Teaming up with MAKERS, a "storytelling platform for the trailblazing women of today and tomorrow," Common discussed the women in his life and two women who influenced the rapper he would become. According to Common, his mother was instrumental in his success.

“My home and my foundation has been my mother," he said. “She really taught me how to love by example and in some ways could be very disciplinarian.”

Common also discussed how women like Maya Angelou and Nikki Giovanni inspired him to write his first raps at the age of 12. While Common had aspirations of becoming a rapper, the Chicago artist still attended college, heading to Florida A&M University in 1990 on a scholarship. But while attending school, he was still hoping to become a rapper, sending out demo tapes in secrecy.

The following year, Common was offered a record contract and had to break the news to his mother that he would drop out of school.

“Knowing that my mother worked hard for me to be able to get into college and she really barely knew I even rapped,” Common said. “It was a tough back and forth but when my mother saw that I was truly sincere and passionate she embraced it.”

Check out Common's full interview below.

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