Students gathered in Bender Arena last week for an intimate conversation with Common, Grammy winning rapper, author, actor and activist. Common spoke about finding your path, activism and even spit a few freestyle bars about AU. After his lecture he took questions from moderators, who included childhood friend/AU professor Emmanuel Cooper, and AU professor Michael Harvey of the Audio Technology department.
Common believes that to become great you must find your path, believe in your path and live your path. In order to demonstrate the unorthodox way in which some find their paths, Common shared the story of a young Muhammad Ali. Ali had his bike stolen and wanted to go out and fight the thief. A white policeman stopped him and took him to a boxing gym to work out his frustrations. Common spoke to our current social climate with the anecdote, remarking that “It’s amazing what a white police officer can do with a young black boy if they show they care.”
This was the beginning of Ali’s own unique path, and the rapper affirmed that your path is your own, despite what others may feel is best. This affirmation came from personal experience– Common’s mother initially resisted his decision to drop out of college to become a rapper. As college students, many of us can relate to feeling our purpose is not necessarily the path our parents have planned out, even if they are paying for it.
Still, education is important and he will never overlook the fact that education gives you a foundation to work with. We would be nowhere without educators… “some of the greatest people are educators, those who put a drop of life in someone else.” Common is constantly pushing himself to become more educated, or ‘woke.’
Common emphasized that even though success did not come easily or quickly for him, (the first time he was nominated for a Grammy he lost all five he was nominated for) that doesn’t mean it won’t come at all. He encouraged students to persevere in order to find success, even if doesn’t come when they think it should. After the Grammys, Common jumped right back into making music, pushing his craft to its highest potential. At the next Grammys? He won best R&B song.
Common also addressed our current social and political climate. He espoused appreciation for it, saying that these challenges are why we are in the best times, those that bring out our humanity. He reassured the audience that “no president, no government is greater than the people.” When people come together, they have a voice that is impossible to ignore.
It is especially important for those who are known to use their platforms. On activism he was adamant that artists not only speak out, but also take action. Common may be known as a “conscious rapper,” but goes even farther, taking action for social change.
The Common Ground Foundation is an initiative Common founded in 2002 which uses creative arts to expose youth to new opportunities. Common also advocates for the incarcerated. He recently visited Level 4 state prisons in California, where he met an inmate named Robert doing time for two murders, but despite a life sentence made the decision to better his life. This can be a model to us all to live our best and most positive lives whether we will be rewarded for it or not.
Ultimately what Common spoke of rang true and relevant to his college audience. We are a student body of dreams and high aspirations; the path we choose must be our own.
Photo credit belongs to American University Kennedy Political Union.