![]() ![]() Since then, Common's felt duty-bound to carry the weight of Black truths, even if it means unloading his secrets. That was a turning point for me in understanding how valuable just being truthful, telling my experiences, and also being really open about it can be.” “He said, ‘My lady and I were going back and forth about this, and then we listened to that song and just cried and said we were going to do this,’” Common remembers. After a performance one night, he remembers a fan letting him know it wasn’t just his story he was telling. The transparency was captivating, and sharing his decision-making process was instructive. His thought process was laid bare-the financial and emotional insecurity, the guilt in taking a life, the pledge to “use self-control instead of birth control.” Common turned his revelatory conversations with Kim into a tender Lauryn Hill–assisted track, “Retrospect for Life,” from his 1997 album One Day It’ll All Make Sense. He remembers when he and his partner, Kim Jones, were on the way to the abortion clinic to undergo their second abortion, but then the pair decided to have a child and try to figure out parenting. (Which he chronicled on the track “Book of Life”: “My liver I burn it up…the cup I gotta give it up.”) He contends it played a central role in his music because “hip-hop is reflective of our communities, and one of the things that we have been dealing with in our communities-and I dealt with it, too-is alcoholism.” Initially, Common simply reflected the Black experience in his music he didn’t influence behavior as KRS-One did for a young Lonnie.Ī canceled trip to the abortion clinic changed all that and the course of his 30-plus-year career. “To hear somebody who’s a hero of mine say, ‘No goat or ham or chicken or turkey or hamburger, cuz to me that’s suicide, self-murder’ was big.”Īlthough Common gave up pork and beef by 1996, he still struggled with alcoholism. He couldn’t dream past the options given to him until 1988 when pioneering rapper KRS-One changed his life with one song, "My Philosophy." He doesn’t remember anyone coming to the inner cities to give dietary insights. Read the rest of the stories here.īEFORE 51-YEAR-OLD Common became a vegan and an Oscar- and Grammy Award–winning vessel for Black stories, he was just Lonnie Rashid Lynn growing up in Chicago without any guidance on how to eat healthy. He founded the Common Ground Foundation in 2007, which provides educational and mentoring opportunities for underprivileged youth.Ĭommon has received numerous accolades throughout his career, including three Grammy Awards and an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Glory” from the film “Selma.” He has established himself as one of the most respected and influential figures in hip-hop, with his music and activism leaving a lasting impact on the culture.This cover story is part of Hip-Hop Is Life, a series of profiles and features that revisit key moments in the intersection of hip-hop and Black men’s health over the last 50 years. He has been a vocal advocate for social justice and has worked to combat gun violence in urban communities. In addition to his music career, Common is also an accomplished actor, with notable roles in films such as “Selma,” “John Wick: Chapter 2,” and “The Hate U Give.” He has also made appearances on several television shows, including “The Chi” and “Hell on Wheels.”Ĭommon is also known for his activism and philanthropy work, particularly in his hometown of Chicago. He has released twelve studio albums to date, with his most recent album “A Beautiful Revolution Pt. ![]() Common’s music is known for its conscious lyrics, social commentary, and poetic flow. He was born on March 13, 1972, in Chicago, Illinois, and began his music career in the early 1990s. Common, born Lonnie Rashid Lynn Jr., is an American rapper, actor, and activist.
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