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Mind Power Mixtape

By: Common
Narrated by: Common
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Publisher's summary

How do you expand the power of your mind? How do you find your purpose? How can you change your life - and the world? In his new podcast, The Mind Power Mixtape, Oscar, Emmy and Grammy-winning rapper Common conducts a series of illuminating and exciting conversations with an amazing group of artists, to explore the secrets of life, love, art and faith.

Each conversation takes us on an intimate journey to discover how each member of this incredible group developed their way of thinking, how they use that power in their life and how they employ it to serve other people. Common’s guests include Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali, barrier-breaking ballerina Misty Copeland, comic Hasan Minhaj, activist-lawyer Bryan Stevenson, actress-comedian Tiffany Haddish, and legendary rapper Nas.

©2020 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2020 Audible Originals, LLC
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Episodes
  • Episode 1: Bryan Stevenson
    Nov 19 2020

    Does justice have a soundtrack? Harvard-trained lawyer Bryan Stevenson has made it his mission to challenge racism in the criminal justice system. He’s the author of the best-selling book “Just Mercy” and was played by Michael B. Jordan in the movie of the same name. Stevenson and Common hold a fascinating conversation about life on death row, the role of music in inspiration, and the best way to bravely live a life that matters.

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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Episode 2: Hasan Minhaj
    Nov 19 2020
    Can humor make a difference? Comedian Hasan Minhaj has used his comedy to explore challenging issues from anti-Muslim violence to college admissions. Minhaj and Common explore the connection between comedy and rap, the importance of faith, and how to turn hurt into humor.
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    45 mins
  • Episode 3: Misty Copeland
    Nov 19 2020
    Can art get you closer to God? Superstar ballerina Misty Copeland has danced alongside pop stars Prince and Taylor Swift, and is the first Black principal dancer in the history of the American Ballet Theater. Copeland and Common discuss how to find your authentic voice in your work, the cultural history of Black women’s bodies and why making mistakes can set you free.
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    42 mins
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Go Behind the Scenes of Mind Power Mixtape

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About the Creator and Performer

Common (Performer, Co-Writer) is an Academy Award, Golden Globe, Emmy, and Grammy-winning artist, actor, author, and activist, who continues to break down barriers with a multitude of critically acclaimed, diverse roles, and continued success in all aspects of his career.
Common most recently toured with his new album Let Love, inspired by his work and experiences while writing his second New York Times best-selling memoir, Let Love Have the Last Word, released May 2019. He starred in the Oscar nominated film, Selma, which centered around the civil rights marches that changed America. Alongside John Legend, he won the Academy Award and Golden Globe in 2015 for Best Original Song in a Motion Picture for Glory which was featured in the film. Stand Up for Something, co-written by Common in 2017, received Oscar, Grammy, NAACP, and Critic Choice Award nominations. The anthem Letter to the Free, the end-title track to Ava Duvernay’s powerful Oscar-nominated documentary 13th, received the 2017 Emmy for Best Music and Lyrics.
For the past few years, Common has dedicated countless hours and has been deeply engaged in social justice and advocacy work around mass incarceration, mental health, and voting. After the success and impact of his Imagine Justice concert in 2017, and his Hope & Redemption Tour to eight different prisons, Common decided to establish and launch Imagine Justice as a new nonprofit in 2018. Centered at the intersection of art and activism, Imagine Justice is dedicated to leveraging the power of art to advocate for communities around the country, to fight for justice and equality, and to stand united against injustice wherever it appears.

About the Performer

Mahershala Ali is a two-time Academy Award-winning actor for his roles in Moonlight and Green Book. He was recently nominated for an Emmy for his supporting role in Hulu’s award-winning series Ramy. Ali will next star in Swan Song, written and directed by Academy Award winner Benjamin Cleary for Apple TV Plus and as Blade in the anticipated upcoming Marvel film.
In 2019, Ali produced the HBO documentary We Are the Dream, which recently won the Emmy in the category of Outstanding Children’s Program. Also that year, Ali was nominated for an Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG Award for his role in HBO’s True Detective, created by Nic Pizzolatto.
In the fall of 2018, Ali starred opposite Viggo Mortensen in Peter Farrely’s Academy Award and Golden Globe winning film, Green Book, for which he received Academy, Golden Globe and BAFTA awards for Best Actor. Ali also voiced the character of Aaron Davis in Sony’s Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse, directed by Peter Ramsey, Bob Persichetti and Rodney Rothman. The film received the Academy Award and the Golden Globe for Best Animated Film.
In 2017, Ali starred in Barry Jenkins’ Academy Award Best Picture drama Moonlight, for which he received Academy and Screen Actors Guild awards for Best Supporting Actor. Ali also appeared in Theodore Melfi’s Academy Award nominated film, Hidden Figures, opposite Taraji P. Henson and Octavia Spencer.
From 2013 to 2016, Ali starred as Remy Danton in the award-winning Netflix series House of Cards, for which he received an Emmy nomination in 2016.
Other credits include Robert Rodriguez’s Alita: Battle Angel, alongside Jennifer Connelly and Christoph Waltz; Gary Ross’s The Free State of Jones, opposite Matthew McConaughey; the final installments of The Hunger Games franchise, playing Boggs in Mocking Jay Parts 1 and Part 2; the Marvel/Netflix series Luke Cage, in which he played Cottonmouth; Derek Cianfrance’s critically-acclaimed The Place Beyond the Pines, opposite Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper; and David Fincher’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*.
Ali received his Master’s in acting from New York University and currently resides in Los Angeles. He is represented by WME, Carolyn Govers at Anonymous Content and Shelby Weiser of Sloane, Offer, Weber and Dern.

About the Performer

Misty Copeland is a Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre, the first black woman to be promoted to the position in the company's 75-year history in 2015. She has performed some of the most iconic classical ballet roles, including Odette/Odile in Swan Lake; Juliet in Romeo &Juliet; Giselle; Manon; Coppelia; Kitri in Don Quixote; and Firebird, to name a few. Misty has been featured in several publications, including the cover of Time Magazine for the Time 100, as well as the covers of Essence, Self, ELLE South Africa, Oxygen, and Women's Health. She has also appeared on CBS' 60 Minutes, CBS Sunday Morning, ABC's Good Morning America, NBC's The Today Show and NBC's Little Big Shots, celebrating extraordinary young people.
She made her first awards season guest performances in 2018 with Taylor Swift at the American Music Awards and at the 2019 Grammy Awards alongside Camilla Cabella, Common, Ben Platt, and dancers from the Debbie Allen Dance Academy. Misty made her Broadway debut in On the Town in 2015 and her major motion picture debut in Disney's The Nutcracker and the Four Realms* in 2018. Misty started her production company, Life in Motion Productions, and is working on her first project, Flower, a silent arts activism film using dance to help raise awareness about homelessness.
She is also featured in an episode of MasterClass, the online series.
Misty is an avid philanthropist and is an ambassador of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, of which she is also an alum, and MindLeaps, an arts education program based in Rwanda that helps young people get off the streets and into an academic setting to help enhance their lives.
Misty is the bestselling author of the memoir Life in Motion; a children's picture book titled Firebird; a lifestyle book titled Ballerina Body; and a new children’s picture book titled Bunheads.

About the Performer

With multiple high-profile projects and buzzworthy appearances to her name, Tiffany Haddish has quickly established herself as one of the most sought-after comedic actresses and performers. Currently, she can be seen in the Netflix limited series Self Made: Inspired By The Life of Madam C.J. Walker alongside Octavia Spencer. On October 24th, Lifetime premiered Christmas Unwrapped in which she served as executive producer. Tiffany has also starred opposite Tracy Morgan on the TBS comedy series The Last O.G. for 3 seasons. She recently wrapped production on The Card Counter (opposite Oscar Isaac and Willem Dafoe) and additional upcoming projects include The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (opposite Nicholas Cage), Down Under Cover (opposite Chris Hemsworth), Here Today (opposite Billy Crystal), Bad Trip (opposite Lil Rel Howery) and Homecoming Queen, where she will serve as star and producer. She will also voice characters in The Spongebob Squarepants Movie: Sponge on the Run and Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe. Haddish also has a first-look deal with HBO for projects under her production company banner She Ready Productions.
Haddish is perhaps best known for her breakout role in the smash comedy Girls Trip, where she appeared as the scene-stealing "Dina" alongside Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, and Regina Hall. Her additional film and television work includes Like A Boss, The Kitchen, Between Two Ferns: The Movie, Tuca & Bertie, Kids Say The Darndest Things on ABC, The Secret Life of Pets 2, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, The Angry Birds Movie 2, Night School, Nobody’s Fool, The Oath, Uncle Drew, The Carmichael Show, Keanu, Real Husbands of Hollywood, and New Girl. Haddish was also an early stand out during her appearances on Def Comedy Jam, Who’s Got Jokes, and Reality Bites.
In June 2018, Haddish took the reins as the highly-anticipated host of the MTV Movie and TV Awards, a role that was met with critical acclaim and a significant ratings boost.
In addition to her acting work, Haddish continues to tour the country and perform to sold-out crowds. Her newest one-hour comedy special, Tiffany Haddish: Black Mitzvah, debuted on Netflix in December 2019 to critical acclaim. She also serves as host and executive producer of the Netflix stand-up comedy series Tiffany Haddish Presents: They Ready, a series of half-hour comedy specials that featured her friends and long-time comedic collaborators which was renewed for a second season. Her first stand-up special, Tiffany Haddish: She Ready! From the Hood to Hollywood, was released on Showtime in August 2017. Just three months after the special’s release, Haddish made history by becoming the first black female stand-up comedian to host Saturday Night Live, a role that earned her the 2018 Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.
Haddish’s first book, a memoir called The Last Black Unicorn, was released the following month. The book made the New York Times Best Sellers List and the subsequent audiobook, narrated by Haddish, was nominated for a 2019 Grammy Award for Spoken Word Album.
Haddish’s journey and life experiences have inspired her comedy and sense of humor both on and off the stage. While growing up in foster care in South Central Los Angeles, her excessive talking and imaginary friends prompted her increasingly-flustered social worker to steer her into stand-up comedy by enrolling her in the Laugh Factory’s Comedy Camp, a place for at-risk and underprivileged children to transform negative energy into something positive. The experience was just the beginning of her comedy career. Haddish founded The She Ready Foundation to help and support foster kids in need. She currently lives in Los Angeles.

About the Performer

Hasan Minhaj was the host and creator of the weekly comedy show Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj that premiered on Netflix in October 2018. The series explored the modern cultural and political landscape with depth and sincerity through his unique comedic voice. The show received a 2019 Peabody Award, a 2019 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Motion Design, and was recognized for a 2020 Television Academy Honor.
In 2017, Minhaj earned rave reviews for his performance hosting the 2017 White House Correspondents' Dinner, and for his one-hour Netflix comedy special Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King, which earned him a 2018 Peabody Award. A first generation American, Minhaj joined The Daily Show with Jon Stewart as a correspondent in November 2014, where he was Jon’s last hire. He continued on in that role after Trevor Noah took over as host the following year and remained on the show through August 2018.

About the Performer

Since his Illmatic debut in 1994, hip hop heavyweight Nas has long been considered one of the most influential and talented MCs to ever hold a mic. The Queens, NY native has dodged the unpredictable and ephemeral nature of the rap industry, consistently releasing critically acclaimed projects that become more than just hip hop records, but defining moments in music history. Racking up 11 albums in the Billboard Top 10, 6 debuting at #1, 13 Grammy nominations, 8 consecutive platinum and multi-platinum albums, and over 30 millions records sold worldwide, Nas’ catalogue speaks for itself. Most recently, Nas released the 4th of 5 Kanye West-produced projects, Nasir.
Nas has been engaging in far more than music in the 6 years following his last full-length solo record Life Is Good (2012). His venture capital firm Queensbridge Venture Partners has invested in a number of notable companies including Casper, Lyft and Genius; he has invested in and helped grow media company Mass Appeal into a multi-faceted conglomerate with branches in creative services, production and music; he has diversified his business portfolio by founding restaurant Sweet Chick and sneaker boutique 12AM:RUN, he has heavily supported UNICEF and the East African region known as the Horn of Africa. These efforts have been recognized by Harvard, the Ivy League college establishing the Nasir Jones Hip-Hop Fellowship in 2013 and awarding Nas the W.E.B. DuBois Medal in 2015. Nas has ascended rap and become more than the music he continues to create.

About the Performer

Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, is a widely acclaimed public interest lawyer who has dedicated his career to helping the poor, the incarcerated, and the condemned. Under his leadership, EJI has won major legal challenges eliminating excessive and unfair sentencing, exonerating innocent death row prisoners, confronting abuse of the incarcerated and the mentally ill, and aiding children prosecuted as adults. He led the creation of EJI's highly acclaimed cultural sites, the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, which opened in 2018. Mr. Stevenson's work has won him numerous awards, including over 40 honorary doctorates, the MacArthur Foundation "Genius" Prize, and the ABA Medal, the American Bar Association's highest honor. He is a graduate of the Harvard Law School and the Harvard School of Government, the author of the award-winning New York Times bestseller, Just Mercy, which was recently adapted as a major motion picture, and the subject of the Emmy-Award winning HBO documentary True Justice.

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What listeners say about Mind Power Mixtape

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Tree🌳

Common Happy holidays,

I saw you on Stephen Colbert tonight. When you said that your 1st song from Stevie Wonder I was thinking the same thing. I waz 4 years old and I that is my 1st song as well. I saw you in a concert 23 years ago.
Tracy Pannell

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He’s wonderful...

I am picky when it comes to podcasts, and I love this one! Common is so humble, insightful, and genuinely interested in what his guests have to say and what they can offer the rest of us in terms of inspiration and reflection...I believe those are the best conversations, where the host is learning about the guest but also always thinking of how to pull out the lessons they can teach the audience. I believe Common cares about important issues and a deeper purpose for all of us, I really respect his perspective and I think you just truly ike him and like listening to him:) Highly recommend!

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must listen to, must share

This production is well done. The guest, the topics, and the conversations we all on point. I loved every episode!

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What a blessing ❤️🙏🏿

Brother Common thank you for blessing us with an edifying podcast not only for the mind but the soul as well. I need some more episodes lol ❤️🙏🏿

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Thought Provoking And enlightening!

I don’t usually listen to podcasts, I don’t usually take the time out. I woke up this morning and I was feeling that I needed to put myself in a place of understanding and learning. So I was looking for something to read and I saw that Common has a podcast. I’ve always enjoyed his music, his spoken word poetry, so I thought I’d enjoy this. I have no regrets with the hour that I’m spent listening to Common and Brian Stevenson talk about the music that inspired him most of his career. I listen to this again and again.

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Inspiration from Common

Thank you, Common! This podcast is positive and uplifting. I appreciate how you encouraged your guests to share lyrics that they wrote in the past, as well as talk about their childhoods and the people and life events that inspired them to become who they are today.

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Get your pen ready

Great collaboration! From justice, comedy, drama, music, faith, belief - each person brought there perspective and this allowed for a personal connection with each of them to the point of researching the things that moved them to action.

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A Major Dose of Inspiration

Common has come and done it again. He brings the heavy hitters. If you take a moment to listen, gather and consume this podcast it will leave you truly inspired. It's one thing to read a story... it a whole nother avenue to hear it. Great name Mind Power Mixtape, for a great podcast. Well done sir, well done.

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Far from Common

Common is the man. God has blessed him in so many ways and listening to him inspires and changes thought. Podcasts can be so boring but not this one. Mind Power! 💪

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Excellent!! Such great guests and life nuggets

Hoping he records more episodes in the near future
Thanks Common. This transcends in many ways

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