EVERYBODY.

JOINING ME TONIGHT IS AN ACTOR, ACTIVIST, PRODUCER, AND THE VERY

FIRST RAPPER TO WIN AN EMMY, GRAMMY, AND ACADEMY AWARD.

HIS LATEST ALBUM IS CALLED, "A BEAUTIFUL REVOLUTION PART 1."

PLEASE WELCOME, COMMON.

HEY, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> HEY, STEPHEN.

HOW ARE YOU?

>> Stephen: PEACE TO YOU, TOO.

I'LL TAKE IT.

NOW, LISTEN, AS I SAID IN YOUR INTRO JUST NOW, YOU'RE AN

ACCOMPLISHED MAN.

YOU'VE RECEIVED NUMEROUS ACCOLADES-- THE EMMY, THE

GRAMMY, THE OSCAAAR.

BUT YOU'VE JUST ACHIEVED SOMETHING VERY FEW DO, A MUCH

SMALLER CLUB, AND THAT IS YOU ARE INCLUDED IN "PEOPLE'S"

"SEXIEST MAN ALIVE" ISSUE, AND YOU PROVED IT.

YU PUT YOUR-- YOU PUT YOUR TORSO WHERE SOMEONE ELSE'S MOUTH

IS.

THERE YOU GO.

( LAUGHING ) WHAT DAMN PLACE DO YOU HAVE

HAVING ABS?

I'M OFFENDED.

I'M OFFENDED.

PUT IT BACK UP, JIMMY.

LET'S NOT LET HIM OFF THE HOOK HERE.

THAT'S NOT RIGHT!

>> LISTEN, HEY, I TAKE PRIDE IN MYSELF, BUT I HAVE TO SAY I WAS

EXCITED WHEN THEY SAID, "WE'RE GOING TO PUT YOU AS ONE OF

'PEOPLE'S' SEXIEST MAN."

I SAID, I'M GOING TO TAKE IT.

SOME OF MY TEAM DIDN'T BELIEVE I HAD THE ABS LIKE THAT AND THEY

WERE PAINTED IN AND MAKEUP.

THAT'S REAL.

THAT'S THE TRUTH RIGHT THERE.

>> Stephen: NO PHOTOSHOP?

>> NO PHOTOSHOP, MAN.

IT'S BEEN FUNNY BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER HATED THAT I GOT IT.

MY MOTHER FG LIKE, I SEE YOU GOT A "PEOPLE'S SEXIEST MAN," ONE OF

THEM, AND EVERYBODY ELSE KIND OF ENJOYED IT.

>> Stephen: I HAVE ONE QUESTION BEFORE I MOVE ON.

THERE'S AN OLD-FASHIONED MUG AND BRUSH FOR SHAVING.

YOU HAVE A FULL BEARD.

WHAT ARE WE SHAVING HERE?" ALL SHAVED?

WHAT ARE WE SHAVING HERE.

OH, I FORGOT.

>> STEPHEN, LET ME TELL YOU, THIS BALD HEAD NEEDS A CLEAN

SHAVE.

>> Stephen: THAT'S MAINTENANCE?

>> THAT'S MAINTENANCE AND IT'S AN EFFORT THREE- OR FOUR-DAY

THING.

>> Stephen: CONGRATULATIONS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Stephen: THAT'S THE FIRST LINE OF YOUR OBIT RIGHT THERE.

LAST TIME WE WERE TOGETHER, A LITTLE OVER A YEAR-- MAYBE A

YEAR AND A HALF AGO, WE TALKED ABOUT LOVE.

I'M A FAN OF IT.

AND SINCE THEN, YOU HAVE FOUND LOVE.

YOU ARE DATING TIFFANY HADDISH NOW.

>> YES.

>> Stephen: FIRST OF ALL, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT CHOICE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Stephen: NICELY DONE.

YOU KNOW THAT SHE-- DOES IT MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE THAT SHE HAS

PUBLICLY EXPRESSED THAT SHE'S ATTRACTED TO ME SEVERAL TIMES.

IS THIS DIFFICULT FOR YOU RIGHT NOW?

>> I THINK SHE WAS TRYING TO MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD.

SHE'S A COMEDIAN.

>> Stephen: YOU KNOW WHEN IT'S REAL.

YOU KNOW WHEN IT'S REAL.

YOU KNOW WHEN A GIRL IS PUTTING YOU ON.

DO I NEED TO TAKE MY SHIRT OFF AND SHOW YOU MY ABS RIGHT NOW?

PLEASE SAY NO.

THAT WOULD NOT BE GOOD.

( LAWSHING ) >> IT'S BEEN GREAT WITH TIFFANY.

SHE'S A WONDERFUL HUMAN BEING.

SHE'S A TRUE QUEEN AND SHE JUST HAS A LOT OF LOVE IN HER HEART

AND I'M OPENING UP AND RECEIVING AND TRYING TO GIVE AS MUCH LOVE

AS I HAVE IN MY HEART.

YEAH, THE LOVE IT'S LOVE THING-- I WANT TO LIVE IN IT.

I LIKE BEING A PART OF LOVE AND, YOU KNOW, EXPRESSING THAT.

>> Stephen: NOW, SHE QUITE FAMOUSLY HERSELF RECENTLY CUT

OFF HER HAIR RIGHT THERE.

IS THAT YOUR INFLUENCE?

>> I GUESS SHE WAS TRYING TO GET AS CLOSE TO ME AS POSSIBLE WITH

THE BALDY WORK.

>> Stephen: DID YOU DO THAT?

DID YOU DO THIS WORK?

OR DID YOU HAVE SOMEBODY COME IN AND DO THAT?

>> OKAY, SHE FIRST CUT HER HAIR-- WE JUST LEFT DAVE

SHAPELLE'S SUMMER CAMP, AND SHE WAS FEELING IT AND SHE ALWAYS

TALKED ABOUT SHE WANTED TO SEE HER HEAD AND SHE JUST CUT IT.

IT WAS A TIME SHE DIDN'T HAVE A BARBER AROUND AROUND AND SHE WAS

LIKE, "CAN YOU CUT MY HAIR?" I CUT HER HAIR AND I THAT YOU

WANT I WAS DOING A GOOD JOB BUT SHE HASN'T BEEN BACK SINCE.

>> Stephen: THAT MUST BE NERVE RACKING TO CUT YOUR GIRLFRIEND'S

HAIR.

>> YOU WOULD THINK A BALD HEAD IS EASY TO CUT AND I HAVE

RESPECT FOR ALL THE BARBERS OUT THERE.

IT'S A REAL ART FORM.

I WAS LEAVING PATCHES AND TRYING TO FIX IT UP, AND SHE WAS TRYING

TO COACH ME THROUGH IT.

LIKE I SAID, SHE HASN'T BEEN BACK SINCE.

BUT SHE LOOKS BEAUTIFUL WITH HER HAIR LIKE THAT.

>> Stephen: SHE DOES.

IT'S A REALLY GOOD LOOK.

I GUESS THERE'S VERY LITTLE MARGIN FOR WHEN YOU'RE WORKING

WITH THAT MATERIAL AT THAT POINT.

>> YOU CAN LEAVE GASHES IN PEOPLE'S HEAD.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GET PEOPLE'S HEAD TO BLEED.

SO YOU ACTUALLY DO WANT TO BE VERY CAREFUL.

AND YOU'RE DEALING WITH A RAZOR AT A CERTAIN POINT.

I'M A FIRST-TIME BARBER SO IT WASN'T THE BEST SITUATION, BUT I

DID IT WITH LOVE.

>> Stephen: I UNDERSTAND YOU GUYS WERE FRIENDS FIRST BEFORE

YOU FILL IN LOVE USO SORT OF A "HARRY MET SALLY" SITUATION.

WHAT DID YOU NOTICE ABOUT HER THE FIRST TIME YOU MET?

>> THE FIRST TIME WE MET WAS AT AN OSCAR PARTY I WAS HOSTING AND

SHE SAT AT A TABLE WITH ME AND MY MOM AND MY STEPDAD, AND SHE

WAS REALLY-- SHE WAS A LOT MORE CHILL THAN, YOU KNOW, THE

TIFFANY HADDISH THAT YOU SEE, LIKE EVERYWHERE.

YOU KNOW HER ENERGY.

YOU'VE BEEN AROUND IT.

>> Stephen: ABSOLUTELY.

>> SHE WAS PRETTY QUIET, TAKING THINGS IN.

SO I WAS REALLY SURPRISED.

I KNEW SHE LOOKED BEAUTIFUL.

AND I DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, ATTEMPT TO DATE OR AT THAT TIME.

I WAS JUST GLAD TO BE HER FRIEND.

BUT I REALIZED SHE'S NOT AS CHILL AS SHE APPEARED THAT DAY

PUP KNOW, SHE'S-- SHE HAS A LOT OF ENERGY.

>> Stephen: IS THIS THE OSCARS WHERE YOU WON YOUR ACADEMY

AWARD?

>> NO, THIS WAS, LIKE, MAYBE A YEAR-- TWO YEARS LATER.

RIGHT DURING THE YEAR AFTER HER FILM "GIRL TRIPPING" CAME OUT.

WE INVITED DIFFERENT ARTISTS.

WE CELEBRATE SO MANY PEOPLE AT THIS EVENT WE HAVE.

SHE CAME OUT.

IT WAS FUN.

AND THEN WE WORKED ON A FILM FROM THERE TOGETHER AND WE STILL

WERE FRIENDS.

I ACTUALLY TRIED TO SHOOT MY SHOT THEN, AND SHE WAS LIKE,

"NO."

SO WE JUST CONTINUED BEING FRIENDS.

AND AT SOME POINT THINGS SHIFTED.

>> Stephen: YOU TRIED TO SHOOT YOUR SHOT AND YOU GOT SHOT DOWN?

>> YES, I GOT SHOT DOWN, BEING HONEST.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS.

>> Stephen: YOU'RE TELLING ME-- YOU'RE TELLING ME THIS!

THIS GOT SHOT DOWN?

>> YEAH, SHE HAD EYES ON OTHER PEOPLE.

>> Stephen: HE HAS HIGH STANDARDS.

SHE HAS VERY HIGH STANDARDS.

AS AN ARTIST, YOU WEAR A LOT OF HATS.

YOU'RE AN AUTHOR, YOU'RE AN ACTOR, YOU'RE A PRODUCER, YOU'RE

A MUSICIAN.

YOU QUOTED NINA SIMONE SAYING AN ARTIST'S DUTY, AS FAR AS I'M

CONCERNED, IS TO REFLECT THE TIMES.

HOW TODAY DO YOU DEFINE AN ARTIST'S DUTY?

>> I LOVE THAT NINA SIMONE QUOTE.

AND I FEEL LIKE AN ARTIST'S DUTY IS TO BE AS TRUTHFUL AS

POSSIBLE, USE THEIR IMAGINATION AND USE YOUR CREATIVITY TO

INSPIRE AND TO UPLIFT OTHERS FROM THE MOST HONEST AND

CREATIVE PLACE.

AND TO DO IT WITH A HEART AND MIND OF BRINGING PEOPLE

TOGETHER.

THAT'S WHAT AN ARTIST'S DUTY IS.

>> Stephen: WE HAVE TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK, BUT STICK AROUND.

WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL TALK ABOUT COMMON'S NEW PODCAST AND

THE ONE QUESTION HE ALWAYS WANTS TO ASK HIS GUESTS.

♪ ♪ ♪