Common Interview With Time Out About His New Role On AMC's "Hell On Wheels" And His Beliefs In Himself, His Music And Religion

Your memoir has a very self-assured tone. You call Kanye West “a self-illuminating star,” and then say, “I know that I am such a star and always was.” There’s a pretty strong sense of ego in these pages.

Nah, I would call it belief, man. If you don’t believe in yourself, then who will? If I don’t believe that I’m, like, the greatest MC, then how can I make other people believe in that? You have to be able to believe in yourself and what you do as an artist. That doesn’t mean you’re better than anybody else just because you might be the greatest painter ever. That doesn’t make you a better human being than somebody else. You’ll never hear me say, man, I’m a better person than you.

Are you the best MC?

Yes. And if I didn’t say that to you, then I would ask of you to maybe hang up on me.

In your new single “Blue Sky,” you’re rapping, “From up high I shine / Suited in Prada.… I’m the top of the class / Black Wall Street so my stock will never crash.” What happens to hip-hop’s political roots when it becomes about material success?

The song is about, like, reaching your dreams and aspirations. And me saying “suited in Prada,” I mean, I want to wear nice clothes, and I work very hard, and I work so that I can also be able to wear the things that I like, and I don’t put materials over humanity, but it’s just, man, I work and I want to live a good life. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with wanting to reach a high level financially.

So what happens to the politics remains a question.

Well, I mean, I’m not really a political person.

Really? Wouldn’t you think the guy who wrote “A Song For Assata” had some definite political leanings.

Keep going for Common’s thoughts on his faith.