To mE_again:

I don't understand where the perception of arrogance comes from. I was asking the questions genuinely, not making any kind of point or statement. I was actually asking and would be willing to accept an answer that would mean my exclusion, if it came from everyone or from Common himself.

To Chike:
If an artist includes something offensive to one group of people while representing the perspective of an other, doesn't that limit his intended audience to the group he's repping? This is why I brought up the issue of 'who the music is made for'.

And if the answer is that he DOES write just for Black Americans as mE_again suggests, or even just for Chicago, as some players around here seem to think, then the only lyric Common might ever have to change would be:
"I went from bashful to asshole to international."
to just
"I went from bashful to asshole..."

About the scenerio with the Arab emcee, I would shit on him if he portrayed that disrespect without condemning it. But the analogy doesn't fit perfectly because the Arab emcee would be doing so while using a Black art-form (at least originating from Blacks if not created exclusively by or for Blacks). That makes it different from what Common has done, but I still think that I have the right to be mad.

I don't suggest that he change the lyric to 'Arab' because as you say it might not then be true to his artistic purposes, I just wish he wouldn't include lines like that anymore out of compassion for the rest of us Arabs, especially those who have loved and listened to him for years.

To Pinko Panther:

Thank you.

I wish I had the insight and energy to be as thorough as you have.