Common is the stage name of Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr., a US rapper, author and actor from Chicago, Illinois. Born in 1972, he begins recording under the name Common Sense before shortening it to Common. His work is associated with alternative hip hop, boom bap, chipmunk soul, conscious hip hop, hardcore hip hop and hip hop, and he releases on G.O.O.D. Music.

Music

Common debuts in 1992 with Can I Borrow a Dollar?. He builds an underground following through the 1990s, then gains wider attention through his work with the Soulquarians. His 1994 album Resurrection becomes a major critical turning point. He later releases Like Water for Chocolate and the more experimental Electric Circus, followed by Be in 2005, which is his first album to reach broad mainstream radio support.

Finding Forever appears in 2007 and is produced mainly by Kanye West, a long-time collaborator. Universal Mind Control follows in 2008 and is nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. He then releases The Dreamer/The Believer in 2011 and Nobody’s Smiling in 2014, an album shaped by his hometown of Chicago.

Collaborations and affiliations

He works with a wide range of artists, including De La Soul, Jadakiss, T.I., Talib Kweli, The Roots, Kanye West, Lily Allen, Erykah Badu and Fort Minor. He is linked with Native Tongues, August Greene and Common & Pete Rock.

Writing, film and television

Alongside music, Common works as an actor. His screen roles include Sir Ivy in Smokin' Aces, Turner Lucas in American Gangster, parts in Wanted, John Wick: Chapter 2, Street Kings, Terminator Salvation, Date Night, New Year’s Eve, Now You See Me, Run All Night, Suicide Squad, Barbershop: The Next Cut, All About Nina, Hunter Killer and The Hate U Give. He also appears in Selma, where he co-writes the song “Glory”, and takes Broadway on in Between Riverside and Crazy. On television, he appears in Girlfriends, One on One, Scrubs, Hell on Wheels and The Lion Guard.

He also forms Freedom Road Productions under a deal with HBO and serves as executive producer on An American Girl Story – Melody 1963: Love Has to Win.

Other work

Common also models for Gap, signs promotional deals with New Era, Lincoln, Microsoft’s Zune and Diesel, and launches the clothing line Softwear with Microsoft. He appears in an NBA 2K8 game mode and in commercials for several brands. He performs poetry at the White House at the invitation of Michelle Obama, and his poetry is described as being influenced by Maya Angelou.

Personal and public life

His lyrics often focus on love and spirituality, and he is widely associated with socially conscious rap. The song “A Song for Assata” draws public attention because of its political subject matter. He is in a relationship with singer and actor Jennifer Hudson after previously being linked with Tiffany Haddish.