Rapper Common is looking to encourage victims of abuse to speak their truth with the release of his new memoir entitled, Let Love Have The Last Word.
The Oscar-winning artist gave in-dept details of how he was once molested by a family friend— whom he refers to as Brandon and most of us have a similar story to tell.
Common revealed he remembered his molestation while preparing for his on-screen role in the 2018 HBO film, The Tale. “It made me feel as if I was reliving my childhood sexual abuse,” he said.
Common says he was molested during a sleepover at a friend’s home.
“[He] kept telling me, ‘it’s okay, it’s okay’ as he pulled down my shorts and molested me,” Common wrote in his memoir. “[Just] thinking back, I should’ve gotten up from [Brandon’s] bed and ran out of the room; but I felt a deep and sudden shame for what happened, and for what he kept trying to make happen as I had brought it all on myself.”
47-year-old, Lonnie Rashid Lynn, better known by his stage name Common, said he didn’t let that define who he is today and hope his book will help someone who is going through a similar abusive situation and/or have been abused as a child.
“I hope being open about my childhood trauma can give others the strength to do the same and help them on their healing journeys,” he said. “We all have experienced pain and suffering. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
He has also launched a campaign to stop the stigma against sexual abuse.
“I talked about being molested because, as a Black man, many men have hidden that,” Common, 47, said. “Many people have hidden that. And you carry that weight with you. But at some point, you’ve got to let it go.”
If you are wondering, the also Grammy and Golden Globe-winning rapper said has since forgiven his abuser with the help of his therapist.
“I want to be a person who helps break cycles of violence,” he wrote. “This is love in action and I intend to practice it.”