Common added to the Rise line-up

Common is the big American name to be added to the line-up for Europe's biggest anti-racism festival in Finsbury Park. Last year the Chicago emcee caused controversy for his comments regarding black men dating white woman in Touch magazine. The comments sparked a heat of debate and prompted a response track from Rising Son and Yungun, both of mixed raced families. For someone whose material is very thoughtful and as one of the best conscious artists around the comments were quite a shock in a time where mixed couples aren't as uncommon as they would have been say 15/20 years ago. How he will go down with the crowd will be interesting as will if he even brings the matter up. Either way the festival is a good look for the music fan as Sway, Killa Kela, The Wailers and Roy Ayers all provide the entertainment, along with the more indie/rock nature of Graham Coxon and the Buzzcocks. It's free and there is seperate poetry, DJ and comedy tents also. Even though the rise in the congestion charge probably meant they could afford to bring Common over it's still a big look and should be a good day out.