As well as music, Common has worked as an actor, on films such as 'Smokin' Aces' (as Sir Ivy) 'American Gangster' (as Turner Lucas), 'Wanted', and 'John Wick: Chapter 2'. He may also be seen in cameo roles in films such as 'Brown Sugar'.
His debut was the 1992 album Can I Borrow A Dollar, but he achieved little critical or commercial success until 1994's Resurrection, an instant classic. He produced several more albums, notably Like Water For Chocolate and the highly experimental Electric Circus, before releasing the Kanye West and J Dilla-produced Be in 2005, which was his first album to receive widespread mainstream appeal and radio playtime.
Common is considered a "cred" artist, which has lead him to collaborations with the likes of De La Soul, Jadakiss, T.I, Talib Kweli, The Roots, Kanye West, Lily Allen, Erykah Badu, and Fort Minor.
The 2007 album Finding Forever was produced mainly by long-time collaborator, Kanye West. Common released his eighth album Universal Mind Control in 2008, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album but lost to the Eminem album Relapse. He released his ninth album The Dreamer/The Believer in 2011. Nobody's Smiling, his tenth album, was released in 2014. The concept of the album was inspired by his troubled hometown of Chicago.
Love is...
Common Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah
How beautiful love can be
On the streets love is hard to see (yeah)
It's a place I got to be
Loving you is loving me
How beautiful love can be
Gotta reach that frequency
Loving you is loving me
Yeah, you know what love is
Even found it on the ground where the thugs live
My man had to dig deep to find his
Couldn't sleep 'cause on the real, he had five kids
Live nig's, real niggas express and taste it
At crap games, black dames and big faces
Cases in court, fam' showin' love and support
You and your baby's mom thought that love was a sport
As men we were taught to hold it in
That's why we don't know how 'til we're older men (yeah)
If love is a place, I'ma go again
At least now, now I know to go within
At times it can take you for a spin
Heartbreak hotel then you're home again
I've seen love make a nigga soul pretend
Like a story that he don't want to end, yo
How beautiful love can be
On the streets love is hard to see
It's a place I got to be
Loving you is loving me
How beautiful love can be
On the streets love is hard to see
Gotta reach that frequency
Loving you is loving me
It's all love where we come from
In the hood love we was told to run from
That same hood where the guns sung
We holla love, hopin' it become one
Crack got so many lives undone
From lack of love many hide, some run
I knew this girl with a son who dreamt of actin' in plays
Demonstration with her man had her trapped in a maze
Tryna find herself again, much of that she'd have gave
Love can free us, to it some react as a slave
Funny, we love 'em more when they're relaxed in a grave
Wonder if a thug is raw, is he actin' afraid?
Everybody loves sun, why do I attract shade?
Heard of the love of money, but compassion, it pays
Talk about it with my youth so she'd understand
What it is to be loved by a man, uh
How beautiful love can be
On the streets love is hard to see (yeah)
It's a place I got to be (woo)
Loving you is loving me
How beautiful love can be
On the streets love is hard to see
Gotta reach that frequency
Loving you is loving me
Some say that I'm a dreamer 'cause I talk about it often
Seen the hardest nigga soften wit' his homie in a coffin
We walk and stand in, fall in it
With the right companion we all in it
Mary sang a song about it, having broad limits
In the game of life, it's the scrimmage
Reminiscing on letters I wrote in my small days
A letter to the people, love always, yeah
How beautiful love can be (woo)
On the streets love is hard to see
It's a place I got to be
Loving you is loving me
How beautiful love can be
On the streets love is hard to see
Gotta reach that frequency
Loving you is loving me
In Common's song "Love Is," the rapper reflects on the concept of love and its place in the streets. He acknowledges that love can often be hard to see amidst the violence and chaos of the urban environment. Common speaks on his own experience with love and how it has affected him personally. He speaks to the idea that love is a place we can travel to, rather than simply a feeling that we experience. Common also touches on the fact that love is often misunderstood and misinterpreted, with many people confusing love with possession or domination. Overall, the lyrics of the song suggest that for Common, love is a guiding force in his life, providing him with comfort, support, and inspiration.
One interesting fact about "Love Is" is that Common wrote the song as an anthem of sorts for his I Am Love Foundation, which works to empower youth and promote social justice. The song was released in 2020 as part of a compilation album called Black Voices Matter, which featured a range of artists speaking out on issues related to racism and inequality. Another interesting fact is that the song samples a track called "Fragile" by Belgian singer-songwriter Selah Sue. Common heard the song while traveling in Europe and was struck by its message of vulnerability and emotional openness.
Line by Line Meaning
How beautiful love can be
The singer praises the beauty of love
On the streets love is hard to see (yeah)
Love is difficult to find in difficult or dangerous places
It's a place I got to be
The singer wants to be in a place where there is love
Loving you is loving me
Loving someone else brings love back to the artist
Gotta reach that frequency
The artist needs to access a certain level of feeling to experience love
Yeah, you know what love is
The listener is familiar with the concept of love
Even found it on the ground where the thugs live
Love can be found in unexpected places, such as where dangerous or violent people reside
My man had to dig deep to find his
A friend had to look hard to find love
Couldn't sleep 'cause on the real, he had five kids
The idea of providing for his large family keeps the friend up at night
Live nig's, real niggas express and taste it
Authentic people can express and experience genuine love
At crap games, black dames and big faces
Even among gambling, thieving, and wealth display, love can be found
Cases in court, fam' showin' love and support
Even in legal trials, family can show love and support to one another
You and your baby's mom thought that love was a sport
The singer and their child's mother previously treated love as a competition
As men we were taught to hold it in
Men are typically taught to suppress their emotions
That's why we don't know how 'til we're older men (yeah)
Men often don't realize how to express love until later in life
If love is a place, I'ma go again
The artist wishes to return to a place where he has previously felt love
At least now, now I know to go within
The artist has learned to look inside himself for love
At times it can take you for a spin
Love can be an emotional roller coaster
Heartbreak hotel then you're home again
After experiencing heartbreak, one eventually returns to their normal life
I've seen love make a nigga soul pretend
Love can make someone fake or pretend to be someone they're not
Like a story that he don't want to end, yo
Often times people are reluctant to let love end
It's all love where we come from
Where the artist comes from, love is important
In the hood love we was told to run from
The singer was taught to avoid love in their neighborhood
That same hood where the guns sung
The same neighborhood where love is avoided is also one where there is gun violence
We holla love, hopin' it become one
People in the singer's community express love in hopes of it becoming a unifier
Crack got so many lives undone
Drug addiction has caused many casualties
From lack of love many hide, some run
Without love, people may retreat or run away
I knew this girl with a son who dreamt of actin' in plays
The artist knows a woman and child with theatrical aspirations
Demonstration with her man had her trapped in a maze
The woman is stuck in a complicated situation with her partner
Tryna find herself again, much of that she'd have gave
The woman is trying to rediscover her identity and has given a lot towards it
Love can free us, to it some react as a slave
Love can either liberate or enslave individuals
Funny, we love 'em more when they're relaxed in a grave
People are often appreciated more after they have died
Wonder if a thug is raw, is he actin' afraid?
The artist ponders if someone who acts tough is actually scared inside
Everybody loves sun, why do I attract shade?
The artist attracts negative experiences despite wanting positivity
Heard of the love of money, but compassion, it pays
While money is often the focus, compassion is equally important
Talk about it with my youth so she'd understand
The artist wants to discuss love with their child to teach them the importance of it
What it is to be loved by a man, uh
The singer wants to express how to properly love someone
Some say that I'm a dreamer 'cause I talk about it often
The singer is often criticized for discussing love frequently
Seen the hardest nigga soften wit' his homie in a coffin
Even someone tough can be affected and show emotion after their friend's death
We walk and stand in, fall in it
People can either stand in love or fall into it
With the right companion we all in it
With the right person, everyone can be in love
Mary sang a song about it, having broad limits
The singer refers to the religious figure Mary and her influential song about love's vastness
In the game of life, it's the scrimmage
Love is a significant part of life
Reminiscing on letters I wrote in my small days
The artist thinks back on letters they wrote in their youth
A letter to the people, love always, yeah
The artist wrote a letter expressing love to their community
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Anna Gaye, Marvin Gaye, Lonnie Rashid Lynn, James Nyx, Elgie Rousseau Stover, James Dewitt Yancey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Michael_0589
9 years ago I was in the deepest pits of depression, and at the time I did not know what it was. This song saved my life, so to Common and J Dilla, thank you.
@eugenedantzler4485
It saved mine too
@MMALineMover
that gives me chills just to think about. we need to support these artist like they support us. THANK YOU COMMON.
@4hunnid_k
God bless fam. Allahu Akabar❤️🤞
@honeyasonja522
💜💜💜
@shakazulu301
One of the best quotes ever, came from Lupe Fiasco: Hip Hop just saved my life…
I’ve been there, brother. But hey! We’re gonna make it! I know your comment was 3 years ago, but I hope all is well in your cosmos. Hip hop is the key. It’s just Common Sense 🙃 PEACE, to you, and to Dilla.. PEACE to Common ✌🏼
We’re always in the present, so let’s just BE ✌🏼
@probablynot7611
Common, Dilla, and Kanye made a masterpiece with this god damn album. classic
@raybrooks1555
Absolute Fact!!!!!!
@zioncollins1202
no question about the absolute best
@Iloveyou-dz7mq
Makes you wonder if Kanye and dilla actually met in real life.