John Legend and Common took home an Oscar this last weekend, their second award for their powerful song to the movie Selma, having previously walked away with the Golden Globe.
The rendition of ‘Glory’ brought tears to the eyes of many during the awards, and rightfully so. The song is a beautiful statement about Jim Crow laws, and about racial equality in the country today.
The combination of rap tied up with a strong harmony has become a popular recipe these days, perhaps starting with Eminem and Rihanna’s ‘Love The Way You Lie.’ It seems to strike a chord with people, myself included.
John Legend has become quite a decorated musician, as I’ve explained before.
Common might be less known, but the Chicago native’s accolades have been coming for over ten years, winning Grammy’s for various songs and albums. He’s also been working regularly as an actor, including in ‘Selma.’ He debuted as a rapper in 1992, slowly developing an underground following for the next ten years before hitting commercial success.
Common teamed up with John Legend to write their Oscar winning song, ‘Glory’. (Photo from bet.com)