Call it a homecoming. Minya shares her fond memories of traveling back home to Chicago from NYC (where she worked at The Source) and playing an advanced copy of Illmatic for her longtime friend Common, who in turn, used it as inspiration for his career-altering second album, Resurrection. Common also breaks down the unique aspect of Chicago street life, in which gangsters and scholars commonly cross paths. There’s also several fascinating exchanges between Nas and Common in this episode, where they reveal their respective creative process. It’s a rare glimpse into the way artists' minds work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices