Common Goes Electro On “Universal Mind Control”
Can Common do it without Kanye? After Be and Finding Forever resurrected his career, that’s the question that the Chicago vet is facing. A lot of rappers would sound great if they had an album full of 'Ye beats, but can Com’s individual talent still translate after all these years?
On his new album Invincible Summer (does he know that k.d. lang already used that name?), Com is ditching the soulful sound that personified his last two efforts. Instead of Kanye, he’s working exclusively with The Neptunes and Outkast producer Mr. DJ. DJ Skee and Reflex just leaked the first joint, “Universal Mind Control,” and it definitely makes good on Com’s promise to use a more “electro-tinged” sound. For the video, we can already see him controlling the crowd in a crazy Afrika Bambaataa robe and viking helmet. Listen to the song below.
Common f/ Pharrell “Universal Mind Control” (2008)
from Invincible Summer
Related: N.E.R.D., Kanye, Lupe & Pusha Remix “Everyone Nose”
motivatedbyhate May 22, 2008 at 11:58 am
awesome – an album hes gonna straight sell out on….fuckin dope – he earned this unlike everyone else
anon May 22, 2008 at 1:16 pm
hmm. no, this is absolute garbage for a first single. Shelve this thing immediately.
Logikal Accord May 22, 2008 at 2:51 pm
From a Common Sense fan since the early days of Ressurection, this is a horrible day for me. This song is the worst.
tim May 22, 2008 at 3:47 pm
sounds like that jlo and ll cool j joint, the “control myself”.. or something
new coomon is lame
Droc May 22, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Wow.. Common is OC for this one… This is a horrible single… He can’t be serious… wow
Yah Meaan? May 22, 2008 at 6:02 pm
That hook is WACK.
Com, I know you are reading this. Don’t go out like that. If you are gonna do it, do it all the way fam. This obviously ain’t just a song for the core, so make a fuckkin hit for the rest of the folks will ya.
Dead PRecedence May 22, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Here we go, the hiphop elitist …Dont do that ..dont make that song dont take a chance ..and god sake dont have fun…Dont make nothing that sounds like this or that??? For fuckin heavens sake give it up and go back and live in 88..oh by the fuckin way silly asses ..this song actually feels like 85 0r 88..this is hiphop in the tradition of Afrika Bambata..(I’m sure I spelled that wrong)…You all can call Com a sell out ..You’re just mad you can’t buy in…I’m going to lace up my shell toes, throw the card board on the concrete and get my break-dance on Haters…this is nice
senor grumpy May 22, 2008 at 9:49 pm
mmm, fruitopia.
jzbar May 22, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Can’t help but agree with the naysayers. Most musicians are supposed to demonstrate some growth as they get older. This a young person’s song performed by a man who is, let’s be realistic here, getting on in hip hop terms. Sounds like he’s experiencing a mid-career crisis. Where’s the astute social commentary that we’ve come to know and love?
C_5~4_$tAcC$ May 23, 2008 at 8:59 am
For a man that defines HIP-HOP it is ok cause you are trying to take HIP-HOP back to its breakdance glory. For us Common Sense heads it is too far from what a normal Common song sounds like. If any direction I would like to see Common go is into more raw getting in the booth and spittin’ common sense like corner, real chi town street shit. Please Com-Man give us a list full of bangers!!! Holla @ ya boi!!!
franco bash May 23, 2008 at 10:40 am
im sorry but i gotta give this one to com. for years he’s dun hip hop one way. now he’s just having fun. he has all the right to make diffrent types of music he’s paid his due’s and can do wat the fuck he wants… so hop off haters that shit is fighters
Will May 23, 2008 at 11:57 am
Is that a fake British accent?
Barbosa May 25, 2008 at 12:59 am
Yo, this is how we do in the the CHI! Definitely dope, and BET that when you naysayers are drinking and living it up in the club, y’all gonna lose y’all MINDS when this joint come on! Chi-Town stand up!
Chance May 25, 2008 at 9:30 pm
This shit is waaaaaacccck!!!!! WTF is Common doing??????
jeremy ratcliff May 26, 2008 at 8:56 am
this is crazy common has left ye lupe got 1 more album left and sum kidd named lil chucky im goin 2 listen 2 de la soul like marvin gaye said
“WHATS GOING ON”
hugolin May 31, 2008 at 5:28 am
Most of americans, especially afro ones is ignorant and not open minded to accept that kind of sound.
Doane September 25, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Seriously disappointing. It could be the beggining of the end. Say it ain’t so.