Exclusive: Often on being ‘extremely proud’ of his lawyer daughter and what (and who) makes his smile bright – essence

If you have ever had the chance to go to the dentist and be treated by a talented doctor who looks such as you, consider yourself lucky. According to research published in 2020 by American Dental Associationonly 3.8 percent of dentists within the United States are black. The opportunity to go to a dentist of an identical background may also help alleviate the common fears and discomforts that many individuals feel about dental examinations, and most of all, it is time for a change.

Rapper Common helps with this. The Oscar winner is collaborating with a mouthwash brand Listerinewhich has just released its second installment Whoa Collectioncooperation with the creative agency Compound. This 12 months’s edition includes recent colourful bottle packaging illustrations by artists Frank Morrison and Hebru Brantley. Limited edition bottles, available at Targetaim to lift awareness of efforts to supply greater representation in dentistry. There may also be a documentary film by Set Free Richardson Mixtureshedding light on Listerine’s work to cut back this diversity gap. In addition, the brand is donating $150,000 to the inspiration Increasing diversity within the dental pipeline programa nonprofit organization that helps minority elementary school students get what they need, from test prep help to scholarships and more, to satisfy their dreams.

To help with this endeavor, Common has released a brand new, specially created track titled “The art of freshness” that seems like a classic song from the Grammy winner, while also sending a crucial message in regards to the opportunity to see black faces in essential spaces.

During an event at The Compound in Brooklyn on Thursday, September 26, where the song was originally recorded, ESSENCE caught up with Common to learn more about why he was involved with the show, the ability of representation in his life, and in his own life. family and what makes his smile bright – from his dental habits to his form of self-care.

ESSENCE: First, I even have to ask, are you blessed to have a black dentist?

Common: Yes, I’m grateful to have it. I’m very grateful since it’s about having others take care of you, especially someone in your community. It’s a certain kind of understanding and faith and trust that you have got and security. This is one of the problems we would like to spotlight with IDID. I used to be inspired to participate on this campaign since it goals to create more opportunities for black dentists. And I believe that throughout history, we as Black people have felt more confident in reaching out to our own people. In some ways I still use white doctors and non-white doctors, but at the top of the day it’s great to have a black dentist and I believe there must be more of them.

Yes, of course. You’ve already mentioned this, but I desired to ask you from myself: what made you support this initiative to diversify dentistry? Because I do know you have got your foundation, Dream freelyand it’s all about education, opportunity, work and well-being, and that is kind of an amalgamation of what this whole initiative is about. So are you able to dig into this slightly bit more?

Well, I mean, wellness is something that I desired to offer to our communities. The more I learned about it myself, the more I not only lived it and tried to be an example, but I incorporated certain elements into my music. I wrote that I discussed it and it’s something that I would love to lift awareness of and for people to see without making it trivial or simply making it a natural way of life that should be uplifted in our communities because well-being keeps us alive alive . We are in a happier place because of this. It allows us to deal with difficult situations.

The well-being that comes from access to therapy and meditation is like feeling good. You took a while to walk or exercise; all of them work to construct our wholeness, and oral hygiene is a component of that. So once I was approached about this, knowing that it was geared toward Black people for healthier oral health care, I assumed it was essential for me to be a component of it as well since it’s part of the entire picture. That’s one of the things I’ve learned because it involves my development and growing up. It was like, OK, you possibly can’t just be good at maintaining a healthy diet and then not have emotional health, not work at it, and even physical health, not proceed your spirituality. All the weather are needed to get to your full, higher self. I’m definitely completely satisfied to incorporate oral hygiene on this.

How did this effort encourage your song “The Art of Freshness”? I do know what I liked about it’s that although it was created to foster awareness of this work, it still seems like an organic Common track. Gives me Common about . How did it encourage you?

Sometimes it’s nice to create something for a totally different entity. This just isn’t my album, this just isn’t my single that I released as part of the album. So that is great since you say, OK, how do I approach this? It stretches you. And so I used to be inspired to do it. Writing around Fresh was awesome for me because Set Free, who produced the song, was like, “Hey, this music is inspired by Whoa Collection”, Listerine bottles designed by Chicago resident Hebru Brantley and Frank Morrison. So I assumed, oh, I could discuss what freshness is and discuss it from different features. Not only one thing. Dental hygiene is one thing, but staying fresh is how you’re feeling about yourself. It’s the way in which you carry yourself. It’s the way you take care of certain situations. So I wanted to offer it. Sometimes we want theme songs that you just walk around and you possibly can say something, and that is an affirmation.

Love it. What does representation mean to you? For example, you are one of the few MCs to win an Oscar; a really limited number, possibly three of you in total. So what does representation mean to you when you consider all of the work that you just’re doing to diversify dentistry and how essential it’s, as you said earlier, to have our people in these essential roles and spaces?

Representation is incredibly essential. And it was seeing representation in the shape of Muhammad Ali and Maya Angelou that made me realize that I could do something. And it was even a gathering with my teacher, Mr. Brown, a black man who guided me. It was a representation for me, having a black teacher who taught me as a young black man and boy about what this was. So that representation and seeing that influenced my vision of myself. And I all the time say, man, President Barack Obama, not only was he just this beautiful president and did all the pieces in his power to make this country and the world a greater place, but just having representation within the White House modified quite a bit of young people’s visions of themselves. . Heck, even people from our generation and older probably thought, “Wow, I can achieve anything.” We have a black president and we hope to have our first black president.

Speaking of representation and examples of it, your daughter is a lawyer. How proud are you of the trouble she’s put in to get thus far and have the option to represent people and impact other people’s lives?

I’m extremely proud. I’m very proud of her for focusing on this and considering for herself at first of primary school, within the fifth or sixth grade. She replied, “I want to become a lawyer.” And the proven fact that she wished it and achieved it’s only a testament to what is feasible. Watching her make this effort and undergo the ups and downs also shows me her character and determination. I’m proud of her and completely satisfied for her. She finds areas where she will be able to make a big effect on things which can be larger than herself. That’s what I needed to do in music.

Besides taking Listerine and visiting the dentist, what practices do you might want to follow to make sure that your teeth and smile stay healthy in any respect times?

Well, I believe flossing is unquestionably something I learned from my dentist, and now I even have one of the water picks. This thing is useful. But one of the keys to this was flossing and also ensuring I brushed consistently. I believe one of crucial keys to a smile is your heart. Just like who you’re inside. You can see it in your smile, in your eyes, in your laugh and all this stuff. These are some of the things I do most frequently.

Final query: Also, since we talked about good health, what are some practices and things in your life that put a smile on your face?

This doesn’t fall into the wellness category, but I believe it’s wellness since it’s about emotional health. I really like going to the cinema and eating popcorn. I really like popcorn.

My testicles are killing me!

My testicles are killing me, however it’s value it to me. That’s why I even have a water flosser. So that is one of the things I enjoy. I really like watching or playing basketball. I really like listening to great music. I also love just going out to dinner with my family members. These are some of my favorite things to do.

For more information in regards to the Whoa Collection and the Increasing Diversity in Dentistry program, please visit: listerine.com/whoacollection.