Common Recalls Overlooking Kanye West Because His Drums Weren’t There Yet, Says He Was ‘Trying to Give Me Beats Back in ‘97’

The two Chicago artists would go on to work closely together for Com's 2006 album, 'Be.'

September 13, 2024

Common and Kanye — Getty/Variety/Bellocqimages/Bauer-Griffin

Common reflected on working with one of his longtime collaborators, Kanye West.

In a new episode of the Elliott Wilson Experience, Com revealed that he passed on several of Ye’s beats early in his career.

“Ye was trying to give me beats back in like 97. I had no idea,” Common explained at around the 2:40 minute mark. “Ye’s drums, they weren’t there yet.

He shared more stories about turning down West on Carmelo Anthony and Kid Mero’s 7PM in Brooklyn podcast.

“It’s at least, 10 Ye beats out there that I passed on,” Com explained at around the 51:00 minute mark. “Even on one of those albums, he like, ‘Common passed on the beat, I turned it into a jam,'” he said, quoting Ye’s 2007 Graduation album cut, “Everything I Am.”

But Common also passed on production that would become Kanye’s songs, “I Wonder” and “Heard ‘Em Say.”

“It’s crazy because I didn’t take any Ye beats, like in that ’96-’97, when-I-met-him era. But then in 2003, I’m like, ‘Ye, lemme get some beats, like come on!'” Common said. “I felt like at the time No ID was at such a higher level that I was just like, ‘Ye, these beats ain’t doing it for me yet. You gettin’ there, but you ain’t there yet’… I got more memories of joints I passed on, beats that he made for me, that ended up being, like… a lot of his Late Registration album.”

The two Chicago natives went on to work closely together on Common’s 2006 album, Be, on the songs “The Food,” ‘The Corner,” and “They Say.” West was also heavily involved in writing the entire LP.

Common has been back on his grind. Earlier this summer, the 52-year-old released the joint album, The Auditorium Vol. 1 with Pete Rock.