LOS ANGELES (Geffen Records) - Hip-Hop master
Common returns with his new and sixth album on Getting Out Our Dreams Music/Geffen Records entitled 'Be', which debuted No 1 on Billboard's hip-hop and R&B charts this week, his highest debut ever, selling 184,617 units despite rampant bootlegging of the album weeks before it's commercial release. As the rapper's 2nd single "Go" begins tallying up mega-spins on radio & with the new video just added to MTV,
Common is set to hit the road with a string of House of Blues appearances and a national summer tour with label mate
John Legend kicking off in Baltimore on July 18 with the first leg ending in Dallas on August 15 (see below for itinerary).
"It's about being able to be without trying, being able to be in the present moment, being able to be natural and being who you are", says
Common of the new CD. Recorded mostly in New York and L.A., much of the CD's production duties fell to Grammy-winner Kanye West, who contributed nine tracks. Former
Slum Village member Jay Dee produced two cuts. 'Be' is the second release on West's Getting Out Our Dreams label, which debuted this year with John Legend's platinum selling Get Lifted. Guest artists joining
Common on the new CD are The Last Poets, John Mayer, Bilal, John Legend, Pops and
Kanye West himself.
The CD has already drawn rave reviews. XXL Magazine calls the album a classic & other critics have hailed 'Be' as Common's return to his Resurrection days. Key media hits include People Magazine (4 out of a possible 4 stars) Rolling Stone Magazine (4 Stars), Vibe (4 1/2 v's), The Source (4 1/2 Mics), Blender (4 Stars), Spin (A- Rating), Entertainment Weekly (A- Rating), & USA Today (3 1/2 Stars out of 4), with feature stories in national publications like the L. A. Times, the New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, and a Vibe Magazine cover.
Born Lonnie Rashid Lynn,
Common is one of the most respected lyricists and skilled MC's in Hip-Hop. He made his solo CD debut with 1992's Can I Borrow A Dollar, and quickly ascended to preeminence in the Hip-Hop universe. Other key CD releases include Resurrection, One Day it'll All Make Sense and Like Water for Chocolate. His most recent CD was 2002's Electric Circus.
Common's Upcoming Concert, dates include:
June 1st- House of Blues/Chicago
June 2nd- House of Blues/Chicago
June 6th- House of Blues/Los Angeles
June 7th- House of Blues/ Anaheim
June 8th- House of Blues/ San
Diego A
National Tour with John Legend, dates include:
July 18th- Baltimore, MD
July 21st- Boston, MA
July 23rd- Philadelphia, PA
July 25th- Cleveland, OH
July 28th- Detroit, MI
July 30th- Milwaukee, WI
August 1st- Chicago, IL
August 3rd- St. Louis, MO
August 6th- Atlanta, GA
August 8th- Miami, FL
August 10th- New Orleans, LA
August 13th- Houston, TX
August 15th- Dallas, TX
