Common Explains Why He Stopped Using Homophobic Slurs In His Music

In a recent interview with SiriusXM, award-winning artist Common talked about the changes in his music over the years, specifically why he stopped using homophobic slurs.

During his talk with Urban View host, Clay Cane, the 47-year-old shared an experience which made him realize his wrongdoings.

“Two gentlemen came to me, two guys who were gay came to me at a show. After the show and they said, ‘Common, man, we love your music. We love your music, like your music touches us, but the fact that you’re using the word fag is like, man that hurts us,’” he said. “And it just was like an awakening because it humanized everything that I was saying, and I was only using the word cause it was part of a culture that I grew up in.”

Back in 2007, Common pledged to never use anti-gay lyrics in his songs again, and even took certain words out of his then new album after this realization, according to New Now Next’s website.

He said he know embraces people of all backgrounds.

“I had to grow into the courage and the strength of within self to be like, ‘man, I don’t care what my homies saying,’” he said. “I don’t care what these cats in hip hop saying, this is where I am with it. I’m not homophobic. I embrace people who are gay, who are Christian, Muslim, Jewish. I’m open to human beings and life. So that being said, that was a real pivotal moment for me in changing my perspective.”

Common’s new album, Let Love, is set to drop Friday, August 30. Watch his interview below.

Video credits belong to SiriusXM’s The Clay Cane Show.