While Common is busy juggling his music and movie careers, the Chicago rapper has announced his next album, “The Believer,” may hit stores by the end of the year.

“I'm just getting in the mode,” he recently told MTV News.

“I’ve been touring a lot and been working on verses here and there. Now I'm starting to get focused on the album, letting it take its shape. And at the same time [I'll] be working on films, God willing.”

At the same time, he is still piecing together his joint project with Q-Tip, formerly of A Tribe Called Quest, tentatively titled “The Standard.”

“We’ve been conceptualizing, but we just gotta continue to work on it. We will. I look at it like two jazz musicians getting together, the way Charlie Parker and cats would get together and do work.”

“I feel a lot more free with my music now that I’m doing films and stuff, because I don’t put as much pressure on the music. It ain’t my only source of income and way to make a living.”

Common is slated to appear in several upcoming movies, including “Street Kings” with Keanu Reeves and the Game, and “Wanted” starring Angelina Jolie.

Rumor has it, he may also be playing the DC Comics character Green Lantern in a Justice League-themed film, although the project is currently on hold due to the writer’s strike.

http://www.*************.com/hiphop/news/88784.php

A Common & Q-Tip album sounds like a good collaboration.

Common is releasing 2 albums this year..The Believer and The Standard!!!

That's pretty interesting maybe all the Old tribe fans will put together some chips and cop this.

^^ word
looks very promising

Good news. Finding Forever was solid, I expect the same thing out of these two albums.

I thaught Finding Forever was more than solid, my fav rap album from last year!

^ ehh, not nearly THAT good lol

it was pretty good, though. It just seems like every song Common puts out now sounds like his next one.

I'm looking forward to this.

i played Finding Forver for about a month ...

i couldn't care to be honest now

weirdly enough, out of a large percentage of the rappers who put out an album last year that i wanted another from in 08 won't happen because Pimp C died ... gutted

i heard about the q-tip common collab a while back, but i stopped thinking about it since i didnt hear anythin else on tha topic... but now that he's comin out with both a solo AND a duo album, i need ta get ready to crack open the piggy bank... he's a versatile person, so i think everything from the movies to the albums will come out good... but i couldn't see him as green lantern for some reason... i have no problem with him playing it but seeing as the black green lantern is my fav. super hero right under static shock, i guess i'm going to be expecting alot from him in that role... but im sure he could pull it off...

not anticipating the q tip collab but will peep...

lookin foward to this..... anyone know what happened to q-tip`s solo album that was meanna be dropping soon??