USC Bass Lab honors Common with its 2nd annual Media Trailblazer Award
by John Kwesi Broadway & Taylor Marie Contarino
Eager attendees wait to experience “An Evening with Common.”
The line outside Bovard Auditorium was long: the long that makes your heart drop when you realize you’re in the back.
A legion of fans of elder hip-hop statesmen, actor, activist and author, Common, packed the Bovard Auditorium from front to back, a room buzzing with excitement.
Overflowing with suspenseful joy, excited attendees experienced Common discussing his newest book: And Then We Rise: A Guide to Self-Love and Taking Care of Oneself. Dr. Allissa Richardson, award-winning journalist and founding director of the USC Charlotta Bass Lab, also presented Common with the 2nd annual Charlotta Bass Media Trailblazer Award and trophy.
As people spilled into the auditorium, Common hung out backstage, greeting the USC Charlotta Bass Lab fellows and speaking to Annenberg Media BLK reporters Maya Packer and Maya Broomfield about the version of self-love detailed in his book.
Common greets the Bass Fellows and the journalists of BLK backstage.
“I really found something that I love to do that allowed me to feel confident in myself, which was music and properly expressing myself in that way really allowed me to learn things about myself. But that didn't totally build my belief and love for self. So I started that quest of loving self like making it intentional, as you say, because it does take work now,” said Common during the backstage interview.
In the book, Common intimately shares his journey towards wellness and self-love and how it played a role in his success: it’s split into four sections that focus on distinct lessons. "The Food" focuses on nutrition. "The Body" focuses on fitness. "The Mind" focuses on mental health. And "The Soul" focuses on perhaps the most profound thing—spiritual well-being.
When the time came for Common to take the stage with Dr. Richardson, the audience erupted with applause. It was one of many crowd eruptions as Common’s humor kept them laughing throughout the night, making jokes while sharing personal stories and dropping knowledge.
Common and Dr. Allissa Richardson discuss his artistry and his book.
Common answered questions about his background growing up in Chicago, his love for music, his first supporters, how he cultivated a community of care and intention, how he collaborates in his art, the creative process for his book writing, his activism and the lessons he learned from his dad. While Common was sharing about the first moment he fell in love with hip hop he treated fans to a snippet from the first rap he ever wrote:
“Well let me tell you about a trip, a time ago.
I was going there to run a cold-blooded show.
When I got there I saw some people jamming too.
They called themselves: the Bon Hill Crew.
Dr Ice, Romeo, and Máster E
All the Bonne Hill Crew, rapping to a tee.
I asked them, could they rock with me?”
Common performs for the audience with a mic in hand.
Following their discussion, Dr. Richardson presented Common with the Media Trailblazer Award. With the first award previously bestowed to journalist Nikole Hannah Jones, Dr. Richardson addressed the decision.
“I know you may be wondering why we’re giving a musical artist a journalism award, but as great philosopher Chuck D once said,” said Richardson, making eye contact with Common, anticipating his finishing of the phrase: “Hip-hop is Black America’s CNN” they said in unison. The crowd erupted with supportive hoots, hollers and applause.
Eventually, Common took audience questions and eager attendees lined up. One attendee, before asking their question, felt compelled to share that the biggest lesson they got from Common was to treat everyone with respect – like they are important.
Common signs the book of the Bass Lab Senior Research Fellow, Morgan Fykes. Fykes is the great-grand niece of Charlotta Bass!