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Common

Born: 1972

Biography

Lonnie Rashid Lynn (born March 13, 1972), known by his stage name Common (formerly Common Sense), is an American rapper and actor. He has received three Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award. 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. His 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.
Known For Acting
Gender Male
Place of Birth Chicago, Illinois, USA

Resources

Movies

Dave Chappelle's Block Party

Self in Dave Chappelle's Block Party

Terminator Salvation

Barnes in Terminator Salvation

Street Kings

Coates in Street Kings

Fool's Paradise

The Dagger in Fool's Paradise

American Gangster

Turner Lucas in American Gangster

Between Riverside and Crazy

Junior in Between Riverside and Crazy

Smokin' Aces

Sir Ivy in Smokin' Aces

Wanted

The Gunsmith in Wanted

Kanye West: College Dropout [Video Anthology]

Self (segment "Two Words") in Kanye West: College Dropout [Video Anthology]

Chris Rock: Road To Live Special

Self in Chris Rock: Road To Live Special

Date Night

Collins in Date Night

Just Wright

Scott McKnight in Just Wright

2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Self in 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

You're Watching Video Music Box

Self (archive footage) in You're Watching Video Music Box

Happy Feet Two

Seymour (voice) in Happy Feet Two

Beef

Self in Beef

Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest

Self in Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest

The Odd Life of Timothy Green

Coach Cal in The Odd Life of Timothy Green

LUV

Uncle Vincent in LUV

Now You See Me

Evans in Now You See Me

The Legacy of J Dilla

Self - Rapper; Friend in The Legacy of J Dilla

Movie 43

Bob Mone (segment "The Pitch") in Movie 43

The Notorious B.I.G BET Official presents

in The Notorious B.I.G BET Official presents

Pawn

Jeff Porter in Pawn

Chamber Check: Evolution of a Fight Scene

Self in Chamber Check: Evolution of a Fight Scene

Bouncing Cats

Narrator in Bouncing Cats

Run All Night

Mr. Price in Run All Night

Seven Friends: George Miller’s Justice League

Self in Seven Friends: George Miller’s Justice League

Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton: This Is Stones Throw Records

Self in Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton: This Is Stones Throw Records

Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap

Self in Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap

X/Y

Jason in X/Y

Breathe

Darius in Breathe

Selma

James Bevel in Selma

5 Sides of a Coin

Himself in 5 Sides of a Coin

Diane Warren: Relentless

in Diane Warren: Relentless

Killing Me Softly with His Songs

Self in Killing Me Softly with His Songs

A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop

Self in A GRAMMY Salute To 50 Years Of Hip-Hop

Barbershop: The Next Cut

Jabari in Barbershop: The Next Cut

Every Secret Thing

Devlin Hatch in Every Secret Thing

Suicide Squad

Monster T in Suicide Squad

Entourage

Common in Entourage

Unity

Narrator (voice) in Unity

The Wiz Live!

The Bouncer in The Wiz Live!

Being Charlie

Travis in Being Charlie

Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives

in Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives

Hip-Hop and the White House

in Hip-Hop and the White House

Love Beats Rhymes

Coltrane in Love Beats Rhymes

John Wick: Chapter 2

Cassian in John Wick: Chapter 2

Two Trains Runnin'

Narrator in Two Trains Runnin'

Live From Detroit: The Concert at Michigan Central

Self in Live From Detroit: The Concert at Michigan Central

Hunter Killer

RA John Fisk in Hunter Killer

New Year's Eve

Soldier in New Year's Eve

Megan Leavey

Gunny Martin in Megan Leavey

A Happening of Monumental Proportions

Daniel in A Happening of Monumental Proportions

Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise

Himself in Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise

Chasing Trane

Self - Musician in Chasing Trane

Misdirection: The Real Magic

Narrator in Misdirection: The Real Magic

The Informer

Grens in The Informer

Girls Trip

Common in Girls Trip

The Words That Built America

Self - Reader - Declaration of Independence in The Words That Built America

Brown Sugar

Self in Brown Sugar

Feel Rich: Health Is the New Wealth

Himself in Feel Rich: Health Is the New Wealth

All About Nina

Rafe in All About Nina

The Tale

Martin in The Tale

Here and Now

Ben in Here and Now

Smallfoot

Stonekeeper (voice) in Smallfoot

The Hate U Give

Uncle Carlos in The Hate U Give

Black America Again

Himself - Street Performer in Black America Again

BET Presents Love & Happiness: An Obama Celebration

Self - Performer in BET Presents Love & Happiness: An Obama Celebration

Ocean's Eight

Common in Ocean's Eight

The Kitchen

Gary Silvers in The Kitchen

Ava

Michael in Ava

Saint Judy

Benjamin Adebayo in Saint Judy

Kanye West: College Dropout [Video Anthology]

Airline Employee (segment "All Falls Down") in Kanye West: College Dropout [Video Anthology]

Brave New Voices 2010

Himself - Host in Brave New Voices 2010

Notorious B.I.G.: Bigger Than Life

Himself in Notorious B.I.G.: Bigger Than Life

Music

Self in Music

The Price of Protest

Self (archive footage) in The Price of Protest

A Most Beautiful Thing

Narrator in A Most Beautiful Thing

Dave Chappelle: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize

Self in Dave Chappelle: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize

Let's Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince

Self in Let's Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince

Letter to the President

Self in Letter to the President

Letter to the Free

in Letter to the Free

Alice

Frank in Alice

Pete Rock: Soul Survivor

Common in Pete Rock: Soul Survivor

Hate to See You Go

in Hate to See You Go

One World: Together at Home

Self in One World: Together at Home

Soundz of Spirit

Self in Soundz of Spirit

TV Shows