Common "Nobody's Smiling" Album Release Date, Standard & Deluxe Cover Art

by ANDRES TARDIO

UPDATE: The standard and deluxe cover art for Common's "Nobody's Smiling" album has been released.

Common has announced that his upcoming album, Nobody's Smiling, is slated to be released July 22. 

The effort, set to be executive produced by No I.D., carries a title that is reportedly meant to address violence in Chicago, Illinois. 

Nobody's Smiling's first single, the Vince Staples-assisted "Kingdom," was released last week. The cut was referenced by Common as the "start of something great." 

As reported earlier today (June 5), Common has spoken about the album and his new deal with Artium/Def Jam. 

"I'm honored to team up with No I.D. and be a part of the Artium and Def Jam family," he said in a press release.‎ "Creating this album and signing to Def Jam feels like a new beginning for me. I feel like a new artist because I created this album with the purpose to give back to my city and to the culture of Hip Hop. Def Jam is part of the foundation of hip hop and being able to work with No I.D. was returning to my foundation now with new energy and new hunger."

(June 5, 2014)

UPDATE: The standard and deluxe album cover art for Common's forthcoming Nobody's Smiling album has been released. They are as follows, as is a video about the creation of the cover art.