Next up in the series is the 100 Best Sneakers of the last 10 years. If you’re like us, you bought a ton of models—some classics, some not-so-classic—in the past 3,000+ days. Included in the list you’ll see all the holy-grail-status SBs, Jordans and other standout models from your favorite brands. Check out which kicks made the top 100, and let us know how you feel in the comments…

• CLICK HERE TO SEE THE TOP 100 SNEAKERS OF THE 2000s

List compiled by Joe LaPuma and Bradley Carbone with help from DJ Clark Kent, Mayor, and Damian Bulluck.

BIGGAVELI TV EPISODE 3
Key Takeaway: At least Max learned how to pronounce “Amalgam” between the first episode and now.
Quotable: “You like French tips and custom weaves, bitch? Come get with a real pimp!”

FADER MAG GOES TO MAX’S CRIB
Key Takeaway: The man has a restroom sign on the bathroom door in his own crib. How many people you keep up in there, homie?
Quotable: “This is all Siegel’s shit, I got him right. You know he a big boy, he like the schnacks.”

MAX x IT’S THE REAL
Key Takeaway: The Rosenthal boys’ guest stars can be hit or miss, but Max is always straight comedy. Especially when Scrabble is involved.
Quotable: “You guys are in troublllllle! [Patented Max B. Laugh]“

WRITING HIT RECORDS WITH JIM JONES
Key Takeaway: Comsider that “C. Wingate” receives a writing credit on seven tracks from Capo’s best album, 2006’s Hustler’s P.O.M.E.—not including the 2007 smash single “We Fly High,” which he also allegedly wrote the hook for—and you start to realize what Byrd Gang could have done had all the fuckery not happened.
Quotable: “Oh, we goin’ to the hospital tonight!”

COMPLEX CATCHES THE WAVE
We first got up with Max right when he got home from an eight-year bid, then kept the relationship going with him as our in-house advice columnist, The Thug Ethicist (Part 1 Above…Click Here To See Part 2).
Key Takeaway: He might have a way with a hook, but THIS is what the Silver Surfer Don was born to do.
Quotable: “Just dick ‘em and don’t love ‘em! And look good and make hit music!”

RELATED: The Complex Soundboard (Featuring Max B’s Laugh)

The sneaker is Nike’s canvas, and while we’re sure you’ve bought a bunch in your lifetime, we’re hoping you bought some of the right ones. With the spirit of the kids going back to the books, we put together a master list of what we felt are the 50 Best Nike Dunks Of All Time—minus SBs (that list is coming later, so don’t try to do it first!). See which styles made the cut, and have fun strolling down memory lane after the jump. Class is in session.

50. Nike Dunk Hi “Perfed Suede”
YEAR OF RELEASE: 2008
• These Dunk Premiums do what the Mighty Crowns, the Currys and all the others tried—a dope tone-on-tone Dunk, with premium material. Bang Bang. Start the countdown off strong.
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49. Nike x Stüssy Dunk Hi “World Tour”
YEAR OF RELEASE: 2006
• If you want to do something cool, you call Stüssy. If Stüssy calls you, you say yes. Nike joined in on the World Tour T-Shirt hype with a pack that consisted of these Dunks and the sleeper Dunk Low Trainer 1 Hybrid. Should have seen it coming.
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48. Nike Dunk High “Iron Tweed”
YEAR OF RELEASE: 2007
• Nike SB dropped the Harris Tweed Dunks, everyone went nuts. Regular Nike dropped these for everyone who either wasn’t fast enough (or rich enough) to cop. Not as good as the SBs, but a great alternate if you missed the original.
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47. Nike Dunk High Premium “Curry”
YEAR OF RELEASE: 2002
• Sometimes a simple sneaker takes the cake, and when the design crew had it’s first, “Maybe these are getting a little too nuts,” moment, the “Curry” pack dropped. Soon enough they were back on the crazy tip, but not before this little “Wear-it-to-your-girlfriends-parents-house” pack dropped.
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46. Nike Dunk High “Ultimate Glory”
YEAR OF RELEASE: 2008
• To commemorate the June 1996 bout between Mexican boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez and then rising star Oscar De La Hoya, and to get in tight with the Mexico City sneaker stores before opening the Nike Sportswear shop in one of the craziest cities in the world, Nike dropped these puppies. A few pairs made their way stateside, but this one was mainly for the Latins.
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CLICK NEXT TO SEE DUNKS 45- 41

Here at Complex, we take pride in creating some of the sexiest images to ever hit the newsstand. So we’re thrilled to announce that one of our all-time most talked-about female covers—Aubrey O’Day from October 2008—has been nominated in Amazon.com’s “Best Covers of the Year” contest. In the category of “Sexiest Cover,” the Aubrey image is going up against covers from Vanity Fair, The Advocate, New York, and Elle. And after looking at the nominees, we think you’ll agree that Complex can’t be beat. Follow the link below to help us out!

• CLICK HERE TO CAST YOUR VOTE IN AMAZON’S COVER CONTEST!

Look, you’ve already checked out their galleries (Keri | Amber), and we know what the topic of conversation at every barbershop, prison yard, and other magazine office (so we hear!) has been for the past week: Who’s hotter? We love ’em both equally, but there’s no reason you can’t weigh in on the topic. Check out a few highlights from both shoots below, and then vote in our Poll of Pulchritude to Crown the Hottest Complex Woman from our latest issue. That’s right, we’re the Fox News of this shit (maybe just a touch less racist): We report, you decide!

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Before you make your final decision…
• CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL AMBER ROSE GALLERY
• CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL KERI HILSON GALLERY

Let’s just say Cudi kept it 1-hundred with us, like all the way 1-hundred. Since the issue is now officially on newsstands everywhere (go cop!), we figured we’d share the bonus material that was left on the cutting room floor. In the uncut raw conversation, the kid from Cleveland talks about growing up in Ohio, his eagerness to join the Navy, run-ins with the law, and how he really felt when Consequence took a jab at him. Read on for the realness…

Interview by Joe La Puma

Complex: How vital was your mom to you growing up?

Kid Cudi: My mom was like my mom and my dad. Even though my dad was around, he just wasn’t in the house. She really was like superwoman. Recently I was talking to my mom and I was just like, “How did you take care of us?” It took me a lot for her to finally come out and say that there were some nights where she wouldn’t eat because there was only enough food for us. She didn’t have a bed, my mom didn’t sleep in a bed up until I was about 14. She always slept on the couch. We just couldn’t afford one. When she finally got one, she kinda just put it up in the living room. The first thing you saw in my crib was her bed.

Complex: So growing up, would you say that you guys were poor?

Kid Cudi: Back then I always felt poor because at the school that we went to, the majority of kids had money. It was like we got the ill Make-A-Wish Foundation dream—to live in a nice neighborhood with a shitty circumstance. It was sorta like, “Hey we’re gonna put you in this nice neighborhood but you’re still gonna be hood-esque!” So it was a mind-fuck going to school and seeing the kids that had shit like cars, and I couldn’t even get a bike. That’s why when people are like, “Oh man, you from the suburbs and shit,” I be like, “You don’t know what happened in my muthafuckin’ house.” It’s not about where you’re at, it’s about your life and what you’ve been through, what you’ve done.

Complex: When did you start rapping?

Kid Cudi: I started rapping when I was like 12, just around the neighborhood, just spittin’ little lines here and there with my homies. One of my homeboys Dennis—he tours with me sometimes—me and him used to always rap around the neighborhood with a couple other kids and we had this little group and shit and I was the only one who kinda stuck with it. When I was like 15, Hot Boys came out, and I remember seeing Lil Wayne and being like, “Aw shit man, this is a young dude representing for the youth and I wanna do that, but tell my story.” That’s when I stopped doing good in school—because I knew I was gonna be famous. [Laughs]

Complex: What was your journey like once you started rapping?

Kid Cudi: I used to do a lot of open-mic things and freestyle battles to better my raps. I looked at it as training for a bigger picture. I was going through a time right there where I wasn’t being myself in my music because I was too worried about people criticizing me about where I was from. That was just because at that time, rap was pretty much some gangsta shit. It wasn’t until I was about 18 when I started fooling around doing freestyles on CDs. When I went to college is when I started recording an album.

Complex: You didn’t graduate from college though, right?

Kid Cudi: I did one year of college and left school with a decent demo. I thought it was cool, but it wasn’t fresh fresh. I was always the type of person that I don’t want people to hear these half-ass records, so I never let people hear them. I used to work overtime at my job to get extra money to buy beats and these dudes The Kickdrums would sell me beats for like $200 a pop. I was really buying them. That’s why it’s crazy that we’re all coming up and doing things and I’m like, “Y’all remember me, ya’ll made me pay for beats you muthafuckas [Laughs]. Ya’ll made me work overtime just to get $200!” And I bought like 3 beats from them. The journey definitely started a little bit early on. After college, I took a year off. I was 19. That’s when I was just trying to figure out what I wanted to do and the idea of moving out of Cleveland was there but it wasn’t a real solid idea.

Complex: What made you decide to move?

Kid Cudi: Before I decided to move I came up with the idea to go to the Navy. I watched maybe a little too much Antwone Fisher that month, I don’t know. However, I was inspired to be a better man. There was a moment in time where I was really focused on the Navy and I followed through with it, I passed the test. I was happy with myself because I was accomplishing something and I was really working towards a goal. That was the first true thing I invested my energy in. I was really excited about it, I mean now I look at it like, “I was fucking crazy.” But I was really excited about going to the military. When I got all the medical tests and everything, they said that they wouldn’t let me in because of my police record from when I was younger.

Complex: Why did you have a record?

Kid Cudi: When I was like 16, I went out with my friends after school to watch these kids fight. I was just standing around as a spectator but when the police came around some snitching was involved, [and] my name was one of the names that was brought up, like “Scott Mescudi was there!” It was nothing intense, no felonies, just knucklehead shit like that. Those muthafuckas filed charges and called them assault charges even though I never put my hands on anybody. But that shit was on the record—doesn’t matter what happened.

Complex: Was that your only run-in with the law?

Kid Cudi: Well, I got arrested for smoking. I was 17, had a cigarette on my ear, drunk at a high school football game. I was raging, ragetastic. The cops told me to come over and they cuffed me. Then, on top of that, I got arrested in University of Toledo for underage drinking at a party and I physically got into it with a cop. He cuffed me and punched me in the face and really brutally kicked my ass to the point where I could’ve pressed charges, but it’s like, we didn’t have money for lawyer fees and court fees and all that shit and it would’ve been a dead issue. That was early 2004.

Complex: You’ve managed to stay clean since being in the spotlight, aside from the infamous Reebok situation…

Kid Cudi: My argument never changed. People can say what they want, the topic’s been done, but I don’t give a fuck about anything other than right or wrong. They were wrong. I reacted. I might’ve been wrong for reacting so ridiculously over the top, but like I said, I’m a maniac sometimes. The dude who approached me in that situation, I haven’t had a dude approach me like he wanted to fight me in years. The last time I had a fight, I was like 16 or 17 years old. Muthafuckas ain’t been tryin’ to fight, especially where I was at in Cleveland. Niggas don’t fight no more, you get shot the fuck up. This dude just was up in my face aggressively, and I snapped. I didn’t know what to do. I’m not no tough guy, I’m not trying to be. Everybody has that angry emotion and mine just surfaced that night. I don’t regret that shit one bit; I did what I had to do.

CLICK NEXT TO READ MORE, INCLUDING CUDI’S THOUGHTS ON HIS COMPETITION IN THE RAP GAME…

COMPLEX’S KID CUDI COVER STORY
COMPLEX’S BEHIND THE SCENES KID CUDI x AUGOR VIDEO
COMPLEX’S KID CUDI x AUGOR GALLERY
COMPLEX’S KID CUDI x AUGOR COVER (LARGE)

The self-proclaimed lonely stoner is currently on The Great Hangover Tour with Asher Roth, and has fans eagerly awaiting his debut album The Man On The Moon: End Of Day, which is now set for September 15. His melody-heavy raps bring an innovative sound to the game, which is why we paired him up with graf artist AUGOR for some illustrations that show Cudi battling his demons. We just put the whole story up online, and you’ll see that Cudi really invited us inside the mind of Scott Mescudi. You think you know, but you have no idea…

• CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL KID CUDI COVER STORY!
• CLICK HERE TO BROWSE THE KID CUDI x AUGOR GALLERY!

The sizzling sideline reporter talks about playing video games, how she would enjoy a dinner date with Justin Timberlake, and what movies make her cry. Trust us, she sits atop Mt. Wifey. Check the video below.

Not only will the winner get all the e-fame you could ever want, you'll also get to see your design printed on a limited edition T-Shirt. Awesome.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER & LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONTEST!

The theme of the competition is to design a shoe that “best represents the greatest college basketball team of all time.” Our Dunk design was inspired by the classic colorway of the Nike Air Flight Huarache that Michigan's Fab 5 wore back in 1992'maybe not the “greatest” team ever, but definitely a squad (and shoe) that forever changed the game. We're not really sure what ?uest was inspired by…perhaps Homer Simpson? Sorry homie, we’re just trying to advance our votes, we ain’t trying to make you the butt of our jokes. Vote Complex HERE (you can vote as many times as you want) before March 18.

Jones' forthcoming album Pray IV Reign, which drops March 24th, was played for the first time, and Jimmy even made an impromptu speech. Watch the listening session go down in the video below to see Jones, Dash, and Dip Set affiliate Mel Matrix Popping Off (pause)…

You might just be getting acquainted with the Indian bombshell, but Complex was actually the first American magazine to feature her. That’s right'we gave her the Hot Complex treatment in our December/January issue (that’s six months ago in magazine time), and the photos we shot are still the best we’ve seen.

CLICK HERE to revisit our Freida gallery, then watch the behind-the-scenes video from her shoot below…

RELATED: Hot Complex: Freida Pinto

We enjoyed thumbing through Aubrey’s new Playboy issue, but we can’t lie'we still think our scandalous cover shoot was more memorable, even without the nudity (and our interview is hotter…holla!). Obviously we’re a little biased, so we thought we would put the pictures side by side and ask you, the readers, to decide. See the (slightly censored) photos and then vote for your pick below…

(COMPLEX, PLAYBOY)

CLICK NEXT TO SEE ALL OF AUBREY’S COMPLEX/PLAYBOY SEXY PHOTOS!

Renowed video director/photographer Chris Milk is shooting the Louis Vuitton Don with a little help from the Graphics Lab at the USC Institute for Creative Technologies, the same special effects team who worked on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. As Kanye said, there won’t be any grey hairs on this cover, but we don’t want to give away any more of the final concept. Hold your breath, it's going to be a banger…

Click Here To See More Behind The Scenes Pics At Kanye's Blog

Some of the winners included the Supra Skytop for Sneaker of the Year, and Vans x Proper for Best Collabo. Other categories where awards were given were Best Sneaker-Shoe, Skate Brand Of The Year, and Best Sneaker Technology. So who took home top billing? Hit the jump for the full list of winners, then let us know if you agree with our choices…

• Sneaker Of The Year: Supra Skytop
• Sneaker Shoe Of The Year: Common Projects Achilles Heel
• Skate Brand Of The Year: Lakai
• Best Sneaker Technology: Nike Flywire
• Collabo Of The Year: Vans x Proper

Jones had a lot to say, and believe it or not, he actually spoke on a number of things that never made it into the magazine. So now we're hooking you up with some of the juiciest outtakes: Jimmy talks more about Jay-Z, gives his thoughts on Jadakiss signing to the Roc, addresses Dame Dash’s financial woes and more. Trust us, the extras are chock-full of gems. Read on to see why when Jimmy talks, everyone listens…

Interview by Joe La Puma

Complex: You said that at one point, Jay-Z was your favorite rapper and then he went out “like a dud.” When did your perception of him change? 


Jim Jones: When he went from being a boss to an employee and he had no reason for doing that. I took a job with Kevin Liles and them because I had all the reason in the world to do that'I'm a hustler and I wanted to learn the whole game from the inside out. At that point, when Jay went corporate, he already knew the whole game. Roc-A-Fella was on a roll that nobody could probably stop, ever. So when you downshift and you go from wanting to run your own ship to being on a crew on somebody else's ship, I don't care how big the ship is, it's not the same. You lose the power. You lose the equity, and to me it's like you just sold your soul. You fell into the loop. And you supposed to come from the street'we're supposed to always set our own precedent and do it the way we wanna do it.

Complex: I see…

Jim Jones: That's why he made so much money and sold so many records. Not to be a part of their world; you always have to do it your way, and let them come to our world. Convert to their world and you'll never get business done that way. You have to have a business mind but for the most part when it comes to your artistry and who you are and your persona'it's like, shit I ain't changing for nobody, why should I? As long as this billing is coming in, you should be happy and I should be happy.

Complex: How do you feel about Jada going to the ROC. Does that surprise you?

Jim Jones: I don't know, some people got to do business moves. Some people don't have enough power to do things in their own regard, so they do things to create some type of hype. Some type of niche that would reel people in to get people to look at them. I guess he felt that him doing the Roc-A-Fella thing would give him that. Me, myself, I don't think it would've given him anything whether he would've done a deal with a real label or not. [Roc-A-Fella] is not even a real label no more. Like I told you, L.A. Reid owns it. You smell me? They sold it. That's why Dame is in here with us'he made money off that. Who owns it?

Complex: Are you cool with anyone from Roc-A-Fella?

Jim Jones: There isn't really any Roc-A-Fella. Wheres Roc-A-Fella signed to? Who owns Roc-A-Fella? Jay don't own Roc-A-Fella. L.A. Reid owns Roc-A-Fella and there's no Roc-A-Fella artists. Not even Jay, for that matter. He hasn't sold any real incredible records for him to be saying that he's the best in the world. People are selling circles around his sales, but his publicity and his star power has overcome anything. Then you know, he got the Beyonce factor, which is a great factor for him.

Complex: Have you ever run into Beyonce?

Jim Jones: Nah, we don't deal with that. That's a different part. We stick to what we're doing. Smell me? We don't violate that. Gangstas don't do that. No women no children. Smell me?

Complex: Going back to Dame getting money, there have been reports that he's in financial trouble…

Jim Jones: For us, it's a joke to even be here, and to say he's having financial troubles…meanwhile we're living multi-million-dollar lives. I tell people, my house is pretty big. Most people call it a church, but Dame's apartment is bigger than my house. So, I keep asking people, if that's the case, how broke can he be? It's just the media, it's what they get paid to do. They don't promote the positive.

Complex: This year, it seems like Dame has been really focused on trying to make you a star. Some people have compared his drive to the way he pushed Jay-Z at the beginning. How do you respond to that?

Jim Jones: Shit, that’s a great comparison. If you look at it, Dame did alright for Jay-Z. That old nigga has cake, he’s paid. So how bad can that be? Dame made history, he started Roc-A-Fella records, and I’ve seen it. I watched the first Roc-A-Fella fitted he had on his head that he made from a 3rd Avenue store when it was just stitched on and shit. He’s a historical person, he’s done it and he’s done it well. He not only did it with Jay, but he did it with Kanye; he set a precedent for niggas that want to become something in this game, who come from the street and want to make a lot of money. Dame is a beast'when I was younger, I always admired his hustle. I can do more. I don’t need to use rap as a crutch for the rest of my life. I can rap and I can do the business, I can model and do the business, I can own a production team. It’s a big difference over here, [Jay-Z] can't do that. He’s not that savvy, not that fly, I don’t think he’s that handsome. All he has is a gorgeous flow'my momma raised a gorgeous child.

Complex : You always point out that people dress like Jim Jones, but there’s also a lot of people who dress like Kanye and Lupe. How do you feel about that?

Jim Jones: Shit, more power to them, but I don't indulge in that world. That world is more of a nerdish-type of world. No disrespect to nobody, but that's not what we do on this side. I come from the hood, so I get fresh and I get fly and it's a little bit more comfortable than others. That type of dressing starts to get tight at certain points. That's not us. But some girls like that, ya dig?

Complex: These young cats are getting their chains snatched left and right. What advice can you give to folks like Yung Berg?

Jim Jones: If you that bold to talk about it, then you should be bold enough to know that there might be consequences to suffer if you get caught slipping. And they said that Berg’s chain was fake too. That Voltron shit. But you know, 95% of the rappers out there are rocking fake jewelry. These niggas got chains and diamonds on bigger than Zamunda. And they don't have a fucking sale on the SoundScan. With no sales, how can you do shows? With no shows, how can you get real money?

Complex: On your new album, there’s a few songs for the ladies. What type of women are you trying to attract right now?

Jim Jones: Like the one I got at home. Very sexy, intelligent, street-savvy and knows how to put it on when she needs to.

Complex: You keep bringing her up…is this the “one?”

Jim Jones: Yeah, definitely. 


Complex: How long have you been together with her?

Jim Jones: Four years. We're not married yet. We're getting there though.

Complex: How many days out of the week do you go back to Harlem?

Jim Jones: Once every two weeks. I’m busy, so I don't be going there like I used to. I’m trying make a lot of money here and do a lot of things. And above all, when you’re in the hood, you’re subjected to what goes on in the hood and you don't want to get caught slipping and lose everything you built for making a stupid mistake over a calculated risk. Who wants to end up in jail with millions of dollars over trying to prove a point because my ego was big? I still keep all my niggas around me. And when I’m feeling good and I need a breath of fresh air, you can catch me on 115th, and you catch me on St. Nick. You can catch me riding through with some big cars. But as far as going back to the hood, how many times you get to see the president?

Complex: You’re ad-libs are always on point. I’d say the “Kalina” ad-lib from “Reppin’ Time” is my favorite [Ed. Note: Robert Kalina is Jim's lawyer]. Which one is yours?

Jim Jones: The ad-libs are part of my music; it explains my rhyme, that’s why I do it. I tell people I’m not the most talented nigga at rapping, I’m talented at hustling and shit like that, so I have to do things that make up for my mis-talent. In my music, I’m explaining things I’ve been through, so the ad-libs explain what I’m talking about. There’s really not one favorite, I just like when I nail them. But “Kalina” has to be one that stands out because it seems like every year for the past 8 years, I’ve been calling his name.

Complex: Are you worried about how your new album sales will stand up against the likes of 50 and Jay?

Jim Jones: They better watch out. The pressure is on them. I got the same amount of advertising power that they’re going to have. Columbia is about to spend some money. It’s going to be a battle for PO’s in the store; it’s going to be a battle. People are going to see me as much as they see them, and I’m handsome, ya dig? I don’t know about them other niggas. Girls like a good picture, so at the end of the day, girls just might buy it because they think I look fly on the cover.

Complex: There was a rumor that there was another part II to “Swagger Like Us” coming out with Jeezy and Andre 3000 on it. How you feel about that?

Jim Jones: When's the last time anyone has dressed like any of those people? Where are we going with this? I would exclude Andre 3000, because niggas are never going to dress like him anyway. He’s on his own other shit. But for the most part, we set the precedent. Why you think they got me on the cover of Complex for? We about to blow niggas’ minds. These niggas know I can do it, and they can’t and they know girls aren’t going to be mad at it. They’re going to be like, ah man, I can’t even get up on that shit, he’s taking it too far to the point where I can’t be involved. [Laughs]. We’re going to have fun with this one for a bit.

Complex: You also have a fitness DVD coming out?

Jim Jones: I’m going to start shooting soon. I’ve been getting in shape for the past few years. It helps me to not be so frustrated. I’ve got pretty good at it. It’s a billion dollar industry. It’s just another check in my pocket.

Complex: Are you ever in the gym with those meathead dudes?

Jim Jones: These dudes that take steroids, lookin’ like wrestlers? I’m not into all that. For the most part, I know sex sells, so I try to stay in shape. Plus my position in this rap game is a touchy position, so I might have to put hands on somebody every now and then. I got to be on my Ps and Qs. I’ve got kicked out of three gyms already so I got a trainer in my house, I keep it fair. Most of the dudes around me are in shape, and I hate to be the littlest nigga around.

[CLICK HERE FOR COMPLEX'S JIM JONES COVER STORY]

But Lonnie Rashid topsy-turvyed the game. His last two albums, Be and Finding Forever , have taken him to new commercial and critical heights, and his consistent acting roles have turned him into a seriously promising Hollywood player. So what does that all add up to in rap's dollars and cents? A spot on the Forbes Hip-Hop Cash Kings list, as well as a role in next summer's potential blockbuster Terminator 4. But Comm still loves good music, and he’s finally made some time in his busy schedule to unveil his long overdue Invincible Summer-turnt-Universal Mind Control album, which drops December 9. We spoke with the Chicago MC weeks before the release to get his thoughts on No I.D, Kanye vs. Pharrell, dating (or not dating) Serena Williams, and our new President-elect Barack O'Bama…

Interview By Joe La Puma

Complex: So December 9th is the day for Universal Mind Control. What can we expect?

Common: You're going to get something you've never heard from Common and in hip-hop as a whole. It's a fresh new sound, and I think it's the future of hip-hop in many ways. We did a lot of electronic stuff, and a lot of different elements and styles. It's the future of music, but it also deals with the basics of it. We were thinking about the future the whole time, but it turned out to sound like “Planet Rock.” It goes to show you how ahead of the game Afrika Bambaataa was, and the influence they had on us.

Complex: When you renamed the album, was there any altering to the music itself?

Common: Nah. The funny part about it is a friend of mine that works with me, when I told him that I'm not going to change the title of the album from Invincible Summer; I was like I'm just going to keep it as Invincible Summer and deep down inside I wanted to change the name a little bit but I didn't have another title that was better. And she said, “After hearing the album, it sounds like Universal Mind Control. And it was like a light bulb went off. It does sound more like Universal Mind Control. You know, focusing on the essence but creating futuristic things with it. That's what it sounds like.

Complex: Fans are really pumped about the news that you’re working with No iD for the next album, The Believer…

Common: [Interrupting] Oh. Oh. Oh. A. We didn't even start on that yet. You know we just…..

Complex: [Interrupting] But that's set in stone? That he's [No iD] going to helm most of the project?

Common: Nah, nah. Basically, Kanye had spoke about how him and No iD were going to do some production on The Believer when it's time. I don't even know if The Believer is going to be the album, to be honest. Basically where just saying that I'm going to work with Kanye and No iD.

Complex: How excited are you for that?

Common: Ah, man. It's like being able to work with somebody that I grew up with that is really one of the most talented producers out there. And to be able to have him and Kanye, creates something for me that's going to be incredible because we all just blend well. We all have chemistry. It's real, it's natural, it's Chicago, it's love for music, it's talent. It's like we all have this chemistry that's there. I'm excited to work and have some beats done by No iD.

Complex: You have been working with Pharrell and Kanye a lot. Where did those two differ the most?

Common: I would say Pharrell, first of all he does have a production partner but regardless he comes up from scratch with the music so the process is different. He just might come in and create some music from scratch. Where as with Kanye, we listen to the samples and decide what we may do, and he may chop something up and flip it or we may play something that's been inspired by samples. Basically what I'm saying is the process is a little longer with Kanye, as far as creating. And Kanye is definitely like, “Let's go in this direction” or “Let’s go in that direction.” Where as Pharrell, it's more suggestive. I'm trying to think of the biggest differences because they have more similarities than differences. They're both really talented at coming up with hooks and giving you a direction for the song. Like, “Man, maybe you should rhyme like this.” Or they might reference something. I would call them geniuses.

Complex: Who would you say is the most talented producer that you have worked with?

Common: I would say J. Dilla. God bless his soul. Dilla was the most incredible. I used to think, like where is this coming from? It was a whole new sound and different. You just wouldn't know where he was coming from with it. It was just incredible music that he made. It was soulful and timeless. I mean, you can still listen to his stuff now. It has a great sonic sound to it. I would say he's the most talented out of all the ones that I've worked with.

Complex: Barack is the President Elect. Where were you when he was elected?

Common: I was in Chicago at Grant Park. When I heard the news exactly, I was en route from Grant Park to an election party I had to host. Man, it is like heaven on earth. It's one of the greatest feelings and experiences I've ever had in my life. It's like walking through a dream.

Complex: On the “Why” remix in 2005, you spit “Why don’t we impeach him [Bush] and elect Obama,” which made you the first rapper to mention his name on record. Is that one of your proudest lines?

Common: Yeah, especially now. But even at the time, I was geeked about it. At that time I was really inspired by Obama and what he was doing, and what he stood for. That was the only time I really got political. People call me political, but I'm more of a conscious artist. When people bring up me rapping his name, I feel really proud. Everybody else's support for him is a great thing too. It's not about me, or the artists though'Barack Obama is encouraging people to do better in life. We're going out and speaking on issues and using our platform to bring people to a better place in life.

Complex: Did you ever imagine acting, and not rapping, would land you on the Forbes Hip-Hop Cash Kings list?

Common: I never thought that back in the day, but my goal is to be a Will Smith in this. As far as acting goes, I want to be one of the biggest movie stars in the world. I want to have a great career, and produce my own sales. My plan is to be at that 20 million-plus a movie.

Complex: Did you ever feel that it's karma, that you're landing acting roles, given that critics always felt you should have been selling more records than you were?

Common: It's not just money. It's the notoriety that has come with it. You never know where God is going to take you, you just have to listen and believe. You have to be open to trying and doing different things, and when it feels right to you, you got to go with it. At one point I was scared at trying to act. But when I got up in front of an acting class, I was like, Man, I really love this, so I started to pursue it. When I got to a bigger acting level, I started to really believe it was divine. And this is one of the gifts God gave me. It's funny how I'm reaching other audiences in a different way. My music has always been close to heart, and true to me though. Maybe because my music was different sounding it didn't get mass appeal that it should've got. It helped me develop things in my character though, that allows me to handle new situations better.

Complex: You're in the new Terminator movie, right?

Common: Yeah it's coming in May. It's a new movie directed by McG, and is the newest film in the Terminator franchise. Staring Christian Bale, and it's going to be something special. Summer time release,

Complex: So now, you're dating Serena Williams?

Common: [Laughs] Nah man, I'm dating hip-hop.

Complex: I don't know man, I saw you on a surfboard in Hawaii with her…

Common: That was my first time surfing, and I had an incredible time. I've been on vacations with groups of friends, but of course they're going to keep me in the pictures with Serena. They're not going to film one of my boys, or one of my homies, like they would Serena and I.

Complex: So you're saying you're not dating?

Common: Nah, I'm dating hip-hop. My love is hip-hop.

Complex: So is Serena your best girl-friend?

Common: Ha, nah man. My best girl-friend is hip-hop. I'm a single man.

Complex: Alright. How do you feel about Kanye's new album, with the singing and heavy auto-tune?

Common: Ah man, I love that he's expressing himself. I think he's talented even when he's singing it feels like he has soul with it and it's coming from his heart. I told him when I heard the album, that he's innovating and doing something. What he owes as an artist is to be honest. I tell myself that too, to express what you truly feel. If you look at it, people come to me now and say they dig Electric Circus more now. At the time, people were definitely not trying to hear it. But I feel like, even if people aren't digging it, you need to create what you feel, that's what art is. That's what the therapy is.

Complex: Yesterday it was reported that he felt the MTV Awards were fixed. Do you think his tantrums are ever warranted?

Common: I think he's one of the most honest in the entertainment industry. I think a lot of times when he speaks out, it's truthful. People don't want to hear it sometimes, but he's definitely speaking the truth. Even if it's his truth. You got to honor someone that's not scared to say what he feels. I admire that in people.

Complex: You nearly witnessed a fatal shooting at a barbershop in Brooklyn. Will you continue to get your hair cut there when you're in town?

Common: Yeah, I was just there. Incidents happen, things happened and it's unfortunate. I feel for the family and the people it happened to. I thank God that I'm here, because you have to live and I've been going there for years.

Complex: How Internet savvy are you? Do you read blogs?

Common: I'm starting to get into it more. I'm about to launch my website it's called ThinkCommon.com. I'm going to be on it a lot more. I don't really be on websites, or blogs. Sometimes when I release something I like to see what they're talking about, but I'm not on them much. I definitely think Nah Right is cool. I also like Hypebeast. I like both of them.

Last month, we highlighted hip-hop’s new class in our exclusive Leaders of the New Cool fashion story, which featured The Cool Kids, Wale, The Knux, B.o.B. and Charles Hamilton. Now, Complex’s new jacks are joined by the next wave of talent like Pac Div, U-N-I, and Supreeme for a special downloadable mixtape.

The 28-track compilation that’s hosted by mixtape heavyweight Mick Boogie, along with Complex’s own DJ Treats, brings together a crop of new talent you should be getting familiar with. Download the mixtape below, and listen to an exclusive bonus freestyle from Supreeme…

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE MIXTAPE

Tracklist:
1) Mick Boogie “Intro”
2) The Knux “Fire”
3) 88 Keys “Bout To Bus”
4) Treats Speaks…
5) B.o.B “I'll Be In The Sky”
6) Mickey Factz feat. Curtis Santiago “Automatic”
7) U-N-I “Hollywood Hiatus (Cool It Now)”
8) Charles Hamilton “It's”
9) Fashawn “Buyer's Guide”
10) The Knux “Bang Bang”
11) Treats Speaks…
12) Fresh Daily & Homeboy Sandman “Swerve”
13) Daytona & 6th Sense “Too Complex”
14) Marky “Higher”
15) Cool Kids “Delivery Man”
16) Chip Tha Ripper feat. Naledge, Mickey Factz & Mic Terror “Next Up”
17) B.o.B “Generation Lost”
18) Tanya Morgan “Stay Cool”
19) Charles Hamilton “Hell Boys”
20) Treats Speaks…
21) Izza Kizza “Parking Lot Pimpin”
22) Big Sean “Tomorrow”
23) D-Black & Big Pooh “Top Of The World”
24) Pacific Divison “Wake Up”
25) Donnis “Dope Girl”
26) Supreeme “Roni”
27) The Knux “Cappuccino (Remix)”
28) Nola Darling feat. Fresh Daily “Coco Rico”

BONUS
Supreeme “Freestyle”