Posted May 21, 2008 by dantana 59 comments

Audio: Common “Universal Mind Control (U.M.C.)” ft Pharrell

In an interview we posted a few weeks ago from Billboard, Common describes his July 2008 release, Invincible Summer, as “feel-good summer time music.” At that time he also reavealed that the first song we’d hear would be “Universal Mind Control (U.M.C.)” featuring Pharell. Sure enough, it was debuted yesterday by DJ Skee and then swiftly spotted on the boards where discussion has ensued. The song has a heavy dance vibe, to say the least. Pump it up!

Common “Universal Mind Control (U.M.C.)” ft Pharrell

Note that Downton Records’ Santogold is one of the guests to appear on the album.

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Comments

True Talent

OMG! He’s Back…hells yeah!
Super Fan

Sound the alarm! This is FIRE!!!
antvala

oh my god!!! is everything coming out now at 120 bpm?
i do like though…
BrainTrusT

that jawn is HWARD! let go Com

http://thedetentelife.blogspot.com
TroubledSpirits

This is sick. Common sounds hungrier on that first verse than he’s sounded since “Chi City.” I’m actually excited about the new direction for the album…
this is krukid

what?

this SUCKS!!!!
ph

Not feelin this yet…
Still looking forward to the cd though
ElectricCircuses…

This sh*t would’ve been a good track for Electric Circus. Just goes to show us how future forward that LP is considering it’s slept on status.
chicagoconnoisseur

Nice ’80s breakdance sound!
chicagoconnoisseur

Sounds just like Soulsonic Force, to be exact.
cusooooooooooooooooo

Common spits fire of course but I wasn’t feeling the beat. Probably one of those tracks I have to listen to a few times before I really appreciate it. Still can’t wait to hear the entire album.
ZZZzzzzZZ

waste of a good beat. anything common has been spitting since 2005 is an instant snooze fest
westcoast cali

yeah, that’s on point! has the sound of hip hop’s…if only i were a b-girl.
okpselim

That beat is garbage!!!
Wack Music Make Nerds Feel Important

Song is wack, lyrics are wack.

One Day, Like Water For Choc & Be is Common at his best.

This just reminds me of Electric Circus Pt.2
Teh Black Ty

Song makes me want to start break dancing again…

And any song that does that, gets my approval…

And my approval is Gold Jerry! Gold!
Arc1983

This Shit is on Fiyah! Anybody who thinks otherwise failed Hip Hop 101 and needs to go to summer school. Can’t wait for the album
saintbrush

ummm..this song is hot trash. and how do people feel like this could be an extension of electric circus? electric circus was heavily influenced by 70s style jimi hendrix with live instrumentation from quest love and remnants of the soulquarians and vocal stylings of bilal and erykah badu to say the least. It doesn’t even sound like the few tracks that pharell produced on electric circus. that album was pretty good but this single is wack.

common’s not saying anything.
skeptic NYC

This joint makes you want to start poppin! Its not a sound that is new or old, just different for Com. Imagine the stadium bumpin’ this with Com energizing the crowd. I guarantee that not a body in the crowd will be standing still. Keep it moving Com!!
Frologic

Track is aiight, the lyrics are just whatever for common.
dranklinz

Mantronix redux me thinks. Hip Hop is so cyclical, no? Nuffin new under the sun. I like it tho.
MUSIC GURU

THIS IS AMAZING! Common is just switching it up and having fun. “All they wanna do is dance” I HOPE THERE’S A VIDEO FOR THIS ONE!!!!!
itsgoodtobmikeb

heat.

i’m happy.

catch up.

cheers.
TwoGunz

YO Com’,get YE on the phone before it’s too late!MOOOOOVE!
BleepBlub

shame

straight garbage
Philip Arthur

Not Common’s best lyrics by far but very few people drop great lyrics over a club track. Honestly songs like these are more so about the beat (Which is a nice funky old school electronic one) and the hook, so as to get people out their seats and partying.

The beat could use a nice breakdown where Pharrell could have really got creative with it, and maybe some old school scratching from DJ. Premier of Gangstarr. There is still time to inject that before the single or album drops in stores.
Genobli

I am a respectable fan of Common but this hurts my ears. WTF is this. And i tried to listen to it form all angles. It’s just not hot. But i trust Common and i am copping the Album i know it will be good. But this should not be his single. We are all allowed to make something wack every now and then.
But peace Com is still hot!
OzzBizzy

Yall, Taking this way to seriously. This song is fun …remember fun right!!! When you used to break out the cardboard box on the concrete and windmill. This joint is FRESH!
845_heaven

expecting this~
Magezla

What! One of those joints you have to listen to a couple times to feel it. I’m loving the 80′s electronic beat What!!!!!
mj609

it almost works, common sounds like he can barely keep up with the beat though. the chorus is the horrible part….cliches work sometimes but come on man! pharrell is corny as hell, dude sounds like he’s 12.
bigg DRAS

wow this stupid hot to me…sounds like they had alot of fun…stay outside of the box Com, eff the naysayers…
“nOtrYdo.sINceRe”

reminds me of Jam On it. .. .. keeping it pushin is the name of the game. .. nExT lEvEL
Son of Sun Ra

I don’t know whether I really love this or really hate it. What I do know is in Common I trust, so I’ll be picking up the album regardless.

Okay, upon further listen, I think I like it.
Julian O

can’t believe some people are hatin’ on this jawn…he ain’t tryin’ to blaze any new trails…just tryin’ to get mofos out they seat and move su
mthin’…like we did during the 80′s b-boy era

…the truth, you are a decoy…Common Sense is like the future of the b-boy…prophetic line ” Soul Power “electric circus”
Delgodo

Yo! Common I still got my Puma suedes. Fat laced up checkerboard style. Meet me in the middle of the circle for a Beat Street showdown, homeskillet. I’ll battle you for those Dilla tracks that we never got to hear. My uprock is sick kid!

http://www.myspace.com/outabodies
http://www.youtube.com/outabodies
BboyLast1

This is definately a dance track! Reminds me of Soulsonic Force/Bambatta..especially the cadence and electronic sound of Pharrells vocal.
okayplato

i dont know about this. he does a club song in a classy way, and i mean its not some bullshit like lollipop, but its still somethin u can move to….but at the same time, its a far cry from the single last year, the people, which i can listen to over and never get tired. i dont know if i can do that for this….im sure his album will be hot, but this single just doesnt seem like common.

has he sold out? what u guys think?
Achilles

Sounds like an ol skool classic! It’s not just a dance song. B-Boys would love breaking on that song! Stay true Common!
love_J

the ones that say it sucks don’t know real good music and it’s purpose and the blessings GOOD art-TIST like Common and ‘em are to Hip Hop! therefore i question their very exsitence on this site..

- in my b.girl stance
love.j
va

I like, I like, he paid ode to the Last Poets, come 2 Detroit!
va

I can see this song played in the clubs. Go Com!
va

My bad, its Gil Scott–No Knock–Hold It Down!
Jay Ru – www.chopshop.fm

this definitely works for me, love the old school fell. never wud of expected this from Com, with that said this shit is a banger!
RamosDien

yeah com….Ready 4 the summer fire hydrant shit wit the pop lock and all that this is HIP HOP homey!
Zen – 1

This is on some Afrika Bambaataa shit. I like it, its very different for Common, but in no means does take less talent for him to make some shit like this as opposed to “The People”.

It sounds like he’s maying major respect to the old school emcees who could rock a mic to death, but were still about havin’ a good time.

Its a step in a new direction for Com, in the same way that “Electric Circus” was a new direction (although I don’t think this is nearly as profound as EC) this is definitely new for Com. Still dope though.
VA

I Lovvve this song!
J1810

I wanna dislike it because this isn’t what I am used to hearing from Common yet I wanna like it for the same exact reason. Either way, the album is bought.
Ill Prophet

Good stuff!!

http://www.myspace.com/illogicallyprophetic
v00d00child

this is that new shit!!! LOVE IT!!!!
Niggapino0107

Love this song. Many elements of oldskool hip-hop like that bambaata Zulu Nation shit. I can see DJs schratchin and Bboyz dancin to this shit. Track is CRAZY. Real Hip Hop! This is what it needs!!!
joebidz

this song is sick I’m loving this feel trance hip hop shit. Check my trance hip hop style out on my space. http://WWW.myspace.com/joebidzmusic leave a comment let me know what you think
MUUKY

COMMON UNIVERSAL HIP HOP ARTIST PHENOMEN——ELECTRO AFRIKAAAA YEAH……………….
Dap2

Been a Common fan since day one & I kinda wanted to hate, but i just couldnt. if you love hip hop, this track is undeniable.

Not only that, But i think artistically it could not get any better.

Pharrell, love em or hate em, has truly become a legendary producer & common’s foward thinking work ethic was gonna eventually push him to do a commercial song.

Thank God it took him this long, to do it though.
Any sooner & it would have been selling out!!
bayarea

hot..people need to be more open minded bout new music! wake up! the year is 2009..
xMOBxSuperCORE

this shit is tooooo sick!
xMOBxSuperCORE

The FAGS who said this song is gay are probaly white
>xMOBxSuperCORE

Quote: “The FAGS who said this song is gay are probaly white”…

^ Stupid racist. White kids know good hip hop too. UMC is an instant classic.
deezi boo

i never thought i wouLd like commons music.. but this shit rock .. clubs need to get at this shit likE A.S.A.P…. I LOVE DIZ.. GOTTA NO IT”S GOIN ON MA MYSPACE PAGE