You have not been here in a long time.
It was like four years ago.
Yeah, that's a very long time.
I don't know--
What happened?
I mean, why didn't you invite me?
What's going on?
No, that's not--
I wasn't doing nothing worth your while?
That's not true.
I don't know.
The first time you were here, I think it was season 3.
And now, we're in season 19.
And do you remember being here in season 3?
Yeah.
I mean, to be on The Ellen Show is like a monumental moment
for me.
So I do remember being here.
It's like I was always wearing those hats.
I didn't have enough confidence to show my bald head yet.
So now I'm here.
Yeah, you look good.
Thank you for having me.
This is amazing.
Like season 3 to season 19--
Yeah.
It's a blessing.
Yeah, thank you.
Thank you for being here.
[APPLAUSE]
I was going to say your girlfriend,
but she doesn't call you her boyfriend.
She calls you her man friend.
Her man.
Yeah, or "her man."
And you call "her lady" or "queen".
Queen.
But Tiffany Haddish was here last week, and ow!
She left a little message in your dressing room.
Can we show what she wrote down on the mirror there?
So basically, it says, "Break a leg!
But not my favorite one.
I need that one tonight."
[LAUGHTER]
What's she doing with your leg?
I mean, this woman, man, Tiffany is
one of the most freest, fun loving,
good-hearted individuals I ever met in my life.
And that's where I feel like our connection is the purest,
and it's the best.
And man, she does a lot to that leg, that favorite leg.
[LAUGHTER]
All right.
Enough said.
Yeah, enough said.
Where did y'all meet?
Well, we met-- actually, I was hosting an Oscar party
that I would do every year.
And she came, and she sat at the table
with my mother and my stepfather.
And I said, she was just such a cool individual.
My family loved her.
But then we did a film together, and I was really trying to--
I started digging her.
And I was like, OK, well, let's go out and do these things.
And she was like, yeah, but we're strictly friends.
She's like, I'm not into you.
So I was like, OK, cool.
So I just stayed in the friend zone for a long time.
And then, one day, she just was like, you know what?
I kind of like you.
All right.
And we had a good time.
We were out listening to music.
I got a little kiss, and there we go.
Wait, who says to Common, I'm not into you?
Who tells Common, I'm not into you?
Hey, Tiffany definitely had that on.
I don't know.
She just felt like, hey, this wasn't the right match for her.
But to me, it was like, I think it was really good that we
got to be really good friends, because that's what I find is--
exist in our relationship.
Yeah.
There's a true friendship.
That's what lasts.
You know that's the best.
That's the most important thing.
You got to be with your best friend
because that's who you're with the most.
And that's--
Yeah.
They're going to have your back.
Man, having a good partner, a great partner that really loves
you and cares for you unconditionally
and is your friend, it's priceless, man.
Yeah.
I'm glad you found it.
Yeah.
I'm happy for you.
Yeah, thank you.
Another thing that is really great in a relationship
is when someone gives you a pedicure.
[LAUGHS]
Yeah, well, definitely, Tiffany is good for pedicures.
And that's one of her things that--
I'm a person that-- if you all know about the love languages,
I like acts of service.
So I appreciate a pedicure.
But she has a tendency to fall asleep during the pedicure.
I mean, because she works very hard.
And she ends up doing the pedicure,
have everything set up, we're sitting there watching Never
Have I Ever, and we're enjoying it.
The next thing I know she falling asleep,
and I only got part of my foot done.
That's not right.
How do you fall asleep doing a pedicure?
I mean--
I mean, she will fall asleep doing so many things.
Let's say that.
Not the favorite leg thing, but other aspects like, she'll
be like, come on, let's watch a movie.
Let's do this.
Yeah.
It could be five minutes into the movie,
and this woman is over there snoring.
And I'm like, damn, I can't even hear
the dialogue over your snoring.
Yeah.
Wow.
We're back with Common.
Let's talk about the new album, Revolution Part 2, right?
Yeah.
Yeah, it's A Beautiful Revolution.
And that title really came about because I was really
thinking about how we could find beauty during these times.
Because some people, when they hear the word "revolution,"
you think automatically, revolt against the system.
But I was really thinking about finding change
within ourselves, the change that comes about where you
start loving yourself more, start dealing with issues
that we may have, just bringing joy to life,
that type of revolution.
And I really felt this is necessary
because we, as a humanity, have been dealing with a lot.
And I really wanted to put energy out
in the world that was joyful, that was inspiring,
that's hopeful, that's honest and pure and divine.
And I felt like that's what A Beautiful Revolution musically
and artistically.
And it is.
You've been in the business 30 years.
Is that right?
Yeah.
30 years.
And do you ever have a moment that you still
are like, oh my god, this is happening right now?
Yeah, definitely.
I mean, I'm almost at 30 years, but I'm
really grateful for that, first and foremost.
But I just recently performed at President Obama's 60th birthday
party, and it was at Martha's Vineyard.
But just being able to sit up there and freestyle
for President Obama, and seeing Stephen Spielberg
in the audience, and Dwyane Wade, and Gabrielle Union,
and Lin Manuel Miranda in this.
And then Tom Hanks just comes up to me after, and was like--
we both leaving the loo, leaving the bathroom--
and he was like, hey, you was killing it up there.
And I was like, this is Tom Hanks telling me
I'm killing it up there?
Yo.
[APPLAUSE]
I think that whole atmosphere for me-- and I've
been around our president before--
but that whole atmosphere is when I sometimes just say,
man, thank you, God, that I'm here.
And I'm very grateful to be here, and I try to do my best.
I wanted to rhyme so good for President Obama.
I bet you did.
Yeah.
I bet he loved it.
Hey, I know that you have an Emmy, a Grammy, and an Oscar.
But you don't have a Tony to get an EGOT.
You're missing a Tony, Right?
So we wanted to give you today.
This is Tony Bennett.
So you have--
Oh, thank you.
All right?
I finally got it.
I got it.
Yeah.
All right?
[APPLAUSE]
All right.
Finally.
Yeah.
I've done it.
You got it.
Yes.
All right.
A Beautiful Revolution, Part 2 is available now.
Comment, everybody.