PERFECT STRANGERS

McAvoy and Common know the ledge, but do they know each other?

What West Coast rapper/actor did Common have a feud with?

James McAvoy Fuck me, I have no idea. Who did you have a feud with?
Common: Ice Cube. [Laughs.]

James McAvoy Oh really? Why?

Common: He say he don’t know rap that much, that’s a tough question. I had a beef with him ’cause did this song called “I Used to Love H.E.R.,” which was dealing with the evolution of hip-hop and I used hip-hop as a woman and during the song I talked about how hip-hop evolved and then went to the West Coast and lost some of the consciousness—but I wasn’t saying that the West Coast caused that. Anyway, Ice Cube was a West Coast rapper and actor. He felt offended by it and said I was dissin’ the West Coast, so him and his guys came out with a song dissin’ me.
James McAvoy: No!

Common: [Laughs.] Yeah, so then I came back, you know, I’m a warrior, James. I’m like one of them silent warriors, I ain’t gonna start nothin’ unless someone come at me, you know. Anyway, he came at me, I came back at him strong, that’s what it was. War.

James McAvoy: What was the song?

Common: It was called “The Bitch in Yoo.” [Laughs.]

James McAvoy: I’m fascinated by this war, I’m gonna have to investigate this. And did you make it up with Ice Cube?

Common: Yeah, we made it up. We made it up after, it was a tough time in hip-hop when Biggie Smalls and Tupac had died, so it was like, “We don’t need this beef to escalate.” ’Cause cats were—it was gettin’ to that point where it could have been a physical thing. Much love to that brother.

James, what famous gangster is from Common’s hometown?

James McAvoy: Al Capone.

What professional sport did Common’s father play?

Common: These are tough questions.

James McAvoy: Uh, baseball? Basketball?

Common: Yeah, he played basketball.

James McAvoy: I knew it had to be something very American. [Both laugh.] Chess!

What name did Common record his first album under?

Common: [Laughs.] Ah, man, these are tough!

James McAvoy: Rashid? Was it Rashid?

It’s his name but longer.

James McAvoy: Common as Muck?

Common: No. Think of—use your common...

James McAvoy: Sense? Common Sense?

Common: Yeah. That was my first rap name.

Name one of the pro sports teams in Chicago.

James McAvoy Cubs.

Who did Common used to love in his song “I Used to Love H.E.R.”?

James McAvoy: Who? It was...rap?

Common: Yeah, hip-hop.

What’s Common’s favorite food?

James McAvoy: I don’t know, fish?

Common: Yeah, that’s good. I would say fish now, even though I do love pizza. [Both laugh.] We didn’t know either, but we wanted to see if you did. What’s Common’s best dance move?

James McAvoy: Oh, I dunno. I’ve seen you grind particularly well. [Both laugh.] I’ve seen you do that particularly well. That’s the move I’ve seen you use to best effect.

Why doesn’t Common watch the Bulls as much?

James McAvoy: Watch the Bulls? Because his dad played for a different team?

Common: [Laughing.] Man, these are the most difficult questions.

James McAvoy: Why don’t you watch the Bulls?

Common: In a line on “Resurrection,” I said, “My mom says some of my songs sound like noise, don’t watch the Bulls as much, they got too many white boys.” [Both laugh.] So, you know, it was one of them true things that you really feel, ’cause after Michael left, it was just—no, that was when Michael was still there. Or, he had just left to play baseball.

James McAvoy: That was so strange. Was he a success in baseball?

He wasn’t a failure, but he was better at basketball.

Common: Yeah. He was pretty good in it, but going from being so excellent at basketball, people were too critical.

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