Common has teamed up with acclaimed jazz pianist Robert Glasper and longtime collaborator Karriem Riggins to form a new supergroup. Calling themselves August Greene, the trio released their debut single—a cover of Sounds of Blackness’ “Optimistic” that featured vocals from Brandy—earlier this year. Now the group is offering up its second track, a thought-proving and laid-back new tune called “Black Kennedy”, which will appear on August Greene’s forthcoming debut album. The self-titled LP is set for release on March 9th via Amazon Music.
While Common and Riggins have been working together since the mid-‘90s, the pair first joined forces with Glasper for the 2016 release, “Letter to the Free”. That track picked up an Emmy Award for its inclusion in Ava Duverney’s extraordinary documentary 13th, which examined the origins and implications of mass incarceration in the United States.