Last year, Maxo took a trip that changed his outlook. It was an ayahuasca ritual, which his mother had recommended as a way of unpacking the intergenerational trauma that forms a backdrop to his music. After drinking the psychoactive and entheogenic brew, Maxo grounded himself in order to begin the healing process — a hallucinogenic gut-check.
“It taught me to almost knock the crust off my heart to return back to love,” says the Southern California rapper, 28. “There’s so many people that walk around this world cold because they’ve shut off hella feelings.
“It taught me to almost knock the crust off my heart to return back to love,” says the Southern California rapper, 28. “There’s so many people that walk around this world cold because they’ve shut off hella feelings.
- 2/23/2023
- by Jaelani Turner-Williams
- Rollingstone.com
Over the last decade, fans have witnessed Florida rapper Denzel Curry grow up, from his early days as a member of SpaceGhostPurrp’s loud and boisterous Raider Klan to his most recent solo LP, Melt My Eyez See Your Future. The new album incorporates dizzying jazz elements, with features from features from Robert Glasper, Karriem Riggins, Saul Williams, and Thundercat — making it a striking departure from albums like 2018’s Ta13oo and 2019’s Zuu.
“The greatest lesson I learned recently was: ‘It doesn’t matter what I make, as long as it’s good,...
“The greatest lesson I learned recently was: ‘It doesn’t matter what I make, as long as it’s good,...
- 8/5/2022
- by Delisa Shannon
- Rollingstone.com
Krystin Ver Linden’s “Alice” is a righteous fable about a Black woman (Keke Palmer) who escapes from an isolated Georgia plantation that’s enslaved her, her husband (Gaius Charles) and her family for generations, and discovers a wonderland just outside the property line: 1973 America, where she learns she’s been emancipated for a century. “I never told anyone they had to stay,” her Bible-thumping captor Mr. Paul (Jonny Lee Miller) sputters by way of cheap justification. “I just never told them they could go.”
First, Alice sobs; then, she’s furious. All this time — through all this suffering — freedom was just a few miles away. The curvaceous yellow typeface of the opening titles promises that Alice will get her Blaxploitation-inspired revenge on the white family still imprisoning 11 of her loved ones. She even watches “Coffy” for motivation, staring up at Pam Grier with the awe of seeing her inner goddess strut the earth,...
First, Alice sobs; then, she’s furious. All this time — through all this suffering — freedom was just a few miles away. The curvaceous yellow typeface of the opening titles promises that Alice will get her Blaxploitation-inspired revenge on the white family still imprisoning 11 of her loved ones. She even watches “Coffy” for motivation, staring up at Pam Grier with the awe of seeing her inner goddess strut the earth,...
- 1/24/2022
- by Amy Nicholson
- Variety Film + TV
Common has joined the cast of the “Wool” series adaptation at Apple.
The show is based on the Hugh Howey novel series of the same name. Common will star alongside previously announced cast members Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Robbins, Rashida Jones, and David Oyelowo.
“Wool” is a set in a ruined and toxic future where a community exists in a giant silo underground, hundreds of stories deep. There, men and women live in a society full of regulations they believe are meant to protect them. Common will appear in the role of Sims, the Silo’s Head of Judicial Security.
In addition to his highly successful music career, Common has found acclaim both in film and television music as well. Most notably, he and John Legend won both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for writing the song “Glory” for the film “Selma,” with Common also appearing in the film in a supporting role.
The show is based on the Hugh Howey novel series of the same name. Common will star alongside previously announced cast members Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Robbins, Rashida Jones, and David Oyelowo.
“Wool” is a set in a ruined and toxic future where a community exists in a giant silo underground, hundreds of stories deep. There, men and women live in a society full of regulations they believe are meant to protect them. Common will appear in the role of Sims, the Silo’s Head of Judicial Security.
In addition to his highly successful music career, Common has found acclaim both in film and television music as well. Most notably, he and John Legend won both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for writing the song “Glory” for the film “Selma,” with Common also appearing in the film in a supporting role.
- 10/15/2021
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Common has released a new song, “Say Peace,” featuring Black Thought and Pj, that will appear on his new project, A Beautiful Revolution, Pt. 1, out this Friday, October 30th via Loma Vista.
The track boasts a restless groove of shuffling drums and busy bass, cut with a prickly guitar. Common and Black Thought search for a righteous serenity in their characteristically complex and compelling bars, while Pj captures the song’s essence in its hook, “Peace, we don’t really want no trouble/Tell me is you down with the struggle?...
The track boasts a restless groove of shuffling drums and busy bass, cut with a prickly guitar. Common and Black Thought search for a righteous serenity in their characteristically complex and compelling bars, while Pj captures the song’s essence in its hook, “Peace, we don’t really want no trouble/Tell me is you down with the struggle?...
- 10/28/2020
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
So, How Was Your Decade is a series in which the decade’s most innovative musicians answer our questionnaire about the people, places and things that shaped their decade. We’ll be rolling these pieces out throughout December.
Few artists can truly stake a claim to the James Brown Honorary “Hardest Working Person in Show Business” Title, but Questlove is certainly a contender. At the top of his docket, of course, remains the Roots, with whom he released four studio albums in the 2010s, plus three collaborative LPs with John Legend,...
Few artists can truly stake a claim to the James Brown Honorary “Hardest Working Person in Show Business” Title, but Questlove is certainly a contender. At the top of his docket, of course, remains the Roots, with whom he released four studio albums in the 2010s, plus three collaborative LPs with John Legend,...
- 12/6/2019
- by Rolling Stone
- Rollingstone.com
Buddy Guy just wrapped his legendary January residency run at his Chicago club Legends, but fans who missed that can see the 82-year-old guitarist on Saturday’s episode of Austin City Limits on PBS. The song is fitting for the frigid weather the country is seeing this week.
In this exclusive clip, Guy plays his version of Sonny Boy Williamson’s 1962 track “Nine Below Zero,” which Guy covers on his new album The Blues is Alive and Well. Guy sings, “Ain’t this a pity? / People you know it’s...
In this exclusive clip, Guy plays his version of Sonny Boy Williamson’s 1962 track “Nine Below Zero,” which Guy covers on his new album The Blues is Alive and Well. Guy sings, “Ain’t this a pity? / People you know it’s...
- 2/2/2019
- by Patrick Doyle
- Rollingstone.com
On Wednesday, September 12, Good+ Foundation, a national nonprofit founded by Jessica Seinfeld that provides training and support to fathers and families living in poverty, hosted “An Evening of Comedy + Music” Benefit at Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend at An Evening of Comedy + Music
Credit/Copyright: Getty Images for Good+ Foundation
The special evening, which raised nearly $2 million for the organization’s work helping families build stability and create an upward trajectory for their children, celebrated the organization’s accomplishments and its evolution to better engage fathers for the benefit of their children, families and communities.
The memorable night featured performances by renowned comedian and headliner Jerry Seinfeld, along with Leslie Jones, Gad Elmaleh and Sebastian Maniscalco. In addition, music superstar John Legend performed hits including “Love Me Now” and “All of Me” while Common performed alongside Robert Glasper and Karriem Riggins of his supergroup,...
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend at An Evening of Comedy + Music
Credit/Copyright: Getty Images for Good+ Foundation
The special evening, which raised nearly $2 million for the organization’s work helping families build stability and create an upward trajectory for their children, celebrated the organization’s accomplishments and its evolution to better engage fathers for the benefit of their children, families and communities.
The memorable night featured performances by renowned comedian and headliner Jerry Seinfeld, along with Leslie Jones, Gad Elmaleh and Sebastian Maniscalco. In addition, music superstar John Legend performed hits including “Love Me Now” and “All of Me” while Common performed alongside Robert Glasper and Karriem Riggins of his supergroup,...
- 9/19/2018
- Look to the Stars
Kandace Springs, a gifted 29-year-old singer signed to the jazz bastion Blue Note, is torn between two impulses. On the one hand, she gestures towards the contemporary: Her debut Ep involved the illustrious R&B production duo Pop & Oak; she released a house single this year with renowned dancefloor maven Sandy Rivera. But Springs also hopes to slip back several decades to a point when the walls between jazz, soul and pop were flimsy and allegiance to one did not preclude success in another.
So it makes sense that on her second album,...
So it makes sense that on her second album,...
- 9/10/2018
- by Elias Leight
- Rollingstone.com
Today Good+ Foundation, a national nonprofit founded by Jessica Seinfeld that addresses multi-generational poverty, revealed that recording artist, actor and activist Common will perform and Pro Football Hall of Famer and distinguished co-host of Good Morning America Michael Strahan will make a special appearance at the 2018 Good+ Foundation Benefit on Wednesday, September 12 presented at Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
“An Evening of Comedy + Music” will also feature previously revealed headlining performances by renowned comedian Jerry Seinfeld, along with Leslie Jones, Gad Elmaleh and Sebastian Maniscalco as well as musical sensation John Legend. Common will also perform alongside Robert Glasper and Karriem Riggins of his supergroup, August Greene, who will act as the evening’s official house band. Additional VIP guests to be announced in the coming weeks.
Since 2001, Good+ Foundation has provided low-income families with the social services, education, support and dignity necessary to...
“An Evening of Comedy + Music” will also feature previously revealed headlining performances by renowned comedian Jerry Seinfeld, along with Leslie Jones, Gad Elmaleh and Sebastian Maniscalco as well as musical sensation John Legend. Common will also perform alongside Robert Glasper and Karriem Riggins of his supergroup, August Greene, who will act as the evening’s official house band. Additional VIP guests to be announced in the coming weeks.
Since 2001, Good+ Foundation has provided low-income families with the social services, education, support and dignity necessary to...
- 8/6/2018
- Look to the Stars
Darren Criss (“The Assassination of Gianni Versace”), Aidy Bryant (“Saturday Night Live”) and Kenan Thompson (“SNL”) earned their first Emmy nominations for acting this year, but these aren’t their first nominations overall. All three of them recently contended for songwriting. And they’re far from the only ones who have crossed the threshold between music and other fields at the Emmys. Far from it.
Criss rose to fame as an actor on “Glee” before earning his first acting nomination, Best Movie/Mini Actor for playing killer Andrew Cunanan in the limited series “The Assassination of Gianni Versace.” But “Glee” is what brought him his very first Emmy recognition. He earned a nom for Best Music and Lyrics in 2015 for writing the song “This Time” from the series finale episode “Dreams Come True.” But he lost that prize to Kyle Dunnigan and Jim Roach, who wrote “Girl You Don’t...
Criss rose to fame as an actor on “Glee” before earning his first acting nomination, Best Movie/Mini Actor for playing killer Andrew Cunanan in the limited series “The Assassination of Gianni Versace.” But “Glee” is what brought him his very first Emmy recognition. He earned a nom for Best Music and Lyrics in 2015 for writing the song “This Time” from the series finale episode “Dreams Come True.” But he lost that prize to Kyle Dunnigan and Jim Roach, who wrote “Girl You Don’t...
- 7/19/2018
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
United Talent Agency has signed rapper, actor and producer Common in all areas.
The Chicago-born Mc first emerged in the early 1990s as Common Sense and simplified his name to Common by the time he released his first full-length, “Can I Borrow a Dollar?,” in 1992. Two more indie albums followed before he inked with McA (now Universal) for the release of “Like Water for Chocolate” in 2000, which was recorded in collaboration with Questlove and other members of the Soulquarians collective, who also worked on contemporaneous albums by D’Angelo and Erykah Badu. He moved over to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. label in 2005 and recorded the album “Be” with him. Common’s two most recent albums, including 2016’s “Black America Again,” are on Def Jam; he recently formed the hip hop group August Greene along with Robert Glasper and Karriem Riggins. He has won three Grammy Awards out of 20 nominations, for “Glory,...
The Chicago-born Mc first emerged in the early 1990s as Common Sense and simplified his name to Common by the time he released his first full-length, “Can I Borrow a Dollar?,” in 1992. Two more indie albums followed before he inked with McA (now Universal) for the release of “Like Water for Chocolate” in 2000, which was recorded in collaboration with Questlove and other members of the Soulquarians collective, who also worked on contemporaneous albums by D’Angelo and Erykah Badu. He moved over to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. label in 2005 and recorded the album “Be” with him. Common’s two most recent albums, including 2016’s “Black America Again,” are on Def Jam; he recently formed the hip hop group August Greene along with Robert Glasper and Karriem Riggins. He has won three Grammy Awards out of 20 nominations, for “Glory,...
- 7/10/2018
- by Christi Carras
- Variety Film + TV
Common and Andra Day united for a moving, socially conscious performance of "Stand Up for Something" at the 90th Academy Awards Sunday. The rapper and singer partnered with acclaimed songwriter Dianne Warren to write the Oscar-nominated track for Reginald Hudlin's Thurgood Marshall biopic, Marshall.
Dave Chappelle introduced the duo with a heartfelt salute to Justice Marshall, a "true Civil Rights legend and a personal hero of mine," along with other Americans who "abandon comfortable circumstances and take on issues bigger than themselves."
"That is a thankless, thankless job to take on,...
Dave Chappelle introduced the duo with a heartfelt salute to Justice Marshall, a "true Civil Rights legend and a personal hero of mine," along with other Americans who "abandon comfortable circumstances and take on issues bigger than themselves."
"That is a thankless, thankless job to take on,...
- 3/5/2018
- Rollingstone.com
At last, the Emmys have arrived!
No, we’re not talking about the 2017 Primetime Emmys broadcast — you’ll have to wait until next Sunday, Sept. 17 (8/7c, CBS) — but rather, the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, which are being handed out Saturday and Sunday evening at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
RelatedCreative Arts Emmys: Night 2 Winners List
Night 1 of the creative arts event is geared towards honoring the best in animation, variety, reality and documentary programming. Among the evening’s most notable winners:
Outstanding Animated Program
Bob’s Burgers
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance
Seth MacFarlane, Family Guy
Outstanding Short Form Animated...
No, we’re not talking about the 2017 Primetime Emmys broadcast — you’ll have to wait until next Sunday, Sept. 17 (8/7c, CBS) — but rather, the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, which are being handed out Saturday and Sunday evening at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
RelatedCreative Arts Emmys: Night 2 Winners List
Night 1 of the creative arts event is geared towards honoring the best in animation, variety, reality and documentary programming. Among the evening’s most notable winners:
Outstanding Animated Program
Bob’s Burgers
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance
Seth MacFarlane, Family Guy
Outstanding Short Form Animated...
- 9/10/2017
- TVLine.com
The mood got decidedly funnier and edgier in this year’s Emmy race for Original Music and Lyrics. It was a badly needed tonic for the country. Most notably, Tina Fey joined the musical fray for the first time, looking for her 10th Emmy with the hilarious “Hell No,” a tribute to Beyonce’s “Lemonade” (featuring an enraged Tituss Burgess) from “Unbreakable Kimmie Schmidt.”
But, given the current zeitgeist, it’s not surprising that Chance the Rapper was nominated for his Run-d.M.C.–inspired rap tribute to Obama, “Last Christmas,” from “Saturday Night Live,” or that Rachel Bloom was back again with the raunchy “We Tapped That Ass” from “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.” There was even room for the excruciatingly uncomfortable “The Ballad of Claus Jorstad (Devil Stool)” from “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and and the animated burlesque of “Jing-a-Ling-a-Ling” from “Duck the Halls: A Mickey Mouse Christmas Special.”
Apart from comedy, there’s...
But, given the current zeitgeist, it’s not surprising that Chance the Rapper was nominated for his Run-d.M.C.–inspired rap tribute to Obama, “Last Christmas,” from “Saturday Night Live,” or that Rachel Bloom was back again with the raunchy “We Tapped That Ass” from “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.” There was even room for the excruciatingly uncomfortable “The Ballad of Claus Jorstad (Devil Stool)” from “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and and the animated burlesque of “Jing-a-Ling-a-Ling” from “Duck the Halls: A Mickey Mouse Christmas Special.”
Apart from comedy, there’s...
- 8/18/2017
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Academy Award-winning musician and actor Lonnie Rashid Lynn, better known as the rapper Common, has signed on as an executive producer for Netflix’s Sundance film Burning Sands through his Freedom Road Productions. Common will perform an original song for the closing credits, “The Cross”, which will feature singer-songwriter Lianne La Havas. “The Cross” was written by Common with Karriem Riggins, Robert Glasper and Samora Pinderhuges and is produced by Riggins and…...
- 1/21/2017
- Deadline
Only one original song Oscar ever has been awarded to a work from a documentary — Melissa Etheridge's "I Need to Wake Up," from 2006's An Inconvenient Truth — yet this year there are several standout contenders from the nonfiction world, including three songs from films on the Academy's documentary shortlist: Common, Karriem Riggins and Robert Glasper's uplifting civil rights plea, "A Letter to the Free," from Ava DuVernay's 13th; Sia's inspirational "Angel by the Wings," from The Eagle Huntress; and Mike McCready's "Hoping and Healing," from Gleason. Also in song contention are Sting and J. Ralph's "The Empty Chair,"...
- 12/17/2016
- by Melinda Newman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Los Angeles, CA (October 10, 2016) . The Broadcast Film Critics Association (Bfca) and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association (Btja) have announced the nominees for the inaugural Critics. Choice Documentary Awards. The winners will be presented their awards at a gala event on Thursday, November 3, 2016 at Bric, in Brooklyn, New York.
.It is an amazing time for documentaries, with the ever-increasing number of platforms enabling producers to reach enthusiastic and growing audiences for non-fiction storytelling,. said Bfca and Btja President Joey Berlin.
.This is clearly demonstrated in the depth and quality of our inaugural nominees. We have a wealth of brilliant creators who are bringing to light some of the most entertaining and illuminating stories being told today. Indeed, documentary filmmaking is modern investigative journalism. We look forward to celebrating all these fine and important achievements at the first Critics. Choice Documentary Awards gala on November 3rd..
13th, 30 For 30: O.J.: Made in America...
.It is an amazing time for documentaries, with the ever-increasing number of platforms enabling producers to reach enthusiastic and growing audiences for non-fiction storytelling,. said Bfca and Btja President Joey Berlin.
.This is clearly demonstrated in the depth and quality of our inaugural nominees. We have a wealth of brilliant creators who are bringing to light some of the most entertaining and illuminating stories being told today. Indeed, documentary filmmaking is modern investigative journalism. We look forward to celebrating all these fine and important achievements at the first Critics. Choice Documentary Awards gala on November 3rd..
13th, 30 For 30: O.J.: Made in America...
- 10/11/2016
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
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