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.
Nobody
Common Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Getting their trap
Hand in the pot
Baby that'll do it
I'm from Chicago, nobody's smiling
Niggas wyling on Stoney Island
Where the chief and the president come from
On the deck when the ops come
Pop some, ops run
This ain't a game nigga, ain't no options
Nigga selling on the block like an auction
Dig into my pockets, see a profit
Where the money and the bitches is where the guys is
Godfathers in a loches, at the spot holding money like a hostage
She went ostrich, from the projects with posture
I draw with the goddess like an artist
Getting paper with no margins, money gods
I do it for Hadiya and Trayvon Martin
In the Chi ain't a damn thing funny
Thinking of ways to get money
Drive down Lake Shore, scheming how to make more
If we ain't eating together what is this cake for
Ain't nobody giving it, that's what we take for
Niggas is broke, what I need to brake for
Glaciers of ice, lazers and lice
Let the chains glow heavy, we paid for em twice
Made for the life, all out like we out of bounds
Bars and guns, niggas got a lot of rounds
Tripping like you from out of town
The four pound will leave you on the ground without a sound
Ain't no fathers round, sons of anarchy
Fighting attempts, trafficking, and grand larceny
At the party with the thots with the extra body
I'm in the inner city, it's an out of body experience
Face on T-shirts with no hashtags
Just big ass trash bags tagged hash
Out here sipping trill
Fake ass gangster, quick to take a fag's cash
Five versus six, Star Wars
No stickers, real bullet holes in car doors
Out of ten people that was shot, 7 ate 9's
Two trey 8's, and one 45
Tryna get to 23, numbers game
Then here come the fame
But they won't say no names
Are these celebrities way too shy to be loyal to the town
I take my publishing check and spread my royalties around
Popes, bishops, disciples, stones
Counts, princes, lords, queens and kings
They drilling on my land but ain't no order to be found
I might be part of the problem
I guess they just tryna prove they can back that shit up
Most of them can't even moonwalk
My little cousin bum jay don't know what he did when he introduced that goon talk
Is there a Scarface casting at the crib I don't know about?
So many shortys have tried out for the role
That's why he slide out and ride out with the pole
Now I see how my daddy felt the dark day he
Discovered that black power didn't keep the lights on
Right on, the dearly departed still rapping to you
Looking for some yellow, white, red, black, brown flesh to write on
How long will they mourn me after I'm out of mind, out of sight, gone
A crash, a head on collision affects both riders the most
Good music in the building, yeah we got ghost riders
They just actually ghosts
The opening lyrics of Common's song "Nobody" are incredibly potent, with each line unpacking another layer of violence and danger in the world he inhabits. Throughout the song, Common navigates the streets of Chicago, grappling with the harsh realities the city presents, including rampant drug use and distribution ("pop pills"), gun violence ("pop guns" and "bars and guns" that people have "got a lot of rounds" for), and the struggles people face to make money and survive in impoverished neighborhoods ("Drive down Lake Shore, scheming how to make more / If we ain't eating together what is this cake for / Ain't nobody giving it, that's what we take for"). This sense of desperation is particularly heightened when he references specific victims of gun violence like Hadiya Pendleton and Trayvon Martin, whose memories he fights to honor through his music.
However, while Common spends much of the song chronicling the violence and danger that surrounds him, he also alludes to the fact that it's not just the people on the streets that are causing the problems. There are systemic issues at play too, including corruption that runs all the way to the top ("Where the chief and the president come from"). The lines "My little cousin bum jay don't know what he did when he introduced that goon talk / Is there a Scarface casting at the crib I don't know about?" suggest that even popular culture may be to blame for glorifying crime and violence. The repeated line "Nobody's smiling" suggests that this isn't a problem to be taken lightly.
Overall, "Nobody" is a powerful portrait of a violent and dangerous city, where the odds are stacked against people in poverty and the only hope is to band together and fight for survival.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't stop
Keep going, don't give up
Getting their trap
Making money by selling drugs and doing illegal activities
Hand in the pot
Involved in illegal activity, risking arrest and possible imprisonment
Baby that'll do it
This behavior is enough to succeed and make money, no need for anything else
I'm from Chicago, nobody's smiling
Chicago is a tough city where people are struggling and nobody is happy
Niggas wyling on Stoney Island
People are acting crazy and violent on Stoney Island
Where the chief and the president come from
Even though people in positions of power come from Chicago, it is still a tough city
Pop out, pop pills, pop guns
People are quick to use drugs and guns in Chicago
On the deck when the ops come
Ready to defend themselves when the opposition shows up
Pop some, ops run
When they shoot, their enemies run away
This ain't a game nigga, ain't no options
Their life is not a game, and they have no choice but to survive by any means necessary
Nigga selling on the block like an auction
People sell drugs on street corners like it's an auction
Dig into my pockets, see a profit
They make money selling drugs
Where the money and the bitches is where the guys is
Men are attracted to places and situations where there is money and women
Godfathers in a loches, at the spot holding money like a hostage
Powerful people control money in certain areas and are unwilling to share it
She went ostrich, from the projects with posture
A woman from the projects changed her demeanor and became more confident
I draw with the goddess like an artist
Drawing inspiration from a higher power and using it to create something
Getting paper with no margins, money gods
Making money with no regard for ethics or margins
I do it for Hadiya and Trayvon Martin
Making a statement about social justice and victims of violence
In the Chi ain't a damn thing funny
Chicago is not a place for humor or jokes
Thinking of ways to get money
Constantly strategizing and looking for ways to make money
Drive down Lake Shore, scheming how to make more
Thinking about how to make more money while driving down Lake Shore Drive
If we ain't eating together what is this cake for
If they aren't benefiting from each other, there is no point in being united
Ain't nobody giving it, that's what we take for
They have to take what they want because nobody is giving them anything
Niggas is broke, what I need to brake for
They are already broke, so what is the point of losing more by breaking the law for no reason?
Glaciers of ice, lazers and lice
Metaphors for expensive jewelry and enemy threats
Let the chains glow heavy, we paid for em twice
Showing off their expensive jewelry that they paid for with drug money
Made for the life, all out like we out of bounds
Living recklessly and without limits
Bars and guns, niggas got a lot of rounds
They have many guns and bullets
Tripping like you from out of town
Acting like a tourist or outsider
The four pound will leave you on the ground without a sound
Their gun will kill you silently
Ain't no fathers round, sons of anarchy
Lack of positive male role models leads to chaos for young men
Fighting attempts, trafficking, and grand larceny
Struggling with legal issues like drug trafficking and stealing
At the party with the thots with the extra body
At a party with promiscuous women with curvy bodies
I'm in the inner city, it's an out of body experience
Feeling disconnected from reality while living in a tough neighborhood
Face on T-shirts with no hashtags
People make T-shirts with the faces of deceased loved ones without using hashtags
Just big ass trash bags tagged hash
People use large trash bags with hashtags to mark their territory
Out here sipping trill
Drinking a liquid that symbolizes truth or authenticity
Fake ass gangster, quick to take a fag's cash
Calling out people who pretend to be gangsters but are actually thieves
Five versus six, Star Wars
A reference to a rivalry between two gangs or groups
No stickers, real bullet holes in car doors
Cars have bullet holes in them from real shootings
Out of ten people that was shot, 7 ate 9's
Playing with numbers, implying that many people get shot
Two trey 8's, and one 45
Types of guns used in Chicago
Tryna get to 23, numbers game
Shooting to kill 23 people, turning murder into a twisted game
Then here come the fame
Becoming notorious for their crimes and actions
But they won't say no names
Keeping their identities hidden to avoid getting caught
Are these celebrities way too shy to be loyal to the town
Wondering why celebrities from Chicago aren't more loyal to their hometown
I take my publishing check and spread my royalties around
Using his money to support others and give back to the community
Popes, bishops, disciples, stones
Naming different religious or powerful figures
Counts, princes, lords, queens and kings
More references to royalty and powerful figures
They drilling on my land but ain't no order to be found
People are destroying his neighborhood, but there doesn't seem to be a solution or order to stop it
I might be part of the problem
Acknowledging that he could be contributing to the issues in his community
I guess they just tryna prove they can back that shit up
People are trying to show off or prove themselves
Most of them can't even moonwalk
They aren't even talented or skilled enough to dance like Michael Jackson
My little cousin bum jay don't know what he did when he introduced that goon talk
Referring to a family member who may have caused trouble by introducing violent talk
Is there a Scarface casting at the crib I don't know about
Jokingly wondering if there is an audition for the movie Scarface happening in his house
So many shortys have tried out for the role
Many young men are trying to be part of the gangster lifestyle
That's why he slide out and ride out with the pole
Leaves with a gun because he is not interested in auditioning or participating in gang activity.
Now I see how my daddy felt the dark day he
Realizing how his father felt when times were tough
Discovered that black power didn't keep the lights on
Even though they may be strong and powerful, they still face challenges
Right on, the dearly departed still rapping to you
People who are dead still speak through their music
Looking for some yellow, white, red, black, brown flesh to write on
Searching for diverse experiences to write about in their music
How long will they mourn me after I'm out of mind, out of sight, gone
Wondering if people will remember him after he dies or fades into obscurity
A crash, a head on collision affects both riders the most
Using a metaphor to explain that problems or conflicts affect everyone involved
Good music in the building, yeah we got ghost riders
Claiming that people write songs for them, but they aren't credited
They just actually ghosts
Ghostwriters are not literally ghosts but are invisible and not acknowledged
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: LONNIE RASHID LYNN, MALIK YUSEF EL SHABA JONES, N UNKNOWN WRITER, ERNEST WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind