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It depends on how you view the term indie. He was popular before he was signed. Most rap acts get signed because the record company needs someone who sounds like someone else. I would consider someone who records an studio album without the assistance of a major label to be an indie artist. I would also consider an artist with a somewhat underground following as indie. It all depends on what indie is to you. Is a band that gets signed to a label and then dropped indie? Is someone who has a contract that allows them to keep their artistic integrity indie? The best example I can think of is Dark Horse Comics. I would call them an indie comic label, but someone else would say they are a major label. Their talent have artistic license, rather than dark horse forcing them into the mold. Since common has kept himself grounded and has kept his integrity, I would call him indie...But to each his own.
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