Common_Let_Love_Tour_Austin_Texas (1)Common, Chicago rapper and actor came to Austin City Limit, Moody Theater on Tuesday, August 27, 2019. © 2019 Michael Lewis Global Photography, All Rights Reserved Common_Let_Love_Tour_Austin_Texas (9) Common_Let_Love_Tour_Austin_Texas (23)Common, Chicago rapper and actor came to Austin City Limit, Moody Theater on Tuesday, August 27, 2019. © 2019 Michael Lewis Global Photography, All Rights Reserved Common_Let_Love_Tour_Austin_Texas (36)Three-time Grammy-nominated rapper, Rapsody (Marlanna Evans) started the evening at the ACL Moody Theater. The North Carolina native released her third album, “Eve.” Rapsody dedicated her new album to Sisterhood and legendary Black women who paved the way for her. © 2019 Michael Lewis Global Photography, All Rights Reserved

By Michael Lewis | Austin, Texas

Common, Chicago rapper and actor came to Austin City Limit, Moody Theater on Tuesday, August 27, 2019. When Common came on stage to an excited crowd, he sat down in a leather chair on stage and turned on the lamp sitting next to the chair. He seemed to meditate for a moment before he started his performance with Show Me, Southside and The Corner. © 2019 Michael Lewis Global Photography, All Rights Reserved

Let me tell you, Common showed up and showed out. His energetic freestyle performance lyrics were in part about relationships, love, faith, community, and God. If you were looking for wardrobe changes every 20 minutes, you were in the wrong place. Common changed from a blue shirt to a black one for the encore where he performed Aphrodisiac, The People, The Lonius, Resurrection, and one of his songs (My Fancy-Free Future Love) on his new album, “Let Love Have The Last Word” scheduled to be released on August 30, 2019. This is Common’s first album since “Black America Again” in 2016.

Common told me that he enjoyed coming to Austin and that he loved the city, and it showed. The audience picked his energy and gave Common plenty of love. Common even invited a fan on the stage. Ms.Kareem, one of his background singers, had an amazing voice. For a moment the band played Stevie Wonder’s song, “Overjoyed” and Tears For Fear, “Everybody Wants To Rule The World.” The audience recognized these songs and started singing the lyrics. Common said the Austin audience and crowd was incredible. Common also thanked the audience for their support throughout the years and for ACL for having him here.

Common’s new memoir, also titled Let Love Have The Last Word is a revealing look into his life as he details his struggles with the emotional difficulties of being molested as a young boy by a family member. An attempt to heal and to help other victims, Common is opening himself up about the pain of his past for the first time.

Common is an American rapper and actor. His first Grammy Award was in 2003 for Best R&B Song for "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)" with Erykah Badu. Its popularity was matched by May 2005's Be, nominated in the 2006 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Album. Common was awarded his second Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, for "Southside" (featuring Kanye West), from his July 2007 album Finding Forever. Common has also initiated a burgeoning acting career, starring significant roles in such films as Smokin' Aces, Street Kings, American Gangster, Wanted, Terminator Salvation, Date Night, Just Wright, Happy Feet Two, and New Year's Eve. He also narrated the award-winning documentary Bouncing Cats, about one man's efforts to improve the lives of children in Uganda through hip-hop/b-boy culture.

Three-time Grammy-nominated rapper, Rapsody (Marlanna Evans) started the evening at the ACL Moody Theater. The North Carolina native released her third album, “Eve.”   Rapsody dedicated her new album to Sisterhood and legendary Black women who paved the way for her.