Common Debuts New Music During 'Tiny Desk Concert' at The White House

As a part of the White House's inaugural South By South Lawn, NPR's Tiny Desk Concert took the concept elsewhere for the very first time: the White House library.

Common was the video series' latest performer, and joined by Robert Glasper, Derrick Hodge, and Bilal, the multi-talented Chicagoan not only performed his classic Resurrection single "I Used to Love H.E.R.," but also debuted three new songs: "Letter to the Free," "The Day the Women Took Over," and "Little Chicago Boy."

The intimate performance is an early taste of Common's upcoming album, the artist's 11th one. In addition to working on music, it was announced earlier this year that Common will be starring in a new RZA-produced show called Black Samurai, which is based on the 1977 film of the same name. He'll be playing the part of Robert Sand, who, in the film, is rescued by a Japanese samurai master and trained for seven years. Without revealing any spoilers, certain events occur that lead Sand, a “killing machine,” into seeking vengeance. 

Common's new album Black America Again will arrive in November. Watch his beautifully intimate Tiny Desk Concert performance above.