Common (rapper)

Common (formerly Common Sense, born Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. on March 13, 1972, in Chicago, Illinois) is a Chicago-based hip hop artist.

Common (rapper) at Tufts University Spring Fling 2008

Albums

Resurrection (1994)

• My style is too developed to be arrested
  It's the freestyle, so now it's out on parole
  They tried to hold my soul in a holding cell so I would sell
  but I bonded with a break and had enough to make bail
  • "Resurrection" (Track 1)

• But once the man got you well he altered the native
  Told her if she got an image and a gimmick
  That she could make money,
  and she did it like a dummy
  Now I see her in commercials, she's universal
  She used to only swing it with the inner-city circle
  Now she be in the burbs lickin' rock and dressin' hip
  And on some dumb shit
  • "I Used to Love H.E.R." (Track 2)

One Day It'll All Make Sense (1997)

• I fight, with myself in the ring of doubt and fear
  The rain ain't gone, but I can still see clear
  As a child, given religion with no answer to why
  Just told believe in Jesus cause for me he did die
  Curiosity killed the catechism
  Understanding and wisdom became the rhythm that I played to
  And became a slave to master self
  A rich man is one with knowledge, happiness and his health
  My mind had dealt with the books of Zen, Tao the lessons
  of the Koran and Bible,
  to me they all vital
  And got truth within 'em, gotta read them boys
  You just can't skim 'em, different branches of belief
  But one root that stem 'em, but people of the venom try to trim 'em
  And use religion as an emblem
  When it should be a natural way of life
  Who am I or they to say to whom you pray ain't right?
  That's who got you doin' right and got you this far
  Whether you say "in Jesus name" or "Al hum du'Allah"
  Long as you know it's a being that's supreme to you
  You let that show towards others in the things you do
  Cause when the trumpets blowin', 24 elders surround the throne
  Only 144,000 gon get home
  • "G.O.D. (Gaining One's Definition)" (Track 7)

Like Water for Chocolate (2000)

• Granted we known each other for some time
  but it don't take a whole day to recognize sunshine
  • "The Light" (Track 7)

• The revolution will not be televised
  The revolution is here
  • "The 6th Sense" (Track 9)

• The perseverence of a rebel, I drop heavier levels
  of unseen or heard, a king with words
  Can't knock the hustle, but I've seen street dreams deferred
  Dark spots in my mind where the scene occurred
  Some say I'm too deep, but I'm in too deep to sleep
  • "The 6th Sense" (Track 9)

• I'm the truth, across the table from corporate lies
  Immortilized by the realness I bring to it
  If revolution had a movie I'd be theme music
  My music, you can either fight, fuck, or dream to it
  • "The 6th Sense" (Track 9)

• This industry will make you lose intensity
  • "The 6th Sense" (Track 9)

• Cause federal and state was built for a black fate
  Her emptiness was filled with beatings and court dates
  They fabricated cases, hoping one would stick
  And said she robbed places that didn't exist
  In the midst of threats on her life and being caged with Aryan whites
  Through dark halls of hate she carried the light
  • "A Song for Assata" (Track 15)

Be (2005)

• The chosen one from the land of the frozen sun, where drunk nights get remembered more than sober ones
  • "Be (Intro)" (Track 1)

• Never looking back, or too far in front of me. The present is a gift, and I just wanna be.
  • "Be (Intro)" (Track 1)

• We got arms but wont reach for the skies
  • "Be (Intro)" (Track 1)

• Be the author of your own horoscope
  • "Be (Intro)" (Track 1)

• We write songs about wrong cause its hard to see right
  • "The Corner" (Track 2)

• I look into my daughter's eyes. And realize that I'ma learn through her. The Messiah, might even return through her. If I'ma do it, I gotta change the world through her
  • "Be (Intro)" (Track 1)

Compilations, Singles, and Cameos

• Yo...on the amen, corner I stood lookin' at my former hood
  Felt the spirit in the wind, knew my friend was gone for good
  Threw dirt on the casket, the hurt, I couldn't mask it
  Mixin down emotions, struggle I hadn't mastered
  I choreographed seven steps to heaven
  and hell, waiting to exhale and make the bread leavened
  Veteran of a cold war its Chica-i-go for
  What I know or, whats known
  • "Respiration", Black Star (1998)

• Tried to call, or at least beep the lord, but didn't have a touch-tone
  • "Respiration", Black Star (1998)

• Let the truth be told from young souls that become old
  From days spent in the jungle, where must one go
  To find it, time is real, we can't rewind it
  Out of everybody I met, who told the truth?
  Time did
  • "The Truth", Pharoahe Monch Internal Affairs (1999)

• Took a picture of the truth and tried to develop it
  Had proof, but it was only recognized by the intelligent
  Took the negative and positive, cause niggas got to live
  Said I got to get more than I'm given
  Cause truth'll never be heard in religion
  After searching the world, on the inside what was hidden?
  It was the truth
  • "The Truth", Pharoahe Monch Internal Affairs (1999)

• This is street rad-i-o, For unsung hero,
  Driving in the regal, trying to stay legal,
  My daughter found Nemo, I found the new primo,
  Yeah, you know how we do, we do it for the people."
  • "The People", Finding Forever

Interviews

• I think and speak clearer since I cut the dairy out. I can breathe better and perform at a better rate, and my voice is clearer. I can explore different things with my voice that I couldn’t do because of my meat and dairy ingestion. I am proud and blessed to be a vegetarian, everything became clear.
  • From the documentary Holistic Wellness for the Hip-Hop Generation (2003); as quoted in "Common, Sticman, Badu Featured In New Health Documentary", AllHipHop (13 August 2003).

• I went to the movies — it was Kanye, myself and John Mayer, and we went to see "Ray." We were watching it, and I was just inspired by the movie, just as a musician and as an artist, I felt inspired. We left there and went straight to the studio. Kanye started cooking up this beat and started doing this chant, like, "Go, go, go," and while we were sitting there thinking what to write, John Mayer said, "You could write about your fantasy." And I was like, "Am I going to let John Mayer come up with the concept for this joint? This is hip-hop." But John Mayer is a very talented brother and you don't know where your blessings are going to come from. He was singing, and we made him a sample on it, going 'Go.' So it all came together and now we have the song 'Go!,' which is about going to my fantasy.
  • On working with Kanye West and John Mayer on the track "Go." (2004) (From MTV.com)

• Recently, John and I got to go to Selma and perform “Glory” on the same bridge that Dr. King and the people of the civil rights movement marched on 50 years ago. This bridge was once a landmark of a divided nation, but now is a symbol for change. The spirit of this bridge transcends race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and social status. The spirit of this bridge connects the kid from the South Side of Chicago, dreaming of a better life, to those in France standing up for their freedom of expression, to the people in Hong Kong protesting for democracy. This bridge was built on hope, welded with compassion, and elevated by love for all human beings.
  • The 87th Oscars ceremony, 22 February, 2015.

External links

• Common's official website