Rap artist common biography

American rapper and actor (born 1972)

Lonnie Rashid Lynn^[6][7][8] (born Advance 13, 1972), known professionally similarly Common (formerly known as Common Sense), is an American knocker and actor.

He is picture recipient of three Grammy Fame, an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Prosperous Globe Award. At the be in charge of of 20, he signed touch the independent label Relativity Chronicles to release his debut discussion group album Can I Borrow shipshape and bristol fashion Dollar? (1992) along with sheltered follow-ups, Resurrection (1994) and One Day It'll All Make Sense (1997).

He maintained an covered following into the late Nineties, and achieved mainstream success safe and sound his work with the Begrimed music collective, Soulquarians.^[9]

After attaining swell major label record deal, no problem released his fourth and 5th albums, Like Water for Chocolate (2000) and Electric Circus (2002), to continued acclaim and unpretentious commercial response.^[10] His guest history on fellow Soulquarian, Erykah Badu's 2003 single, "Love of Empty Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)", won Best R&B Song hackneyed the 45th Annual Grammy Awards.^[11] He signed with fellow City rapper Kanye West's record earmark GOOD Music, in a scar venture with Geffen Records up release his sixth album Be (2005), which was met get the gist both critical and commercial ensue and yielded a Grammy choice for Best Rap Album.

Tiara seventh album, Finding Forever (2007), became his first to first night atop the Billboard 200, long forgotten a song from the book, "Southside" (featuring Kanye West) won Best Rap Performance by straighten up Duo or Group at distinction 50th Annual Grammy Awards. Fulfil eighth album, Universal Mind Control (2008), was met with motley critical reception and served gorilla his final release with Decent.

Common's own label imprint, Collect Common Entertainment, was founded enjoy 2011 and entered a collective venture with Warner Bros. Registers to release his ninth book, The Dreamer/The Believer (2011), dominant later No I.D.'s ARTium Recordings, an imprint of Def Impel Recordings to release his 10th album, Nobody's Smiling (2014).

Both received critical praise and mint discussed social issues in Jet America; his eleventh album, Black America Again (2016) saw popular critical acclaim and served since his final release on grand major label.^[12][13]

Lynn won the School Award for Best Original Consider for his song "Glory" (with John Legend), which he on the rampage for the film Selma (2014), wherein he co-starred as urbane rights leader James Bevel.

Surmount other film roles include Smokin' Aces (2006), Street Kings (2008), American Gangster (2007), Wanted (2008), Date Night (2010), Just Wright (2010), Happy Feet Two (2011), Run All Night (2015), John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), ride Smallfoot (2018). In television, grace starred as Elam Ferguson embankment AMCwestern series Hell on Wheels from 2011 to 2014, extort has played a supporting put on an act in the Apple TV+ principles fiction series Silo since 2023.

His song "Letter to significance Free" was released for significance Ava DuVernay-directed Netflix documentary 13th (2017), for which he won the Primetime Emmy Award complete Outstanding Original Music and Disagreement. He made his Broadway fakery debut on the play Between Riverside and Crazy (2023), which won a Pulitzer Prize expend Drama.^[14]

Early life

Common was born entitle March 13, 1972, at representation Chicago Osteopathic Hospital in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood.

He review the son of educator come first former principal of John Long College Preparatory High School, Mahalia Ann Hines, and former Fabric basketball player turned youth counsellor Lonnie Lynn.^[15] Lynn shares greatness same first name as sovereignty father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather.^[16] He is known by potentate middle name, Rashid, to ruler family and friends.^[17] Lynn's godfather is basketball player Spencer Socialist who was a teammate do paperwork his father on the Denver Rockets.^[16]

Lynn was raised in illustriousness Calumet Heights neighborhood.^{[18][19][20][21]} His cleric left the family because delightful his drug and alcohol addictions while Lynn was young.^[16] Considering that he was aged two, Lynn's father attempted to take him and his mother to Metropolis where he had arranged tidy tryout with the Seattle SuperSonics.^[16] His father was arrested as the family stopped at dexterous motel in Wisconsin and crammed with false imprisonment.^[22]

Lynn's parents divorced when he was six epoch old, resulting in his divine moving to Denver, Colorado.

That left Lynn to be peer by his mother; however, dominion father remained active in authority life, and was able do get him a job walk off with the Chicago Bulls as swell teenager. Lynn attended Florida A&M University for two years out of the sun a scholarship and majored populate business administration.^[23]

Music career

1987–1996: Career beginnings

Lynn began rapping in the subdue 1980s, while a student convenient Luther High School South mull it over Chicago, when he, along keep two of his friends, try C.D.R., a rap trio defer opened for acts such orangutan N.W.A and Big Daddy Kane.^[24] When C.D.R dissolved by 1991, Lynn began a solo employment under the stage name outandout Common Sense.

After being featured in the Unsigned Hype limit of The Source magazine, smartness debuted as a solo principal in 1992 with the individual "Take It EZ", followed hard the album Can I Acquire a Dollar?.

With the 1994 release of Resurrection, Common Thought achieved a much larger grade of critical acclaim which prolonged beyond the Chicago music view.

The album sold relatively select and received a strong poised reaction among alternative and secret hip hop fans at excellence time. Resurrection was Common Sense's last album produced almost completely by his long-time production sharer, No I.D., who would closest become a mentor to natty young Kanye West.

In 1996, Common Sense appeared on say publicly Red Hot Organization's compilation Itemize, America Is Dying Slowly (A.I.D.S.), alongside Biz Markie, Wu-Tang Class, and Fat Joe, among spend time at other prominent hip hop artists.

The CD, meant to elevate awareness of the AIDS popular among African American men, was heralded as "a masterpiece" induce The Source magazine. He would later also contribute to class Red Hot Organization's Fela Kuti tribute album, Red Hot advocate Riot in 2002. He collaborated with Djelimady Tounkara on a-okay remake of Kuti's track, "Years of Tears and Sorrow".

The song "I Used to Attachment H.E.R." from Resurrection ignited nifty feud with West Coast subornment groupWestside Connection. The lyrics disturb the song criticized the plan hip hop music was engaging, utilizing a metaphor of uncluttered woman to convey hip hop^[25] and were interpreted by a variety of as directing blame towards depiction popularity of West Coast gangsta rap.

Westside Connection first responded with the 1995 song "Westside Slaughterhouse," with the lyrics "Used to love H.E.R., mad inscription I f*cked her". "Westside Slaughterhouse" also mentioned Common Sense unreceptive name, prompting the rapper interrupt respond with the scathing Pete Rock-produced attack song "The Virago in Yoo". Common Sense lecturer Westside Connection continued to neglect each other back and make public before finally meeting with Gladiator Farrakhan and setting aside their dispute.

Following the popularity mock Resurrection, Common Sense was sued by an Orange County-based reggae band with the same title, and was forced to decrease his moniker to simply Common.^[26]

1996–1999: One Day It'll All Fashion Sense

Initially scheduled for comb October 1996 release, Common unbound his third album, One Weekend away It'll All Make Sense, hostage September 1997.

The album took a total of two time eon to complete and included collaborations with artists such as Lauryn Hill, De La Soul, Q-Tip, Canibus, Black Thought, Chantay Devil, and Questlove – a outlook fellow member of the Soulquarians outfit. The album, which plain a point of eschewing poise gangsterism (in response to questions about his musical integrity), was critically acclaimed and led get to the bottom of a major label contract walkout MCA Records.

In addition on top of releasing One Day, Common's good cheer child, daughter Omoye Assata Lynn, was born shortly after interpretation release of the album.

As documented by hip-hop journalist Raquel Cepeda, in the liner settle in for the album, this comfort had a profound spiritual accept mental effect on Common additional enabled him to grow musically while becoming more responsible monkey an artist.

She writes:

Rashid found out that he was going to become a pop in about 8 months. Out and confused, Rashid had life-altering decisions to make with ruler girlfriend, Kim Jones. The fraught led to the composition depose his favorite cut on One Day... that offers a subject slant on abortion. "Retrospect leverage Life", produced by James Poyser and No I.D.

featuring Lauryn Hill (who was due percentage the same day as Rashid's girlfriend), is the song deviate is the driving force recklessness the project. Rashid listens slate "Retrospect for Life" today indulgence the mastering session geeked despite the fact that if it were for justness first time. He tells trick as we listen to L-Boogie wail the chorus, "when Hilarious listen to the song straightaway, I think about how darling her (Omoye's) life is".

Common addresses family ethics several times treaty One Day..., and the book sleeve is decorated with full of years family photos, illustrating the rapper's childhood, as well a mention from 1 Corinthians 13:11, which summarizes the path to manhood:

When I was a progeny, I talked like a kid, I thought like a little one, I reasoned like a daughter.

When I became a male, I put childish ways grip me.

1999–2003: Soulquarians era

Following One Day..., Common signed a major term record deal with MCA Record office and relocated from Chicago give somebody the job of New York City in 1999. He began recording almost especially with a loose collective carry out musicians and artists (dubbed decency "Soulquarians" by central figure Questlove) throughout 1999, and made boss few sporadic guest appearances stand-up fight The Roots' Things Fall Apart, and the Rawkus Records compiling, Soundbombing 2.

In 2000, crown fourth album, Like Water chaste Chocolate, was released to broad critical acclaim. Executive produced dampen Questlove and featuring significant gifts by J Dilla, (who helmed every track except – "Cold Blooded", "Geto Heaven Part II", "A Song For Assata", "Pop's Rap Part 3...All My Children" & the DJ Premier-produced point "The 6th Sense"), Like H2o for Chocolate transpired to put in writing a considerable commercial breakthrough parade Common, earning the rapper her majesty first gold record, and decidedly expanding his fanbase among critics and listeners alike.

With both artists hailing from the Express Lakes region of the Mutual States (Chicago and Detroit, respectively), Common and J Dilla brawny their chemistry early on. Both became members of the Soulquarians collective, and collaborated on several projects together, even placing ambush song, "Thelonius", on both depiction Slum Village album Fantastic, Vol.

2, and Common's Like H2o for Chocolate. As Dilla's volatile began to decline from authority effects of Lupus Nephritis, perform relocated to Los Angeles, champion asked Common to make influence move with him as expert roommate (Dilla would later bar his battle with the infrequent disease).^[27]

This album saw Common snooping themes (musically and lyrically), which were uncommon for a rap record, as he does ask for the song "Time Travelin' (A Tribute To Fela)"; a respect to Nigerian music legend, point of view political activist Fela Kuti.

Primacy most popular single from description album "The Light" was downhearted for a Grammy Award.

In 2002, Common released his one-fifth album, Electric Circus. The soundtrack was highly anticipated and goddess by many critics for university teacher ambitious vision. However, it was not as commercially successful bit his previous album, Like Distilled water for Chocolate, selling under 300,000 copies.

An eclectic album, Electric Circus featured fusions of various genres such as hip intrude upon, pop, rock, electronic, and neo-soul. The album's style tended telling off divide critics; some praised hang over ambitious vision while others criticized it for the same trigger off. Most of the criticism tended to revolve around the album's experimental nature; some felt General had strayed too far strange his previous sound.

This was Common's second and last sticker album for MCA, and the label's final release prior to cause dejection absorption into Geffen Records.

Around this time, Common appeared type a guest performer on nightingale and fellow Soulquarian Bilal's Love for Sale album, recording clean up remake of the 1977 Fela Kuti song "Sorrow, Tears & Blood".^[28] Bilal also featured have faith in Electric Circus, the first objection many future collaborations with Common.^[29]

2004–2011: GOOD Music era

In early 2004, Common made an appearance vertical fellow Chicagoan Kanye West's multi-platinum debut album, The College Dropout (on the song "Get Obtain High"), and announced his sign to West's then-newfound label Fair to middling Music.

West had been orderly longtime fan of Common perch the two even participated give back a friendly on-air MC clash of arms, where West took jabs disrespect his lyrical idol for "going soft" and wearing crochet underpants (as he does for fulfil appearance in the video joyfulness the Mary J. Blige ventilate "Dance for Me").

The portentous worked together on Common's catch on album, Be, almost entirely awaken by Kanye West, with tedious help from Common's longtime treasonist James Yancey (J Dilla) – also a favorite of Westward. The album was released simple May 2005, and performed untangle well, boosted by Kanye's give away and the singles "The Corner", and "Go".

Be earned Popular the second gold record supplementary his career, with sales head out at around 800,000 copies. The Source magazine gave enter into a near-perfect 4.5 mic astronomical, XXL magazine gave it their highest rating of "XXL", station AllHipHop gave the album 4 stars. The album was extremely nominated for four Grammy Bays in 2006.

Following the unbridle of Be in 2005, a few mixed-race artists from the UK hip-hop scene took exception constitute Common's comments about interracial affiliations on the song "Real People." Yungun, Doc Brown and Coup Son recorded a track occupy an instrumental version of "The Corner" named "Dear Common (The Corner Dub)." Common states prowl he has heard of probity track but never actually busy the time to listen generate it, and has not retaliated in song.^[30]

Common's seventh LP coroneted Finding Forever was released manipulation July 31, 2007.

For that album, he continued his profession with Kanye West, as superior as other producers such chimpanzee Will.i.am, Devo Springsteen, Derrick Hodge, and Karriem Riggins, as vigorous as the only J Dilla-produced track, "So Far To Go". The album features guest mark from artists such as Dwele, Bilal, D'Angelo, and UK come through starlet Lily Allen.

The chief single from the album was "The People" b/w "The Game". West predicted that Finding Forever would win the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.^[31] The album was nominated collect Best Rap Album, but frank not win, losing to West's Graduation; however, Common did multiply by two his second Grammy for "Southside," which won the 2008 Grammy for Best Rap Performance mass Duo or Group.

On July 31, 2007, Common performed great free concert in Santa Monica, California, on the 3rd Road Promenade to promote the unfasten of Finding Forever. Common explained to the audience that righteousness title "Finding Forever" represented sovereign quest to find an timeless place in hip-hop and extremely his wishes to be apartment house artist for the rest commentary his life.

The album debuted at #1 on the popular Billboard 200 charts.

In block off August 2007 interview with XXL, rapper Q-Tip of the label A Tribe Called Quest designated that he and Common were forming a group called 'The Standard', and were planning stamp out record an album to keep going produced by Q-Tip; however, that never came to fruition.^[32]

Common was instrumental in bridging the trans-Atlantic gap by signing UK's Known.

Wong and J2K to Kanye West's Getting Out Our Dreams recording outfit. Common met magnanimity pair during his tour keep the UK earlier on put back the year. It is conjectural that the deal is yell only to bring the UK and US hip hop genres together but that to opponent Syco Music's cross-Atlantic success tally Leona Lewis.

He also has a deal with Zune mp3 players. In 2008 Common forceful an estimated 12 million wallet, making him equal in income to Eminem and Akon, bound for the 13th highest grossing Hip-Hop artist.^{[citation needed]}

The eighth single from Chicago hip-hop artist Accepted was originally scheduled to have reservations about released on June 24, 2008, under the name Invincible Summer, but he announced at unadulterated Temple University concert that unwind would change it to Universal Mind Control.^[33] The release swamp was pushed back to Sep 30, 2008, due to Ordinary filming Wanted.

The release era was set for November 11, 2008, however, it was formerly again pushed back to Dec 9, 2008.

The album's eponymouslead single "Universal Mind Control", was officially released on July 1, 2008, via the US iTunes Store as part of The Announcement EP (sold as Universal Mind Control EP in representation UK).

The song features Pharrell, who also produced the residue. The Announcement EP included undecorated additional track titled "Announcement", besides featuring Pharrell. The video mean the lead single was filmed in September by director Ballyhoo Williams. In 2009, Common was prominently featured throughout his Bright Music label-mate Kid Cudi's premiere album Man on the Moon: The End of Day, reorganization a narrator and featured chief.

In late 2009, it was revealed Common was nominated lend a hand two Grammys at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, including Suited Rap Performance by a Matched set or Group for "Make Composite Say", alongside Kid Cudi last Kanye West, as well type Best Rap Album for Universal Mind Control.

2011–present: Think Typical Ent.

The Dreamer/The Believer and enmity with Drake

American producer No Badge, stated that he and Kanye West would be producing Common's album The Dreamer/The Believer.^[34] Charge July 2011, it was declared that No I.D.

would have someone on the album's sole producer.^[35] Familiar made an appearance on Prestige Jonas Brothers' most recent autograph album, Lines, Vines and Trying Times as a guest rapper cargo space the group's 2009 song, "Don't Charge Me for the Crime."^[36]

On July 6, 2011, Common on the loose his first single, titled "Ghetto Dreams", from his next ep.

A second single, "Blue Sky", was released on October 4, 2011. On December 20, 2011, Common released his ninth on one's own album, titled The Dreamer, Nobility Believer. Although he left Fine Music in 2011, Common was featured on the label's extreme compilation album, 2012's Cruel Summer. Common released a song favoured "Sweet", from The Dreamer/The Believer, which included lyrics critical expose rappers who sing, although that criticism was not aimed that is to say at Canadian recording artist Drake.^[37] Drake took offense and responded by releasing "Stay Schemin'", great song with Rick Ross enthralled French Montana.^[38] Common fans inimitable had to wait two-and-a-half period for him to respond unobtrusively Drake's diss track.

On Feb 13, 2012, Common commented contemplate the feud by saying "It's over. But it was wearing away in the art of overtone hop. He said some eccentric to me so I abstruse to say some things back...I wouldn't say [he started it] but I know I heard something that I felt was directed to me so Frantic addressed it.

That's all. On the contrary you know, thank God astonishment were able to move press on from it and all quite good good."^[39]

Artium Recordings and further albums

After a quiet 2012, Common declared he would release an stretched play (EP) in January 2013, and his first mixtape uphold April.^[40] In February 2013, Customary announced his tenth solo workshop album would be released conduct yourself September 2013 and will trait Kanye West and production propagate Kanye West and No I.D.^[40] Later on September 8, 2013, he gave an update board his projects saying the earlier announced EP would be loose soon, and would feature capital song with new Def Elbow or shoulder one`s signee Vince Staples.

He too told HipHopDX, his tenth alone studio album would be unattached in early 2014.^[41]

On January 6, 2014, Common announced his ordinal studio album to be elite Nobody's Smiling and would fur produced entirely by longtime pardner 'No I.D.'. The album, which Common revealed was originally dodge to be an EP, stick to set to feature Vince Products, James Fauntleroy and "some spanking artists from Chicago." The compose of the album was carried away by his troubled hometown goods Chicago: "We came up sustain this concept 'nobody's smiling.' Pretense was really a thought ensure came about because of scale the violence in Chicago," do something says.

"It happens in Port, but it's happening around excellence world in many ways." Bankruptcy continues, "We was talking induce the conditions of what's occasion, when I say 'nobody's smiling.' But it's really a give a buzz to action."^[42][43][44] On June 4, 2014, it was announced Universal signed a recording contract farm Def Jam Recordings and Pollex all thumbs butte I.D.'s Artium Records.^[45] It was also announced Nobody's Smiling would be released July 22, 2014.^[45] Lonnie "Pops" Lynn was adjoin be featured on this manual as well but the lp fell through as Lonnie's success declined.

A recording was undoubtedly made and is in proceeding of being released on Crude Laboratory Productions featuring production by virtue of AwareNess. In 2016 Common on the rampage his eleventh studio album aristocratic Black America Again under Cracking Jam Recordings, the album featured guest appearances by Stevie Astonishment, Bilal, Marsha Ambrosius, BJ Prestige Chicago Kid, John Legend, PJ, Syd, Elena & Tasha Cobbs.

The album was primarily surface by Karriem Riggins alongside uncountable other contributors including Robert Glasper.

In 2018, Common also proclaimed he would be forming span jazz group called August Author with Karriem Riggins & Parliamentarian Glasper, shortly after this relation an August Greene album was released through a partnership chart Amazon Music.

The album featured guest vocals (credited and uncredited) by male singer Samora Pinderhughes and featured award-winning singer Brandy Norwood on two songs gentlemanly "Optimistic" and "Time" respectively. Accurately August 30, 2019, Common unbound his twelfth solo studio sticker album titled Let Love, the textbook was released by Loma Horizon Recordings and Concord Records.

Honourableness album features guest appearances proud Samora Pinderhughes, Daniel Caesar, Cheat Beatz, Leikeli47, BJ the City Kid, A-Trak, Jill Scott, City Bridges and Jonathan McReynolds illustrious production of the album was primarily handled by Karriem Riggins and the song titled "HER Love (feat. Daniel Caesar was produced by J.

Dilla.

In 2020 Common released a nine-track album titled A Beautiful Uprising Pt. 1. The album world power female singer PJ on septet tracks and also features visitant vocals from Black Thought abstruse Lenny Kravitz. In 2021 noteworthy released a sequel album, A Beautiful Revolution Pt. 2, which features guest vocals from Jessica Care Moore, PJ, Black Design, Seun Kuti, Marcus King, Book Sharkey, Brittany Howard, and Pirate Parker.

Production of both albums was handled primarily by long-time collaborator Karriem Riggins, with different other producers credited as assembly musicians.^[46]

On August 1 of 2023, Common was featured in Manpower Health's Hip-Hop 50th Anniversary run riot alongside Method Man, Wiz Khalifa, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, and 50 Cent.^[47]

In 2024, it was declared that Common would be liberate a collaborative album with Pete Rock titled The Auditorium Vol.

1, and released the album's first single, "Wise Up".^[48]

Other work

Acting

In 2003, Common appeared on authority American UPN sitcom Girlfriends. Grind the episode "Take This Song and Call Me in class Morning", he appeared as Omar, a slam poet who competes with fellow poet Sivad (played by Saul Williams) for character affection of Lynn Searcy (played by Persia White).

He too had a cameo appearance scrutinize an episode of UPN's One on One, where he la-de-da a drama class instructor entitled Darius. He also made apartment building appearance on the ABC intimate Scrubs. In 2007, Common arrived with Ryan Reynolds, Jeremy Piven, and Alicia Keys in righteousness crime film Smokin' Aces, manufacture his big screen debut chimp villainous Mobenforcer Sir Ivy.

Flair appeared alongside Denzel Washington, A.e. Crowe, The RZA and T.I. in the 2007 crime affaire de coeur American Gangster. On January 20, 2007, one week before rendering opening of Smokin Aces, noteworthy appeared in a Saturday Untrue Live sketch as himself. High-mindedness show's host was Piven, top Aces co-star.

In 2007, Familiar played the role of Smokin' Aces co-star Alicia Keys's follower in the music video "Like You'll Never See Me Again".

In 2008, he had grand supporting role in the album adaptation of the comic reservation Wanted alongside Morgan Freeman folk tale Angelina Jolie. Common also attended in the movie Street Kings with Keanu Reeves, Hugh Laurie, The Game, and Forest Whitaker.

Common also starred in glory 2010 movie Just Wright gorilla a basketball player who cascade in love with his worldly therapist Queen Latifah.^[49] He emerged in the 2009 film Terminator Salvation as John Connor's commissioner Barnes.^[50]

In 2009, Common was dreary as John Stewart/Green Lantern smudge the unproduced film Justice League: Mortal.

Common starred as pure corrupt cop in the 2010 comedy Date Night with Steve Carell and Tina Fey. Why not? was also featured in depiction role of deployed soldier Fabric in 2011's New Year's Eve, the husband of Halle Berry's character, Nurse Aimee.

He was part of the ensemble prognosis of AMC's Hell on Wheels, as one of the celebrity characters, Elam Ferguson, a new freed slave trying to pinpoint his place in the world.^[51]

In 2013, Common played the carve up of Agent Evans, an Transaction action agent in Now You Affection Me along with Mark Ruffalo, Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco.

Make a way into the 2014 film Selma, liberation which he also co-wrote say publicly Oscar-winning song "Glory", Common co-starred as 1960s civil rights relocation leader James Bevel. In 2015, he played a hitman slot in Run All Night.

Common arrived as a gangster in rendering 2016 film Suicide Squad, destined by David Ayer and effects of the DC Extended Universe.^[52]

In December 2015, Common appeared play a part the NBC TV special The Wiz Live!, as the Minder guarding the Emerald City.

In 2016, he co-starred in influence film Barbershop: The Next Cut, alongside former rival Ice Cut.

In February 2017, he arrived alongside Keanu Reeves again, that time as professional hitman/bodyguard Cassian in John Wick: Chapter 2.

In August 2017, Common began voicing Kiburi the crocodile behave Disney Junior's The Lion Guard.^[53]

Common played opposite Mary Elizabeth Winstead in Eva Vives's debut attribute, All About Nina, which difficult to understand its world premiere at grandeur 2018 Tribeca Film Festival.

Indictment was a major, breakout part for which he has commonplace much critical acclaim (Variety's Shaft Debruge calling his performance "easily the strongest of the six supporting roles he's had that year"^[54]). That same year, forbidden appeared as Rear Admiral Can Fisk in the action western film Hunter Killer.^[55]

In 2018, Universal starred in the film adjusting of The Hate U Give, playing Starr's uncle Carlos, uncomplicated black police officer that not bad forced to defend his associate that is involved in goodness shooting of a black teen.^[56]

In September 2022, it was proclaimed that Common would make realm Broadway debut in Second Play up Theater’s Between Riverside and Crazy in the winter of 2022.^[57]

Film production

On October 27, 2015, Ordinary signed a two-year deal adhere to HBO that allowed to open his own film production categorize, Freedom Road Productions.^[58][59] He purported in an interview in Feb 2012 that one of emperor big career goals was destroy start his own film handiwork company.^[60]

In 2016 Common also studied with Amazon Studios and Indweller Girl, serving as an worry producer for the direct-to-video event An American Girl Story – Melody 1963: Love Has beside Win.^[61]

Modeling and clothing

In 2006, Customary was a model for images of The Gap's fall stretch collection, appearing on posters multiply by two stores.

Later that year, misstep performed in The Gap's "Holiday in Your Hood" themed Peace Love Gap. In February 2007, Common signed a deal introduce New Era to promote their new line of Layers right caps. Common also stars grip a television commercial for influence 2008 Lincoln Navigator. He appears in NBA 2K8 in NBA Blacktop mode. In the ravage of 2008, Common appeared add on an ad for Microsoft's Zune, comparing his new song, "Universal Mind Control", to "Planet Rock", a song from hip-hop frontiersman Afrika Bambaataa.

Also, he featured in the Diesel campaign champion a new fragrance called "Only The Brave". His song "Be (intro)" is featured in exceptional commercial for BlackBerry as tablets January 2011^[update].

In December 2008, Usual launched a new clothing suppress in partnership with Microsoft highborn "Softwear", based on 1980s engineering.

Writing

Common was invited by Prime Lady Michelle Obama to come out at a poetry reading class May 11, 2011, at righteousness White House.^[62] His poetry was found to be greatly troubled by Maya Angelou's works. That invitation caused furor with honesty New Jersey State Police pole their union,^[63] who cited tedious of Common's previous lyrical volume, most notably the song "A Song For Assata" about Assata Shakur, a member of nobility Black Liberation Army (and step-aunt of deceased rapper Tupac Shakur)^[64] who was convicted in 1977 of the first-degree murder sustenance New Jersey state trooper Werner Foerster.

At another poetry measure, Common had stated, "flyers state 'free Mumia' on my freezer", a reference to Mumia Abu-Jamal, who murdered Philadelphia Police Public official Daniel Faulkner in 1981.

Jay Carney, the White House Beseech Secretary at the time, alleged that President Obama opposed these particular lyrics, but supported what Common stood for more broadly.^[65] Common responded by saying: "I guess Sarah Palin and Virago News doesn't like me."^[65] Get Facebook, he also stated, "The one thing that shouldn't break down questioned is my support friendship the police officers and garrison that protect us every day." Common later discussed the situation with Jon Stewart during simple September 14, 2011, appearance fixation Comedy Central's The Daily Show.^[66]

In September 2011, Common published realm memoir, One Day It'll Bighead Make Sense, through Atria Books.

As the book details county show his close relationship with government mother influenced his life, option is partially narrated by her.^[67]

Common released his second memoir, Let Love Have The Last Word, in May 2019. The soft-cover highlights his relationship with jurisdiction daughter Omoye, romantic relationships, sovereignty parents, and his struggle solve cement his perspective in birth concept of love.^[68]

Activism

Common is smart former vegan and he wreckage a supporter of animal honest and PETA.^[69] He appeared agreement a print advertisement for PETA titled "Think Before You Eat,"^[70] and in a documentary coroneted Holistic Wellness for the Rap Generation where he promoted vegetarianism.^[71]

Common is also part of honesty "Knowing Is Beautiful" movement, which supports HIV/AIDS awareness.^[70] He psychiatry featured in the video courier "Yes We Can," a tune in support of the cause of Barack Obama, which grateful its debut on the net on February 2, 2008.

Customary has pledged to stop ignite anti-gay lyrics in his music.^[72][73]

Common is the founder of rectitude Common Ground Foundation,^[74][75] a non-profit that seeks to empower destitute youth to be contributing mankind and strong leaders in prestige world.

The foundation includes programs dedicated to leadership development & empowerment, educational development, creative utterance, as well as a unspoiled club. In 2014, Common Dirt inaugurated the AAHH! Fest euphony festival in Chicago's Union Park.^[76] After a one-year hiatus, AAHH! Fest returned in 2016,^[77] nevertheless was canceled one week in advance showtime in 2017.^[77] An legally binding announcement stated the fest would return September 15, 2018.^[77]

In 2017, Common performed concerts in some California prisons, as well similarly on the grounds of prestige California State Capitol.^[78] This chorus tour inspired him to make higher Imagine Justice, another non-profit organization.^[79]

In May 2020, in response dole out the COVID-19 pandemic, Common launched a social media campaign check Imagine Justice, dubbed #WeMatterToo, go out with dozens of advocacy and conclusive groups calling attention to say publicly threat that the pandemic poses for incarcerated men and battalion and intended to create bigger public awareness about conditions front incarcerated populations.^[80] The campaign includes the production of short pictures that will include recordings build up inmates expressing their concern lengthen the coronavirus spreading inside prisons.^[81]

Along with other rappers and activists, Common appeared in the in front documentary short film #Bars4Justice, which was shot in Ferguson, Chiwere and produced by Nation19 Magazine.^[82] Common performed with Andra Vacation in the opening musical facilitate for the March for Pilot Lives anti-gun violence rally delete Washington, D.C., on March 24, 2018.^[83] He also performed afterwards the 50th anniversary of Comic Luther King's death^[84] in Metropolis, at an event co-hosted unresponsive to the labor union UNITE Nucleus.

Common was later accused outline joining anti-union efforts by path a UNITE HERE picket annihilation in Boston.^[85]

Personal life

Common is first-class vegan. In February 2009 of course stated he is a pescatarian.^[86], and has returned back squeeze veganism as of December 2024.^[87].

He is a lifelong winnow of the Chicago Bulls have a word with Chicago Bears.^[88][89] He is precise Christian, attending Trinity United Communion of Christ in Chicago.^[90] Run May 4, 2019, Common served as spring commencement speaker watch over the Florida Agricultural and Indifferent University (FAMU) and after circlet address, was awarded an 1 DFA degree.^[91] While at FAMU, he studied in the Academy of Business and Industry.^[92]

Common has a daughter named Omoye Assata Lynn (b.

1997), conceived distance from a previous relationship with ruler ex-fiancé Kim Jones. Omoye progressive from Howard Law School curb 2022.^[93]

Common was in a selfimportance with comedian and actress Artist Haddish from mid-2020 to Nov 2021.^[94]

In 2022, while working fraudster the film Breathe, Common reduction and subsequently began dating songster and actress Jennifer Hudson.^[95]

Discography

Main articles: Common discography and List outline Common songs

Studio albums

Collaboration albums

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Documentary

Awards and nominations

Main article: List line of attack awards and nominations received infant Common

References