Common

Common

Birth : 1972-03-13, Chicago, Illinois, USA

History

Lonnie Rashid Lynn (born March 13, 1972), known by his stage name Common (formerly Common Sense), is an American rapper and actor. He debuted in 1992 with the album Can I Borrow a Dollar?, and gained critical acclaim with his 1994 album Resurrection. He maintained an underground following into the late 1990s. He achieved mainstream success through his work with the Soulquarians. Common's first major-label album Like Water for Chocolate (2000), received commercial success. In 2003, he won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song for the Erykah Badu single "Love of My Life". His 2005 album Be was also a commercial success and was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 2006 Grammy Awards. Common received his second Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Southside" (featuring Kanye West), from his 2007 album Finding Forever. His best-of album, Thisisme Then: The Best of Common, was released in late 2007. In 2011, Common launched Think Common Entertainment, his own record label imprint, having previously released music under various other labels including Relativity, Geffen, and GOOD Music. Common won the 2015 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and the Academy Award for Best Original Song, for his song, co-written and performed with John Legend, "Glory" from the 2014 film Selma, in which he co-starred as Civil Rights Movement leader James Bevel. Common's acting career also includes roles in the films Smokin' Aces, Street Kings, American Gangster, Wanted, Terminator Salvation, Date Night, Just Wright, Happy Feet Two, New Year's Eve, Run All Night, Being Charlie, Rex, John Wick: Chapter 2, Smallfoot and Hunter Killer. He also narrated the documentary Bouncing Cats, about one man's efforts to improve the lives of children in Uganda through hip-hop/b-boy culture. He starred as Elam Ferguson on the AMC western television series Hell on Wheels. Description above from the Wikipedia article Common (rapper), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Profile

Common
Common
Common

Movies

Breathe
Darius
Air-supply is scarce in the near future, forcing a mother and daughter to fight for survival when two strangers arrive desperate for an oxygenated haven.
Diane Warren: Relentless
An intimate look at the life, career and process of one of the most accomplished songwriters of all time, Diane Warren.
Fool's Paradise
The Dagger
A down-on-his-luck publicist discovers a recently released mental health patient who looks just like a misbehaving movie star. The publicist subs him into a film, creating a new star. But fame and fortune are not all they are cracked up to be.
Chris Rock: Road To Live Special
Himself
Chris Rock gives an exclusive look at his year on tour leading up to this historic night. With appearances from Dave Chappelle, Adam Sandler, Kevin Hart, and many more.
Between Riverside and Crazy
Junior
City Hall is demanding more than his signature, the landlord wants him out, the liquor store is closed—and the Church won’t leave him alone. For ex-cop and recent widower Walter “Pops” Washington and his recently paroled son Junior, the struggle to hold on to one of the last great rent stabilized apartments on Riverside Drive collides with old wounds, sketchy new houseguests, and a final ultimatum in this Pulitzer Prize-winning dark comedy from Stephen Adly Guirgis.
Killing Me Softly with His Songs
Self
Killing Me Softly With His Songs is a musical documentary about the life and work of composer Charles Fox, known for pop hits such as "Killing Me Softly With His Song," "I Got A Name,” and "Ready To Take A Chance Again," as well as iconic television show themes for Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, The Love Boat and Wonder Woman.
Alice
Executive Producer
Alice spends her days enslaved on a rural Georgia plantation restlessly yearning for freedom. After a violent clash with plantation owner Paul, Alice flees through the neighboring woods and stumbles onto the unfamiliar sight of a highway, soon discovers a shocking reality that lies beyond the tree line.
Alice
Frank
Alice spends her days enslaved on a rural Georgia plantation restlessly yearning for freedom. After a violent clash with plantation owner Paul, Alice flees through the neighboring woods and stumbles onto the unfamiliar sight of a highway, soon discovers a shocking reality that lies beyond the tree line.
Glitter Ain't Gold
Executive Producer
A sixth grader takes a trip with his best friend to a local flea market to buy his first fake chain in order to impress his crush.
You're Watching Video Music Box
Self (archive footage)
The untold story of the world’s longest running video show, Video Music Box. A hip hop mainstay since 1983, VMB gave a platform to artists like Jay-Z, Nas and Mary J. Blige before they hit it big. Host Ralph McDaniels’ archives — amassed over 40 nearly years — reveal the show’s importance to numerous big-name musicians, as well as to the kids that grew up watching.
2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
Filmed at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio, the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony honors inductees: Tina Turner, Carole King, The Go-Go's, JAY-Z, Foo Fighters, and Todd Rundgren; along with Kraftwerk, Charley Patton and Gil Scott-Heron; LL Cool J, Billy Preston and Randy Rhoads; Clarence Avant for the Ahmet Ertegun Award. The special music event also features a host of all-star presenters, performers, and special guests, including Angela Bassett, Christina Aguilera, Mickey Guyton, H.E.R., Keith Urban, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Hudson, Drew Barrymore, Paul McCartney, Lionel Richie, and many others.
Ava
Michael
A black ops assassin is forced to fight for her own survival after a job goes dangerously wrong.
A Most Beautiful Thing
Narrator
A chronicle of the first African American high school rowing team in America made up of young men, many of whom were in rival gangs from the West Side of Chicago, coming together to row in the same boat.
Let's Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince
Self
A lineup of artists -- including Beck, Common, Gary Clark Jr., Foo Fighters, H.E.R., Juanes, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Chris Martin, Mavis Staples, St. Vincent, Usher and more -- pay tribute to Prince's unprecedented influence on music.
One World: Together at Home
Self
A global broadcast & digital special organized by Global Citizen and the World Health Organization featuring comedians, musicians, and actors to raise funds in support of front line health workers in the global response to COVID-19.
Dave Chappelle: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize
Self
An outstanding lineup of entertainers gathers in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall to salute Dave Chappelle, recipient of the 22nd annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
The Informer
Grens
In New York, former convict Pete Koslow, related to the Polish mafia, must deal with both Klimek the General, his ruthless boss, and the twisted ambitions of two federal agents, as he tries to survive and protect the lives of his loved ones.
The Price of Protest
Self (archive footage)
United States, September 1st, 2016. American football player Colin Kaepernick kneels during the national anthem, protesting police brutality against black people. Part of the population regards the gesture as an unacceptable affront to the flag. Later, he loses his place on his team. Today, however, he is considered by many as a true hero.
The Kitchen
Gary Silvers
The mobster husbands of three 1978 Hell's Kitchen housewives are sent to prison by the FBI. Left with little but a sharp ax to grind, the ladies take the Irish mafia's matters into their own hands — proving unexpectedly adept at everything from running the rackets to taking out the competition… literally.
Saint Judy
Benjamin Adebayo
The true story of immigration attorney Judy Wood and how she singlehandedly changed the U.S. law of asylum to save women's lives.
Here and Now
Ben
On the eve of a major performance, Vivienne receives some life-altering news that causes her to reevaluate her priorities. As she crisscrosses the busy streets of New York City, she tries to balance her upcoming music tour, family, and friends. Through interaction with her overbearing mother, Jeanne, her long-time manager, Ben, and her ex-husband, Nick, Vivienne strives to make peace with the decisions and sacrifices she's made along the way.
The Hate U Give
Uncle Carlos
Raised in a poverty-stricken slum, a 16-year-old girl named Starr now attends a suburban prep school. After she witnesses a police officer shoot her unarmed best friend, she's torn between her two very different worlds as she tries to speak her truth.
Hunter Killer
RA John Fisk
Captain Glass of the USS Arkansas discovers that a coup d'état is taking place in Russia, so he and his crew join an elite group working on the ground to prevent a war.
All About Nina
Rafe
Nina Geld's passion and talent have made her a rising star in the comedy scene, but she's an emotional mess offstage. When a new professional opportunity coincides with a romantic one, she is forced to confront her own deeply troubled past.
Smallfoot
Stonekeeper (voice)
A bright young yeti finds something he thought didn't exist—a human. News of this “smallfoot” throws the simple yeti community into an uproar over what else might be out there in the big world beyond their snowy village.
Ocean's Eight
Common
Debbie Ocean, a criminal mastermind, gathers a crew of female thieves to pull off the heist of the century at New York's annual Met Gala.
The Tale
Martin
An investigation into one woman’s memory as she‘s forced to re-examine her first sexual relationship and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive.
Love Beats Rhymes
Coltrane
A young woman dreams of making it big in the world of hip hop, but her parents demand that she finish her university degree. She dutifully agrees to complete her education, but her spoken word proves to have a powerful impact in the classroom.
Girls Trip
Himself
Four girlfriends take a trip to New Orleans for an annual festival and, along the way, rediscover their wild sides and strengthen the bonds of sisterhood.
The Words That Built America
Reader - Declaration of Independence
In recognition of the 4th of July, several celebrities and politicians of differing ideologies join to read the historic documents which laid the foundation for the United States of America.
Misdirection: The Real Magic
Narrator
A documentary film that follows two young men on a 3-year odyssey, through small triumphs and big set-backs, as they train to become professional magicians – the unconventional career they hope will lift them past poverty and old mistakes - and make them rich and famous!
Megan Leavey
Gunny Martin
The true story of Marine Corporal Megan Leavey, who forms a powerful bond with an aggressive combat dog, Rex. While deployed in Iraq, the two complete more than 100 missions and save countless lives, until an IED explosion puts their faithfulness to the test.
Feel Rich: Health Is the New Wealth
Himself
FEEL RICH: HEALTH IS THE NEW WEALTH documents the nascent self-love revolution emerging in urban communities. Narrated by Quincy Jones III, the film features interviews with iconic artists, producers, urban farmers and meditators who have made dramatic changes in their lives by opening themselves up to new ideas about what it means to be rich. Our audience will embark on a journey led by Common, The Game, Crystal Wall, Paul Wall, Fat Joe, Russell Simmons, Stic.Man, Afya Ibomu, Jermaine Dupri, Slim Thug, Styles P and the legendary Quincy Jones that provides unique context to the global health crisis in urban communities by offering a backstage pass into the hearts and minds of the hip hop elite.
A Happening of Monumental Proportions
Daniel
During the course of one day, a group of students at a school in Los Angeles find themselves caught up in a plot of sex, lies and dead bodies.
Chasing Trane
Self - Musician
An account of the life of the brilliant jazz musician John Coltrane (1926-67), a gifted saxophonist, an extraordinarily talented thinker whose original, avant-garde work has impacted and influenced people all over the world. A story about music's ability to entertain, inspire and transform.
John Wick: Chapter 2
Cassian
John Wick is forced out of retirement by a former associate looking to seize control of a shadowy international assassins’ guild. Bound by a blood oath to aid him, Wick travels to Rome and does battle against some of the world’s most dangerous killers.
BET Presents Love & Happiness: An Obama Celebration
Self - Performer
A White House concert and celebration in honor of the 8-year Presidency of Barack Obama and the First Lady Michelle Obama.
Letter to the Free
Inspired by some of the greatest musical recordings and performances 'behind bars', Young imagines a time and place where jails and prisons are no longer filled with bodies but are ruins of a time of isolation, pain and absence. A film about our collective redemption. About second chances, forgiving mistakes, rehabilitation, love and exoneration.
Black America Again
Himself - Street Performer
A visual celebration of the beauty, strength, perseverance and spirit of the Black community in these troubling times.
Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise
Himself
A celebration of Dr. Maya Angelou by weaving her words with rare and intimate archival photographs and videos, which paint hidden moments of her exuberant life during some of America’s most defining civil rights moments. From her upbringing in the Depression-era South to her swinging soirees with Malcolm X in Ghana to her inaugural speech for President Bill Clinton, we are given special access to interviews with Dr. Angelou whose indelible charm and quick wit make it easy to love her.
Suicide Squad
Monster T
From DC Comics comes the Suicide Squad, an antihero team of incarcerated supervillains who act as deniable assets for the United States government, undertaking high-risk black ops missions in exchange for commuted prison sentences.
Barbershop: The Next Cut
Jabari
To survive harsh economic times, Calvin and Angie have merged the barbershop and beauty salon into one business. The days of male bonding are gone as Eddie and the crew must now contend with sassy female co-workers and spirited clientele. As the battle of the sexes rages on, a different kind of conflict has taken over Chicago. Crime and gangs are on the rise, leaving Calvin worried about the fate of his son. Together, the friends come up with a bold plan to take back their beloved neighborhood.
Two Trains Runnin'
Narrator
The search of several young, white men for blues singers who have been missing for decades coincides with the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi in the 1960s.
Two Trains Runnin'
Executive Producer
The search of several young, white men for blues singers who have been missing for decades coincides with the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi in the 1960s.
The Wiz Live!
The Bouncer
Winner of 7 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, The Wiz was a massive Broadway hit which spawned a dismal feature film starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. Executive Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron have assembled a Tony-winning creative team, the imaginative Cirque du Soleil Theatrical and a diverse cast of showstoppers designed to create an eye-popping new take on the musical unlike anything ever seen.
Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives
Exploring the social impact of what The Source Magazine in 1998 voted, "The Best Hip Hop Radio Show Of All-Time." The documentary film is the story of quirky friends who became unlikely legends by engaging their listeners and breaking the biggest rap artists ever.
Being Charlie
Travis
Charlie is a troublesome 18-year-old who breaks out of a youth drug treatment clinic, but when he returns home to Los Angeles, he's given an intervention by his parents and forced to go to an adult rehab. There, he meets a beautiful but troubled girl, Eva, and is forced to battle with drugs, elusive love and divided parents.
Unity
Narrator (voice)
Despite the advent of science, literature, technology, philosophy, religion, and so on -- none of these has assuaged humankind from killing one another, the animals, and nature. UNITY is a film about why we can't seem to get along, even after thousands and thousands of years.
Entourage
Common
Movie star Vincent Chase, together with his boys, Eric, Turtle and Johnny, are back…and back in business with super agent-turned-studio head Ari Gold. Some of their ambitions have changed, but the bond between them remains strong as they navigate the capricious and often cutthroat world of Hollywood.
Run All Night
Mr. Price
Brooklyn mobster and prolific hit man Jimmy Conlon has seen better days. Longtime best friend of a mob boss, Jimmy is haunted by the sins of his past—as well as a dogged police detective who’s been one step behind Jimmy for 30 years. But when Jimmy’s estranged son becomes a target, Jimmy must make a choice between the crime family he chose and the real family he abandoned long ago. Now, with nowhere safe to turn, Jimmy has just one night to figure out exactly where his loyalties lie and to see if he can finally make things right.
Selma
James Bevel
"Selma," as in Alabama, the place where segregation in the South was at its worst, leading to a march that ended in violence, forcing a famous statement by President Lyndon B. Johnson that ultimately led to the signing of the Voting Rights Act.
Every Secret Thing
Devlin Hatch
One clear summer day in a Baltimore suburb, a baby goes missing from her front porch. Two young girls serve seven years for the crime and are released into a town that hasn't fully forgiven or forgotten. Soon, another child is missing, and two detectives are called in to investigate the mystery in a community where everyone seems to have a secret.
X/Y
Jason
As Mark, Jen, Sylvia, and Jake navigate through their emotionally-arrested states, X/Y reveals the honest and wanton desire we all have to connect with someone and what is at stake when that connection fades.
Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton: This Is Stones Throw Records
Self
Under the direction of founder and world-renowned DJ Peanut Butter Wolf, Stones Throw Records has consistently released critically acclaimed, left-of-center albums since its founding in 1996. Drawing on live concert footage, never-before-seen archival material, inner-circle home video and photographs and in-depth interviews with the folks who put Stones Throw on the map, this documentary will delve deeper into the label's enigmatic artists, history, culture and global following.
Now You See Me
Evans
An FBI agent and an Interpol detective track a team of illusionists who pull off bank heists during their performances and reward their audiences with the money.
Pawn
Jeff Porter
A petty robbery spirals into a tense hostage situation after three gunmen hold up a diner that's a front for the mob.
LUV
Uncle Vincent
Over the course of one day, a shy 13-year-old forms a bond with his troubled uncle.
Movie 43
Bob Mone (segment "The Pitch")
Fifteen directors and an all-star cast created this twisted comedy that follows three teens on the hunt for the world's most banned film.
The Odd Life of Timothy Green
Coach Cal
A childless couple bury a box in their backyard, containing all of their wishes for an infant. Soon, a child is born, though Timothy Green is not all that he appears.
Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap
Himself
SOMETHING FROM NOTHING: THE ART OF RAP is a feature length performance documentary about the runaway juggernaut that is Rap music. At the wheel of this unstoppable beast is the film's director and interviewer Ice-T. Taking us on a deeply personal journey Ice-T uncovers how this music of the street has grown to dominate the world. Along the way Ice-T meets a whole spectrum of Hip-Hop talent, from founders, to new faces, to the global superstars like Eminem, Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg and Kanye West. He exposes the roots and history of Rap and then, through meeting many of its most famous protagonists, studies the living mechanism of the music to reveal 'The Art Of Rap'. This extraordinary film features unique performances from the entire cast, without resorting to archive material, to build a fresh and surprising take on the phenomenon that is Rap.
New Year's Eve
Soldier
The lives of several couples and singles in New York intertwine over the course of New Year's Eve.
Happy Feet Two
Seymour (voice)
Mumble the penguin has a problem: his son Erik, who is reluctant to dance, encounters The Mighty Sven, a penguin who can fly! Things get worse for Mumble when the world is shaken by powerful forces, causing him to brings together the penguin nations and their allies to set things right.
Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest
Self
Having forged a 20-year run as one of the most innovative and influential hip hop bands of all time, the Queens NY collective known as 'A Tribe Called Quest' have kept a generation hungry for more of their groundbreaking music since their much publicized breakup in 1998. Michael Rapaport documents the inner workings and behind the scenes drama that follows the band to this day. He explores what's next for, what many claim, are the pioneers of alternative rap.
Music
The story of music and the music industry told through interviews with musicians, composers and producers across genres.
Just Wright
Scott McKnight
A physical therapist falls for the basketball player she is helping recover from a career-threatening injury.
Bouncing Cats
Narrator
This documentary follows the efforts of Abraham "Abramz" Tekya and Breakdance Project Uganda (BPU) to use dance to empower youth in war-torn Uganda. The film is a testimony of Crazy Legs of Rock Steady Crew and his experiences in the BPU program. The film features narration by Common and additional interviews with Mos Def, will.i.am and K'Naan. Also appearing in the film is Okot Jolly Grace, whose guidance enabled the filmmakers to see and understand the plight of children in northern Uganda.
Date Night
Collins
Phil and Claire Foster fear that their mild-mannered relationship may be falling into a stale rut. During their weekly date night, their dinner reservation leads to their being mistaken for a couple of thieves—and now a number of unsavoury characters want Phil and Claire killed.
Brave New Voices 2010
Himself - Host
The excitement and poetry of the Brave New Voices 2010 National Slam team championships is captured in this special.
Terminator Salvation
Barnes
All grown up in post-apocalyptic 2018, John Connor must lead the resistance of humans against the increasingly dominating militaristic robots. But when Marcus Wright appears, his existence confuses the mission as Connor tries to determine whether Wright has come from the future or the past -- and whether he's friend or foe.
Wanted
The Gunsmith
Doormat Wesley Gibson discovers that his recently murdered father - who Wesley never knew - belonged to a secret guild of assassins. After a leather-clad sexpot drafts Wesley into the society, he hones his innate killing skills and turns avenger.
Street Kings
Coates
Tom Ludlow is a disillusioned L.A. Police Officer, rarely playing by the rules and haunted by the death of his wife. When evidence implicates him in the execution of a fellow officer, he is forced to go up against the cop culture he's been a part of his entire career, ultimately leading him to question the loyalties of everyone around him.
American Gangster
Turner Lucas
Following the death of his employer and mentor, Bumpy Johnson, Frank Lucas establishes himself as the number one importer of heroin in the Harlem district of Manhattan. He does so by buying heroin directly from the source in South East Asia and he comes up with a unique way of importing the drugs into the United States. Partly based on a true story.
Notorious B.I.G.: Bigger Than Life
Himself
The greatest rapper to ever pick up a mic - with his velvety flow and unparalleled rhyme style he captivated everyone from Jay Z to Tupac. Now Notorious B.I.G. is revealed.
Smokin' Aces
Sir Ivy
When a Las Vegas performer-turned-snitch named Buddy Israel decides to turn state's evidence and testify against the mob, it seems that a whole lot of people would like to make sure he's no longer breathing.
Dave Chappelle's Block Party
Self
The American comedian/actor delivers a story about the alternative Hip Hop scene. A small town Ohio mans moves to Brooklyn, New York, to throw an unprecedented block party.
Letter to the President
Self
Narrated By Snoop Dogg- Letter To the President is a feature documentary that showcases the close-knit ties between the Hip Hop Music community and America's social and political policy in the last 30 years.
Kanye West: College Dropout [Video Anthology]
Self (segment "Two Words")
A collection of music videos and behind the scenes footage released to promote Kanye West's upcoming debut album, College Dropout. The compilation features the videos to the previously unreleased "Two Words", "Slow Jamz", "Through the Wire", "All Falls Down", the three versions of "Jesus Walks", and "The New Workout Plan", all previously unseen before its release.
Kanye West: College Dropout [Video Anthology]
Airline Employee (segment "All Falls Down")
A collection of music videos and behind the scenes footage released to promote Kanye West's upcoming debut album, College Dropout. The compilation features the videos to the previously unreleased "Two Words", "Slow Jamz", "Through the Wire", "All Falls Down", the three versions of "Jesus Walks", and "The New Workout Plan", all previously unseen before its release.
Soundz of Spirit
Self
Award winning documentary by Joslyn Rose Lyons exploring the relationship between spiritual connection and the creative process in hip-hop music.
The Notorious B.I.G BET Official presents
The Notorious B.I.G exploded onto the hip-hop scene in 1994 with the hip-hop anthem "juicy" after blazing remixes for Craig Mack and Mary J. Blige. His now classic debut Ready To Die, the sophomore double CD Life After Death, and 1999's Born Again combine for over 10 million career album sales. Biggie's magnetic persona, signature flow, and imaginative delivery secured Bad Boy Entertainment's place at hip hop's forefront. His tragic deathin 1997 devastated the music world and spawned numerous imitators. Enduring beyond charts and trends, Christopher Wallace is irreplacable and unforgetable. With Duets: The Final Chapter, his legacy as an icon of the art form and the culture lives on.
5 Sides of a Coin
Himself
"5 Sides of a Coin" is a comprehensive overview of the worldwide cultural movement of Hip-Hop.
Beef
Himself
A documentary on the evolution of MC battles from verbal one-upmanship to street warfare.
Brown Sugar
Self
Friends since childhood, a magazine editor and a hip-hop record executive stumble into romantic territory.
Pete Rock: Soul Survivor
Common
Seven Friends: George Miller’s Justice League
Self
Documentary chronicling director George Miller's unmade 2008 superhero movie Justice League Mortal.
Sly Stone
Executive Producer
Explores the life and career of Sly Stone.
Hate to See You Go
The story of Sonny Bell (Freeman), an aging Chicago Blues musician, who refuses to retire and defiantly hits the road with his band for one last long-shot to keep doing the only thing that makes them all feel truly alive--play Blues. The story is inspired by Stone's experiences touring and playing harmonica with many of blues music's most revered artists.
Super High
A superhero comedy where smoking special weed gives you super powers.