Common

Multi-faceted Hip-Hop superstar Common is prepping his highly anticipated seventh album, Finding Forever, for a July 31st release on G.O.O.D Music/Geffen Records. The album is the follow up to the four times Grammy nominated, critically heralded and Kanye West produced Be, which spawned hits including "The Corner," "Go," and "Testify."

Finding Forever, finds Kanye again taking the bulk of production work with help from Will.I.Am on the sultry "I Want You," the late great J. Dilla on "So Far To Go," featuring a surprise guest appearance by D'Angelo and G.O.O.D Music producer Devo Springsteen on "Misunderstood."

On Finding Forever, Common, rips the mic like a hungry newcomer. The street single "The Game" produced by Kanye with scratches by the legendary DJ Premeir is a horn drenched, vintage NY rap boom-bap banger from the Chi-town emcee, no less (check video out at www.common-music.com/media). The resounding lead single "The People" finds Common lyrically asserting why and who he creates his music for over regal strings, delectable keys and hard to get vocals by Gil Scott Heron. The video for "The People" will be in shot in by Neon in NYC on Saturday, June 9th.

Since 1992 the Chicago native and Source Unsigned Hype alum has built an unparalleled catalog of progressive Hip-Hop music. From his first release of Can I Borrow a Dollar to his ground-breaking release of Resurrection to his most recent release of Be, the media has poured in the compliments: XXL magazine gave Be a rare XXL rating in there magazine, Rolling Stone said Resurrection was a "confluence of phat beats, smooth flows, and dope rhymes, and Interview magazine noted that on Like Water for Chocolate "with piercing intellect and poignant lyrics, Common may be the most skilled rapper."

Always a Hip-Hop renaissance man of wide ranging tastes, though music remains Common's first love, he has expanded his career beyond just beats and rhymes. He has commenced a -

successful acting career, landing roles in Smokin' Aces alongside Entourage's Jeremy Piven and in the upcoming American Gangster with Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington and Wanted with Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman. Besides sharpening his acting chops, in early 2007, the always fashionable Common, launched a line of hand made Italian hats called Soji, available exclusively at La Coppola Storta stores in Palermo, Roma, Firenze, Bologna, and New York City.

Common recently graced the covers of Billboard, Uptown, and Ebony magazines and performed at Central Park's Summerstage Benefit Concert alongside Joss Stone on June 8th.

Coutesy of :Blackplanet.com

Link:http://www.blackplanet.com/music