Common was recently nominated for two Grammy awards and now the emcee is speaking on what the honors means to him. During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Com also spoke on plans for his next project, adding that No I.D. and Kanye West are set to be behind the boards on this effort.

 “Yes, I was still excited to hear about it. It caught me off-guard. I was actually eating dinner with some of my friends in Washington, D.C. I got a text saying “Congratulations,” and I was like, “Congratulations? What’s going on? Did somebody say I’m getting married? Do I have a child out there I don’t know is coming?” [Laughs] So I asked the person — this was someone from my management team — “Congratulations for what?” and she told me, ‘Congratulations on your Grammy nomination.’ Later, she texted me back, ‘You got two.’ So I was very excited. …I mean, I hope to win. I believe I’ve got a good chance.”

Speaking on his competition for the night, he said it was “cool” to be in the company of emcees like Mos Def and Q-Tip.

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It’s some really talented people nominated. For me to be able to say I’m in the company of Q-Tip and Mos Def and Eminem, just to be in competition with those guys, is really cool for me.”

He also spoke on The Believer, his forthcoming album.

Yeah, I’m working on The Believer right now. I’m actually working with No I.D. and Twilite Tone and Kanye West. Man, we’re looking forward to making some powerful music. It’s really in the beginning stages — the first quarter. But I plan to really focus and get it done.”

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When asked about his work with No I.D., Com explained why it feels right this time around.

 “I feel really excited, man. We did some preliminary pre-production type stuff, and it just felt so good to be working with him. It felt like, ‘Man, life is really, really good.’ It’s full circle. You meet up with the person who’s partially responsible for beginning your career, and you’re like, ‘Man, this is really cool — that we meet at this place in our lives and our creative journeys and we really are enthused to work with each other.‘”

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After Common’s last release, he is ready to take it back to “raw Hip Hop,” in his words.

We know that we want to do some raw Hip Hop. That’s exactly the direction and feel we want, so that’s the basis of it. ‘Ye and I definitely know we want to do some pure Hip Hop.”

According to Com, fans may have to wait until early Summer to see The Believer’s release. He also has two films coming out, Just Wright, a film with Queen Latifah and Date Night with Steve Carell and Tina Fey.

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I’m looking for an early summer release.