997
2007-11-20
2007-11-01
Common: Cool
Rapper
So few of
today’s popular musicians are interested in creating
work that says something other than “buy
me.&
So few of
today’s popular musicians are interested in creating
work that says something other than “buy
me.” But Chicago hip-hopper Common bucks that
trend with thoughtful songs on love, sexual abuse, and
politics.
The depth of
Common’s music stems from his being a Renaissance
man. He’s done public service announcements to
encourage HIV testing, saying, “This disease
doesn’t just affect a single race or sexual
orientation.”
Early in his
career the young MC dropped epithets like a rapping
bombardier. He’s now denounced his past behavior in
two very public forums -- in the spring he promised
Oprah he’s through with the n word, and in
September, Rolling Stone quoted him saying
he’s done “disrespecting
homosexuality.”
But it’s
with his music that Common’s messages reach the
audience that needs to hear them the most. Try not to
well up at the lyrics to his song “Between Me,
You & Liberation”:
He spoke with his eyes, tear-filled
A lump in his throat, his fear built
My whole life it was in steel
This ain’t the way that men feel
A feeling, he said he wish he could kill
A feeling, not even time could heal
This is how real life’s supposed to be?
For it to happen to someone close to me?
So far we’d come, for him to tell me
As he did, insecurity held me
I felt like he failed me
To the spirit, yelled ‘Help me’
I’d known him for like what seemed forever
About going pro we dreamed together
Never knew it would turn out like this
For so long he tried to fight this
Now there was no way for him to ignore it
His parents found out and hated him for it
How could I judge him? Had to accept him if I truly
loved him
No longer he said had he hated himself
Through sexuality he liberated himself
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