to the mainstream after "Be" and "Finding Forever" went gold and leapt up the Billboard 200.

Of course, it's not all Kanye, said Common.

"I'm a true believer that it all boils down to the music, because Kanye can endorse something, and if people don't like it they ain't gonna get with it -- regardless of whoever endorses it," he said.

He compared his working relationship with West to the collaboration he enjoyed with The Neptunes' Pharrell Williams on "Universal Mind Control." Williams, whom Common casually likened to Quincy Jones, pushed him lyrically, much like West did, he said.

Between Williams and Mr. DJ -- who composed backbeats for some of OutKast's biggest hits -- Common arrived at the evolution he sought, he added.

Common also is plotting a change, or at least a detour, in his career path. Though his past cinematic endeavors have been primarily gangster flicks, Common has landed a role in the upcoming "Terminator Salvation" and could play Green Lantern in "Justice League: Mortal" should the derailed movie get back on track.

"I would truly love to go increasingly in the acting direction," he said. "My goal is to be a movie star. I want to be at Will Smith's level. I want to be co-leading with Leonardo DiCaprio."

Fear not, Common fans. The aspiring thespian is confident he can pull off both, though hip-hop might ride sidecar to the silver screen. Acting, he said, seems to improve his music.

"I don't take as much time overthinking it. Actually, since 'Be' I've been working on films and each album has been expanding and increasing, so I feel like I would still make music, but it wouldn't be the main gig," he said.


Selling albums, Common said, is about more than good music, and though he stands proudly by the music he made pre-West, he concedes he didn't do enough to claw his way up from the underground.

"After you make good, quality music, then it's your job to go out there and promote it and to market it and to get it out there to the people. I feel like I wasn't doing that early on," he said. "Now I am, and I feel like I'm growing as a songwriter and working with producers that are very incredible, so I feel all that is contributing to me getting the recognition that I'm getting."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/S...topstories

Hummmmm.....let us see how times he uses the "N" word on this new cd.

Graycap23 said:

Even now, while paying homage at mainstream hip-hop's altar, the Chicago-born lyricist also enters parishes where most rappers wouldn't be seen. He's helped front movements for HIV/AIDS awareness and vegetarianism, and he's written two children's books emphasizing the importance of self-esteem.

Lyrically, violence has never been his thing; soft-drug use has been mentioned but rarely glamorized; he removed homophobic references from his lyrics years ago; and while there have been hints of misogyny and the occasional N-word in his verses, neither has been a staple of his rhymes.

Common, keep dreaming, bro. Obama will not have such an effect on hip-hop's attitude.

banks said:

lol.....the N word is used in just about every song he does.

Damn. Obama's gotta save the economy, turn unemployment around, save the world and now...change hip-hop. He's gonna be BIZZAY!

Graycap23 said:

But have you LISTENED to anything else other than that?

paisleypark4 said:

??

If you made all the lyrics positive, it would still be shit hop. It's shit hop because it's slow, dull, and ain't got no hard kick ass instruments on it such as drums and bass.

Obama can't change shit hop. The only one that can change it is God because he's the only one that can put musical talent in people's body, something the shit hoppers don't have. He's also the only one that could force these record companies and radio stations to sign and play real musical acts.

Why would Obama change anything? He ain't got nothing to do with hip-hop. Hip-hop needs to change its damn self.

kenlacam said:

Actually, I think that Common has a point. It's not like Obama is going to personally change the tone of hip-hop itself, but hip-hop (and entertainment itself, for that matter) usually reflects the general mood and direction of the country, which often can be reflected in the leadership of the country. It's no accident that we had mostly lazy Southern crunk rappers dominating the pop charts for the last eight years, not to mention pre-packaged, manufactured acts more heavy on appearance then substance, and dog-eat-dog reality TV shows like Survivor, American Idol and The Apprentice. Just look to the White House at how our national character was dragged through the gutter.

When Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford occupied the Oval Office, the American public was disillusioned and cynical and jumped into metal, punk and disco plus got into a decadent sexual revolution. When Ronald Reagan was in office, the economy improved for some and went to hell for others, which resulted in flashy yuppie type shows on TV, big-budget action movies with angry heroes (Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis) on screen, and over-the-top new wave and hair metal on mainstream stations but increasingly dark music in hip-hop and alternative music. When George W. Bush's dad was in the White House, the music suddenly turned grim and grungy, and gansta rap began to dominate the airwaves. It continued a bit when Bill Clinton took office, but it quickly turned sweet and poppy as the economy improved, and hip-hop went from violent and misogynistic imagery to bling bling.

With Obama about to take office, we're al;ready starting to see a change in the culture. Granted, this is a small change now, but it may become more apparent once he is actually in the White House. And with the serious but competent tone of the incoming Obama administration, the culture will begin to reflect that as well. Hopefully, there will be less crappy reality shows and more intense focus on good music.

Graycap23 said:

That's what I was thinkin'. TRULY conscious brothas DON'T drop the "N bomb".

But hes trippin' if he think the landscape of Hip Hop is gonna drastically change now that Obeezy's in camp. What we'll probably see is MORE conscious/backpack rappers than we normally would, but that's about it.

Will Obama make the rainforests grow back as well?

Timmy84 said:

CORRECTION: A new genre must be invented immediately to defeat hip-hop once and for all.

Just like hip-hop & rock were responsible for killing disco, a new genre must do the same to hip-hop.

I hope that Obama being out President can inspire our young Black men that they can aspire to be a success in other fields than rap and sports. I hope the rappers use the example of Barack Obama, and no long feel the need to rap about bitches, hoes, bling, and designer labels who shun them. I wish rap music could go back to the party music with a message that it once was.

TonyVanDam said:

But what would it be is the "less than" million-dollar question.

as Common -- No. 14 on Forbes magazine's 2008 list of richest rappers -- regularly invokes the greenbacks he makes and spends.


waaah? lol im sure hes doing alright but :wtf:

One more thing i'd like to add, hopefully with the change in hip hop will be a change in so called hip hop fashion. I am so tired of seeing peoples dirty underwear sticking out of bootlegged, oversized True Religion pants (sorry Newark, NJ)

Sorry to play the super-cynic role but all one has to do is visit the following post:
1) http://prince.org/msg/8/291297
According to Forbes Magazine, the rapper/actor, who also snatched the number one position for Forbes’, Hip Hop Cash Kings list, pulled in a hefty $151 million from June 2007 to June 2008.

Now correct me if i'm wrong because the only 50 Cent material I intentionally sat still and listened to was a track an acquaintence co-produced (My Gun Go Off - had no clue what this dude was talking about), but my guess is that he would fall into the non-conscious rapper category.

My assumption is that 50 Cent's 151 million dollar figure will trump the election of Barack Obama in the dreams of rappers whose main impetus is fame and fortune. And more importantly, in the minds of those that have the power to promote/profit from them.


I hope to be proven wrong about this.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

totaldiva said:

TAWK!!!

change America!
[Edited 12/9/08 20:56pm]

sunsetdriver1999 said:

Naw, fool, he's fixin' the hole in the Ozone layer first.

Very true. But unfortunately, the only genre that could ever overthrow shit hop would be acapella because it's the only thing stripped of all instruments and cheaper to make than shit hop. If it ain't cheap, the artists will not get a record deal.

Timmy84 said:

I used to think that electronic (especially breakbeats, nu-electro/electroclash & french house) would defeat it back within 1997-2001 when rave culture was in its peak in the USA.

But I was proven dead wrong. For anything, the electronic scene went back underground and MTV discontinued promoting it to the mainstream in favor of reality TV sitcoms.

vainandy said:

If that was the case, Boyz II Men would still be making hits right now. But shit-hop kills those brothas careers as well (never mind that they were as musically safe as Lionel Ritchie & Babyface).

Face it, this poor younger generation of music fans don't want to hear a damn thing about falling in love when they too busy "keeping it gangsta" all the time.

theAudience said:

90% of Curtis Jackson's income NEVER came from any of his career rap albums. Even he admitted to making more money a lot faster in selling drugs in the early years as a struggling rap artist (before Eminem OR Dr. Dre saved his career).

Graycap23 said:

Listens to Be and Electric Circus

you sure about that?

lol, what's "shit hop"?

TonyVanDam said:

Curtis was still slingin' from June 2007 to June 2008?

In any case, i'm afraid that takes the point I was making to another level entirely.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

dilwithers said:

You should wait and get the definitive answer from vainandy!



tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431