Common sat down with us to discuss Nobody’s Smiling, the state of the city of Chicago, which albums helped restored his love for hip-hop and his personal ranking of this best albums. The twenty year veteran acknowledged that while his city isn’t in the best shape, its future is looking brighter than ever musically and socially. After being released in July, Nobody’s Smiling has already been widely accepted and is being viewed upon as one of his best works to date. In efforts to grow awareness, Common called on new acts including Chicago’s Lil Herb, Big Sean, Vince Staples and Jhené Aiko, to help in his battle to instill peace into his city. He and mega producer, No I.D., provide a dark but deep look into the Chi by vividly detailing the city’s plight. His most recent album, Nobody’s Smiling, is a sharp contrast from his previous endeavors. With little to no answer, Common has placed the burden and responsibility upon himself to help rejuvenate the Windy City. His hometown has been plagued by on-going violence and an overwhelming unemployment rate. After towering to the upper echelon of rap, Common finds himself with a bigger task at hand. His exemplary lyrical ability has garnered him massive respect in the culture he helped build. With albums such as Like Water For Chocolate, Finding Forever, The Dreamer and The Believer, Be and his newest release, Nobody’s Smiling, Common has etched himself as one of music’s most talented writers. He himself has proven to be a catalyst in maintaining the purity of the culture. After two decades, Common has watched his culture blossom into an effervescent one, sparked by new talent. Common unleashed his candid ode to hip-hop with his poignant record, “I Used To Love H.E.R.” It was a record that examined his daily relationship with the genre and how he feared she was being steered in the wrong direction. Twenty years ago, a Chicago born-and-bred emcee revealed his heartbreak for a genre he once adored.

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