i am still baffled on how Common blew up?

the cat has been around since '92(industry wise).

what put him over the top? The Light?

Could it be his skills?

Dope beats?

Dude, I don't know what you're trying to say. Not everyone needs Jay-Z and a sprite commercial to blow up.

1Love,
BigPerm

"You funny do, cuz really you think you can do me when you roll a 500 that's really a 320."

In the Deck:

Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
Joni Mitchell - Hissing of Summer Lawns
Beth Orton - Central Reservation
Dave Hollister - Chicago 85...the Movie
The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
PJ Harvey - Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea

Ah, damn.

There goes my theory.

So there's your answer jonm. You need a skills, dope beats AND a sprite commercial to blow up in the rap game.

1Love,
BigPerm

"You funny do, cuz really you think you can do me when you roll a 500 that's really a 320."

In the Deck:

Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
Joni Mitchell - Hissing of Summer Lawns
Beth Orton - Central Reservation
Dave Hollister - Chicago 85...the Movie
The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
PJ Harvey - Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea

Yep, he did the Voltron thing along with Fat Joe.

Peace!!!!!!

BurbKnight- Software Developer (Gyrodata Inc.- Houston)

"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he won't eat"- my co-worker

Houston OkayPlayer Squad:

BurbKnight, Finesse, k_ysla, n_atalie, Solange, PolarBear, chocolateboywonder a.k.a BrotherBear (on and off), ReignStorm, MeganF (on and off), Ms.B, SoulOne, unohoo, pheen, slimpockets, voodoo1, bc, DELTA1393, foxfoto, SupermanFrom281, copperwings, MrBastard, Madame X, sthngrl


AIM: BurbKnight

Houston's next hip-hop sensation, K-Otix, homepage:
http://www.k-otix.com

Buy Angieee's book: http://www.thebrokediaries.com

Okayplayer Directory: http://theblackknight.tripod.com/okayplayer/okayplayer.html

that voltron joint!!!!!!!!!

i was wondering who it was, cuz i was used to common sense and shit!!!!! but he was still kinda unknown then....



bite me...http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/content.php?id=9155 OKAYcompilation...http://www.urgent.rug.ac.be/vinylators/okaycompilation/download.html


U WANT MY EMAIL ADDRESS?!?!!
its, dj_teddy_bear@hotmail.com, my AIM too? its cocoateddybear.

OKAYoungins - Givin You True Youth Since (11/12)2000

dj_teddy_bear - daveyg - zero - DROots - albinomexican - illnes - okaymattd - HomerILLiad404 - OkayBrazilian - mzhotgirl - Essaywhuman - HersheyBit - Preach - brown_thought - naame - akweykan - Lyterall - MoJoTaters - Loryn - Imfntubby - ILLusional - tRoUbLeMnD - TotalRequestloveLive - WhiGoStaR - smiler - itsmeaight - erjs408 - drFunkenstein - vuduchild - tygris - Afroteck - fLee - Scout - sugarflyy - Adrenaline - RipRapRoad - SayWhatMan - Divine Sheba - IlladOLphINS - ICE - 6thSenses - Okayplayer619 - Yunique

and our honorary OKAYuncle and aunts... L_O_Quent, 3rd i, bnicedh, Double M

wanna be an official OKAYoungin? hit me (info is higher up!), daveyg (davegilbertson - AIM) or zero (monkeybars j5 - AIM)

"They owe me whats mine, I show you if you if you lone me ya nine!...These crackers cant stop UHURU" - stic.man (of dead prez) 'dem crazy'

peace...One luv 4 hip hop.....DJ Teddy Bear

he always had skills....like back in '92.

the light!!!!!!!!

-->what put him over the top? The Light?<--

Rotation:
Blackalicious-Nia
Nelly Furtado-Whoa Nelly
U2-The Best Of 1980-1990
Donaly Byrd-Black Byrd
Roy Ayers-Ubiquity
Rasco-Time Waits For No Man

I really don't know why Common is just getting his props. He has been one of the dopest emcees for a minute (a long time). When you look back though, he has matured a bit, with his lyrics and delivery, but his old school shazz is still tight. I also think the colabos he's doing right now, are adding to his now success.



Love, Peace, & Respect,

MG

true.

Been listening to Common since sophmore year in H.S.
Anyone in Chicago know Com been dope from the beginning.
He just allowed hisself to grow.


________________________________________
Open Your 3rd Eye
http://www.geocities.com/kisszion/cleansing.html
~Or~
http://members.blackplanet.com/ZionzFire

The Bitch In Yoo or got him noticed (by more than the hardcore heads)
Retrospect For Life made them listen
The Light blew him up.
---------------------------------------------------------------
TastyDog: The snack man for Snoop n'dem. -haji rana pinya

"MOOSEHEAD: A great beer and a new experience for a moose"

i agree. A dis can do great things for your career(rapper).

Yummy
---------------------------------------------------------------
TastyDog: The snack man for Snoop n'dem. -haji rana pinya

"MOOSEHEAD: A great beer and a new experience for a moose"

lmao!!!

Remember You Got Me By The Roots?

of course. . .everything they touch is gold, or should be. :-)

>of course. . .everything they touch
>is gold, or should be.
>:-)

I disagree; or would it be better if I said not yet. And please save the usual, "I don't know man, I'm kinda feeling them" ish that Hemmroid, smacked that kid up for way back in '92(rememba that "hiphop" fans?).

I don't mean to say the SoulQuarians aren't good musicians, because they are as the roster will no doubt prove. I am just saying that they have yet to gel their various production types into one sound that is distinctly theirs; meanwhile, D'Ang is soon coming with a hybrid of styles he can call his own. ?uestion
(I'm sorry, he'll ALWAYS be BROTHER? to me after DOYOUWANTMORE!! He might as well named himself the artist formerly known as ?. Same thing your fans love and remember
?uestion from essaywhaman?!) on the other hand has evolved into an incredibly, distinct drumming force, as well as the premier Rhythm & Blues composer of the hiphop generation. For example, after hearing the MUSIQ soulchild CD dub (I didn't trust his voice after hearing the first single), I could predict which songs were produced by Brother? and the rest of the Roots gang because ALL of the instruments played by he, Kamaal, and Hub were clear giveaways.

What do The Soulquarians have to do with "The Light" anyway?
Check your insert, brah.

?uest worked on Musiq's album?

last time i checked (...well...i technically never checked), only scratch (and possibly HUB) did work on Musiq's album. the rest was done by other people, including A Touch of Jazz

-zero¹
aim / monkeybars j5
http://www.7moonz.com
the broke diaries | preorder it · buy one (or three) for a friend
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0679783571/o/qid=981793199/sr=8-1/ref=aps_sr_b_1_1/102-1257056-6824943
$9.95 / 10 april 2001

then the light put it over the top.... and got all the ladies diggin him...

but i believe it was jus part of the soulful/underground hip hop's uprise really!!!!!



bite me...http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/content.php?id=9155 OKAYcompilation...http://www.urgent.rug.ac.be/vinylators/okaycompilation/download.html


U WANT MY EMAIL ADDRESS?!?!!
its, dj_teddy_bear@hotmail.com, my AIM too? its cocoateddybear.

OKAYoungins - Givin You True Youth Since (11/12)2000

dj_teddy_bear - daveyg - zero - DROots - albinomexican - illnes - okaymattd - HomerILLiad404 - OkayBrazilian - mzhotgirl - Essaywhuman - HersheyBit - Preach - brown_thought - naame - akweykan - Lyterall - MoJoTaters - Loryn - Imfntubby - ILLusional - tRoUbLeMnD - TotalRequestloveLive - WhiGoStaR - smiler - itsmeaight - erjs408 - drFunkenstein - vuduchild - tygris - Afroteck - fLee - Scout - sugarflyy - Adrenaline - RipRapRoad - SayWhatMan - Divine Sheba - IlladOLphINS - ICE - 6thSenses - Okayplayer619 - Yunique

and our honorary OKAYuncle and aunts... L_O_Quent, 3rd i, bnicedh, Double M

wanna be an official OKAYoungin? hit me (info is higher up!), daveyg (davegilbertson - AIM) or zero (monkeybars j5 - AIM)

"They owe me whats mine, I show you if you if you lone me ya nine!...These crackers cant stop UHURU" - stic.man (of dead prez) 'dem crazy'

peace...One luv 4 hip hop.....DJ Teddy Bear

There are still people who like Common now and I play 1-9-9-9 for them and they have never heard it. I think 1-9-9-9 was when longtime Common heads realized something big was about to happen.
---------------------------------------------------------------
TastyDog: The snack man for Snoop n'dem. -haji rana pinya

"MOOSEHEAD: A great beer and a new experience for a moose"

No doubt, that song was tight as hell, but a lot of folks never heard it. He had a different style back then. Off beat flows, that some peeps weren't use to. I was diggin' that shazz though.

MG

we got a true head over here!!!! somebody knows HIP HOP. not just Soulwhatever.

but it was like the first of few joints from soundbombin 2, whcih fot sum noteriety, and then helped put his name out there a lil better. had a video also. and tho it wasnt nearly that big, i believe that is what was the beginning to his current reign....

but y is it when u mention his name (and folks like him, like mos and kweli and the roots) and LOTS of people go... 'OH I LOVE HIM/THEM!!!', but yet these artists r barely goin gold.... STOP FRONTIN AND COP IT DAMMIT!!!!!!!!



bite me...http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/content.php?id=9155 OKAYcompilation...http://www.urgent.rug.ac.be/vinylators/okaycompilation/download.html


U WANT MY EMAIL ADDRESS?!?!!
its, dj_teddy_bear@hotmail.com, my AIM too? its cocoateddybear.

OKAYoungins - Givin You True Youth Since (11/12)2000

dj_teddy_bear - daveyg - zero - DROots - albinomexican - illnes - okaymattd - HomerILLiad404 - OkayBrazilian - mzhotgirl - Essaywhuman - HersheyBit - Preach - brown_thought - naame - akweykan - Lyterall - MoJoTaters - Loryn - Imfntubby - ILLusional - tRoUbLeMnD - TotalRequestloveLive - WhiGoStaR - smiler - itsmeaight - erjs408 - drFunkenstein - vuduchild - tygris - Afroteck - fLee - Scout - sugarflyy - Adrenaline - RipRapRoad - SayWhatMan - Divine Sheba - IlladOLphINS - ICE - 6thSenses - Okayplayer619 - Yunique

and our honorary OKAYuncle and aunts... L_O_Quent, 3rd i, bnicedh, Double M

wanna be an official OKAYoungin? hit me (info is higher up!), daveyg (davegilbertson - AIM) or zero (monkeybars j5 - AIM)

"They owe me whats mine, I show you if you if you lone me ya nine!...These crackers cant stop UHURU" - stic.man (of dead prez) 'dem crazy'

peace...One luv 4 hip hop.....DJ Teddy Bear

True it wasn't big and I think for people who have always been into Common, The Roots, Mos, and the like felt that 1-9-9-9 marked either a beginning or an end (depending on how you look at it). For me it said that Hip-Hop was making it's return to the sound that I loved and had been disconnected from for awhile. 1-9-9-9 was that song that when I heard it, it left me speechless. The first time I heard it I felt that it was so good that I couldn't even nod my head to it. I just had to sit there and listen. Then I played it in my car and made the people on the road think I was crazy cuz I was shouting it at the top of my lungs and snaping my head back and forth like I was going through substance withdrawal. Then I remember The OneDrop played it at a club in Savannah and the people in the crowd sang every word of it as we jumped up and down like House of Pain wish they coulda made us do. But these were the heads who checked for it. This song meant that with all that The Roots and all were doing was about to turn the Hip-Hop world on it's ear and one of my favorite rappers, Common, was gonna be right in the thick of it.

But like I said, we are talking about the heads. When it comes to everyone else (and everyone else has to take notice for him to have blown up cuz we already know he done been blown up to us. When folks make mention to Com like he a new jack we raise an eyebrow and say Com been getting down) here is how I see they got into him using the 3 songs I mentioned before. Com does "I used to love H.E.R." That song was a classic to heads as it came out. But Common was still largely unknown to the mainstream. Ice Cube disses Com and folks turn and look at Common and say, "who the hell is he?" Com then tells them who he is by handing Ice Cube his ass in the form of "The Bitch In Yoo". Folks say whoa. This Common Sense is something serious. So now more people are paying attention. Fresh off the Fugees success and a much media talked about baby which made a star out of Lauryn Hill, Com does Retrospect for life. Eager to hear more of Ms. Hill, folks listen to this song about newborns and this time the women listen. And the women love a sensitive man who still maintains his manhood through his sensitivity. They embrace Common Sense. Now not only are many people checking for Common anyway, but they get a song with Com and Badu...instant hit and large scale fame.

So I'm with you TeddyBear that 1-9-9-9 was a monolith to hip-hop for me, but Com's now mainstream success didn't come from that song.

Oh yeah...stop using my icon in the chatroom sucka! I'm sick of people saying "that icon reminds me of DJ TeddyBear". :-)

Peace
Tasty
---------------------------------------------------------------
TastyDog: The snack man for Snoop n'dem. -haji rana pinya

"MOOSEHEAD: A great beer and a new experience for a moose"

but.. THEY MADE THAT ICON FOR ME!!!!!!

LOL!!!! I WAS THERE THE 1st DAY IT WAS MADE!!!! ITS MINE I TELL U!!! MIIIIINNNNNNNEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!



bite me...http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/content.php?id=9155 OKAYcompilation...http://www.urgent.rug.ac.be/vinylators/okaycompilation/download.html


U WANT MY EMAIL ADDRESS?!?!!
its, dj_teddy_bear@hotmail.com, my AIM too? its cocoateddybear.

OKAYoungins - Givin You True Youth Since (11/12)2000

dj_teddy_bear - daveyg - zero - DROots - albinomexican - illnes - okaymattd - HomerILLiad404 - OkayBrazilian - Essaywhuman - HersheyBit - Preach - brown_thought - naame - akweykan - Lyterall - MoJoTaters - Loryn - Imfntubby - ILLusional - tRoUbLeMnD - TotalRequestloveLive - WhiGoStaR - smiler - itsmeaight - erjs408 - drFunkenstein - vuduchild - tygris - Afroteck - fLee - Scout - sugarflyy - Adrenaline - RipRapRoad - SayWhatMan - Divine Sheba - IlladOLphINS - ICE - 6thSenses - Okayplayer619 - Yunique

and our honorary OKAYuncle and aunts... L_O_Quent, 3rd i, bnicedh, Double M

wanna be an official OKAYoungin? hit me (info is higher up!), daveyg (davegilbertson - AIM) or zero (monkeybars j5 - AIM)

"They owe me whats mine, I show you if you if you lone me ya nine!...These crackers cant stop UHURU" - stic.man (of dead prez) 'dem crazy'

peace...One luv 4 hip hop.....DJ Teddy Bear

_____________________________________________________________________

If trouble was money
I swear I'd be a millionaire
If trouble was money
I swear I'd be a millionaire
I said I'd buy the whole world
I'd buy the whole world
And have money to spare
Worries worries worries baby
I've got worries on my mind
Worries worries worries baby
I've got worries on my mind

You know times is so hard
I swear I aint gonna tell you no lie
If trouble was money
If trouble was money
I swear I'd be a millionaire

It was The Light plus the combination of MCA's rather agressive marketing campaign. Also, for the first time at Wherehouse in Memphis, Common had a CD that was on sale(indicating popularity and a strong seller).
And, it seems as though another conscious cycle is slowly creeping back in (Lauryn, The Roots, Erykah, D, De La, Dead Prez,etc).

"You're here, I'm pleased" Jilly from Philly

MCA gave Common and The Roots more of an aggressive campaign that their previous labels, Relativity and Geffen (DGc), former label of Nirvana, Guns N' Roses, and the Geto Boys (for whom they did one album for, then went back to Rap-A-Lot-- remember the mugshot album cover with the disclaimer by the label?). Plus, Common looks a lot less intimidating without carrying the 40 oz. bottles and having gang signs in his videos.

ma
meudontno@hotmail.com

r&b hooks blew common up. nobody knew who he was until retrospect for life- his 2nd r&b hook. (remindin me of 'sef- 1st r&b hook and the video with the most airplay before retrospect).
then he dropped the hungry video that i saw like 2 times. then the next lp...SIXTH SENSE....r&b hook and primo beat. then the light......super smoothed out beat and R&b hook.....then the geto heaven remix....r&b hook. if u don't have any common sense albums the odds are that you have only heard him backed with an R&b singer.

________________________________________
-representin the real since tuesday
-illified illustrated

hip-hop act + no hit singles = no plaque
hip-hop act + one hit single = solid gold plaque
hip-hop act + 2 consecutive hit singles = pure platinum plaque
hip-hop act + Dr. Dre ('99 on) = pure platinum plaque
hip-hop act + at least one Top 40 hit = pure platinum plaque +

there may be only a few exceptions but thats my theory.

LG
Doing my job since 1991

everything else, every other mc like Common already has. Beats, skills, image

If retrospect for life wasn't so serious, that might have worked to. But if you drop a song about a chick with a chick singing the hook, you get noticed. Ms Fat Booty, You Got Me, I don't want to be a player rmx et cetera. Hell, were it not for the sampled singing in Danger by Blahzay...

peace
k. orr

Damali, The Analog Girl in a Digital World

like jonm said Common always had skillz twas we who couldn't see

for the record "You got me was" NOT radio friendly half the world couldn't even understand the hook...

"You Got Me" was a BIG radio hit.
"The Light" only has a slight edge in total radio play.
LG
Doing my job since 1991

the piggyback theory.

a- there is no one really left. as far as true credible artists. well perhaps some. but in the "east coast boom bap" sound (aka "real hip hop") there is no one really left. a mos here, a pharoah there, a primo there, a thought there, and some others. so fans of "Real hip hop" who had billions of records to choose from back in 90, an 91 (i slept on organized til way later. cause the market was full. now? we'd kill for that shit).

b- assocaiation. erykah is high profile. we are associated with her. then we assoicated ourselves with artist of the like....

c-curious factor. is he is, or is he ain't her nuh! keeps his name in the mouths of troublemakers like ms. jones, wendy williams, and the jawn from sister to sister.

d- controversy. homophobe? mysogynistic? hypocrite? bad taste in clothes? producers? singing partners? when they stop talking. that's when the problem begins.

e- stepped live game up. although i don't think they are "Sonically" there yet. waterbabies put on a show that people beleieve in. different flavors. might not be your cup of tea. but it keeps him in high profile situations and touring.

f- expands his mind for more experimentation stuff. so album seams broader for non hip hop fans to embrace him.

g-he's an ill mc. that mc's love (jay's endoresement in rolling stone was crucial)

h- coming on the heels of our success....not to mention

i-having a hit helps







"Jazz is heading down because of the task of acquiring the intellect to further it. The refusal to acknowledge the intellect required to produce the music with each generation gets weaker, because you can’t produce people with the intellect required to defend yourself from the attacks of the ignorant." -wynton marsalis

"Hip Hop is heading down because of the task of acquiring the intellect to further it. The refusal to acknowledge the intellect required to produce the music with each generation gets weaker, because you can’t produce people with the intellect required to defend yourself from the attacks of the ignorant." -?uestlove

i argue with people everday how back in 90-93 there were different flavors to choose from.

people use to go crazy when EPMD dropped a new ablum, same for PE or BDP or NWA.

now things are the same but the groups are the same too! no diversity.

unfortunately, Common has to comprise his skills(yes i said it) to Blow up in the mainstream/commerical eyes.

this was not the same for the Roots. The Roots had timing. They were fortunate enough to tour and get their name out there to the public. Badu just had a familiar voice. Timing/video/talent/bit-of-a-push=success or blowing up!

the most important element of "the light" is common's ability to make you "believe it". i don't think he dumbed down at all.

have you heard "Can i borrow a dollar?" he has improved his ass off.



"Jazz is heading down because of the task of acquiring the intellect to further it. The refusal to acknowledge the intellect required to produce the music with each generation gets weaker, because you can’t produce people with the intellect required to defend yourself from the attacks of the ignorant." -wynton marsalis

"Hip Hop is heading down because of the task of acquiring the intellect to further it. The refusal to acknowledge the intellect required to produce the music with each generation gets weaker, because you can’t produce people with the intellect required to defend yourself from the attacks of the ignorant." -?uestlove

Everyone's lyrics have changed since '92....the standards have been raised (the exception of those in No Limit, no offense).

'92 was a different age, but i tell you what. Search for Breaker 1/9 remix or Soul By the Pound remix and listen to Common Sense. Totally different then the LP!

his cadence. vocab. delivery. breath control. all the elements. are doper now.

classics yes. but he has yet to find himself til now.

"Jazz is heading down because of the task of acquiring the intellect to further it. The refusal to acknowledge the intellect required to produce the music with each generation gets weaker, because you can’t produce people with the intellect required to defend yourself from the attacks of the ignorant." -wynton marsalis

"Hip Hop is heading down because of the task of acquiring the intellect to further it. The refusal to acknowledge the intellect required to produce the music with each generation gets weaker, because you can’t produce people with the intellect required to defend yourself from the attacks of the ignorant." -?uestlove

...couldn't say it any better!!
Other than the r&b hooks were also major impacts


a dying art...
now showing signs of life from sips of
my fountain pen of youth -ME,MYSELF & I

Has anyone heard of 'em? Common blows up after 10 years of puttin' in work and we question it? I'm still wonderin' where the hell fools like Ludacris and Nelly came from...and why their sellin' millions...If Common has went platinum yet, he's deserved every unit he pushed. I flipped out over "I used to love H.E.R." (can anybody say 'classic'?) and I was but a wee girl in high school (before half these mofo's even knew who Common was). I'm still bangin Like Water for Chocolate, ADIDAS/SPRITE contracts and r&b hooks aside...

"We live the now for the promise of the infinite" --Mos Def

"I'm tryin' to soar to altitudes unknown to man, woman or the most agile of birds" --yours truly

"your people first. a quiet strength. the positioning of oneself so that observation becomes reaction, where study is preferred to night life, where emotion is not seen as a weakness. love for self, family, children and extensions of self is beyond the verbal"
--Haki R. Madhubuti

Folks need to stop saying things like "i dont know where Nelly and Ludicris came from?"..i am tired of it, i really am...Cause the people that go to Nelly and Ludicris shows are the people Common would like at his show(not "coffe shop chicks and white dudes"). Nelly and Ludicris come from the streets and so does Common...I believe Common is a better emcee because he has proven himself to be one. But that does not make Nelly and Ludicris weak.

Let me guess they are weak because of what the rap about right?
Then ask yourself why do they rap about those things. The critisims USUALLY comes from rich kids who got everything they wanted anyway! But on the real everything they rap about aint a reality for every person that lives in the ghetto, but something are saying is stickin....and i am talking about specifically those two, Nelly and Ludicris. Not DMX or any of these rappers that dont display any lyrical technique what so ever.

That is something that yall underground lovin people dont thnk about. Mabey some of your favorite emcees dont rap about certain topics because thay cant! they really aint from the streets and really dont have nothin exciting happening in their lives or any kind of STRUGGLE to rap about!

So they always rap about rapping..."my style" "this emcee that". at the end of the day people from the streets is "like what that got to do with this fucked up school system i been in?" or "what im going through" or "what im doing to get me through this"

it is my belief that Common could spit hella more street oriented game. but he CHOOSES not to!..just as Kweli did. Mos Def has, Hiero has, Planet Asia has, Black Thought has...and hella other "positve" emcees who yall thought just read hella books and did not get their skills from growin up in the streets.

Back in the day fools used to say the same thing about Too $hort.

Bet i can tell you where he came from....the same place some of you missguided folks come from. the same place some of yall rich kids wished yall lived.

"By Rakim and Too $hort i've been inspired"- who said that huh?


EAST OAKLAND YEAH THATS RIGHT!!!

"PlayaHayta! Cant you tell a NIKE from a GAYTA!"- AgerMan of 3xKrazy

Life is not fair, yet, if you have the chance to make it fair for someone else, do it.- Yours Truly

You aint never seen nothin like this in you life. You gone...love it...LOVE IT!!-Old Dirty(going to pick up some foodstamps while on MTV News.)

Actually I was born and raised in the place that Too $hort is from (the place in which he no longer resides but anywayz...) You're probably not responding to me directly but my point was: Why question Common's current success when he has put at least ten years of work into it. Nelly and Ludacris, who have sold more records than Com by far are virtual unknowns. I'm from the streets, but you won't hear me talkin' about it 24-7, the World is much bigger than E.14th--if you nah'mean? I'm just as much for rebuilding the projects in my neighborhood as for rebuiling Rwanda! Ya gotta know to grow!

"We live the now for the promise of the infinite" --Mos Def

"I'm tryin' to soar to altitudes unknown to man, woman or the most agile of birds" --yours truly

"your people first. a quiet strength. the positioning of oneself so that observation becomes reaction, where study is preferred to night life, where emotion is not seen as a weakness. love for self, family, children and extensions of self is beyond the verbal"
--Haki R. Madhubuti

1Love,
BigPerm

"You funny do, cuz really you think you can do me when you roll a 500 that's really a 320."

In the Deck:

Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
Joni Mitchell - Hissing of Summer Lawns
Beth Orton - Central Reservation
Dave Hollister - Chicago 85...the Movie
The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
PJ Harvey - Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea

"east coast
>boom bap" sound (aka "real
>hip hop")

Do you really feel that the east coast is presently putting out the "real hip hop?" I agree that your whole squad is, but other than Okay fam I tend to think the left coast is at the forefront. Blackalicious, Latyrx, Pharcyde etc.. Just my opinion though?

"real hip hop"


"Jazz is heading down because of the task of acquiring the intellect to further it. The refusal to acknowledge the intellect required to produce the music with each generation gets weaker, because you can’t produce people with the intellect required to defend yourself from the attacks of the ignorant." -wynton marsalis

"Hip Hop is heading down because of the task of acquiring the intellect to further it. The refusal to acknowledge the intellect required to produce the music with each generation gets weaker, because you can’t produce people with the intellect required to defend yourself from the attacks of the ignorant." -?uestlove

i read the posts. y'all are hilarious!
"bitch in yoo" loved by more than hardcore heads?
HA!! no wonder we are lost as a nation of hip hoppers.
"retrospect for life" had the right ingredients. but it was overkill. this is why i stepped in. simple song with lauryn singing the hook would've had the boy win last album (with a plaque, he still won cause it was a beautiful album). but it's kinda hard to yell "oh!!! that's my shizzzznit!! to a song about abortion.

then i wasn't there to cut that damn 8 minute "all night long" down to a 3 minute ditty.

no one but heads gave a fuck about 1999.

not that there is anything wrong with that. but i'm talking about hearing a song come on at 5pm before flex, in between "ms. jackson" and the neptunes.

"the light" was cool enough for heads to not yell "sellout"
"the light" was earnest enough for women to wanna believe that there is a prince out there who loves em for them.
"the light" was catchy enough for mca to go to radio and beg em for airplay.
"the light's" video had y'all all posting bout com's and erykah's friendship.

so even though those songs were crucial:

-h.e.r (the anthem)
-resurrection remixes (adds fuel to com's fire)
-bizness (brought him to broad audience in hip hop that ig'd him before. not to mention native tounge association put him at a higher level than before.)
-bitch in yoo (proved that boy was no punk, and had skills out the ass)
-retrospect (showed the earnest side of com yet again. put him in forefront as concerned familyman biopolar opposite of mysogenistic mc's)
-mad guest spots. rawkus and white labels led up to the big explosion that became...

"the light".










"Jazz is heading down because of the task of acquiring the intellect to further it. The refusal to acknowledge the intellect required to produce the music with each generation gets weaker, because you can’t produce people with the intellect required to defend yourself from the attacks of the ignorant." -wynton marsalis

"Hip Hop is heading down because of the task of acquiring the intellect to further it. The refusal to acknowledge the intellect required to produce the music with each generation gets weaker, because you can’t produce people with the intellect required to defend yourself from the attacks of the ignorant." -?uestlove

>"bitch in yoo" loved by more
>than hardcore heads?

>-bitch in yoo (proved that boy
>was no punk, and had
>skills out the ass)

>-mad guest spots. rawkus and white
>labels led up to the
>big explosion that became...
>
>"the light".


Does the above mean that now that the explosion that is the light came to be we will never see another "real nigga quotes", "one too many" "hungry" (the man said "skip ladies, this is rip a motherfucker night" for goodness sakes) "bitch in yoo" "dooinit" etc? Expansion is definitely cool but com spoiled us with the hardcore and then took us somewhere completely different. Im not fronting on him, hes still nice but knowing his full potential, cats ("real cats" if you wanna call us that) arent as open. I say this in a half joking sounding like the regular complainers and half serious manner. Before 106 and Park and Rap City Common was associated with sickness, I know it doesnt sell but give us more than 2 or 3 tracks. Its probably that hes matured though

He's matured. Common's way of thinking and his beliefs have probably changed since then. Let the man grow. I'd rather see him be soft and genuine, than hard and fake.

"You're here, I'm pleased" Jill Scott

This is not an either/or situation.

In other words, it isn't battle emcee = immature/story rhymer = mature. I think he can mix and match it up and still reflect maturity. What folks are clamoring for is the *well-rounded* emcee, the cat who can flip stories, battle rhymes, humor, introspection, et cetera. Com's got that. I don't think his new musical direction means we'll never hear another "Hungry" again. In fact, if Bun B and them don't quit it, we'll hear another "Bitch In Yoo".

(if you didn't know, Bun B and some assorted members of the UGKz extended fam dropped a dis cut against Com on the under...maybe it'll stop there...in which case a response on a mix tape is appropriate...but if they keep it up on the next UGKz album, methinks a more public lyrical ass whipping may be necessary)

Thoughtfully yours,

Spirit

http://www.mp3.com/miscellaneousflux - click for instant audio gratification

http://mp3.washingtonpost.com/bands/in_shallah.shtml
- b-boy soul music for the world to
uprock to...

http://mp3.washingtonpost.com/bands/miscellaneous_flux.shtml (Flux's "Sad Sunshine" is currently an editor's pick at http://www.washingtonpost.com/mp3)

"Quit acting like a bitch, 99.99999% of the people can see that you're an idiot." - OKP october33 ripping a hole in someone

"Put on a Mobb Deep record. Take a shot everytime you hear 'Nigga'. Two shots everytime you hear QBC/41st Side/Queensbridge. Three shots everytime you hear 'gat' or any other nickname for a gun. If you make it to the third track alive, call 911, and go get your stomach pumped..." - OKP DiscoDJ teaching the kids about the dangers of mixing alcohol and Mobb Deep

What I meant to say is "we MIGHT see another Bitch in Yoo" if UGKz and fam keep dissing.

and the equation I meant to refute was "battle rhymes = immature/story rhymes = mature" (as we know already that com isn't constricted to either style...but some folks seem to think he'll never bust a battle rhyme again...why?).

Thoughtfully yours,

Spirit

http://www.mp3.com/miscellaneousflux - click for instant audio gratification

http://mp3.washingtonpost.com/bands/in_shallah.shtml
- b-boy soul music for the world to
uprock to...

http://mp3.washingtonpost.com/bands/miscellaneous_flux.shtml (Flux's "Sad Sunshine" is currently an editor's pick at http://www.washingtonpost.com/mp3)

"Quit acting like a bitch, 99.99999% of the people can see that you're an idiot." - OKP october33 ripping a hole in someone

"Put on a Mobb Deep record. Take a shot everytime you hear 'Nigga'. Two shots everytime you hear QBC/41st Side/Queensbridge. Three shots everytime you hear 'gat' or any other nickname for a gun. If you make it to the third track alive, call 911, and go get your stomach pumped..." - OKP DiscoDJ teaching the kids about the dangers of mixing alcohol and Mobb Deep

Respiration? That song got mad play on the radio where I was in Alabama and here (figgin' South Bend, IN) The video got love too.

I think that timing had a lot to do with Com's blowing up also because pple are tired of the norm and music switchs directions every couple of years - case and point for hip hop 76-82, 82-86, 86-89, 89-92,92-95,95-97(98),98-now. It can't stay the same because repeating the same damn thing would mean that the Osmonds would still selling records.

Otherwise the biggest word in his blow up would have to be - MCA

all other things mentioned helped but dope albums with no promotion stay in our hands (read hip hop heads), look how long it took for pple to start copping Jilly and that's r&b.

My thoughts

carry on


I want to cook you a soup that warms your soul - Sade

Buy Angieee's book because her cats need the money they have been surviving off of church donated "slightly" damaged dog food. So buy the book. - L_O_Quent

Respiration on South Bend radio???

i didn't think wubu played hip-hop... or was this in the days of wsmk 99.1? when they were decent?

--me--
"that shit made me forget what i was thinking" - bonz malone

Audio Clip of the week:
Michael Jackson in "The Wiz"
http://www.thejawn.com/realaudio/brain/youcantwin.ram

Bill's Homepage... back for 2K1... almost.
http://www.thejawn.com/brainchild

download?
http://www.thejawn.com/realaudio/quest128.rm

r u here?


actually I was told that it was being repeatedly played here, it's beyond logic so don't try and figure it out my cousin almost went crazy thinking abou that one.

if you are here you HAVE to hit me up

carry on



I want to cook you a soup that warms your soul - Sade

Buy Angieee's book because her cats need the money they have been surviving off of church donated "slightly" damaged dog food. So buy the book. - L_O_Quent

>i am still baffled on how
>Common blew up?

Dear JonM:

Late. That's how the brother blew up. You see the media hype surrounding Common Sense the artist was scheduled for the release of "RETROSPECT FOR LIFE", the brilliant single on the "One Day It Will All Make Sense" CD. It featured a piano riff only the musically challenged could front on. A hook that NOBODY could front on because Ms. Lauryn-Only-Can-Do-Right Hill sung. A flow any "hip-hop"*lol* fan who can't understand what Pharoah Monche, Big Jus, & El-P are saying, can easily follow.
Lastly yet most importantly, content which discusses a SERIOUS MALE INTERPRETATION on an issue which affects nearly 99% WOMEN who experience sexual contact in this promiscuous society. Abortion. It also gave the young rap world an REALISTIC EXAMPLE OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF DENYING/ACCEPTING MALE FATHERHOOD.


Of the few sistas who I have come into discussion with on this song, not one had a bad thing to say about it.

So if females was feelin it why didn't he blow then? Good question.

FACT: Hot 97 FM is a division of ENNIS COMMUNICATIONS.
FACT: Hot 97 is the ONLY radio station BROADcasting hip hop in the TRI-STATE AREA (NY, NJ, CONN) with the exception of the college shows & Stretch & Bobbito.
FACT: Hot 97 for the past decade has NEVER HAD A PERSON OF COLOR AS THEIR PROGRAM DIRECTOR; what does this mean? How is it significant?
It is significant because your program director chooses what x- amount of songs get spun on the station regularly. The only thing that may remotely affect his/her decision is PUBLIC OUTCRY FOR TRUE HIPHOP.
FACT: Because Hot 97 ("the place where hiphop lives...oops should I say the place where hiphop IS DYING) has such a GIGANTIC listening audience as Nielsens Ratings will tell you, other hiphop/r&b radio stations go to ENNIS COMMUNICATIONS, specifically hot 97 to find out what's "hot" and what's not. How is this significant? Well basically you can thank ENNIS for blowing up the whole "bi-coastal beef" thing from way back with Biggy & Pac. They told other radio stations, not only are such & such & such songs hot as hell, but yadda, yadda, yadda topics will get you ratings if discussed on air.
FACT: IF THERE ARE CERTAIN SOCIAL/POLITICAL UNDERTONES IN THE MESSAGES OF YOUR MUSIC, NO MATTER HOW "HOT" YOUR BEAT IS, OR HOW "WACK" YOUR BEAT IS, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT GET SPINS.
EXAMPLE?
"RETROSPECT FOR LIFE" WAS NEVER HEARD ON HOT 97 UNLESS COM VISITED THE STATION.
"THIEVES IN THE NIGHT" BY BLACKSTAR WAS NEVER HEARD ON THE STATION.
"I'M AMERICA" BY CO-FLOW WILL NEVER BE HEARD ON HOT 97
YOU WILL NEVER HEAR "WATCHING ME" BY JILL SCOTT ON THE RADIO.
NOBODY (WHO STRICTLY LISTENS TO THE RADIO) HEARD THE SINGLES RELEASED BY TALIB KWELI & CO DISCUSSING THE SOCIAL OUTRAGE OF THE SAVAGE MURDER OF ABNER LOUIMA.
YOU WILL, HOWEVER, HEAR COUNTLESS DEDICATIONS TO RAPPERS WHO LIVED & SPOKE THEIR DEATHS INTO EXISTENCE. THESE PETTY, INDUSTRY SCAMS, MOST OF WHICH ARE MADE BY ARTISTS WHO HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FALLEN ARTISTS AS THE MOTHERS OF THESE ARTISTS WILL TELL YOU, ARE MADE IN THE INTEREST OF GAINING "$" AND GIVING BIRTH TO THEIR NONEXISTENT CAREERS.
I MEAN, COME ON, BE REAL, WOULD THE RAP WORLD WOULD HAVE HEARD OF THE LOX IF IT WASN'T FOR "WE'LL ALWAYS LOVE U BIG POPPA"? AND SINCE WHEN IS IT slaveMASTER P'S PLACE TO DO AN ENTIRE DEDICATION ALBUM TO 2PAC. ESPECIALLY WHEN HE BITES HIS STYLE SO HEINIOUSLY.-Further proof that Pac is dead because after the way he tried to blaze those Queens cats on "HIT EM UP",
I'd like to believe he'd gun ol' PERCY.

QUESTION: Why is it the true emcees can't get spins unless they address the ladies? See "Ms.Phatbooty", "You Got Me", "The Light", and the hook on "Get The F*ck Up" for further proof. Not taking anything away from these talented bros. but could they have received the same spins & public acclaim if they dropped, "Nu World Water", "I'm Still Out There", "The Big Payback", and "Queens"?

When the reasons these artists shine so brightly above the rest of the babblers, my bad, rappers, is their ability to produce a range of thought on social issue, flair for production, ability to rhyme without drug-selling references, spirituality, & constant references to spreading LOVE and UNITY,
why is that expression constantly overlooked by the radio friendly, single discussing the only thing that "matters" to the younger hiphop generation besides "street glory" which is love or sex?

Something to discuss at a later date perhaps.....


"The man that knows something knows that he knows nothing at all"-Erykah Badu

"I give a damn if any fan recalls my legacy/I'm trying to live life in the sight of God's memory"- Mighty Mos

"It's a shame that black women are SO BEAUTIFUL...CAUSE THE ACTIONS OF MOST OF EM SHOW THAT THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW IT."-Solitayre

"Well brother's & sisters, are we gonna choose our faith by what is in our souls, or the white reaction of what is on our skin."-Solitayre

spit genius ish quite well, I never thought about it like that.

conversation with this chick last summer (months after lwfc dropped)

her: "Ooh, I like common, I have his album"
me: (with the yeah right skeptical face) "what album do you have?"
her: the one with the song with lauryn hill
me: retrospect for life, name me another song on that album that you like
her: .........
me: you dont know anything about common


I want the purest purist mc back, will we have to rely strictly on guest appearances, b-sides and white labels?

We need more songs about that...love is consciousness personified.

Anyway, marketing & women blew Common up?

A lot of cats heard of Common & the Bitch in You..but he wasn't felt enough to make enough of us want to buy it. Shit, just catch the track on the mix tape & call it a day.

I've got every Common album, imo, its music you wouldn't play at a hip hop party.

Retrospect for Life video got rotation on BET - women like the track, people dig the expression...he gets a little love but its not type of hip hop song, you run out & buy the album for.

The Light's got a down home feel to it, there's not 1 black person I know that does't feel the track. You get a hand clap to it. The melody is played at wedding & baby showers...its a community song like T.R.O.Y. The kind of rap record your grandmother asks you to play again.

That's all she wrote because when enough of us dig your shit, its bound to blow.

Damn marketing...women blew Common up. Women are the secret ingredient to success in hip-hop. If women dig your music you win, period.

Peace,
Chris

i disagree. BIGGIE was for the NIGGAS. NWA, Too Short, GETO BOYS, etc....

Female & male...

Chicks dug NWA too & Minds Playin' Tricks On Me.

It depends on the track...but women buy records.

many may not want to hear that, but it's true. Common Sense only talked about regional activities(in the CHI), unfortunately that is not excepted unless you are from Long Beach or NYC. Once he branched out and was pushed by MCA he made it big.

As someone who lives in the equivalent of what is Washington State in the Hip Hop Nation, or on the fringes, I can give you insight into what caught my attention about him. I think I know the "hit" song from all of his previous albums, and I liked them okay, but I never knew who the rapper WAS. Then I heard the Sixth Sense, which blew me away, but again, I did not know who that rapper WAS, until I saw him on Tavis Smiley on BET. I was like, "Wow! That's whose song this is?" Tavis showed the CD on BET, along with Let's Get Free, and had a very intelligent conversation with Common, Dead Prez, and Kevin Powell from the Real World. I went out and bought LWFC the next day. Been in love with the Brothah ever since. He is deep. In short, what blew Common up is exposure. There is no beating getting your message out there to the masses via that tv box. That is why it's so disappointing that the Nike/Mos Def commercial version of "Umi Says" is altered, or shortened. His full message is being missed by the masses. Tavis Smiley said that LWFC was "critically acclaimed". That, and hearing Common speak for himself was enough to convince me to purchase that CD, and believe you me, I donot purchase music lightly, because CDs and tapes are expensive.





"Don't Hate the PLAYA Boy...hate the GAME," Granddad Freeman of the Boondocks(7-11-99)

*Twenty-three percent of women are "autoerotic singles" — they prefer to achieve sexual satisfaction alone(source-bet.com)

Or was he bombed by Bin Laden?

Thanks for reading. I love you.

"What are you but my reflection, who am I to judge or strike you down?" - MJK

In Rotation:
Tool - Aenema
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
Lee Perry - Return Of Wax
Jay Dee - Welcome To Detroit
Pink Floyd - The Wall
Lonnie Liston Smith - Cosmic Funk

i do not understand.

Thanks for reading. I love you.

"What are you but my reflection, who am I to judge or strike you down?" - MJK

In Rotation:
Tool - Aenema
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
Lee Perry - Return Of Wax
Jay Dee - Welcome To Detroit
Pink Floyd - The Wall
Lonnie Liston Smith - Cosmic Funk

dude what planet are you from?? if you think it was "the light" that blew common up......man, i really don't know what to say about you??...you must have just started listenin' to his music...if that's the truth, then i might be able to excuse you for your BONEHEAD statement......to me, i think "resurrection" blew com up....when that album dropped, he really didn't get a lot of mainstream recognition...but i'm pretty sure hundreds of thousands of people nationwide were noddin' their heads to those tracks.....especially "i used to love h.e.r"......com has come a very long way since "can i borrow a dollar"........he has grown with each album that he's put out.......the different variations, the fusion of soul, and jazz.....musical masterpieces......the man is a genius.....