Common is an american rapper, actor, writer, philanthropist and activist
Singing about rights and wanting to be free
He is the founder of The Common Ground foundation a non-profit charity that seeks to empower underprivileged youth to be strong citizens and citizens of the world.
He has won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a duo or group in 2003.
He is worth 45 million
Signed to labels like Warner Bros, Universal.
Letter to the Free
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.
Written by = Robert Glasper, Karriem Riggins and Common
Release date = October 14 2016
Common won an Emmy for the song
After clinching his award for outstanding original music and lyrics (from Ava DuVernay’s 13th documentary), Common became the first rapper to ever win an Emmy, Grammy, and Oscar.
Common is an American hip-hop rap artist who is a grammy and oscar award winner.
Lonnie Corant Jaman Shuka Rashid Lynn (real name)
Debued his first album ‘Can i borrow a dollar?’ in 1992 at the age of 20
Net worth = $45 million
Has been signed with warner bros
Video
Released in 2016 on the album Black American again
Contains cultural and social significance
Common wrote the song ‘Letter to the free’ for the documentary of the 13th, named after the American 13th amendment to abolish slavery
Bilal is an American singer songwriter and record producer
880 thousand views
Filmed in a prison
look lost at beginning looking up at ceiling, black n white, no shoes, isolated not grand piano, small drum, jazz origins, black square – metaphor, prison, 13th amendment (slavery), repetition of ‘freedom’ ‘freedom of come”hold on’, camera always moving away from people,only one person playing instrument at a time, (last line freedom won’t be long), ‘effecting millions’ ‘slave days separating fathers from children’ ‘buildings are a method black and brown bodies to fill them‘, ‘not seen as humans with feelings’ ‘ dehumanised’ (objects), ‘will the us ever be US’, ‘the stop search and arrest of our souls (trinkets show, woman suspicious of black girl in shop just looking around), all in black clothing, ‘slavery’s still alive look at the amendment 13′, ‘instead of nigga they use the word criminal’, ‘prison is a business america’s the company’, Conservative movement (staying in one spot), suggesting restriction/staying in the norm
COMMON – ARTIST Lonnie Corant Jaman Shuka Rashid Lynn (Common) is an American rapper, actor, writer, philanthropist and activist. He is 47 years old. His albums include: Black America Again, Let Love and Nobody’s Smiling. He has a net worth of $47 million.BILAL – ARTIST Bilal Sayeed Oliver, known as Bilal, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is currently an independent artist residing in New York City. Bilal is noted for his wide vocal range, his work across multiple genres, and his live performances.LETTER TO THE FREE – MUSIC VIDEO The black-and-white piece which was filmed in a jail just outside of Queens, New York features Common’s song presented by the rapper himself, along with singer Andra Day, their collaborator Bilal and other musicians playing everything from flute to xylophone to bongos. The clip also features a symbolic black box, which Common explained in a conversation with filmmaker Nelson George after the premiere: “It represents the infinite thing about blackness and blackness can’t be defined in time or space.” The video is to raise awareness of racism and it’s effects on US society. The song was written for Ava DuVernay’s Netflix documentary 13th focusing on the historic legacy of the 13th amendment to the US Constitution.
His real name is Lonnie Corant Jaman Shuka Rashid Lynn, however, he is better known by his stage name, Common.
Common is an American rapper, actor, writer, activist and philanthropist.
He was born in South Side, Chicago (Illinois) on 13th March 1972
Illinois is a place which is known for being a poverty area.
He has completed his Doctorate Degree.
His music is influenced by culture as he wants to spread awareness of racism.
Common has a net worth of approximately $45 million
He has acted/voiced in many famous films, some are:
Happy Feet Two
Suicide Squad
Now You See Me
Smallfoot
The Hate U Give
Letter to the Free (Music Video)
It is from an album called “Black America Again” which is the 11th studio album that was produced by Common
It is a song that is under the Hip Hop and Rap Genre
It was nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Song – Contemporary
Letter to the Free was awarded a Grammy Award and an Emmy Award
He was nominated for the best Rap album at the Grammy Awards
It was a low budget music video
The video is all filmed in black and white bringing a message that having a colour is less important as everyone is equal
It is a predictable hip hop and rap music video.
The music video is hosted by VEVO.
There is no main story to compliment this music video.
The black box that features in the music video is a symbol that black things can represent infinity and something that the audiences need to know about.
It appears to be quite a radical music video because it challenges the dominant ideology
As suggested by the title “Letter to the Free” the free are the white people and Common is trying to show that everyone should be treated equally, no matter the colour of their skin.
The prison setting represents how the black people are “locked away” as if they are criminals, however in reality they are the same as white people.
“Letter to the Free” is part of the soundtrack to a film called “13th”
Born Lonnie Rashid Lynn Jr. on March 13, 1972 in Chicago, Illinois – looked down upon in America for it’s low economic status
Became an underground rapper who garnered a reputation for relatively thoughtful, progressive lyrics as compared to top-selling rap artists of the time.
Political and social concern in his music.
Net Worth 45 million
Dr Degree
Emmy award for Letter to the free
Influenced by culture and racism in America
2005 Noinated for Grammy award
Music Video –
Raise awareness of racism and it’s effects on US society
Contribution to the divisive political and social issues of contemporary America, a sense that he is attempting to draw attention to initiating a new wave of ‘protest music’.
Letter to the Free was directed by Bradford Young (the cinematographer on Selma).
The song was written for Ava DuVernay’s Netflix documentary 13th focusing on the historic legacy of the 13th amendment to the US Constitution.
Doctor Lonnie Corant Jaman Shuka Rashid Lynn (Common) is an American rapper, actor, writer, philanthropist and activist. He is 47 years old. His albums include: Black America Again, Let Love and Nobody’s Smiling. He has a net worth of $47 million.
Bilal
Bilal Sayeed Oliver is a 40 year old American singer, songwriter, and record producer. His genres are Neo Soul, R&B, Funk, Jazz and Hip Hop. He has been nominated for four career Grammy Awards, winning one. His net worth is $3 million.
‘Letter to the Free’
In 2017 he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics – for his song ‘Letter to the Free’.
edited black and white colors – links well to the theme of the song – cold and hard facts that need to be addressed. (brutal but true)
genre of video is hip hop and rap – typical from beats
camera man is holding the camera, circling round the actors – main attention is on them. symbolism is that black people should be more appreciated and focused on.
