Universal Mind Control (song)

"Universal Mind Control" is the first single released by Common from his 2008 album of the same name. The single features vocals from Pharrell Williams, who co-produced the song with Chad Hugo under their production team The Neptunes. The music video premiered on Common's official YouTube channel on October 6, 2008. In a 2008 Microsoft Zune commercial, Common tells Afrika Bambaataa that, when writing this song, he was influenced by Bambaataa's song "Planet Rock", which the song samples. It is Common's second highest-charting single in the U.S. as it peaked at #62 on the Billboard Hot 100. Common uses an interpolation from Gil Scott-Heron's song "No Knock" at the end of his first verse.

Music video

The music video, directed by Hype Williams, premiered on October 6, 2008 on Common's official YouTube account. The music video features Common in black and white clothes with a metal background. Pharrell, wearing a white Billionaire Boys Club T-shirt, is featured in the video, although his head is replaced with a robot skull. In the beginning and end of the video, a red Zune 80 can be seen. The song was featured in the video game DJ Hero.

An alternate official version of the video leaked on September 30, 2008.

Chart positions

Chart (2008)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100	62
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)	60
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)	13

References

Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Common ft Pharrell - Universal Mind Control Official Video". YouTube. 11 January 2009.
"- YouTube". YouTube.
"Common Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
"Common Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
"Common Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 12, 2015.

v t e Common singles
Discography Awards and nominations Songs
Can I Borrow a Dollar?	"Take It EZ" "Breaker 1/9" "Soul by the Pound"
Resurrection	"I Used to Love H.E.R." "Resurrection"
One Day It'll All Make Sense	"Retrospect for Life" "Reminding Me (Of Sef)" "All Night Long"
Like Water for Chocolate	"The 6th Sense" "The Light" "Geto Heaven Remix T.S.O.I. (The Sound of Illadelph)"
Electric Circus	"Come Close"
Be	"The Food" "The Corner" "Go!" "Testify"
Finding Forever	"The People" "Drivin' Me Wild" "I Want You"
Universal Mind Control	"Universal Mind Control" "Announcement"
The Dreamer/The Believer	"Ghetto Dreams"
Other singles	"The Bitch in Yoo" "One-Nine-Nine-Nine" "Car Horn" "While I'm Dancin'" "A Dream" "Glory" "Stand Up for Something"
Featured singles	"Respiration" "Full Moon" "Dance for Me" "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)" "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now" "Make Her Say" "Wake Up Everybody" "Favorite Song" "Switch Up"
Other songs	"Who Tells Your Story"
Category:Common (rapper) songs

v t e Pharrell Williams
Awards and nominations Discography Production discography
Studio albums	In My Mind (2006) Girl (2014)
Soundtracks	Despicable Me (2010) Despicable Me 2 (2013) The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) Hidden Figures soundtrack (2016) Hidden Figures score (2017) Despicable Me 3 (2017) Piece by Piece (2024)
Singles	"Frontin'" "Can I Have It Like That" "Angel" "Number One" "My Drive Thru" "Happy" "Marilyn Monroe" "Come Get It Bae" "Gust of Wind" "It Girl" "Freedom" "Sangria Wine" "Just a Cloud Away" "Cash In Cash Out" "Stay with Me" "Down in Atlanta" "Doctor (Work It Out)" "Double Life"
Featured songs	"I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)" "Formal Invite" "Nothin'" "Boys (The Co-Ed Remix)" "When the Last Time" "Pass the Courvoisier, Part II" "Beautiful" "Excuse Me Miss" "Belly Dancer" "Change Clothes" "Drop It Like It's Hot" "Let's Get Blown" "Wanna Love You Girl" "Margarita" "Mr. Me Too" "Money Maker" "Yummy" "Sex 'n' Money" "Give It Up" "Blue Magic" "I Know" "Zock On!" "Universal Mind Control" "Announcement" "Work That!" "I'm Good" "ADD SUV" "One (Your Name)" "Celebrate" "Blurred Lines" "IFHY" "Get Lucky" "Feds Watching" "Get Like Me" "Lose Yourself to Dance" "ATM Jam" "Move That Dope" "Aerosol Can" "Hugs" "Tacky" "Shine" "WTF (Where They From)" "Safari" "Surfin'" "Heatstroke" "Feels" "Skeletons" "Juggernaut" "Neck & Wrist" "At the Party"
Concert tours	Dear Girl Tour
Businesses	I Am Other Billionaire Boys Club
Related	The Neptunes N.E.R.D. Child Rebel Soldier Piece by Piece Atlantis
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