Common Says Offset Said He Felt Voting ‘Was Better Than Any Award’ As A Former Felon Who Didn’t Know His All His Voting Rights

Common sat down with Florida Senator Perry Thurston, Florida Representative Shervin Jones and local community leaders to discuss issues within the Black community and the importance of educating the Black community about voting.

On Sunday, October 25, Biden for President Florida hosted a Shop Talk roundtable with Chicago native, activist and actor Common, who discussed a variety of issues that affect the Black community with Jones and Thurston in Lauderhill, Fla. Common first addressed how the Black community, specifically Black men, can feel like the government doesn’t support them.

“As black men sometimes we feel like there is nobody for us, and so why are we voting?” said Common, according to a press release. “I felt that way before, I was that guy that was like this political system does not represent me and I saw nobody that did. But the more I kept talking about how I care about my people, the more I knew that voting for my people was one of the ways of making a difference in that region.”

“We have an election that is extremely important and it is nine days away,” said State Representative Shevrin Jones. “We know what is at stake right now, but more specifically, we know that for far too long black Americans have lived with their knees on our necks. And we know for a fact as we look forward into the future, that what we have been through, the leadership we have experienced over the last four years, cannot be the way that we continue to go forward.”

Common also opened up about how Migos rapper Offset didn’t know all of his voting rights as a former felon. “I’ve been seeing a lot of people out voting. But we still need more. I want to say it’s been joyful, people seem to be empowered. You know, even Offset from Migos who I been working on with this Urgency 2020 organization, said man when he voted he felt that was better than any award because he was someone who had a felony and didn’t think he could vote. People are joyous about voting. People are empowered.”

During his trip to Florida, Common also spoke at a “Souls to the Polls” event in South Dade in an effort to get more voters to vote early.

Common Talking to Florida Senator Perry Thurston And Florida Representative Shervin Jones