You may identify him as the great actor you’ve seen in movies such as Selma, Just Wright or Barbershop 2: The Next Cut, a captivating book writer, talented music artist, enlightened public speaker, or even as your celebrity man crush. If you’ve been introduced to any of his many talents, you can vouch for his greatness. He is Lonnie Rashid Lynn Jr.; famously known as Common.
Common’s life is an illustration of hustle, dedication, and hard work. He was born on March 13, 1972, in Chicago, Illinois to Mahalia Ann Hines and Lonnie Lynn Sr. Common wears multiple hats of activist, rapper, actor, writer, and philanthropist. He’s well known for his thought-provoking, verbose lyricism and exploration of diverse sounds in his music.
I became a fan of Common over 5 years ago. While watching the movie Just Wright, I just had to find out who that handsome man was! When I Googled him, I discovered he was certainly more than handsome. I discovered his music and history. I began listening to his singles and albums for days straight. I loved it; his energy, voice, and lyrics. Not only that but, I admire his character. My favorite album of his is “Be”. The imagery, intimacy, realness, and soulful flow of the entire album solidified me as a fan.
He started his career as an underground rapper. In 1992, he released his debut album Can I Borrow a Dollar?. The next album he released was Resurrection in 1994 which featured the hit single “I Used to Love H.E.R.” Resurrection was followed by One Day It’ll All Make Sense which included collaborations with Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, De La Soul, along with other artists.
Common won a Grammy for Best R&B Song for “Love of My Life” a collaboration with Erykah Badu that was apart of the 2002 soundtrack Brown Sugar in 2003. In 2005, Common released funk/soul-based album, Be, which claimed No. 2 album on the Billboard charts. His most recent album was dropped in September of 2019 called: “Let Love”. It was inspired by the book he authored titled Let Love Have The Last Word.
According to Common himself, his recent awakening as an activist focused on mass incarceration originated while onstage at the 2015 Academy Awards. He and John Legend were there accepting an award for the Best Original Song: “Glory” for the movie Selma. Hearing Legend’s speech was like “a little seed planted” to him.
Since his awakening, Common has chosen to shed light upon the adverse realities minorities specifically, of African descent, face in America. In nearly all of his appearances on talk shows, interviews, or speeches, he’s sure to mention and enlighten viewers on this ever-present matter. He is also sure to radiate a sense of hope and empowerment through his music.
Even through the fame, he’s managed to remain humble and genuine. Common has proven himself to be a phenomenal individual. He doesn’t abuse his platform but rather uses it to positively impact the world around him; inspiring, enlightening, and informing anyone with a listening ear.