Tag Archives: Common

Summer Set Music & Camping Festival 2013

summerset 2013 festAugust 9 – 11, Summer Set Music & Camping Festival (SSMF) returns to the beautiful Somerset Amphitheater in Wisconsin! The diverse, three day outdoor music festival welcomes artists from every genre from all over the world across three stagest! The headliners this year include critically acclaimed indie-synth-pop band PASSION PIT, Colorado live instrumental duo BIG GIGANTIC, Mashup maestro GIRL TALK, the legendary jam quintet SOUND TRIBE SECTOR 9 (STS9), hip-hop icons COMMON and BIG BOI of Outkast, and 50 more artists!

Tickets are on sale now at Clubtix.com!

PASSION PIT | BIG GIGANTIC | GIRL TALK | STS9

In alphabetical order…
Adventure Club | Alex Metric | Beats Antique
Big Boi | Blackalicious | BoomBox
Common | Conspirator | Dessa
Digital Tape Machine | Diplo | Doomtree
Figure | Flosstradamus | Greensky Bluegrass
GRiZ | Keys ‘N Krates | Kill Paris | Krewella
Madeon | Morgan Page | Orchard Lounge
Papadosio | Pert Near Sandstone | Polica
Ryan Hemsworth | SBTRKT (DJ Set) | Spencer & Hill
STRFKR | The4ontheFloor | Tommy Trash
Tritonal | The Wailers | The Werks
Wolfgang Gartner | Zedd | Zomboy
 

Last year, SSMF welcomed over 30,000 people to the beautiful grounds at Somerset Amphitheater with 40 national and international artists! This year, the festival is expecting over 45,000 people with more than 50 artists from around the world! Last year, the festival was headlined by Pretty Lights, Umphrey’s McGee, Big Gigantic, and featured performances by the legendary NaS and Black Stare (Mos Def & Talib Kweli). This year, all of the artists will perform across three stages on the grounds, which is surrounded by the Apple River on the border of Wisconsin and Minnesota. 

Tickets are on sale now at Clubtix.com!

Rock the Bells Announces 2013 Line-up, Dates and Venues

rockthebells2013Boost Mobile in association with Guerilla Union made the initial announcement of the Rock The Bells 2013 Festival Series this week.

Upholding to true Rock the Bells tradition, freestyle champ Supernatural unveiled this year’s performing artists via freestyle, of which include: BIG K.R.I.T., BLACK HIPPY, BODEGA BAMZ, BONE THUGS-N-HARMONY, BROTHER ALI, CHASE & STATUS, COMMON*, CURREN$Y, DANNY BROWN, DILATED PEOPLES, DIZZY WRIGHT, DOM KENNEDY, E40 AND TOO SHORT*, EARL SWEATSHIRT, FLATBUSH ZOMBIES, HIT BOY, HOPSIN, IMMORTALTECHNIQUE, JHENE AIKO*, JUICY J*, JURASSIC 5*, KID CUDI, LECRAE, MIMOSA, PROF, RAKIM, SNOW THA PRODUCT, SUPERNATURAL, TALIB KWELI, TECH N9NE, TYLER THE CREATOR*, and WU-TANG CLAN with more to be announced.

The festival will kick off at San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino, California on September 7 and 8 and make its way to Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California on September 14 and 15. To round out the tour, Rock the Bells will be establishing new festival sites at RFK Festival Grounds in Washington D.C. on September 28 and 29, and at Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey on October 4 and 5.

This year marks Rock the Bells’ tenth anniversary, and to celebrate and commemorate the premier hip-hop festival, Weisberg promises fans an once-in-a-lifetime experience. Rock the Bells will have original virtual performances of iconic hip-hop legends Ol’ Dirty Bastard performing with Wu-Tang Clan and Eazy-E performing with Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.

This virtual performance is especially important for the legendary New York crew. The first year of Rock the Bells in 2004 was the last major performance all Wu-Tang Clan members had together before Ol’ Dirty Bastards’ untimely passing. Now, 10 years later, they will be reunited on the same stage at Rock the Bells for their 20 year anniversary.

Rock the Bells artist ambassador and famed emcee Nas states: “I’m proud to have been a partner with Rock the Bells for the past five years. This year, RTB X, will mark a significant time in hip hop. Today’s announcement is a celebration of several historic moments in the past, with a keen eye for the future.

For the first time ever, Guerilla Union mailing lists subscribers will get the first chance to purchase specially priced tickets during an Early Bird Pre-Sale with the exclusive password. Fans are encouraged to sign up for the mailing list to receive this exclusive pre-sale password. Check www.rockthebells.net for information per market. The next announcement of artist additions will be made in June. For more info, visit: www.rockthebells.net

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Donate To Homeless Youth For Free Tix To Common/Virgin Mobile Show In Chicago

Virgin Mobile has partnered with the City of Chicago, The Night Ministry and the Common Ground Foundation to help homeless youth in Chicago. Be part of their cause, and come visit their new retail locations with a $20 donation – in exchange they’ll give you a ticket to see Chicago native COMMON perform live!
Tickets are available at the following location and times:

Virgin Mobile Flagship

2562-64 N. Clark St.

Saturday, 7/21 12-4PM (CT)

  • Sunday, 7/22 12-4PM (CT)

Can’t make it to the Flagship Store? Tickets are also available by clicking here. All proceeds benefit The Night Ministry of Chicago that works to provide housing, healthcare and human connection to members of our community struggling with poverty or homelessness. VIP goodies may be available for some lucky customers, so keep your eyes and ears open! Visit our hot, new locations in your neighborhood to upgrade your phone, check on your account, browse new devices, and high five our employees. Click here to find one near you!

*No purchase necessary, donation is required. Ticket quantities are limited. Cost per ticket: $20 donation to The Night Ministry. Max ticket quantity per person: 2. Must be 18 or older.

Common Talks First Verse and Influences In Outtakes from Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap

Ice-T takes us on an intimate journey into the heart and soul of hip-hop with the legends of rap  music. This performance documentary goes beyond the stardom and the bling to explore what goes on inside the minds, and erupts from the  lips, of the grandmasters of rap. Recognized as the godfather of Gangsta rap, Ice-T is granted unparalleled access to the personal lives of the masters of this artform that he credits for saving his life.  Interspersed with the performers’ insightful, touching, and often funny revelations are classic raps, freestyle rhymes, and never before heard a cappellas straight from the mouths of the creators.  What emerges is a better   understanding of, and a  tribute to, an original American art form that brought poetry to a new  generation.

Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap hits the big screen on June 15th. For more information on the film, visit theartofrap.com, www.facebook.com/ArtofRap, www.twitter.com/artofrap.

 

Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap hits theaters June 15th

Ice-T takes us on an intimate journey into the heart and soul of hip-hop with the legends of rap music. This performance documentary goes beyond the stardom and the bling to explore what goes on inside the minds, and erupts from the lips, of the grandmasters of rap. Recognized as the godfather of Gangsta rap, Ice-T is granted unparalleled access to the personal lives of the masters of this artform that he credits for saving his life. Interspersed with the performers’ insightful, touching, and often funny revelations are classic raps, freestyle rhymes, and never before heard a cappellas straight from the mouths of the creators. What emerges is a better understanding of, and a tribute to, an original American art form that brought poetry to a new generation.

For more info, visit theartofrap.com, www.facebook.com/ArtofRap and www.twitter.com/artofrap

AT&T Brings Back 28 Days Speaker Series Featuring Common, Holly Robinson Peete, Kevin Powell and More

AT&T is bringing back the AT&T 28 Days speaker series to motivate consumers to have a voice, share their vision and move into action this Black History Month and throughout the new year.

The AT&T 28 Days campaign has always been centered around reflecting on the past and creating your own history and this year is no different. Now in its fourth year, the AT&T 28 Days campaign is giving consumers, especially youth, a new campaign sound to listen to that will empower them to achieve their dreams beyond February,” said Jennifer Jones, vice president of diverse markets, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets.

The AT&T 28 Days speaker series features some of today’s influential and respected leaders offering their own unique perspectives to inspire consumers to use their voices, creative visions and actions to shape their own future.

In 2012, four new cities will be added to the AT&T 28 Days speaker series tour: Dallas, Texas; Raleigh, N.C.; Cleveland, Ohio; and Detroit, Mich. AT&T 28 Days kicked off in Dallas, Texas at the House of Blues on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 16. Other stops on the seven-city AT&T 28 Days speaker series tour include: 

• Scottish Rite Center; Wednesday, Feb. 1 in Oakland, Calif.

• Fletcher Opera Theater; Wednesday, Feb. 8 in Raleigh, N.C.

• Howard University-Cramton Auditorium; Wednesday, Feb. 15 in Washington, D.C.

• Ohio Theatre; Monday, Feb. 20 in Cleveland, Ohio

• Park West Theatre; Thursday, Feb. 23 in Chicago, Ill.

• Shriners Silver Garden Events Center; Wednesday, Feb. 29 in Detroit, Mich.

The speaker series events are free and open to the general public and tickets are available at att.com/28days on a first come first serve basis. In addition, three of the speaker series events will be streamed live at facebook.com/att28days and the streaming schedule will be announced at a future date. This year’s speakers include: Kevin Powell, Jeff Johnson, Holly Robinson Peete, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Desiree RogersPast AT&T 28 Days speaker series lineups have included celebrities and thought leaders such as health fitness champion Laila Ali, and hip-hop media mogul and philanthropist Russell Simmons.

 With a new campaign rhythm, AT&T has included an interactive sweepstakes on att.com/28days that will interface with Facebook and Twitter, for consumers to share inspirational comments and photos in relation to the song. When consumers post comments and photos, they will be entered for a chance to win technology prizes and autographed merchandise. Prizes will be drawn weekly and consumers will be allowed one entry per person. For more information about AT&T 28 Days and AT&T’s Black History Month programs, visit att.com/28days.


Photo and video courtesy AT&T

Common’s new music video “Sweet”

 Hip Hop star Common launched his new music video “Sweet” with an exclusive online premiere at www.ustream.tv/channel/thinkcommonlive on Monday, Nov 14th @ 8 p.m. EST/5pm PST. The music video captures not only the devastation left by the 2010 earthquake but more importantly the beauty and power of the Haitian people and the land.

The video can be viewed for a donation of $1, with all proceeds going to J/P Haitian Relief Organization. Founded by Sean Penn immediately after the January 12th, 2010 earthquake, J/P HRO is managing programs in Camp Management, Medical, Rubble Removal, Community and Education, Redevelopment, and Emergency Response Operations.

For further information on J/P Haitian Relief Organization, please visit: http://jphro.org/

 

 

 

 

 

Chicago Anthem- We Can Do It Now

Chicago heavyweights Jennifer Hudson, Common, Lupe Fiasco and producer No I.D. have teamed up to create the Chicago anthem We Can Do It Now.

We Can Do It Now was inspired by season three of the Fox Sports Network series Replay that follows Chicago high school basketball teams the Bloom Township Trojans and the Brother Rice Crusaders. For more information on the song and the series click here. To download the song, click here

Kanye West Stay in School Event

The Kanye West Foundation held its 3rd Annual “Stay in School” event June 8th at Farragut Career Academy in Chicago, IL. 

West, along with fellow Chicago hip hop artists Common and Lupe Fiasco, Chicago Public Schools CEO Ron Huberman, Kanye West Foundation CEO Joseph Collins, Farragut Principal Theresa Plascenica and others announced this year, Chicago Public School students with improved grades, attendance and behavior will be rewarded with in school appearances by West, Common and Fiasco.

Students from Farragut, John Marshall Metropolitan and Percy L. Julian high schools were treated to performances from the hip hop stars later that day. Last year the foundation awarded 3,000 CPS students with tickets to a Kanye West concert at the Chicago Theatre.

The mission of the foundation is to help combat the dropout problem in schools throughout the U.S. by partnering with community organizations to provide under-served youth access to music programs that will enable them to unleash their creative ability and reach their full potential.

Photo by Raymond Boyd

Just Wright Chicago Premiere with Common

The AMC River East 21 welcomed rapper/actor Common for the Chicago Premiere of the his new movie Just Wright with a guest list of Chicago celebrities at the red carpet ceremony.

Celebrities at the premiere included: Chicago Bear players Otis Wilson, Earl Bennett, Israel Idonije, Jarron Gilbert, Matt Forte, and Matt Teaina; New Jersey Jets star Bobby Simmons and singer/songwriter Phoenix Phenom.

Photos by Adam Bielawski