Common hopes to foster a new breed of rappers and bless Chicago inmates with a new recreational activity by building a recording studio in an Illinois Prison.
According to CBS Chicago, the Oscar Award winning rapper-actor opened a fully functional recording studio inside Stateville Correctional Center in Cresthill, Illinois. Attorney Ari Williams initially came up with the idea to give the inmates at Stateville an opportunity to tap into their creativity while serving their respective sentences.
Williams said in a statement:
“I know music brings us all together. I want them to be OK. I want them to do something they’ve love to do. And I know many of them are rappers. They love to rap and they love to sing.”
Common, who is often open about his work with the prison system and saving Black lives, added:
"The gentlemen who are incarcerated deserve access to better things in life so that’s why I fight for my city. And that’s why my heart is always with Chicago. Being from Chicago is one of the greatest gifts and assets to me in my career and my life."
Common's charitable work with the Correctional Facility doesn't end there. Through the "Glory" rapper's non profit, Imagine Justice, inmates will get a chance to take a 12-week course in music production and creation as well as recording. The program also help some of the inmates get time off of their sentences. Williams said of the project:
“Everyday they’re in this program [inmates] earn a day credit off of their sentence, as long as the statute allows for. This brings so much hope for them and inspiration for them. Them to know people actually care about them, that can change them as well."
Congrats to Common, his team and the State of Illinois.