Common's 'Finding Forever' Hits Retail Today, Follow-Up to Grammy-Nominated 'BE' Features Kanye West, will.i.am, Lily Allen, D'Angelo, J. Dilla

Common's 'Finding Forever' Hits Retail Today, Follow-Up to Grammy-Nominated 'BE' Features Kanye West, will.i.am, Lily Allen, D'Angelo, J. Dilla

SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Grammy-nominated rap superstar Common returns with his long-awaited seventh studio album, "Finding Forever," on G.O.O.D. Music/Geffen Records, to be released July 31. The album will be available at Starbucks Company-operated locations and traditional music retail in the U.S. and Canada.

His first album since the four-times-nominated 2005 "BE," the Chicago hip- hop icon is joined by hit producer Kanye West, will.i.am ("I Want You") and the late Detroit legend J. Dilla (So Far to Go) with whom he had a long history and friendship. Guest artists on the album include Lily Allen and D'Angelo as well as Kanye and will.i.am.

The first radio single, "The People," finds Common explaining why and for whom he creates music, with and for whom he creates music, with a backdrop of majestic strings, tasty keyboards and a vocal sample from the great poet/songwriter Gil Scott-Heron. The video for the song, shot by Neon in New York City earlier this summer, is already airing on BET, MTV Jams, VH1 Soul and mtvU. The "street" single, "The Fame" was produced by Kanye with scratches from Gang Starr's renowned rap turntablist DJ Premeire.

Common is scheduled to perform on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" on day of release (7/31). He has recently graced the covers of "Billboard," "Uptown," and "Ebony" magazines and appeared last month at Central Park's Summerstage Benefit Concert with Joss Stone.

From his 1992 debut, "Can I Borrow a Dollar?" through 2000's acclaimed "Like Water for Chocolate" and 2005's multi-Grammy-nominated "BE," Common has proven to be one of the best observers and master of wordplay in rap history. As "XXL" magazine said recently, "Common makes timeless hip-hop seem easy."

Common has recently launched a successful acting career with roles in "Smokin' Aces" with Jeremy Piven as well as the soon-to-be released "American Gangster" with Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington as well as filming both "Wanted" with Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman and "The Night Watchman" with Keanu Reaves and Forest Whitaker.

Source: Geffen Records

CONTACT: Jim Merlis, +1-310-865-8985, jim.merlis@umusic.com, for Geffen
Records

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Profile: International Entertainment