Published: December 26, 2011 Progressive Populist Today
Common formerly known as Common Sense has talents that never seem to stop bringing his fans surprises.
The thing about the fella is that he is a not a particularly controversial person. Maybe it's because he is so smart that controversy attaches itself to Common; or maybe because the media doesn't take time to research their subject before they start spouting the Right Wing Fear Line.
Common is a Midwesterner who grew up in Chicago with a grounded childhood. That can be easily understood when watching him at his book signing - a double book signing as his mother, a university professor, was right there next to him signing her book too. His book is titled One Day It'll All Make Sense. The cover carries a recommendation from none other then the Poetess of Black Life herself, the incomparable Maya Angelou.
Maya Angelou premiered one of her new poems at Common's December concert. Woops. Here comes another controversy. She hadn't expected the 'n' word to pop up in her duet with Common. Gotta get the lady listening to some rap! 'Nigger' in the rap context is a nickname between close friends (although their parents still don't approve.)
You will probably remember the big, noisy and overwhelming non-controversy that wasted everybody's time when Michele Obama invited Common to the White House. The supposed rage on the right was caused by a lyric the artist had written years ago - well, teenagers do that kind of thing.
Common's new CD is The Dreamer/The Believer featuring Maya Angelou, John Legend and NAS. Learn more and listen to songs at his web site Think Common.
Blue Sky(lyrics to first verse)
by Common
Top of the class
Black Wall Street so my stock'll never crash
Giving what I ask
Pure religion and cash
For the windows that open I'm raising my glass
Daylight beams
Nightlife schemes
This is my inception
I'm writing my dreams.
A mortal view of a star
Doing what I'm born to do
I see the blue skies
Say the lord's coming through (Common, The Dreamer/The Believer)
Black Wall Street so my stock'll never crash
Giving what I ask
Pure religion and cash
For the windows that open I'm raising my glass
Daylight beams
Nightlife schemes
This is my inception
I'm writing my dreams.
A mortal view of a star
Doing what I'm born to do
I see the blue skies
Say the lord's coming through (Common, The Dreamer/The Believer)
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