>> AND WE TURN NOW FROM ALL OF THIS DRAMA TO THE VULNERABILITY OF FATHERHOOD.

THE OSCAR WINNING MUSICIAN AND ACTOR, COMMON, REAL NAME RASHEED LYNN JR. IS BEST KNOWN FOR HOLLYWOOD PERFORMANCES AND CHART TOPPING HITS.

IN HIS NEW MEMOIR "LET LOVE HAS THE LAST WORD" COMMON HAS STRUGGLED TO BECOME A BETTER FATHER TO HIS DAUGHTER AND HOW HE FOUND STRENGTH TO SPEAK OUT ABOUT HIS OWN CHILDHOOD ABUSE.

HE SPOKE TO ALESIA MENENDEZ.

>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> YOUR MEMOIR IS OUT RIGHT NOW.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THAT CONCEPT AND PRACTICE AND TITLE, I CHOSE IT BECAUSE IT'S SO MUCH GOING ON IN THE WORLD.

PEOPLE TALK EVERY DAY ABOUT PAIN AND ANXIETY AND THE DEPRESSION AND THE DIVISIVENESS.

I JUST LEARN THAT THE THING THAT HAS KEPT ME MOST SOLID, MOST HOPEFUL, AND MOST PEACEFUL AND CENTERED IS LOVE AND THE PRACTICE OF THAT.

SO, THIS BOOK IS ABOUT ME WORKING ON MYSELF.

>> ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH YOU ARE WORKING ON YOURSELF HAS TO DO WITH YOUR DAUGHTER.

YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HER FORMS THE CORE OF THIS BOOK.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO GO THERE?

>> MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY DAUGHTER IS REALLY A GOOD JOURNEY IN PRACTICING LOVE BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR ME OF WAYS WHERE I THOUGHT I WAS DOING THE RIGHT THING AND DOING A GOOD JOB AT IT.

BUT SOMEBODY ELSE HAS ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE.

>> SHE HAD A LOT OF DISAPPOINTMENTS.

>> SHE HAD A LOT OF -- SHE HAD DISAPPOINTMENTS.

SHE HAD HURT.

I THOUGHT I WAS DOING A GREAT JOB AS A FATHER, A GOOD JOB AS A FATHER.

I KNEW I WASN'T PERFECT, BUT I KNEW I WAS GIVING HER THE LOVE THAT SHE NEEDED.

BUT SHE SAW IT A DIFFERENT WAY.

AND THAT'S WHAT THIS BOOK REALLY STARTED WITH THAT STORY OR STARTS WITH THAT AS PART OF THE CRUX IS BECAUSE IT IS THE EXAMPLE OF LIKE, OH, I'M LOVING YOU THE BEST WAY I CAN, BUT IF THAT OTHER INDIVIDUAL WHO HAPPENS TO BE MY DAUGHTER IS NOT RECEIVING IT IN THAT WAY, I HAVE TO HONOR THAT.

>> WHAT WERE HER CORE COMPLAINTS?

>> HER CORE COMPLAINTS WERE THAT I DIDN'T FIGHT FOR HER IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS WHERE HER MOTHER WAS GIVING ME RESISTANCE, THAT I DIDN'T -- IT WAS HARD FOR HER TO SEE ME WHEN I WAS DATING WOMEN, IF I WAS WITH ANOTHER -- THEY HAD KIDS, TO SEE ME WITH SOMEONE ELSE'S KIDS WAS VERY TOUGH ON HER.

AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, SHE JUST SAID MAN, I WAS GONE A LOT.

AND I HAD TO TOUR AND BE ON DIFFERENT -- BE DIFFERENT PLACES TO EVEN PROVIDE.

AND IT WAS A -- IT'S THE REAL BALANCE OF UNDERSTANDING, BEING ABLE TO DO THAT AND ALSO MAKING SURE YOU'RE AT THOSE -- YOU'RE THERE FOR SOMEONE.

>> SHE'S GROWN NOW.

HOW OLD IS SHE?

>> 21.

SHE'S GRADUATING COLLEGE.

>> SO, THAT'S A LOT OF LIFE FOR HER.

A LOT OF CAREER SUCCESS THAT HAS HAPPENED FOR YOU IN THAT TIME.

IN SOME WAYS I FELT READING THE BOOK THERE IS A CAUTIONARY TALE ABOUT THE PRICE OF FAME OR THE PRICE OF SUCCESS.

>> I DON'T THINK IT'S ONE OR THE OTHER HOB HONEST.

I DON'T THINK THAT YOU CAN'T PURSUE YOUR DREAM.

IN FACT, I ENCOURAGE PARENTS AND PEOPLE TO BE KIND AND LOVING TO YOURSELVES, TO FOLLOW YOUR DREAM, BECAUSE IN FULFILLMENT OF THAT YOU'LL BE BETTER TO NOT ONLY YOUR CHILD BUT EVERYBODY AROUND YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE BEING BETTER TO YOURSELF.

I HAVE SEEN SO MANY PARENTS WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH SITUATIONS WHERE BECAUSE THEY WERE HAVING A CHILD THEY JUST GAVE UP THEIR PASSION.

AND I DON'T KNOW -- YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT ECONOMICS WHEN IT COMES TO I CAN PURSUE MY PASSION AND STILL HAVE, YOU KNOW, TIME FOR MY KMCHILD AND ME SURE THEY'RE BEING CARED FOR.

I UNDERSTAND THAT.

STRUGGLES EVEN JUST IN THE PRACTICAL PARTS OF THAT.

>> THAT'S TRUE FOR YOU TOO.

YOU HAD A LOT OF YEARS OF HUSTLE BEFORE YOU HIT COMMERCIAL SUCCESS.

>> OH, MAN, YES.

IT WAS -- YOU KNOW, IT WAS YEARS WHERE I'M LIKE, OKAY, HOW AM I GOING TO PAY FOR THIS MORTGAGE, THIS CAR NOTE, MY DAUGHTER'S TUITION, YOU KNOW, THE SEASONS OF ENTERTAINMENT.

SOMETIMES YOU JUST IN THE FOREFRONT AND THINGS ARE FLOWING WELL AND THEN SOMETIMES IT'S NOT.

SO, I HAD THOSE EXPERIENCES TO DO THAT.

AND THE ACTUAL CHALLENGES OF BEING ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR FAMILY IS ONE THING.

AND THEN ALSO SAYING MAN, I HAVE TO BE THERE.

YOU KNOW.

AND FOR ME, IT WAS LIKE I WAS THINKING SOME OF THOSE IMPORTANT MOMENTS THAT I WAS NEVER GOING TO MISS.

BUT IT'S THE IN BETWEEN MOMENTS TOO AND THOSE SMALL MOMENTS THAT YOU STILL ALSO HAVE TO FIND THE BALANCE AND MAKE SURE YOU'RE THERE FOR.

>> PART OF WRITING A BOOK ABOUT A TOPIC AS PERSONAL AS LOVE MEANS YOU ALSO HAD TO GO DEEP WITH YOURSELF.

>> YES.

>> UNEARTH CHILDHOOD MEMORIES, CHILDHOOD TRAUMAS.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?

>> WHAT OCCURRED IN THE BOOK THAT I TALK ABOUT THAT OCCURRED THE IN MY LIFE WAS WHEN I WAS AROUND THE AGE OF NINE YEARS OLD AND I WAS MOLESTED BY A FAMILY FRIEND.

AND I TALK ABOUT IT.

AND I TALK ABOUT IT IN THE WAY THAT I RECOGNIZE THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I TUCKED AWAY IN MY MEMORIES FOR A LONG TIME AND DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT, DIDN'T -- IT REALLY DIDN'T EXIST FOR A LONG TIME.

AND IT CAME TO SURFACE WHEN I WAS DOING A FILM THAT WAS CALLED "THE TALE" THAT WAS ABOUT SEXUAL ABUSE.

>> TALKED ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP, BUT THIS IS A GROWN MAN.

>> THIS WAS IMPORTANT TO ME.

AND I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY.

>> AND I RECOGNIZE IT.

IT WAS LIKE, WOW, THIS HAPPENED TO ME.

IT WASN'T -- I'LL HAVE TO BE CLEAR.

IT WASN'T AN ONGOING THING.

IT WAS JUST THAT ONE INCIDENT.

AND, YOU KNOW, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT INCIDENT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME BECAUSE I WANTED -- AS I WRITE IN THIS BOOK, I WRITE THIS BOOK FOR THE HEALING OF MYSELF AND FOR OTHERS.

AND I WANT OTHERS TO BE ABLE TO FEEL SAFE, TO BE IN A SPACE TO OPEN UP TO THEMSELVES AND SAY -- AND FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S SOME THINGS THEY WANT TO DEAL WITH THAT THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH THAT'S CAUSED TRAUMA IN THEIR LIFE TO BE ABLE TO BE LIKE MAN, I'M GOING TO WORK ON THIS.

I'M GOING TO HEAL MYSELF FROM THIS.

SO, YEAH.

I TALK ABOUT IT WITH THE HOPES OF HEALING AND FORGIVENESS TO BE HONEST.

AND I FEEL LIKE THIS CONVERSATION YOU DON'T HEAR A LOT FROM A BLACK MAN.

YOU DON'T HEAR FROM MEN SOMETIMES.

>> WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS?

>> BECAUSE IN CULTURE, IT'S -- MEN ARE -- WE ARE TAUGHT TO BE, LIKE, NOT AS OPEN OR VULNERABLE.

AND WITHIN THAT CONVERSATION, YOU CAN FEEL SOME TYPE OF SHAME BY TELLING THAT STORY OR FEEL THAT YOU MAY GET -- YOU MAY GET SHAMED ABOUT IT.

>> BUT, I MEAN, SOMETHING ABOUT YOU THAT HAPPENED TO YOU.

>> YEAH, YOU COULD FEEL THAT.

AND YOU FEEL THAT THE ONGOING THING, IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THAT YOU DON'T REALLY NECESSARILY WANT TO ALWAYS BE IDENTIFIED BY THAT.

SO, YOU FEEL AFRAID TO TALK ABOUT IT.

>> PART OF THE BOOK I WOULD LOVE YOU TO READ IS ON PAGE 185.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THINKING BACK, I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN UP FROM THE BED AND RAN OUT OF THE ROOM.

BUT I FELT A DEEP SUDDEN SHAME FOR WHAT HAPPENED.

AND FOR WHAT HE KEPT TRYING TO MAKE HAPPEN.

AS IF I HAD BROUGHT IT ALL ON MYSELF.

I DIDN'T WANT TO SAY ANYTHING TO ANYONE AND HOPED THAT HE WOULD JUST LEAVE ME ALONE AND GO TO SLEEP WHICH EVENTUALLY HE DID ONCE I FOUGHT BACK ENOUGH THAT HE KNEW I WAS NOT GOING TO TOUCH HIM AT ALL.

NOTHING ELSE HAPPENED.

THE REST OF THE TRIP WENT ON AS PLANNED.

EVERYONE SEEMED HAPPY HAVING A GOOD TIME.

I REMEMBER PUTTING ON THE BEST FACE I COULD.

BUT I WAS DISTANT.

PERHAPS AS DISTANT AS ANOTHER PLANET, FEELING ELSEWHERE WITHIN MY OWN BODY, ASHAMED OF MYSELF, AND STRUCK INTO SILENCE.

I SAID NOTHING TO BRANDON, TO SKEET, TO MY GODMOTHER, TO NO ONE.

MOST CERTAINLY NOT TO MY MOTHER.

>> SO, WHAT I WANT TO KNOW NOW THAT THE STORY IS OUT THERE IS HOW HAS YOUR MOM RESPONDED TO IT?

>> MY MOTHER HAS BEEN VERY OPEN AND CARING.

SHE UNDER -- YOU KNOW, IT'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT SHE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT AND SHE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M ALL RIGHT.

SHE KNOWS IT EXISTS IN SO MANY FACETS OF LIFE BECAUSE MY MOTHER IS A TEACHER, A FORMER TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL AND A GREAT ONE AT THAT.

SO, SHE HAS HAD STUDENTS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT SHE TAUGHT IN, WAS PRINCIPAL IN.

SO, SHE -- IT WASN'T AS SHOCKING PROBABLY AS SOME WOULD THINK.

BUT SHE DEFINITELY JUST LISTENED TO ME AND ASKED HOW WAS I FEELING ABOUT THE SUBJECT.

AND I THINK SHE STARTED PROCESSING IT FOR HERSELF.

SO, YOU KNOW, MY MOTHER IS ONE OF MY GREATEST SUPPORTERS, DEFINITELY ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS IF NOT MY BEST FRIEND IN THE WORLD.

SO, YOU KNOW, SHE'S GOING TO BE THERE FOR ME.

>> AND YOUR DAUGHTER?

>> MY DAUGHTER, SHE FIRST FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS SITUATION FROM -- THIS SONG WAS MY WAY OF SHARING THE STORY WITH HER AND WE COULD TALK ABOUT IT.

WHEN SHE HEARD IT, SHE TOOK THE HEADPHONES OUT OF HER EAR AND SAID "THIS REALLY HAPPENED TO YOU?"

I SAID, "YES, IT DID HAPPEN."

SHE WAS LIKE DOES GRANDMA KNOW?

I'M LIKE NO, THEY DIDN'T KNOW, NOW.

SHE SAID WOW, YOU'RE VERY BRAVE.

I'M REALLY PROUD.

SHE TOLD ME THAT LAST NIGHT THAT SHE'S PROUD OF ME FOR GOING OUT TALKING ABOUT THIS.

THAT MADE ME FEEL GOOD.

TO ME, THE BIGGEST HOPE WOULD BE WITH THIS AND US TO EVEN TALK ABOUT THIS IS THAT A CHILD THAT HAD EXPERIENCE THAT WILL FEEL LIKE COMFORTABLE ENOUGH TO TALK TO SOMEONE OR FEEL STRONG ENOUGH OR EVEN FEEL OKAY TO TALK TO SOMEONE WHO, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'VE EXPERIENCED THAT.

>> A BIG PART OF YOUR ACTIVISM IS PRESENT IN YOUR MUSIC.

LAST YEAR YOU WERE AT THE OS SARS FOR YOUR SONG "STAND UP FOR SOMETHING" FOR THE MOVIE "MARSHALL."

>> TELL THE NRA THEY'RE IN GOD'S WAY AND TO THE PEOPLE OF PARKLAND, I SAY SENTIMENTS OF LOVE FROM THE PEOPLE OF AFRICA, HAITI, TO PUERTO RICO.

>> WHAT ROLE DO YOU SEE MUSIC PLAYING IN ACTIVISM?

>> MUSIC IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ROLES BECAUSE MUSIC GETS THE WORD OUT.

IT KIND OF IS THAT SUBCONSCIOUS SOUND TRACK TO THE MOVEMENT IN MANY WAYS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S INFORMATION IN THE MUSIC.

I FOUND, YOU KNOW, THROUGH A LOT OF THE MUSIC THAT I'VE DIGESTED, I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH THROUGH HIP HOP CULTURE FROM THE '90s AND '80s, MID-'80s AND '90s, ALL THAT PLANTED SEEDS IN MY CONSCIOUSNESS FOR HOW I THINK.

AND ALONG WITH THAT THE BOB MARLEYS OF THE WORLD, THE BOB DYLANS, THE ARTISTS THAT SPEAK UP WHEN IT COMES TO SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIETY, MUSIC HAS BEEN THAT THING.

MARVIN GAYE, TODAY WHAT'S GOING ON CAN SPEAK TO THE TIMES, RIGHT?

BUT I BELIEVE -- LET ME SAY THIS.

THE COMPONENT OF ACTION HAS TO GO AFTER MUSIC.

THE MUSIC IS THE CALL.

IT'S LIKE A COACH HUDDLING US UP.

LET'S HUDDLE.

THIS IS THE PLAN.

AND THEN WE'VE GOT TO GO OUT, EXECUTE THE PLAN.

>> DID YOUR ATTITUDE ABOUT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ACTIVISM AND YOUR MUSIC -- I MEAN THE EARLY DAYS IN YOUR CAREER, YOU'RE AN UNDERGROUND RAPPER.

♪ AND THEN FINDING COMMERCIAL SUCCESS, WAS THERE EVER ANYONE WHO SAID TO YOU IT'S BEEN GREAT THAT YOU'VE BEEN AN ACTIVIST UP TO THIS POINT, LOVED THE SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS LYRICS, BUT NOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS COMMERCIAL THING?

>> WELL, THERE WAS A TIME EARLY ON IN MY CAREER THE LABEL THAT I WAS SIGNED TO WERE LIKE MAN, WE NEED YOU TO MAKE MUSIC THAT WILL GET TO THE RADIO.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE HERE TO MAKE MONEY.

OKAY.

WELL, LET ME TRY TO COMPROMISE IN A WAY AND MAKE A RECORD THAT I'M GOING TO WRITE FROM THE HEART AND MAKE SURE THE MUSIC IS SOMETHING I THINK PEOPLE WILL LIKE.

THAT DIDN'T WORK.

THAT WAS AN AHAH MOMENT, A SHIFT IN THE PARADIGM FOR ME TO KNOW THAT TRUTH RESONATES AND I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO BE TRUE TO SELF IN NOT ONLY MY ART BUT JUST IN ANYTHING THAT I DO.

>> WELL, LET'S RUN THROUGH YOUR MUSIC.

IT ALSO HAS RUN THROUGH YOUR ACTING CAREER.

WHEN YOU WERE PURSUING ROLES, CHOOSING ROLES, HOW MUCH OF IT IS CONSIDERING THE MESSAGE OF THE FILM AND THE MESSAGE OF THE ROLE?

>> WELL, I HAVE TO SAY UNTIL I GOT TO BE A PART OF "SELMA" -- >> HOW YOU DOING, MA'AM?

>> I'M WELL, THANK YOU.

>> -- I DIDN'T KNOW I COULD HAVE THAT TYPE OF IMPACT AS FAR AS ACTING WOULD GO, MEANING BEING A PART OF FILMS, IT DID HAVE SOME HIGHER PURPOSE.

AND NOW THAT HAS BECOME -- YOU KNOW, THAT IS GOLDEN FOR ME WHEN I FIND A CHARACTER OR A ROLE LIKE THE FILM "THE HATE YOU GIVE" I GOT TO BE A PART OF WHERE IT REALLY HAS SOMETHING TO SAY.

IT SPARKS A CONVERSATION.

THAT'S WHERE I FEEL LIKE I OWE AS AN ARTIST, AS AN ACTOR, TO AT LEAST BE PART OF ART THAT SPARKS CONVERSATIONS.

>> A LOT GOES THROUGH A COP'S MIND WHEN THEY PULL SOMEONE OVER, ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE TO GET INTO A PISSING CONTRAST WITH THE DRIVER.

>> "THE HATE YOU GIVE" YOU FORCE THE VIEWER TO RECKON WITH A FORCE WE DON'T THINK ABOUT, THE BLACK POLICE OFFICER.

>> IF I THINK I SEE A GUN, I DON'T HESITATE.

I SHOOT.

>> BECAUSE YOU THINK YOU SEE A GUN?

YOU DON'T SAY SOMETHING FIRST?

>> I HAD TO COME TO RECKONING WITH IT ALSO.

WITH ALL THE MURDERS AND KILLINGS OF YOUNG, UNARMED BLACK MEN AND WOMEN, IT MADE ME AUTOMATICALLY HAVE A CERTAIN POSITION TOWARD HOW I THINK THE POLICE TREAT US.

AND I DO THINK MY POSITION IS VALID BECAUSE IT'S BEEN PROVEN WITH SO MANY LIVES THAT ARE LOST.

BUT I ALSO NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT A POLICE OFFICER WHO IS NOT CAUGHT UP IN THAT MENTALITY, WHAT THEIR LIVES MAY BE LIKE.

AND THAT WAS A REAL GREAT EXAMINATION FOR ME FOR, YOU KNOW, THE DYNAMICS OF WHAT IT IS TO BE A BLACK POLICE OFFICER.

IT GAVE ME ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE TO AT LEAST BE ABLE TO SAY, HEY, WHEN WE COME TO THE TABLE AND TALK, WE'VE GOT TO GET -- IT'S AN UNDERSTANDING WE HAVE TO HAVE.

WE'VE GOT TO LISTEN TO EACH OTHER BECAUSE EVERY POLICE OFFICER IS NOT OUT THERE TO KILL.

AND EVERY BLACK KID IS NOT CARRYING A GUN.

SO, I THINK I WANTED TO JUST BE A PART OF BREAKING THAT GENERALIZATION AND HELPING HOPEFULLY GET PEOPLE TO THE TABLE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.