Rapper and actor Common stopped by the Late Show With Stephen Colbert to talk about his new book, And Then We Rise: A Guide to Loving and Taking Care of Self.
Common’s book, slated for publication next week by HarperOne, encourages readers to practice self-care, with sections addressing fitness, nutrition, mental health, and spirituality. A critic for Kirkus wrote of the book, “Common asks readers to better themselves, empowering them with the grace and courage to do so.”
Colbert asked Common, “If I follow the suggestions in this book, will I win an Oscar and look like this in my 50s?” He held up a picture of a shirtless, muscular Common.
“Listen, I think I can get you there,” Common replied, laughing.
Colbert asked Common what wellness means to him.
“When I think of wellness, I think of it from a perspective of having my mind in a good place, a happy place, having my soul and spirit in the right place and a joyous place, having my body working and moving around and doing things so I have energy,” he said.
Common also discussed his friendship with the legendary poet Maya Angelou. He said that his mother approached Angelou, whom she didn’t know, asking her to appear with Common at a benefit, and the two ended up meeting at Angelou’s Harlem apartment.
“We sat there for hours, and I was just like, Man, I’m sitting here with the person who really started me into writing,” he recalled. “Dr. Maya Angelou, when I was in elementary school, she was the writer that I remember made me want to write.”
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
