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Oscar® Winner Common on the Educational Value of Hip-Hop

Aired on 04/17/2007 | CC tv-pg
Hip-hop artist Common, who won Best Original Song at the 87th Academy Awards®, has expressed a belief that rap music, contrary to its popular image, can take on a range of subjects beyond money and women. In fact, Common said on The Oprah Winfrey Show, social awareness in hip-hop and its ability to raise the consciousness of young people goes back decades.

"The first song as a child that I heard that I bought the record was called 'The Message,'" Common said. "From that point on, hip-hop was telling stories about consciousness. I learned about the Bible through hip-hop."

Watch as Common shares how the genre transformed the way he sees the world.

Original airdate: April 17, 2007