Common Praises Andre 3000 & Nas' Lyrics: "Those Words Will Last"

BY Caroline Fisher
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2017 Creative Arts Emmy Awards - Day 1 - Arrivals
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: Actor/rapper Common attends the 2017 Creative Arts Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 9, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)
Common wishes that he had come up with some of Andre 3000 and Nas' bars.

It's no secret that Common's got some serious writing skills, but that doesn't stop him from occasionally looking at other artists with envy. During a recent interview on Hot 97’s Ebro in the Morning, the Chicago MC discussed Andre 3000's new instrumental album, New Blue Sun. He says that while he obviously appreciates the Outkast icon's bars, he's just happy to see him putting out music of any kind, despite it being somewhat controversial.

“First of all, it’s just great to hear something from André,” he began. “Of course I wanna hear his raps, but that dude has been such a creator… When I put on that flute album I was like, ‘Yo, this joint is dope to me.’” According to Common, some producers have even reached out to him offering to loop instrumentals from the project for him to rap over.

Common Wishes He Wrote Some Of Andre 3000 & Nas' Lyrics

Despite being a fan of New Blue Sun, Common might have found himself missing Andre 3000's signature storytelling skills. After all, he says that he's still jaw-dropped by what the artist has been able to come up with over the years. "Him [André 3000] and Nas, for me, are the two that I’ll be like, ‘Damn, I wish I wrote that,’" he said. Elsewhere in the interview, he showed love to Nas for the lyricism in his 1994 Illmatic track "N.Y. State of Mind."

“I was playing ‘New York State of Mind’ and one of the greatest lines ever written is, ‘Beyond the walls of intelligence life is defined/ I think of crime when I’m in a New York state of mind,’” he described. "That's like poetry. That's like American literature," Common continued. "When they put that next to James Baldwin and Nikki Giovanni, those words will last." What do you think of Common praising Nas and Andre 3000 for their writing skills? Do you agree with him? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

About The Author
Caroline Fisher is currently a News Editor at HotNewHipHop. Her time at HotNewHipHop began in 2023 when she began writing about music and pop culture full-time. Since then, she has helped cover major stories including the YSL RICO trial, Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s explosive feud, Diddy’s ongoing legal battle, and awards shows such as the BET Awards. Being from Chicago, she also got the opportunity to attend Summer Smash 2024 and review Chief Keef’s historic homecoming show. She additionally covered sets by Flo Milli, Playboi Carti, Bktherula, and more.

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