New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Today,
Common announces the release of his new project, A Beautiful Revolution Pt 1, out Friday, October 30, through Loma Vista Recordings. This instant hip hop classic and call to action from the modern-day renaissance man - a GRAMMY-, Emmy-, and Oscar-winning artist, activist, actor, and two time New York Times Bestselling author - features seven new songs and two new interludes that catch
Common at a new prime in his career. With a core band that includes Robert Glasper (keys), Karriem Riggins (drums), Burniss
Travis (bass),
Isaiah Sharkey (guitar), and PJ (vocals), plus features from
Black Thought and Lenny Kravitz, A Beautiful Revolution Pt 1 is music meant to "uplift, heal, and inspire listeners dealing with racial injustices as well as other social injustices," says Common.
He continues: "A Beautiful Revolution Pt 1 is affirmation. It's recognition. It's elevation. It's music to go with a movement. Because the truth is, there is still so much work to do. Regardless of the outcome of the election, we need to make sure things do not return to the status quo. The intention of the music is to channel all of our pain and outrage into something productive, inspirational, and good. It's to help lead a movement into our next phase of the work to be done."
Our first taste of the project comes with the new single "Say Peace." This shape-shifting sonic shuffle finds
Common trading bars with
Black Thought and PJ, as the music mirrors the illusory search for peace that we all pursue. On the new song,
Common simply says: "I found my peace, my peace through making these albums."
Common will perform the new single, joined by
Black Thought and PJ, on The
Tonight Show Starring
Jimmy Fallon on November 4th, the night after the U.S. presidential election.
As part of Michelle Obama's "When We All Vote" initiative, Michelle is currently featuring another track from the forthcoming
Common project - "A Place In This World." Check out the special shoutout from the former First Lady here: https://bit.ly/2HFI8KB
A Beautiful Revolution Pt 1's cover art is based on photography by Ghanaian photographer and artist Derrick Boateng. The collection will be accompanied by a full-length listening film directed by Mark Leibowitz and featuring Common's full band performing in colorful, vibrant environments inspired by Boateng's photographs.
To celebrate his new project, on Friday, October 30,
Common will be hosting an album listening experience on his Youtube channel. Stay tuned for more details: https://www.youtube.com/thinkcommon
Common performed tracks from A Beautiful Revolution Pt 1 last weekend as part of Afropunk's virtual festival Planet Afropunk 2020. Stay tuned for more from
Common throughout the rest of 2020.
A Beautiful Revolution Pt 1 Tracklist:
Say Peace (feat.
Black Thought)
What Do You Say (Move It Baby)
A Riot In My Mind (feat. Lenny Kravitz)
Common is the modern renaissance man - a GRAMMY-, Emmy-, and Oscar-winning artist, activist, actor, and two time New York Times Bestselling author. A Beautiful Revolution Pt 1 follows his "exquisite" (People) 2019 album, Let Love, which Stereogum called "one of his most personal, raw collections."
More Praise For
Common and Let Love
"Fluid, deceptively intricate…[Common] has never been more open." - AllMusic
"The universally recognized master lyricist is back…A very personal exploration of Common's relationship with love." - KCRW
"Meticulous storytelling…
Common approaches the ideas of light and hope with a more realistic outlook, producing a record that effectively touches every listener." - Hypebeast
"Sonically, the album is a time capsule of the greatest moments in black music history. Lyrically, it's hard-hitting reality about the present day…a captivating tale about using love as a weapon to overcome." - Exclaim
"It couldn't be more timely." - The Independent UK
