Jennifer Hudson Praises ‘Musical Genius’ Common Amid Holiday Collaboration

Jennifer Hudson is beaming over her latest collaborative work with her boyfriend Common, despite the challenges their creative partnership can bring. The 43-year-old singer and actress appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers on Thursday to promote her new holiday album The Gift of Love. She highlighted a standout track, Almost Christmas, which features Common, 52, delivering spoken-word poetry.

“I mean, we’re both very musical,” Hudson shared with Meyers. “Two Chicagoans and I was like, ‘Where’s the poetry and the storytelling in the holiday albums?’ And who better to do it than him? To do, like, spoken-word poetry for the holidays? And so that’s where the song came from.”

Despite their shared passion for music, Hudson admitted their collaborations are not without complications. “He’s a bit bossy when it comes to being Common,” she said, laughing. She elaborated on the dynamic between Common and his real name, Rashid: “Common and Rashid are two different people musically, but he’s a musical genius, so it’s an honor to be able to work from him, work for him, work with him, and on his album and my album.”

The duo has a history of working together musically, including the track A GOD (There Is) from Common’s album The Auditorium Vol. 1., released in July. The rapper has been equally vocal about his admiration for Hudson’s talent.

“When I played it to musician friends, they were like, ‘Who is that singing?’” Common told People. “I’m like, ‘That’s Jennifer!’ It doesn’t sound like things you’ve heard from her before. I love that we were able to utilize her gifts in a new space. She brought it, man.”

The pair first sparked dating rumors in 2022 after working together on the film Breathe and seemingly confirmed their relationship in January on The Jennifer Hudson Show. As their professional and personal lives intertwine, Hudson and Common continue to celebrate each other’s artistry while finding joy in creating meaningful work together.