Posted May 5, 2006 -- Common recently (Apr. 29) held an exclusive eight-song listening session for his forthcoming eighth album, Invincible Summer. The LP is dominated by up-beat production from The Neptunes and Outkast producer Mr. DJ. “I created this music for the summer time, it’s about feeling good,” Common told Billboard.com. “This is the type of music I felt was missing from my body of work.” Notably missing from this body of work is any collaboration with fellow Chicagoan Kanye West (who primarily produced Com’s last album, Finding Forever). “Kanye was focusing on his ‘Glow in the Dark’ show, so he hasn’t been able to make it to the studio to weigh in,” Common said. “But it worked out well, organically. The Neptunes & Mr. DJ came up with a fresh sound for me.”
Another Chicagoan with new music is John Legend. His as-yet-untitled junior effort is expected this September also with production from The Neptunes as well as from Black Eyed Peas front man will.i.am and a guest spot from Andre 3000. Meanwhile, Legend has been touring Africa in support of the “Show Me Campaign” launched to eliminate poverty on the continent. For more information, visit ShowMeCampaign.org.
Elsewhere around this country, Oakland native Raphael Saadiq previewed his new album for an intimate group in NYC. Though not yet finalized, according to OkayPlayer.com, the album is described as having a 60s soul sound complete with Saadiq on vintage guitars, drum kits, and mics, and a collaboration with the legendary Stevie Wonder on harmonica.
Detroit native Dwele is prepping his Sketches of a Man for a Jun. 24 release. He told Billboard.com that on this album, he’s focusing his crooning on relationships. “That’s what people tend to buy. …Everything from the usual living life and learning about love,” he said. “This album is moreso talking about relationships and what we have to do to make them work.”
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