Watch our exclusive video interview with Common about his Emmy-nominated song "Letter to the Free" for Ava DuVernay's documentary "13th."
• During our recent webcam chat (watch the exclusive video above), Common describes the documentary “13th” as “such an eye-opener for so many people in America.” Directed by Ava DuVernay, this Netflix release takes an in-depth look at what mass incarceration in America reveals about the nation’s history of racial inequality.
• Common won an Oscar alongside John Legend for their original song “Glory” from DuVernay’s Martin Luther King biopic “Selma” (2014).
• He competes in Best Music and Lyrics against Adam Schlesinger, Rachel Bloom, and Jack Dolgen for “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” (“We Tapped That Ass”); Christopher Willis, Darrick Bachman, and Paul Rudish for “Duck the Halls: A Mickey Mouse Christmas Special” (“Jing-A-Ling-A-Ling”); Jonathan Kimmel and Gary Greenberg for “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (“The Ballad of Claus Jorstad (Devil Stool)”); Eli Brueggemann, Chancelor Johnathan Bennett, Kenan Thompson, and Will Stephen for “Saturday Night Live” (“Last Christmas”); and Jeff Richmond, Tina Fey, and Sam Means for “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (“Hell No”).
