I’ve met kids who haven’t had the best of parents but because they had something in them, or they had somebody at school help develop them, they turned out fine.

Now I'm on the rise, doin' business with my guys. Visions realize, music [your craft] affected lives. A gift from the skies, to be recognized, I'm keeping my eye on the people, that's the prize

I started digging into parts of myself that I probably ignore and don't really get to express because Common is an artist that is conscious and is aware and is trying to put a positive energy to the world.

The way [Barack Obama] danced, it looked like he could dance in a circle with anyone from Chris Brown to ... well, I don't want to say Michael Jackson, because he's like the king.

Whether the people in Haiti, the young kids in Chicago that [are] going through violence, or whether you're in Atlanta or L.A. or Europe - it's not even color barriers for me - I go to where I know there's a lot of turmoil and pain.

I sit and think with a drink about how I'm gonna win.

It's no doubt that there's a connection (between the blues and hip-hop). Hip-hop is definitely a child of the blues. And I think you gotta know the roots to really grow. It's like knowing your parents, it's like knowing your culture, so you could be proud of that culture and take it to the world.