Common & Nelson George reveal the difference between making music and making films

If music speaks to you just as strongly as a great film does, this conversation from the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival is for you. Grammy-, Emmy-, and Oscar-winning rapper Common chatted with filmmaker Nelson George, whose work — including Netflix’s The Get Down — celebrates black culture in America. They candidly discuss Common’s song “Letter to the Free,” which soundtracks Ava DuVernay’s insightful documentary 13th, as well as his work on Selma.

The duo also open up about what distinguishes music from acting. “So much of what hip-hop is, is ‘I.’ It is the voice of the M.C. and his vision of the world,” George says.

Common chimes in, emphasizing the importance of teamwork: “I feel like my raps now are more about ‘we’ than ever… Acting is so much about ‘we,’ and I think that aspect really drew me into it… If I’m doing good in a scene, I still want the other person to be great in the scene, too.”

Tap the button below to hear more of their thoughts on the stories we tell through film and music.