Common’s Love Star documentary brings Black women to the forefront in a celebration of love and he recently reflected on a personal memory about having his first encounter with unconditional love during his relationship with Neo Soul songstress Erykah Badu.
Responding to a question about which experience with a Black woman — aside from his mother — marked a turning point in his life, the talented Chicago lyricist spoke fondly of his time with Ms. Badu.
“Well, that definitely was my relationship with Erykah,” he told ESSENCE during a chat about the Love Star film. “That was a point as an adult where I first felt like, “man, I’m in love.”
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A union that seemed a perfect pairing from the outside looking in, Common says falling for Erykah was an organic happening that helped shape his perception of what it really means to love a Black woman unconditionally.
“I didn’t really think twice about it back then,” he adds. ‘It was just one of those things where you’re just like, ‘Ok, this is what I feel.’
I was just going with the actual feeling and just letting it live. That was the first experience I had as an adult that I could say really gave me a great look at what it was to be in love and really loving a woman and loving a Black woman, unconditionally.”
Sounds like this courtship was definitely one to remember.
For more about Love Star film and a first look at the finished project, check out more from our exclusive interview with Common here.