Common has partnered with Global Citizen to tackle the issue of decriminalizing poverty and pushing criminal justice reform.

More than 16,000 people are behind bars in New York state jails simply because they cannot afford bail. Common and a few other major Hip-Hop artists have become catalyst’s for change by partnering with Global Citizen. He’s become an official ambassador with a specific focus in decriminalizing poverty. 

Global Citizen and Common have built a solid foundation that dates back to 2015 when the entertainer performed at their Earth Day festival in Washington D.C.

He stated: “I want to bring a practical change in people’s lives. I want to walk down Atlantic Avenue and see someone’s life change because of Global Citizen and the work I’m doing. I want to help the people who are oppressed because of their skin, beliefs, and economics. I’m always in a fight for that.”

Common’s actions through his Imagine Justice nonprofit have already started to make an impact in California, where two bills were passed [SB-394 & SB-395] that ceased juveniles from being sentenced to life without parole.