Common covers the latest issue of Rolling Out Magazine.

Here’s what the rapper, actor and now best-selling author had to share about his mother, educator Dr. Mahalia Ann Hines, didn’t initially approve of his decision to be a rapper:

“I think, at a certain point, my focus was not about changing her mind — it was, this is my dream, this is what I dreamed of for me, so I have to pursue that dream and live that dream. I love my mother, I respect her, but this is my dream so I have to go for it. I think I was able to change her mind organically. My intention wasn’t I gotta do this thing to make my mother love it — even though I’m not going to act like I didn’t want to make my mother proud, but I think I was able to change her mind by putting her on my record cover, and ‘one day, it’ll all make sense, right?”

Common’s new album, The Dreamer, The Believer will be released Nov. 22, it is said to be the follow-up to 2008’s Universal Mind Control.

In a recent interview, Common address the rumors that him and Nas are working on said album, stating that they were originally going to put out a mixtape together called Nas (dot) Com but that they are now going to make an album together after both of them put our there solo albums. Watch the interview below.