Common: It's About Time
April 2005
MVRemix: You mention your daughter a lot in your music, what does she think of your album?
Common: She hasn't heard the whole thing. She loves a lot of the music. She loves certain lines like "The way they treat blacks / I wanna snap / Like Paparazzi" - she kept sayin' it and laughin', tryin' to figure out what's the paparazzi, and I told her. She loves the music, man. She really digs it, and I can feel that coming from her. She got a soul, so she into good music. She would bump "College Dropout" a lot. So with this album, she gon' dig it. And I think children will be able to grow up and you can understand more of what I'm saying in it later. But I believe the songs are powerful enough that they gon' enjoy the songs now, and then they'll get a lot of the substance in it even more when they get older
MVRemix: How was it working with Nas, Styles P and Jadakiss on the "Why" remix?
Common: It was like an honour to be on there with them. All them cold emcees... they cold man. I love them, and Nas been one of my favourite artists since he began. It was just fun. That remix felt like something I would hear like the "Scenario" remix. One of them songs that make you feel good, like that's Hip Hop right there.
MVRemix: Seeing as you've learned music theory, would you be willing to do music of a different genre? And if so, which?
Common: I would love to sing, but I would have to work on it. So I ain't learned music theory all the way, I just learned the beginnings of it to get me started and at least know I know what a note is... some of the beginnings, the a-b-c's of it. I would love to sing, be a solo artist like that.
MVRemix: Are there any plans to collaborate with Black Star in the near future?
Common: Yeah, I would love to collaborate with Black Star again and I also have Mos Def on "The Corners" remix too. It's him and Scarface on "The Corners" remix.
MVRemix: How did that come about with Scarface?
Common: I love Scarface, man! He's one of my favourites. Geto Boys, I grew up listening to them. So, I mean I just asked Face would he do it because he's someone I really love and respect. He said "Yeah," he was totally down.
MVRemix: What's the current situation with the Soulquarians?
Common: We been making music, man. Soulquarians is still a collective. It's still a beautiful family. We never made good business moves together. But we created music and we did it for the love of what we all were sent here to do. The Roots are coming out with a new album. D'Angelo is working on his stuff, Erykah's working on her stuff. Jay Dee who produced some stuff on my album is workin' on his stuff, so everything's looking good for the Soulquarians. Bilal's coming with a new album.
MVRemix: Have you heard any of the independent remixes of your stuff like DJ Kno, 9th Wonder or Soul Supreme?
Common: Nah, I haven't heard 'em yet. I wanna hear 'em.
MVRemix: Aside from the new album, what else have you been working on?
Common: I just did a guest appearance on Faith Evans new single "Again." Like I said, I did "The Corners" remix, I'm also working on my hat line Soulgee. I'm workin' as we speak with Kanye, not really like I'm creating beats with him. But he's working on his new album "Late Registration" which'll be out in the summer. That's really it, like I been writing children's books.
MVRemix: Do you have any last words for your fans that are going to be reading this?
Common: God Bless. God is good. And thank you for supporting Good Music and I appreciate this moment.
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