Politics

DNC Features Rapper With Ties To Nation Of Islam Leader Louis Farrakhan

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The Democratic National Convention’s final night will feature a performance from the rapper Common, who has long-standing ties to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.

Farrakhan has repeatedly referred to Jewish people as “satanic,” blamed them for both the Holocaust and the Sept. 11, 2011, terrorist attacks, and once praised Adolf Hitler as a “very great man.” Farrakhan has also denounced interracial marriage, which he said has “mongrelized” the black race.

Common, whose real name is Lonnie Rashid Lynn Jr., will perform a song during the convention ahead of Vice President Joe Biden’s acceptance of the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, according to the DNC schedule.

Common has appeared in photos with Farrakhan and promoted Farrakhan on social media. He was one of several rappers featured on a music compilation project that Farrakhan released in February 2018.

Later that year, Common approvingly posted a clip of Farrakhan on his Instagram page. The rapper tagged Farrakhan in the October 2018 post, captioning it: “Wise words being spoken!”

Common promoted Farrakhan on Twitter in August 2014, linking to a Nation of Islam livestream.

“Peace & Blessings. Minister Farrakhan is speaking LIVE now to talk about these troubled times,” Common wrote, adding a link to the livestream.

Peace & Blessings. Minister Farrakhan is speaking LIVE now to talk about these troubled times. Go to http://t.co/ruIUBfV2Rk

— COMMON (@common) August 17, 2014

Common was also pictured with Farrakhan at an event in 2006. Photos from the event show the two men embracing and posing for pictures together.

The rapper’s ties to Farrakhan go back decades.

Common, who was then performing under the name “Common Sense,” was one of several rappers to appear at a 1997 anti-violence concert organized by Farrakhan, according to a contemporary report from The Washington Post.

The rapper also praised the Nation of Islam’s Chicago arm in a 1995 interview on BET’s “Rap City.”

“The Nation of Chicago. Real strong in the crib, man. They just opened up Salam restaurant. I went to Saviors’ Day back in April. It was real phat [sic], man,” he said.

Common’s representative, United Talent Agency, didn’t return an email seeking comment. The DNC also did not return an email seeking comment.