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.
Pop's Rap
Common Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey, hey old bean
And you to baby sweetness
Yeah, this is Pops, and I'm back in the studio
And I didn't have to break in this time
I'm back as a special guest by special request
And I want to thank my son for loaning me this microphone once again
They may have to wrestle to get it back
Pops has acquired a wonderful extended family
From around the globe
He has returned with positive messages to my earlobes
From all my children From Mexico, Brazil, Italy, Japan
And of course in the motherland
Even in the orient, they know what I meant
Nanaan, tanaan, tinaan, hanchinaan
So I didn't come in here to give any shouts out
I came to give praise and honor and to identify my children
Who've been saying and doing the right things
You know they sat on those nines of 1999
And kept them from turning upside down
And teaching the babies
To love, to be able to G
I've love
And to enter the new century with their own prophecy
The century of amends
You see I deal with the premise that all children are ours
And that we all travel the same path
It's just that we don't get there at the same time
(See you next lifetime) See you next lifetime
And to my children running around here
Talking about how nice is they ice
That they've already paid for twice
What karat is they gold
That was yours before you were done in the hole
Or that crew from 1629, buy some land
Think agriculture, beat that neighborhood
Which you claim you love so dear
Are you mankind or what kind of a man?
See, Pops is straight out of the garden
From when the world was starting brand new,
Hip Hop, Hip Hop, the language of the underground railroad
In it's purest form
Yeah true hip hop is just like the Underground Railroad
If the message is not for you
It can sit on your nose and your brain remain froze
So when you see me traveling on a spiritual high
I'm flying high with Cee-Lo
Or maybe watching my long's hear
T dancing to a De La flow
Everybody knows there's no fruit on the tree with The Roots
And Black Star said we are what we are
The Knowledge Of Self Determination
And my little homie KG
Up there in Minnesota milking 10000 lakes
Keep the heat on em', we got to be kind to the growing mind
So if your heart is real
You will hear Big Will and Ms. Lauryn Hill
If your love is true, you will hear Badu-ism
And you can't go right until you go left
And get some ingredients from the music chef Jazzy Jeff
Children, I've traveled this globe
North to south, east to west
And whenever my soul appears lost
I turn to the musical stylings of a Tribe Called Quest
Okay, we ready to get out of here
We ready to take it home now
Just so everybody knows
When Pops get ready to say something good
I mean when it's time for me to lay it on the wood
And it ain't no time for no shecky shecky
That's when I turn to a Black Girl Named Betty
Y'all looking for the only truth and it doesn't even exist
I just come to give love and peace and honor t
Oh all my children
The song Pop's Rap by Common features his father, affectionately called Pops, who speaks in the form of a monologue. The lyrics focus on the positive influence of his son's music on his life, the importance of family, the need for self-reflection and self-improvement, and the state of hip-hop music. Through his words, Pops reinforces the notion that all children are ours and that we should strive to create a better world for them. He also speaks against materialism, emphasizing the value of love and respect for one another. The song also features shoutouts to different artists and groups, highlighting their contribution to the hip-hop community and the positive messages in their music, including The Roots, De La Soul, Black Star, and A Tribe Called Quest.
One interesting fact about Pop's Rap is that it was included in the soundtrack of the movie Brown Sugar, a romantic comedy-drama that explores the relationship between hip-hop music and love. The song was also released as part of Common's album Like Water for Chocolate in 2000. Another interesting fact is that Pops is a recurring figure in Common's work, often appearing in his music and interviews, demonstrating the deep bond between father and son. The song also serves as a tribute to the oral traditions of the African American community, where storytelling and spoken word play an essential role.
Furthermore, Pop's Rap is considered a classic of conscious hip-hop, a subgenre that emerged in the 1990s that focused on social and political issues affecting the African American community. The song showcases the positive influence of hip-hop music on people's lives and encourages self-reflection and positive action. Another remarkable feature of the song is the way that Pops blends the traditional elements of African American culture, such as the call and response style of preaching, with contemporary musical forms, such as hip-hop, creating a unique and innovative style.
Other interesting facts about Pop's Rap include that it features a sample from Bettye Swann's song "Peaceful Valley," and it has been covered by several artists, such as Lupe Fiasco and J. Cole, demonstrating its enduring impact on hip-hop culture. Moreover, the song has received critical acclaim and has been hailed as one of the best interludes in hip-hop history, an indication of its influence and significance. Additional information about the song's meaning and impact can be found in interviews with Common and Pops, where they discuss the inspiration behind the lyrics and their perspective on hip-hop's role in society.
Chords: Unfortunately, the chords for this song are not available as it features only spoken words without any instrumental music.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, hey old bean
Greeting to an old friend
And you to baby sweetness
Greeting to a young lady
Yeah, this is Pops, and I'm back in the studio
Announcing Pops' return to the studio
And I didn't have to break in this time
Revealing Pops usually breaks in
I'm back as a special guest by special request
Revealing Pops returned as a special guest
And I want to thank my son for loaning me this microphone once again
Expressing gratitude to Common for lending the microphone
They may have to wrestle to get it back
Joking that Common may have trouble retrieving the microphone
You know, as a result of my son Common touring the world
Acknowledging Common's global touring
Pops has acquired a wonderful extended family
Explaining Pops has a large extended family
From around the globe
Reiterating the global nature of Pops' family
He has returned with positive messages to my earlobes
Explaining Pops has received positive messages from his family
From all my children From Mexico, Brazil, Italy, Japan
Listing the countries Pops' family members come from
And of course in the motherland
Referring to Africa as the motherland
Even in the orient, they know what I meant
Stating that people in Asia understand Pops' message
Nanaan, tanaan, tinaan, hanchinaan
Unknown - possibly a reference to a specific culture or language
So I didn't come in here to give any shouts out
Stating that Pops didn't come to give shout outs
I came to give praise and honor and to identify my children
Explaining Pops' purpose is to identify his children and praise them
Who've been saying and doing the right things
Revealing Pops' children are doing good things
You know they sat on those nines of 1999
Reminiscing about the year 1999 and the fear of Y2K
And kept them from turning upside down
Implies that Pops' children prevented a catastrophic event
And teaching the babies
Explaining Pops' children are also teaching young children
To love, to be able to G
Encouraging teaching others to love and have fun
I've love
Reiterating the importance of love
And to enter the new century with their own prophecy
Encouraging Pops' children to create their own future
The century of amends
Referring to the 21st century and the need to make amends
You see I deal with the premise that all children are ours
Explaining Pops believes all children belong to everyone
And that we all travel the same path
Stating that everyone travels the same journey
It's just that we don't get there at the same time
Suggesting that people reach the same destination but at different times
(See you next lifetime) See you next lifetime
Referring to meeting again in the next lifetime
And to my children running around here
Addressing younger generations
Talking about how nice is they ice
Calling out people who are obsessed with material things
That they've already paid for twice
Suggesting people waste money on frivolous things
What karat is they gold
Asking about the quality of people's gold
That was yours before you were done in the hole
Hinting that the gold was obtained illegally
Or that crew from 1629, buy some land
Encouraging people to purchase property
Think agriculture, beat that neighborhood
Encouraging farming and improving the community
Which you claim you love so dear
Calling out people who claim to love their neighborhoods but don't do anything to improve them
Are you mankind or what kind of a man?
Asking if people are contributing to humanity or only focused on themselves
See, Pops is straight out of the garden
Referring to Pops' wisdom coming from nature
From when the world was starting brand new,
Imagining the world when it was new
Hip Hop, Hip Hop, the language of the underground railroad
Comparing hip hop to the Underground Railroad as a way to escape oppression
In it's purest form
Explaining that pure hip hop is like the Underground Railroad
Yeah true hip hop is just like the Underground Railroad
Reiterating the comparison between hip hop and the Underground Railroad
If the message is not for you
Suggesting that people who don't understand hip hop's message won't appreciate it
It can sit on your nose and your brain remain froze
Suggesting that some people can't understand the message of hip hop
So when you see me traveling on a spiritual high
Explaining Pops' spiritual journey
I'm flying high with Cee-Lo
Referencing Cee-Lo Green
Or maybe watching my long's hear
Watching his children grow and flourish
T dancing to a De La flow
Listening to De La Soul
Everybody knows there's no fruit on the tree with The Roots
Referring to The Roots as excellent musicians
And Black Star said we are what we are
Referencing the group Black Star and their message
The Knowledge Of Self Determination
Explaining Black Star's message
And my little homie KG
Referring to a friend
Up there in Minnesota milking 10000 lakes
Describing someone living in Minnesota
Keep the heat on em', we got to be kind to the growing mind
Encouraging people to be kind to younger generations
So if your heart is real
Suggesting that people with honest hearts will understand his message
You will hear Big Will and Ms. Lauryn Hill
Referencing Will Smith and Lauryn Hill
If your love is true, you will hear Badu-ism
Referencing Erykah Badu and her message of love
And you can't go right until you go left
Suggesting that people need to try new things to succeed
And get some ingredients from the music chef Jazzy Jeff
Referencing DJ Jazzy Jeff
Children, I've traveled this globe
Announcing Pops' international travels
North to south, east to west
Explaining he's traveled in every direction
And whenever my soul appears lost
Admitting that he sometimes feels lost
I turn to the musical stylings of a Tribe Called Quest
Listening to the music of A Tribe Called Quest for guidance
Okay, we ready to get out of here
Announcing the end of the song
We ready to take it home now
Preparing to end the song
Just so everybody knows
Making sure everyone is aware
When Pops get ready to say something good
Explaining when Pops has something important to say
I mean when it's time for me to lay it on the wood
Suggesting Pops' message is important
And it ain't no time for no shecky shecky
Implies that the message is serious
That's when I turn to a Black Girl Named Betty
Referencing the song 'Betty' by Ram Jam
Y'all looking for the only truth and it doesn't even exist
Suggesting that truth is subjective
I just come to give love and peace and honor to all my children
Explaining Pops' true purpose is to give love, peace, and honor to his family
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ERNEST DION WILSON, LONNIE RASHID LYNN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind