Common’s New Track Hopes To Help Close The Representation Gap When It Comes To Dentists

Common‘s latest initiative if helping close the gap when it comes to Black representation when it comes to dentists.

He partnered with Listerine to release the new track, “The Art of Freshness.” This collaboration blends the sensory experience of using a familiar mouthwash with a powerful message and melodic sound that highlights the necessity of representation.

The multihyphenate wrote the song.

“The inspiration behind this song, ‘The Art of Freshness,’ was creating something that felt good, and I wanted to depict what Fresh means,” Common said in a statement exclusive to Blavity. “And I always think of the word ‘fresh’ to mean excellence, something joyful, bright, and beautiful. And I wanted the song to have that tone to it, to have that spirit of freshness to it.”

Though Black people making up more than 12% of the U.S. population, the dental field, specifically dentists, see Black representation at less than a startling four percent. By partnering with Compound, led by founder Set Free Richardson, Listerine seeks to amplify conversations around equal representation in the dental field with The Whoa Collection, which is a Target exclusive.

Hebru Brantley and Frank Morrison brought their artistic visions to life through the bottle wraps. Brantley’s design is an extension of his narrative-driven work and aligns with Listerine to promote good hygiene and overall well-being. Morrison used his art to highlight the diversity disparity in dentistry, hoping to ignite conversations.

The limited-edition bottles are also supporting Increasing Diversity in Dentistry (IDID) Pipeline Program, a 501(c)(3) organization focused on mentoring and nurturing underrepresented minority pre-dental students in the U.S. This contribution will aid IDID’s efforts through test preparation, application assistance, scholarships, and practice grants, helping to bring forth the next generation of Black dental professionals.

“I’m a believer in inspiring people, spreading love in any way possible that will bring light to humanity and to people,” he continued. “And I felt that connection when I got in tune with what Listerine was doing with black dentists. And then we have these incredible black artists who designed some of the bottles. It all felt right to me and I was excited to be a part of it.”