Sometimes, I get opportunities to speak to people that are more than their chart-topping, IMDB page scrolling, press released image. The artist Common is one of those people. And unlike many in the business, he resonates with something larger than the spotlight, he shines with the power of Truth, with a capital “T”.
Truth in his music and the journey of a poet set to the beats of a life lived. Honesty blazes from him on the screen as he enjoys creating characters and moments that mean just as much to him, as the fans filling the theaters. And, his resolute nature has him opening doors to allow spectators into the shadows of his past. Now an author, he uses his words to express regret and hope in his memoir, while sharing an inner torment as he confronts the child he once was, and the horrible molestation that he had repressed until recently. This insight and others led to an ownership as a man that needed to confront his shortcomings in personal relationships.
Living in the moment and working to be present reside equally within him as Common tours the country, letting truth be his beacon and ‘Let Love’ be his message.
DS: “Let’s start by talking about your connection to Las Vegas. If I remember correctly, I think I saw you in the early 2000’s at the first incarnation of The old Joint with Mos Def and Talib Kwali, and I believe a separate show with Eryka Badu at The House of Blues.
Common: “I’ve performed in Las Vegas many times. With Erykah many time and also several times with Kweli and De La Soul on the ‘Spit-Kicker Tour’. Though I have also just done my shows as well, as a solo artist, just rocking. From The House of Blues to some of the clubs, I’ve even come a couple times to do DJ shows. I come to Vegas often, but I haven’t been back in a couple years. So this will give me chance to perform there again, especially with the new show!”
DS: “Speaking of the show, The Smith Center is a great venue that caters to all music and even has its own Jazz club. And that has me wondering about your jazz flavoring, in regards to your work with August Greene and those Jazz roots. What kind of show can Las Vegas look forward to?”
Common: “I think with The Let Love Tour and the performers we are presenting, is definitely the musicianship and culture of great art being presented. And August Greene is filled with musicianship that is high-level, so we’ll definitely bring some of the musicians from that. My new album was co-produced by Karriem Riggins and Boom Travis as well and they’re actually on the road with me. So yeah, you’re going to get that live musicianship smashed with theater performance because we have narrative to the way we present shows now. I like to put my acting to the test and go live, just rocking the show.”
DS: “When you started this tour, what was your main focus? What was the message you wanted to spread, not only with the new album, but you also recently released a memoir. What comes into play in this? As your words are coming from you, one way, or the other.”
Common: “Yes, the memoir and album are titled, “Let Love Have the Last Word”. And the album was inspired by the book. And once the album was created, we thought “man, it would be great to go out on tour”! Because the whole intention of the book and the music was positive vibrations of hope. It’s a soulful and spiritual experience, it’s like a reflective thing about my journey. But anyone that listens will get the positive vibes and will maybe be hopeful about life. This show goes through some of that journey and essentially will get you to a point where you feel good. We create experience with this show.”
DS: Now going over news of your memoir, I enjoyed your thoughts on love, but was also hit hard by your realization of the molestation you went through as a child. The reason I bring this up, is because we talked at the Sundance Film Festival in January of 2018 about your movie at the time, ‘The Tale”. So as I read this, I was wondering, was this realization at the same time you were shooting this film with Laura Dern that had a molestation story line?
Common: “That’s exactly what happened, I was in a rehearsal for ‘The Tale”, which is about sexual abuse, and I was just working the scene and the memory of what happened to me as child, it came to my mind. I really had to gather myself and say, “This happened to me”. I told Laura in the scene and took a little time and just told her I would discuss it later. After I truly realized it, I decided to talk about it because it could be healing for others. Especially in communities of color, specifically the black community, I don’t believe we talk about it as much. And as men, I believe we don’t talk about those issues. And I believe allowing people to feel safe and to open up about things they experience will lend towards stopping the cycle.”
Note: For more on this subject with Common, listen to the full interview at the bottom of the page.
DS: Looking at this tour and your music, it looks to be the clearest your spirit has been in some time. Rejoice in, which is something that anyone has seen your shows before understand they’ll see from you. Anyone that sees you on stage performing can tell you are happy and there is joy coming from you.
Common: “Yes! And I think that joy is for me, is a joy in seeing others. The quest to make the audience say “Man, I feel good”, even the people that may not know Common music. I want them to feel the show and appreciate the songs are for them. A lot of music is coming from the new album that’s coming August 30th, but I obviously go through a lot of the catalogue, the classic music people love from me. So I enjoy seeing them react to it all.”
DS: “And to speak on something else you enjoyed recently, we saw the viral video that just hit with you walking up to Ray Wimley and freestyling with him! And that’s something where you see an artist do something for fun, not for money or fame, but because they want to be present in the moment. Was that something you felt there and then?”
Common: “Man, I felt it so much. Because Ray is one of the most talented artists I’ve ever seen or heard. The dude is supremely talented. And his songs are good, he’s got great music, super talented. And to be in that element and be spontaneous with it. He’s a street artist right now, he performs like that all the time. So I couldn’t help but be present, when somebody is rhyming that good I just want to rhyme with him. His whole family was there, it was just a joy to be part of that.”
DS: “As ever-present as you are in your music, you are also always present in your films. I’m looking so forward to The Kitchen, you being a Police Office in that, it looks so good. Three strong women, a great story, I’m so excited. Not only that, but another one with another extremely strong and deadly woman in Eve. You’re getting some fun opportunities, so how would you describe your acting world right now?”
Common: “Oh man, my acting career is growing, its progressing. I get a chance to do characters that are fruitful and rich in character, they have depth and have the roundness of what humanity is. I love that man, its one of my favorite things to do, to dig into a character. So, at this point I’m really grateful that I’m in The Kitchen, I’m looking forward to that film myself. And I was really happy to be in Eve and to work with the director Tate Taylor. I’m looking forward to doing roles that are really impactful, that can make me rise to the next level as an actor.
DS: And I see that and respect it! We’ve spoken at Sundance and other Film Festivals before for impactful roles you’ve taken. So I look at these as you rising, but at the same time I enjoy the ‘candy’ of your acting world, so a small part of me is hoping you’ll be in John Wick 4.
Building on that ‘nerd’ theme, I’ll soon be heading over to San Diego Comic-con to interview TV and film casts. So I wanted to know. What’s Common’s ‘nerd’ thing?
Common: Man, I like to read, I’m a reader. That’s my nerd thing. This book I’ve been reading slowly is a Frederick Douglas book called Profit of Freedom by David Blight. I like watching good documentaries too. I just watched that Aretha Franklin documentary called Amazing Grace, that was incredible. That film hits your spirit well, on the nerd tip.
DS: That’s fantastic! Actually, if I can ask you, as an actor, and someone reading about Fredrick Douglas right now. Do you have any thoughts on the whole Hallee Bailey Ariel controversy right now?
Common: Yeah, I think its a beautiful thing that they cast somebody that is as talented as Hallee is. She’s gonna do a great job as an actress and, you know, the world sometimes, has to understand that things have to progress and change. You know, one character, or certain characters are written in certain eras where people of color couldn’t even be written into those characters. But now, we want and choose to see the world from a more equal space. So now women and people of color should be given the same opportunities as other genders and nationalities. Its as simple as that, so why not allow the most qualified and the most talented. See, the director thought she was the one. So I love that, I love that she got it. I like that we’re breaking down the walls of racism and sexism and all the other ‘isms’ in the world.
After closing the interview, I congratulated Common on his spirit and for sharing who he is, to the world and on the stage. 2019 is already a great year for him, as his music and movie careers progress nicely into depth and substance. He moves forward with the love of a daughter that just graduated from college. And his released memoir has helped him become stronger as he exorcised inner demons to Let Love be his message for the future.
Catch Common in live concert this Saturday at The Smith Center.
For More information on his Las Vegas show: Click Here
For more information on his current tour: Click Here
