Page 127 - The Book For Men Spring/Summer 2023

LISTENING TO COMMON HAS AN ALMOST MEDITATIVE QUALITY. HIS voice is smooth to the point of opulence, and he speaks with a thoughtful, melodic cadence. The warmth he exudes to a complete stranger is so reassuring. When half-jokingly asked if he’s ever thought of resting on the considerable laurels of his decades-long career, his mirthful laugh tells the whole story: it had likely never occurred to him.
“I believe that every day we’re on this planet, we have the potential to grow, to fulfill, to create, to spread love, and to spread light,” Common explains. “To bring that consciousness and spirit and good energy, there’s so much work to be done. I do believe that art has been one of the most impactful ways that I’ve been able to do it, and I just thank God that it’s one of my purposes.”
It’s a typically humble response from one of the most influential artists and social icons of our time. Throughout the ’90s and 2000s, Common helped define an era of socially conscious rap, while pioneering the Soulquarian movement with such legendary collaborators and luminaries as Erykah Badu, D’Angelo, Questlove, and the late J Dilla. He was invited by First Lady Michelle Obama to perform at the White House alongside other distinguished poets and writers, and later recorded the first ever Tiny Desk Performance from the People’s House. He even got to collaborate with his long-time hero Maya Angelou on the title track of his 2011 album The Dreamer.
In his career as an actor, he has appeared on screen alongside some of his inspirations, including Denzel Washington and Ruby Dee, and just last year made his Broadway debut alongside the great character actor Stephen McKinley Henderson. And he has never stopped releasing thought-provoking and deeply soulful music for which he has been awarded, among many other accolades, an Emmy, several Grammys, and an Oscar.
Though he’s one Tony Award away from an EGOT, that doesn’t mean he has an ego. He speaks passionately about always working to evolve as a musician; in fact, he doesn’t believe you can ever truly become the master of anything, especially when it comes to life and art. He mentions listening to De La Soul again in the wake of the death of founding member David Jolicoeur, better known as Trugoy the Dove, which coincided with the revered hip hop group’s extensive back catalogue finally making its way to streaming. Common’s still learning from the music that he grew up with, and it continues to inspire him to strive for greatness. “I went back and tried to learn some of their raps in different ways, and I’m like ‘Man, the learning is infinite with this stuff,’”
Common says. “There’s so much, you’ll never get it down. I don’t care if you’re noted as the number one emcee to ever live, you still can get better. And I feel like I always want to be better and get better.”
He can be most recently seen honing his acting craft in the Apple+ Original series Silo, a post-apocalyptic mystery based on the science fiction book series of the same name by Hugh Howey. His character is one of the ten thousand underground occupants of the titular structure, which is buried hundreds of stories beneath the surface of the earth in a seemingly toxic dystopian future. The story’s hook is irresistible: the inhabitants do not know who built the silo, or how long their people have been down there; they do not know why the world outside the silo means certain death; and they do not know when it will be safe to go outside, only that this day has yet to come. Curiosity regarding these bigger questions is, shall we say, disincentivized within the populace. Common plays Sims, the head of Judicial Security within the subterranean civilization, who is burdened with preserving the status quo of the silo by any means necessary. The actor likens the Judicial organisation as a whole to a de facto governmental structure, with his specific department resembling a combination of Congress and the CIA.
As befitting a man for whom the work is never truly done, Common was in the booth when he first heard about the project that would consume the better part of the next year of his life. Since the pandemic, he has become even more intentional about how he spends his energy and values even more where he chooses to put his heart and soul. He usually doesn’t allow phones in the studio when he’s recording, but his manager and agent assured him they had an important opportunity to discuss. He was immediately intrigued by the project’s pedigree: it was developed by veteran creator and showrunner Graham Yost (Justified), with Academy Award nominee Morten Tyldum attached to direct and the acclaimed Rebecca Ferguson starring and executive producing.
Once he began reading the script, he could barely put it down. “Sometimes for my birthday, my friends and I get a boat down in Florida and just enjoy the day. I started it that day before we went out on the water, and I remember the feeling that I couldn’t wait to get back so I could read the rest.” His only caveat was working outside of the United States, since he had appreciated being home after the pandemic. But ultimately his enthusiasm for the project, not to mention the city of London, won out. He describes his time on Silo as one of the greatest creative experiences of his life. “Being part of something you think has the potential to be great has been so fulfilling.”
“I don’t care if you’re noted as the number one emcee to ever live, you still can get better. And I feel like I always want to be better and get better.”
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