Happy Birthday, Common!

Today, March 13, is the 46th birthday of prolific rapper Common.

The G.O.O.D. Music signee was born and bred in Southside Chicago and has been a staple voice in conscious hip-hop since 1992. As one of the first prominent MCs to come out of Chicago, Common has held a solid spot in the realm of rap, releasing 11 studio albums.

Adding acting to his repertoire, Common began to appear on guest spots on UPN's comedy Girlfriends before starring in motion pictures like Smokin' Aces, American Gangster and most recently as a civil rights leader in the Martin Luther King Jr. biopic Selma.

Among the Grammys and the chart topping songs, arguably Common's highest career achievement to date happened in February 2015. Common, along with John Legend, won the 2015 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, and the 2015 Academy Award for Best Original Song, for their emotional song "Glory" from the 2014 film Selma. In 2016, Common released his 11th studio album Black America Again, inspiring a new generation of rap fans to get politically active. this year, he's working on music with his jazz band, August Greene.

Maintaining an over 20-year career, XXL salutes the rap veteran on his 46th birthday.

Happy Birthday, Common!

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