The Herd with Colin Cowherd: Joe and Jada

Episode: Common on Fat Joe Saving His Life in Ice Cube Beef, Chicago Hip Hop & Jennifer Hudson

Release Date: October 30, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of The Joe and Jada Show (with Fat Joe and Jadakiss), a recurring segment within The Herd with Colin Cowherd, brings hip hop legend, actor, and Chicago native Common to the mic. The conversation is a lively, candid, and often humorous journey through Common’s career, his Chicago upbringing, harrowing moments from hip hop’s wilder days, his diverse creative ventures, community, love life, and more. Not only does Common recount the infamous story of Fat Joe intervening during a life-threatening beef with Ice Cube, but the trio dives into hip hop’s evolution, acting, and the impact their upbringings have had on their values, relationships, and successes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fat Joe Saving Common in the Ice Cube Beef ([07:14] – [09:49])

• Common reflects on a moment during the Ice Cube/Mack 10 beef when Fat Joe “practically saved my life” in California.
• Tension escalated during a commercial shoot, and despite truces, an associate of Common’s reignited old issues, putting Common in danger.
• Fat Joe recalls:
  “I literally begged for your life. I got in the middle, was like, please, he’s my brother. … I said, this literally my brother. And I was begging them because it was the serious ones.” ([08:06])
• The respect Fat Joe commanded helped dissolve the situation.
  Common confirms: “After that day. But you settled that.” ([09:00])

2. Origins in Hip Hop & Early Connections ([05:07] – [07:14])

• Relativity Records era: Jadakiss, Common, The Beatnuts, and Chi Ali started nearly simultaneously.
• Jadakiss expresses pride in seeing Common transition from rapper to acclaimed actor.
• Jadakiss: “No but so you don't know how proud it makes me that there's kids that don't even know you rap.” ([05:42])

3. Moral Integrity, Relationships, and Jennifer Hudson ([13:10] – [17:32])

• Common discusses his approach to relationships, honesty, and “seeking the kingdom first” (faith before anything else).
• On Jennifer Hudson: Both Joe and Jada praise her strength.
  Common: “For her to have light and be good to people… just still be bright about life, that’s a strong type of warrior.” ([17:08])

4. Chicago Upbringing & Staying Out of Trouble ([17:37] – [19:48])

• Common grew up surrounded by black church, street life, and gang culture (Black Stones, Four Corner Hustlers, Vice Lords).
• He credits ambition (“had something to live for”) and community support for avoiding going “too deep” into street life.
• Common: “When people start seeing you doing something, they support you... they kind of wrap their arms around you.” ([18:46])

5. Financial Wisdom & Family Lessons ([19:59] – [21:54])

• Jadakiss recalls Common’s early investments in Chicago property—a move influenced by his mother’s advice.
• Common: “My mother was like… you don’t know how long this gonna last… you should invest in some property. … I started doing it, and she was the one that schooled me.” ([20:32])
• Joe and Jada joke about how most rappers blew advances on chains and cars while Common invested.

6. Winning Major Awards: The Pressure and the Pride ([22:40] – [24:31])

• Fat Joe shares pride in seeing Common win major awards, including the Oscar.
• Common: “When I’m up there, I feel like I’m representing us. … We all the tribe, man. … When I was on that Oscar stage, I felt like I was representing Gods, Black men, black people, hip hop, Chicago.” ([23:07])

7. Keeping It Real and the Dilemma of Positivity in Hip Hop ([24:34] – [28:51])

• Fat Joe tells of making his first “positive” song and seeking Common’s approval, only for Common to encourage him to keep his authenticity.
• They discuss KRS-One’s artistry—“the teacher” whose positive message created a different audience rapport.
  • KRS quote via Joe: “I rap about positivity and unity. You rap around gangsta shit, they gonna make you prove you a gangster every time out here. Me, they just smile. I pose no threat.” ([28:51])

8. Challenges in the Music Industry ([29:11] – [38:38])

• Common reflects on being lower priority at his label versus Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, learning to pursue his truth over chasing sales.
• Fat Joe’s ‘invisible train’ metaphor about recognizing and seizing risky opportunities (like leaving Relativity for Atlantic, and later signing Big Pun).
  • Fat Joe: “I feel like there’s this invisible train… But it seems so risky. But you gotta have faith and believe in yourself and jump on that train.” ([37:03])
• Common relates this to his leap into acting: “That was that invisible train for me … I love acting as much as I love music.” ([39:24])

9. Making the Transition: John Wick & Acting Stories ([40:58] – [42:13])

• Common’s breakout in John Wick 2, juggling filming in New York and Italy.
• Younger generations now know him more for acting; even Uber drivers are surprised to learn he rapped.
• The crew jokes about younger people not knowing “Common Sense” was his original rap moniker.

10. 'I Used to Love H.E.R.': Iconic Track’s Legacy ([43:06] – [47:13])

• Common details the creative process behind “I Used to Love H.E.R.,” and how its metaphor of hip hop as a woman was a revelation.
• His song inspired the movie Brown Sugar, and collaborations like “Love of My Life” with Erykah Badu.
• Common: “As soon as I said, ‘Who I’m talking about, y’all, is hip hop,’ that N grabbed his head like, ‘Oh!’” ([45:21])

11. Missed Opportunities, Regrets, and What-Ifs ([47:17] – [49:00])

• Fat Joe and Jadakiss share roles they turned down (Joe could’ve been “Peoples” in Shaft), reflecting on life’s sliding doors.
• Common is asked about his own “missed opportunities.”

12. Basketball, Chicago Bulls Memories, and the NBA ([49:49] – [51:49], [56:35] – [59:13])

• Common fondly remembers being the ball boy for the Chicago Bulls—witnessing Jordan’s debut.
• Discusses playing a pro baller in Just Wright (with Queen Latifah) and the challenges of acting in sports films.

13. Rap’s Transition to Acting: Top 5 Rappers-Turned-Actors ([54:23] – [55:19])

• Common’s list: Will Smith, Queen Latifah, Mos Def, Ice Cube, and Tupac (with himself, humbly, in the mix).

14. Chicago Hip Hop Shoutouts, “Victory” NBA Theme ([59:13] – [60:59])

• Jadakiss hears “all the Chicago spitters” in Common’s new NBA on Prime Video theme “Victory.”
• Common highlights Chi-town’s contributions: Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, Twista, and freestyler Juice.

15. Legacy, Wellness, and What’s Next ([62:22] – [64:09])

• Common teases his TV series Silo on Apple, his line of wellness and grooming products, and reflects on themes of health, legacy, and moving authentically.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Fat Joe on loyalty and intervention ([08:06]):
  "I literally begged for your life. I literally got in the middle, was like, please, he’s my friend. He’s my brother."
• Jadakiss on hip hop and positivity ([28:51]):
  “I rap about positivity and unity. You rap about gangsta shit, they gonna make you prove you a gangster every time out here. Me, they just smile. I pose no threat.”
• Common on acting and new beginnings ([39:24]):
  "That invisible train. For me, that’s what acting became … I love acting as much as I love music."
• On Jennifer Hudson’s resilience ([17:08]):
  “For her to have light and be good to people and still be bright about life, that’s a strong type of warrior.”
• On founding ‘I Used to Love H.E.R.’ ([45:21]):
  “As soon as I said, ‘Who I’m talking about, y’all, is hip hop,’ that [my friend] grabbed his head like, ‘Oh!’"
• Common on representing the culture ([23:07]):
  “When I’m up there, I feel like I’m representing us… We all the tribe, man.”
• Common’s top rappers-turned-actors ([54:29]):
  “Will Smith, Queen Latifah, Mos Def… Ice Cube… Tupac was fire… I’m gonna put myself.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [07:14] – Common tells the story of Fat Joe saving him during West Coast conflict
• [13:10] – Relationship wisdom and discussion of Jennifer Hudson
• [17:37] – Chicago’s influence, gangs, and community
• [19:59] – Jadakiss recalls Common’s lessons in investment and property
• [22:40] – Fat Joe on pride watching Common win big awards
• [24:34] – Positivity vs. authenticity in music
• [28:51] – KRS-One, Hip Hop’s audience, and reputational dichotomies
• [37:03] – Fat Joe’s ‘invisible train’ and professional risk-taking
• [39:24] – Common’s leap into acting and the experience filming John Wick 2
• [43:06] – Genesis and influence of “I Used to Love H.E.R.”
• [54:23] – Common’s top five rapper-actors
• [56:35] – Creating the NBA on Prime theme “Victory” and Chicago hip hop homage

Tone & Style

The conversation is:

• Fast-paced, familiar, and filled with inside jokes and honest self-reflection
• Intimate yet instructive—mixing personal anecdotes, advice, and nostalgia
• Unfiltered and witty; heavy on camaraderie and respect among iconic peers

For New Listeners

This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in hip hop history, Black culture, and the personal journeys behind rap’s biggest names. Through stories of loyalty, risk, triumph, and creative evolution, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, and Common illustrate the long arc from street corners and basement studios to Oscars and NBA soundtracks.

Listen for:

• Stories of street loyalty and near-misses
• Inspirational wisdom about self-worth, growth, and seizing opportunity
• Unfiltered hip hop history and Chicago shoutouts
• Hilarious admissions of missed acting gigs and lyric flubs
• The friendship, tough love, and everlasting bond of hip hop’s true OGs