Lonnie Corant Jaman Shuka Rashid Lynn, better known by his stage name Common, is an American rapper, actor, writer, philanthropist, and activist , he is also a doctor
Common’s “Letter To The Free” was written for the Ava DuVernay-directed film,13th. Its lyrics reflect with the film’s theme discussing the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime.
The song speaks specifically about mass incarceration and the prison industrial complex, and more generally about institutionalized systems that disproportionally target black and brown Americans
Common first premiered “Letter To The Free” on October 4th 2016 during a live performance at The White House hosted by NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert .
common was signed to labels such as Loma Vista, Think Common, ARTium, DEF JAM, Warner Bros, Geffen, GOOD, Universal, MCA and Relativity
