It is always popular to listen to music.
“Morning, day and night, I listen to music,” says the actor and rapper. Hollywood Reporter In the first episode of Playlist.
The Grammy Award-winning musician uses a different type of music for his different moods. When he heads to a meeting, he turns on music that will give him the confidence he needs. But, mostly, Common uses music to bring light to his day.
“A lot of music [I listen to]“Especially at the beginning of my day, it is the music that will lift me up and make me feel like everything is going to be okay, the immortal words of Bob Marley. I love this kind of music that gives me that brightness.”
Common has crafted a five-track playlist for THRwhich was called “The Light Will Go On Forever.” His music taste is diverse, and this playlist is proof. He says: “I thank God very much for music because it gave me a way to understand myself, express myself more, and communicate with people.”
He continues, “As a musician, I’m able to explore. I’m able to be free.” He tried many other things during his long career, but the only thing he felt came close to his love of music was his love of acting.
Ironically, Common previously felt that being a musician almost put him in a box when it came to acting. “There was a point where it was difficult for me to get into rooms and work with the actual directors and actors that I wanted to work with because they only pigeonholed me as a musician,” he says.
“I’m grateful for the fact that music has given me this path to discover new artistic things that are gifts and blessings,” he says.
Common explains the amazing “The Light Will Last Forever” playlist below.
1. “Eternal Light” by Free Nationals and Chronixx
This is a song I’ve discovered over the past few years. I love the energy of it. It has that kind of reggae vibe to it. Chronixx is such an amazing sound and soul. The music I like, it has to have a feeling to it. It must make me feel something. Anytime I hear this song, I feel good. I feel uplifted. I even feel like the title itself, “Eternal Light,” is a reminder of the goal in some way. A reminder of what I have to give. Sometimes I use that music before I go out to perform, before I go to meet someone. I use music that inspires me and the song “Eternal Light” by Freelance Artists…it resonated with me. I love this song. And Chronix, he’s a bad brother.
2. “Umi Says” by Mos Def
“Umi tells me to shine your light on the world.” Like I said, light is kind of the theme for some of the songs I chose. “Umi Says” is a song created by the incomparable Mos Def, also known as Yasin Bey. This is one of my buddies, this is one of my friends and fellow musicians. We came together in music, and that’s my brother. When I heard this song, I said, “This song is like no other song I’ve ever heard before.” Just because I thought of Moss as this rapper, and I knew he could rap some, but his singing style was so unique and unparalleled.
Last night, I was able to see Yassin perform this song and one of the musicians on it, Will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas, was in the house as well. I just thought about how to put this song together because Mos also plays drums on the song. The feeling of this song takes me to a place of gratitude and thinking about all the things I can do. He chanted: “I want my people to be free, to be free, to be free. I want my people to be free.” It just tops off the song.
3. “The Golden Time of Day” by Miz and Frankie Beverly
I’m a kid who grew up on the South Side of Chicago, a little black kid who loved music, who loved art. Man, we had some great times in our neighborhood, block parties, BBQs, and garden parties. Frankie Beverly and the Maze is the main theme of all these celebration events and who we are and joy. “Golden Time of Day” is a song about that beautiful time of day, when the sun is about to set and it’s like no other. We’ve all seen that sun, looked at it and said, “Wow, look at that. That’s amazing. Look at the color of the sky.”
Frankie described Beverly and characterized it in music. It is indispensable. The music feels that way. It definitely feels good, and it definitely has something to do with the light and sun which I love. I love being out on the water, riding a boat, and being on the water. I am a Pisces. I love water, so I play it when we’re out with my friends. I recently played it to celebrate my birthday. We’re in the water on the boat, and it’s the perfect music for that, but it’s the perfect music if you’re driving; If you are really into home cooking. It will bring that good feeling and that joy. Even if you can’t see this sunset, it will bring it to your mind, to your imagination. I love this song. It reminds me of Chicago and being that kid and barbecue. But now, in the present, it reminds me of being on the water, on the boat, enjoying the golden time.
4. “Shook Ones, Part 2” by Mobb Deep
This song is not a light song, so I will elaborate a bit. It’s one of my favorite songs of all time. Like I said, I listen to music to put me in different modes too. I think the situation that “Shook Ones, Pt. II” gives me is like it reminds me of coming from the streets of Chicago and just going out and having to… you gotta kick your ass sometimes. You have to overcome things, and you have to have a mindset [that] Nothing can stop you It’s one of those things that lets me know where I am. Maybe you’ll be attending a meeting with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, and you just have to remember who you are and not dress it up for them, for that person. … Man, rest in peace Prodigy and shout out to Havoc for creating one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time. I’d say one of the greatest songs. I remember she came out and said, “What song is going to be on this level and top this level during this time?” It was ’95 and it was a special time in that music. “Shook Ones” Still to this day, I hear producers call it one of their favorite tunes of all time. “Shook Ones” is one of the tunes, the classic producers said [they] He wishes [they] to make.
5. “My Favorite Things” by John Coltrane
I love jazz and John Coltrane is one of the greatest musicians and artists who ever lived. I play his music to take my mind off stress, to take my mind off heavy stuff. I play his music to let my imagination run free and fly. I play his music to make the world feel better. I know there’s a lot going on, but the world could be better. Normally I would have chosen “A Love Supreme”, but “My Favorites Things”, when I hear that when I put it on, I feel nothing but joy, light and inspiration. I have to be honest, I didn’t really listen to the original version of My Favorite Things. I haven’t listened to it much. Finally, when I saw… sound of music, I was like, “Oh, this is dope. This is dope.” But to hear a jazz musician explain it, and someone of his caliber and quality say “My favorite stuff, that’s jazz to me.”
Bonus: “Vision (fet. PJ & Bilal)” by Common and 9th Wonder
“Vision” is the song that 9th Wonder and I created for 30 for 30 Based on the life of Stuart Scott. Stuart Scott, who was one of the greatest broadcasters, sports journalists and individuals to ever do it. I always wanted to make a movie about him. I still think there should be a movie written about Stuart Scott because he was such an innovator and a pioneer. He brought a lot of culture to streaming at a time when it wasn’t really accepted. He bridged the gap in so many ways because he was so great at what he did and so professional, but at the same time, he was referencing Jay-Z or Nas or Jill Scott or Run DMC or Doug E. Fresh. He was letting the black culture know like, “Hey, I’m here for you too, and we’re represented. You’re going to be seen because I’m going to express who we are, and I’m a bridge. I’m not alienating anyone. It’s about everyone enjoying it, but being recognized and meaning something.” That’s what I felt when I saw Stuart Scott, and I looked forward to watching him the whole time. In fact, he’s actually in a movie I made with Queen Latifah. I was playing an athlete, and one of the interviews had to be with a journalist, I wanted Stuart Scott.
When I found out they were making a documentary, I was like, “Man, I have to be a part of this.” We were lucky enough that ESPN and the director wanted me and 9th Wonder [to do it] Because Stuart Scott was born in Chicago and raised in North Carolina, where the Ninth Wonder is from. As soon as we had the opportunity, we held our meeting with the team. We told them how passionate we were about Stuart Scott, and how much we loved him. I like to tell his story in song.
