Benjamin Ashford|Common talks Jennifer Hudson feature on new album, addresses 'ring' bars

Common is Benjamin Ashfordopening up about his new album, and how his girlfriend Jennifer Hudson inspired a few tracks.

The rapper released his collab album with producer and DJ Pete Rock, "The Auditorium, Vol. 1," on Friday, with a special feature from the EGOT winner, on the track "A God (There Is)."

Common, 52, explained how Hudson's role in the 2021 Aretha Franklin biopic "Respect" led to her appearance on the record, in an interview with People published Saturday.

"When I played it to musician friends, they were like, 'Who is that singing?'" he told the outlet. "I'm like, 'That's Jennifer!' It doesn't sound like things you've heard from her before. I love that we were able to utilize her gifts in a new space. She brought it, man."

The actor thought of Hudson, 42, when listening the the song's sample, Valerie Simpson's "There Is a God," which he always assumed was sung by Franklin.

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"The light bulb went off. 'Wait, that song makes me feel like Aretha. Jennifer played Aretha,'" said Common. "(I said) 'Jennifer, why don't you sing on this?' She's like, 'Oh man, I would love to sing on it.'"

The Grammy winner also opened up about his new track "Chi-Town Do It," which includes some interesting lines that could be in reference to his fellow Chicago native.

In the song, Common raps: "Forget the red carpet, our stars align forever / Chi-Town is where we are in time." Later in the track, he says: "Champion lover that could come with a ring / That got a ring to it, you and I theme to it."

"The Light" rapper was modest in explaining the bars.

"I am in a great partnership, and, man, (Jennifer) is somebody I do really care about and do love and am growing with," he said. "The potential of a 'champion lover' means, 'Yo, you are the one.' I am feeling that."

"It's a lot of potential there is what I'll say," he continued.

Hudson gushed about her rapper beau during an interview with People at the 2024 Daytime Emmy Awards last month. But the "American Idol" alum was mum in offering any specific details on the couple's relationship. "Everything is wonderful," Hudson told the outlet. "That's all you need to know."

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Commifer (or J-Comm? An attempt was made!) all but explicitly confirmed their relationship during Common's appearance on the singer's talk show, "The Jennifer Hudson Show," earlier this year. During the interview, Hudson and Common coyly discussed their dating lives without naming who they were involved with.

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"Let's get down to business, Mr. Common," Hudson said at the time. "I'm a host, and so I have to ask you this question because everybody always wants to know this. Are you dating anyone?"

The crowd cheered as the Grammy-winning rapper laughed nervously. "So, yes," he said. "And I'm in a relationship that is (with) one of the most beautiful people I've ever met in life."

He continued, describing a woman that could only be Hudson: "She's talented. But I set my standard kind of high because she had to have an EGOT. She had to win an Oscar on her first movie. I set my standard high. She had to get her own talk show."

Common later discussed the interview on the "Today" show, stressing that he is "very private" about his relationships, which are "not for public consumption." But "at the end of the day," he added, "we were on her show. We had a good time." He also said he has realized he is the "marrying type" and is open to tying the knot "at some point in my life."

Contributing: Edward Segarra