Common Seeks Serenity on New Song ‘Say Peace’ With Black Thought, PJ

Common has released a new song, “Say Peace,” featuring Black Thought and PJ, that will appear on his new project, A Beautiful Revolution, Pt. 1, out this Friday, October 30th via Loma Vista.

The track boasts a restless groove of shuffling drums and busy bass, cut with a prickly guitar. Common and Black Thought search for a righteous serenity in their characteristically complex and compelling bars, while PJ captures the song’s essence in its hook, “Peace, we don’t really want no trouble/Tell me is you down with the struggle?/All they really wanna do is cuff you/They don’t love you.”

A Beautiful Revolution, Pt. 1, which follows Common’s 2019 album Let Love, will feature seven new songs, plus two interludes. The rapper made the record with a core band that featured PJ on vocals, Robert Glasper on keys, Karriem Riggins on drums, Burniss Travis on bass, and Isaiah Sharkey on guitar. Lenny Kravitz will also feature on the project.

In a statement, Common said he hopes the collection will “uplift, heal, and inspire listeners dealing with racial injustices as well as other social injustices.” He added, “A Beautiful Revolution, Pt. 1 is affirmation. It’s recognition. It’s elevation. It’s music to go with a movement. Because the truth is, there is still so much work to do. Regardless of the outcome of the election, we need to make sure things do not return to the status quo. The intention of the music is to channel all of our pain and outrage into something productive, inspirational, and good. It’s to help lead a movement into our next phase of the work to be done.”

To celebrate the release of A Beautiful Revolution, Common will host an album listening session on his YouTube page, October 30th. Additional details will announced soon.

Common, Black Thought and PJ will perform “Say Peace” on The Tonight Show November 4th. Another track from the project, “A Place in This World,” currently appears in a new spot for Michelle Obama’s “When We All Vote” campaign.

A Beautiful Revolution, Pt. 1 Tracklist

1. “Intro”
2. “Fallin’”
3. “Say Peace” (feat. Black Thought)
4. “What Do You Say (Move It Baby)”
5. “Courageous”
6. “A Place in This World”
7. “A Riot in My Mind” (feat. Lenny Kravitz)
8. “Don’t Forget Who You Are”
9. “Outro”