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Born Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Common is far from the first MC ever to parlay his fame in the world of hip-hop into a film career. From the Ices (Cube, T and Vanilla) and Snoop to Ludacris and Mos Def, you can’t swing a stick in Hollywood these days without hitting a rapper. But he is arguably the rapper-turned-actor who has most quickly found his way into high-falutin’ thespian company. In his debut film, the action-comedy Smokin’ Aces, he stars alongside Hollywood heavyweights like Ben Affleck, Ray Liotta, Andy Garcia and Jeremy Piven (who pushed to get him the role). Then, later this year he’ll appear alongside Tinseltown titans Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington in director Ridley Scott’s eagerly-anticipated American Gangster. Meanwhile, the 35-year-old MC will be in the studio, feverishly working on his seventh album, Finding Forever, with the help of close friend and mentor, Kanye West. We recently sat down with the Chicago native in Los Angeles, where he conducted a press conference alongside Piven and discussed the myriad careers he’s currently juggling.

You must have been a man possessed when you auditioned to land a spot in "Smokin' Aces."

I was so passionate and enthused about the movie after I read the script. More than I have ever been. The writing is so creative and unique. I really wanted to be in this movie bad, so when I auditioned, I knew I had to raise my game to another level, especially with the talent around me. The director, Joe Carnahan, brought me back in for a second look, and a few days later I got the call. Man, I was jumping up and down on my bed like a little kid. Being able to work with so many actors that I respect means the world to me.

What was life like on your first movie set?

I was pretty nervous. I remember the first time the director shouted "camera right" - I had no idea what was going on. I was like a little kid - so innocent, just looking around wondering what was happening.

Did Carnahan get aggravated? Or even worse, did Jeremy Piven or Ben Affleck bust your chops?

Just the opposite. Everyone was very supportive, and many of them pulled me aside to give advice. One of the first days of shooting, I got to my trailer at 7 a.m., and I was so excited and ready to go. But I ended up sitting there until 7 p.m., and when I finally got to the set [Piven] could see I wasn't there mentally.
He was like, "This is how it goes in Hollywood. As an actor, you always have to be ready and prepared, regardless of the time." I was grateful he shared that with me

It's not always that way. 50 Cent has talked about how stereotypical some actors are about working with rappers.

A few people weren't originally happy that another artist was brought in after Alicia Keys was cast. I can see where they're coming from. Sometimes they just shove artists in movies to draw a buzz. But after we started filming, people saw that I wasn't just there because I could rap.
Joe Carnahan wasn't the only one to take notice, huh?

I just have to thank God for the chance [director Ridley Scott] gave me to work with [Denzel Washington] and [Russell Crowe]. American Gangster is an incredible movie– a true story of Frank Lucas, the Harlem drug lord of the 1970s. Denzel plays Lucas, and I'm one of his brothers. They story unveils an emotional side of crime people aren't used to seeing. I'm so fortunate to be around so many talented people right now.

Careful, your boy Kanye may be listening!

He knows I love 'em. He's opened my eyes to a lot of things. He encourages me to take pride in my style, and I'm really excited about the new record, Finding Forever. Ya' know people have the ability to do some amazing things while they exist on the earth. They can accomplish feats that will be remembered long after they're gone. Musicians like John Coltrane, Marvin Gaye and James Brown made timeless music. Their music made you dance and at the same time made you think. That's what this new record is all about.

Are you going to be able to back up your producer's album-of-the-year prediction?

I love when Kanye says things like that. It really makes me want to shoot for the sky. It creates a serious buzz. Ultimately, you have to put your music where your mouth is. Up to this point, I believe we have, and I have no reason to doubt we'll continue to do so. But honestly, Grammys aren't pinnacles. You have people out there starving. Helping them is more important than any awards.

So commercial success isn’t all that important to you?

I'd be lying if I said I don't want to sell millions and become a household name, but I won't lose myself to do it. I see a lot of people in hip-hop who don't love the music. It's become the new dope game—they're in it to make money. If they could obtain that same kind of money or fame by dancing on one leg like a fool, they'd be doing that.

It's that kind that of talk, coupled with your socially conscious lyrics, that sets you apart. Even Jay-Z acknowledges that on the song "Moment of Clarity."

For him to go out and say that he respects my style and what I'm doing changed a lot of people's view of me. I mean, here you have one of the greatest of all time paying me a compliment. I think a lot of people were like, "Hey, if Jay respects Common, why don't we?"

And if Jay-Z didn't help your profile, I'm sure the Gap commercials did.

[Laughs] People were coming up to me on the streets and were like, "You're the guy in those TV commercials, right?" They had no idea who I was.

What did you learn about acting that will inform you now as an artist?

I just learned to be a freer artist. I think that acting made me more comfortable with myself because I started getting more in tune, by doing roles or even just being around people. That gave me a certain confidence and I started digging into parts of myself that I had probably ignored, and don't really get to express because Common is an artist that is conscious and is aware and is trying to put a positive energy to the world. Being able to be acting and doing other things has opened me up as an artist, even from a visual standpoint, as far as writing goes.

After having worked together on this film, do you and Alicia Keys have any plans to do anything together musically?

I've been blessed to perform some shows with Alicia, and I was also featured on her Unplugged album. We're artists, and I respect her as a woman and as an artist. When the time is right, we might connect like that. If she had a song, or if I had a song, I would be down for that.

What does acting give you that your music does not?

For me, it's just another way to express myself as an artist. I had to battle with myself for a minute about wanting to establish myself as an actor. I don't want to be seen as this rapper/actor, but I realized that if you're an artist, you're an artist. You can express that through music, through painting, through photography, or through acting. This is just another way for me to express myself. Overall, as far as artistry goes, it is a similar expression. Alicia answered it when she said that you basically discover other things about yourself that you probably wouldn't have, just writing songs sometimes.

You’ve also got some children’s books and your own hat line, Soji, coming out. Any concerns that you might be spreading yourself a little too thin?

My mom said, 'You've got to multitask.’ I said, 'It's creativity. I can't just flip switches.' An album is my child, and I have to give it the proper attention. But I've learned how to give two, even three children love. I just hope I don't become one of those fathers who plays favorites

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