S. Samuel
Chicago rapper Common has given himself executive accolades by comparing his status in the rap game to United States' President Barack Obama.
Outside of comparing himself to the fellow Chicago-bred president, Common’s close friend/producer No I.D. spoke on working on his new The Dreamer/The Believer LP.
“”How can I say this? F*ck it, I’m the greatest!” Common is pacing the room like a prizefighter, his left arm extended above his head as he mouths the first 10 words to “Sweet,” a song off his new album that is anything but. As the speakers rattle at Roc the Mic Studios in Manhattan, Common nods along to the rhythm and echoes weighty declarations like, “I’m to hip-hop what Obama is to politics,” and “I’m the franchise, so I rock my own chain.” “Working on this, it was more like, ‘We need an interlude, we need an emotional song, we need a single/radio song, we need a club song,'” says No I.D., who was named Def Jam executive VP of A&R in August. “You can think about the whole process, knowing what’s there already, versus going in to work with somebody and not knowing what else they’re going to get from somebody else.” (Billboard)
Over the fall, rap veteran Snoop Dogg proclamed himself more influential than President Barack Obama on Twitter.
Snoop Dogg has confessed he’s a fan of Twitter because he has more clout than US President Barack Obama on the social networking service. The US music star is a prolific tweeter, and explained: “I’m more influential than the president on there. That’s appealing.” But Snoop doesn’t want to be seen as a “role model”: “I don’t see myself as anything. I see myself as Snoop Dogg. I can’t control what the fans perceive me as or who the fans want me to be. I can only do me and it’s been working up until now.” (The Press Association)
Recently, Common revealed his resolution for 2012 is to pursue greatness.
“Ah man, so many. So many new things to work on myself. I just got to be conscious, more conscious of myself,” 50 Cent explained. “And try and be a better judge of character with others.” Common opened up about the philosophical goal he hopes to achieve in the coming year. “I haven’t thought deeply on it, but I would say I just want to be great at everything I do,” he said. “Greatness.” (MTV)
The rapper’s latest solo album has sold nearly 100,000 copies since its release last month.
Chicago rap veteran Common’s The Dreamer/The Believer dropped eight slots to No. 26 with 19,100. With 14 days in the books, the rapper-turned-actor’s newest LP has moved 88,100 units. (SOHH Sales Wrap)
Check out a recent Common interview below:
