Veteran Chicago rapper Common revisits his musical past on May 25th with the release of Go! Common Classics. The 13-song opus is a retrospective of some of Common’s most popular songs from the past decade, including the fabled Ice Cube diss track, “The Bitch In Yoo.”

Go! Common Classics consists of songs from Common’s MCA/Geffen albums Like Water For Chocolate (“The Light”); Electric Circus (“Come Close” featuring Mary J. Blige); Be (“The Corner” featuring The Last Poets, “Testify,” and “Go!”); Finding Forever (“The People,” “Southside” featuring Kanye West, “I Want You,” and “Drivin’ Me Wild” featuring Lily Allen); and Universal Mind Control (“Universal Mind Control”).

In addition, Go! Common Classics includes a new Queen Latifah featured track, “Next Time (Just Right Version),” from the upcoming movie Just Wright, which co-stars Common and Latifah, and hits screens Friday May 14th. Despite Common’s major motion picture activities, he is expected to release an album later this year. 

  Track Listing:

  1. The Light

  2. Universal Mind Control (UMC)

  3. Next Time (Just Wright Version) featuring Queen Latifah

  4. Go!

  5. Come Close featuring Mary J. Blige

  6. I Want You

  7. The Corner featuring The Last Poets

  8. Love Of My Life (An Ode To Hip Hop) Erykah Badu featuring Common

  9. Testify

  10. The People

  11. Drivin’ Me Wild featuring Lily Allen

  12. Southside featuring Kanye West

  13. The B**** In Yoo

Chicago rapper Rhymefest has finally been granted the green light to release his sophomore album El Che, scheduled to drop June 8th on dN|Be Entertainment.

El Che, an EMI distributed project, is the follow up to his debut album Blue Collar, and features production from Scram Jones, S1, BKS, and Terry Hunter. The upcoming 16-track LP also includes guest appearances from notable artists such as Little Brother, Saigon, Glen Lewis, as well as his “Windy City” brethren Twone Gabz.

Despite numerous set backs to his sophomore effort (El Che was originally scheduled for a March 18th release date), Rhymefest and his new indie label—dN|Be Entertainment—asserts that the new date is final: “Of course I was weary when the distribution company sprung a new release date on me.  But to guarantee that all of the fans that have been patiently waiting for El Che to drop get to purchase this album, I have to let EMI do its thing with the shipments.”

To help promote and build momentum for the release of El Che, dN|Be Entertainment is using digital and online strategies for fans to connect and interact with Rhymefest through his website ElCheTheMovement.com.

Rhymefest won a Grammy for co-writing “Jesus Walks” with Kanye West.

Newly partnered labels, Bad Boy Records and Interscope Records, have formally announced the signing of rapper Red Café.

With the success of his current single, “I’m Ill” featuring Fabolous (produced by Boi-1da [Drake: "Best I Ever Had," "Forever," and "Over"]; [Eminem: "Not Afraid"]) in rotation, the Brooklyn emcee is now preparing for the release of his debut album Red October, which will be co-executive produced by Sean “Diddy” Combs and Akon.

“I’m so excited. I’ve got the best of both worlds,” stated Red Cafe. “Diddy representing the streets and Akon bringing a worldly perspective to the project.”

“I can officially announce the signing of Red Cafe to the Bad Boy/Interscope family. Red’s lyrical skill and passion is unique,” says Diddy. “Red’s raw talent brings a new sound and fresh perspective from the streets. I look forward to him sharing his talent with the world.”

Erykah Badu is hitting the road this spring to promote her new album, New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh, and has rescheduled some of the show dates for her upcoming Out My Mind, Just In Time tour. The first leg of the tour begins its run starting May 28th at Constitution Hall (Washington, DC) and concludes June 24th at The Pearl Concert Theater (Las Vegas, NV), and will consists of performances at various North American amphitheaters and concerts halls.

The Out My Mind, Just In Time tour, produced by CD Enterprises, will feature numerous opening acts playing select dates, including Janelle Monae, Bilal, N.E.R.D, “?uestlove (Ahmir Thompson) from The Roots, as well as new additions to the lineup—Lupe Fiasco and B.O.B.

Badu is also scheduled to perform at the Lollapalooza summer festival and will participate in the revamped Lilith Fair tour for seven U.S. and Canadian dates. In addition, Badu will be a featured guest at Maxwell’s upcoming concerts being held on June 11th at Phillips Arena (Atlanta, GA) and June 26th at Madison Square Garden (New York, NY).

ERYKAH BADU 2010 OUT MY MIND, JUST IN TIME U.S. TOUR DATES

May 28        Washington, D.C.                                Constitution Hall (w/ N.E.R.D., Janelle Monae)

 May 29        Washington, D.C.                                Constitution Hall (w/ N.E.R.D.)

 May 30        Baltimore, MD                                      Pier Six Pavilion (w/ N.E.R.D., Janelle Monae)

June 2            Chicago, IL                                          Chicago Theater  (w/ N.E.R.D., Janelle Monae)

June 3            Chicago, IL                                          Chicago Theater (w/ N.E.R.D., Janelle Monae)      

June 4            Detroit, MI                                           Chene Park (w/ N.E.R.D., Janelle Monae)

June 6            Boston, MA                                          Orpheum Theatre (w/ Janelle Monae)

June 7            New York, NY                                      Roseland Ballroom (w/ ?uestlove, Janelle Monae)

June 8            Philadelphia, PA                               Tower Theater (w/ Bilal, Janelle Monae)

June 10        Memphis, TN                                       Orpheum Theatre (w/ Janelle Monae)

June 13        Houston, TX                                         Verizon Wireless Theater (w/ Janelle Monae)

June 14        Dallas, TX                                             Nokia Theatre (w/ B.o.B., Janelle Monae)

June 16        Denver, CO                                            The Fillmore Auditorium (w/ Janelle Monae)

June 18        Oakland, CA                                         Paramount Theatre (w/ Janelle Monae)

June 19        Saratoga, CA                                         The Mountain Winery

June 20        Los Angeles, CA                                  Greek Theater (w/ Janelle Monae, Lupe Fiasco)

June 22        San Diego, CA                                      Humphreys Concerts by the Bay (w/ Janelle Monae)

June 23        Phoenix, AZ                                          Marquee Theatre (w/ Janelle Monae)

June 24        Las Vegas, NV                                      The Pearl Concert Theater

TOUR DATES WITH MAXWELL

June 11        Atlanta, GA                                            Phillips Arena

June 26        New York, NY                                       Madison Square Garden

LILITH FAIR & FESTIVALS

June 27        Calgary, AB                                           MaMahon Stadium (Lilith Fair)

June 28        Edmonton, AB                                     Northlands Spectrum (Lilith Fair)

June 30        Vancouver, BC                                     Pitt Meadows Airport (Lilith Fair)

July 2            Portland, OR                                        Sleep Country Amphitheatre (Lilith Fair)

July 3            George, WA                                          The Gorge Amphitheatre (Lilith Fair)

August 4        Raleigh, NC                                        Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion (Lilith Fair)

August 6        Richmond, VA                                   Kanawah Plaza (Fridays at Sunset Festival)

August 7        Columbia, MD                                   Merriweather Post Pavilion

August 8        Chicago, IL                                        Grant Park, Hutchinson Field (Lollapalooza)

August 11        Tampa, FL                                        Ford Amphitheatre (Lilith Fair)