Crafting authenticity in the age of AI: Insights from hip-hop icon, Common

In a world where AI can generate endless content, true differentiation comes from something deeper: The ability to evolve your voice, your perspective, and your craft. It’s not just about sheer output, the magic lies in the intentionality and authenticity of your creation process, which ultimately manifests in the unique and meaningful content you share with the world.

This was the central theme of an exclusive fireside chat between Astha Malik, Chief Business Officer at Braze and award-winning artist, creator and innovator, Common at our recent City x City London event. Drawing from a career that spans decades and disciplines, Common shared how he continues to innovate, stay culturally relevant, and push his work forward.

We’re sharing those exclusive insights, and the actionable tips they translate to—helping marketers embrace change, avoid creative stagnation, and consistently deliver high impact work that resonates in a rapidly shifting landscape.

Building legacy over hype

Kicking off the conversation, Astha delved into Common’s impressive career, spanning over three decades across music, film, and literature. In an industry synonymous with virality and what’s new, Common shared how he distinguishes between fleeting trends and meaningful pivots that serve a long-term legacy like his own.

He spoke of his early influences and north stars, artists like Bob Marley, John Coltrane, and Nina Simone—people that have created work that has lasted throughout decades and reached people in ways that touched their spirits, their souls, and affected their lives. With those legendary references serving as the standard he built for himself, he acknowledged that trying to do something popular and “of the moment" is at odds with that standard.

Our tip for marketers: Focus on timeless values

While trends can offer short-term gains, anchoring your brand in timeless values ensures longevity. Regularly evaluate your brand's core values and ensure they align with your long-term vision to maintain relevance and authenticity.

The discipline behind the craft

While audiences often only see the glitz and glamour of awards and finished projects, there is a mundane discipline at play that allows artists such as Common to maintain their creative sharpness. He candidly shared his daily routines and practices that have kept his creative muscles honed, giving a glimpse into the dedication needed to thrive in such a challenging environment.

For example:

• Beginning the day saying something positive, being grateful for the day.
• Engaging in prayer and meditation, quietening his mind whether it’s for a few minutes or even 30 seconds.
• Exercise, working out to clear his mind.

He reflected that it’s important to develop routines that are beneficial for us to feel as empowered, as loved, as ready for the day, confident, and with belief in hope.

Our tip for marketers: Cultivate consistent habits

Establish daily routines that foster creativity and innovation. Encourage your team to dedicate time for brainstorming and skill development, ensuring your marketing strategies remain fresh and effective.

Embracing reinvention and risk

Common’s transition from being an underground rapper in Chicago to an Oscar-winning songwriter and Broadway actor is a testament to his ability to navigate major career shifts. As technology reshapes industries, including his own, his insights on staying relevant to old audiences while finding new ones was a chord that struck all too well with our audience of marketing professionals.

He spoke about how he views ideas and when to let them go, like he would in a relationship context. When you’ve given your all and everything you can to that relationship, if it still doesn’t feel right or is still not working, then you have to let it go. Then think, from that idea and that experience, what have you learned? He shared that he has learned some of the greatest lessons in his life from these relationships that didn’t work and things that he had to let go—whether that’s ideas, friendships, or relationships.

This philosophy underscores the importance of personal and professional evolution, and aligns with our belief at Braze that there has never been a better time to be a better marketer.

Our tip for marketers: Be brave with calculated risks

Don't shy away from experimenting, and being the tip of the spear. Pilot new platforms and strategies, test small, learn quickly, and iterate. If you want to change the way things are done at your organization or on your team, start with your own experiments and influence from there. Braze is designed to allow marketers to test and take calculated risks, so that you can open up new avenues for growth (for you, and your brand).

Standing out in an AI world

In an age of digital abundance fueled by AI-generated content, there are more messages flying around than your average person can realistically consume. The term ‘AI slop’ is gaining traction and for good reason—it refers to content lacking in effort, quality, or meaning, contradicting everything that we preach in marketing.

This is where work like Common’s stands out for its handcrafted quality and rooted perspective. His work embodies the inherently human values of authenticity and creativity, cutting through the sea of sameness with something that cannot be replicated. This really comes through in his music and his writing. Every lyric is a blend of storytelling, social commentary, and spiritual themes—and each word has a meaning, and a part to play in a bigger story, inspiring the listener and connecting deeply with their own lived experiences. He doesn’t grab attention for the sake of attention, he earns it with a clear point of view, with empathy and intentionality.

In marketing, the same sense of intentionality and strategic thinking are essential. The goal should be to craft campaigns that channel innovation and generate results, of course. But when you center your customer and thoughtfully prioritize what feels engaging and inspirational to them by leveraging what you know about them (from research, data, modeling) and combining it with human insights—it transforms the relationship dynamic entirely into something that lasts and weathers changes.

Common’s advice to the marketers?

Our tip for marketers: Blend technology with human intuition

Use AI to handle repetitive tasks, freeing up time for you and your team to focus on creative storytelling and personalized experiences. Integrate all-important human intuition with technological capabilities in order to make AI a "force multiplier" for creativity, rather than a substitute for human nuance. The marketer is not obsolete in an AI-powered world, the marketer is essential; the piece that makes AI deliver the value it promises, while keeping the craft at the heart of creation and experience intact.

Purpose and impact

Finally, Common highlighted the profound impact of using your platform for meaningful change, drawing from his own advocacy work with initiatives like FREE TO DREAM and his efforts in criminal justice reform. He emphasized that a platform’s true value lies in how it is used to drive positive change, not just in its reach or visibility.

This approach serves as a reminder to marketers striving to be purpose-driven without appearing performative, marketers ensuring authenticity and purpose are woven into the fabric of their brand strategy. It’s not enough to layer values superficially; they must be deeply embedded in every campaign and interaction.

Our tip for marketers: Integrate purpose at every level

To genuinely resonate with your audience, your brand’s purpose should be reflected in all aspects of your marketing strategy—from product development to customer interactions. “Is this something we believe in?” Is this a costume or a trend we’re chasing, or does it really sync with what we’re about?” Regularly assess and align your campaigns with your core values, and empower your team to make decisions that prioritize long-term impact.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the brands that will win in this ever-evolving environment will be those that think like creators, using craft and authenticity to drive real business results and keep human connection at the core of everything you do.

This conversation with Common underlines the importance of staying true to your roots while embracing the future with open arms, never losing sight of what makes you, or your brand, unique.