Southside featuring Kanye West
Common Lyrics

And everybody say I know you, I know you
The people know who Common and Kanye West are and recognize them.

I know you're thinking, thinking that it must be Armor all flow 'cause it never get rusty
People assume Common's flow (rapping style) is well-maintained because it remains sharp over time.

I ain't gotta say it, man dawg trust me Bust somebody head, g.l.c. where was we?
Common can take care of business without saying it, and he and Kanye West were with rapper G.L.C. when something went down.

Still rock the prada 'fore that, rock the starter Niggas had the georgetown, the magic way harder
Before designer Prada, Common wore Starter jackets, while others had the fancier Georgetown and Magic starter jackets.

Thinking back to the projects, and they way they tore 'em all up Like when I do a project, and come back and tear the mall up
Common fondly remembers his hood and how they tore it up, similar to how he tears up a show nowadays.

[chorus] We coming from the South (side), south (side) South (side), south (side) South (side), south (side) South (side), side of the chi
Common and Kanye are both from the south side of Chicago, which they affectionately refer to as 'the chi.'

The broads, the cars, the half moon, the stars I'm like jeff fort the way I get behind bars
Common has an affinity for women, vehicles and luxurious things. He also references Jeff Fort, who was a leader of a Chicago gang called the Black P. Stone Nation, and Common feels he is also confined to situations like Jeff Fort, albeit not by a gang, but by his success and fame.

Burn cd's with no regard for the stars Come to the crib with conflict diamonds and they ours
Common disregards the music industry's status quo of respecting popular artists by making unauthorized CDs, and he is not opposed to diamonds that may have originated from a conflict zone.

Back in ninety four they call me chi-town's nas Now them niggas know I'm one of chi-town's gods We eatin' jo, you still talking no carbs A conscious nigga with mac like steven jobs
In 1994, Common was compared to and called 'Chi-Town's Nas,' but now he is revered as a Chi-Town god. He can afford to eat good food (Jo's) while others are still limited to low-carb diets. Common is conscious and has a personality comparable to the late Steve Jobs.

Your fly is open, mcfly The crowd is open I think I know why I'm back from the future seen it with my own eyes And yep, I'm still the future of the chi
Common calls out someone for leaving their pants zipper open. The crowd is feeling Common's music, and he thinks he knows why. He has seen the future, so he knows that he still tops the rap game in Chicago.

Back in college I had to get my back up off the futon I knew that I couldn't cop a coup with no coupons Look at that neutron on his green like crutons People asking him, 'do you have any grey poupon?'
When Common was in college, he had to get off his futon (couch) and grind to make ends meet, but he still couldn't afford a nice car without a deal. He sees a guy with a green car and a similar struggle, and people joke if he has any fancy condiments.

[chorus] We coming from the South (side), south (side) South (side), south (side) South (side), south (side) South (side), side of the chi
Reiterated chorus about the south side of Chicago.

You in the building but the buildings falling You wouldn't be ballin' if your name was spalding My mind get flooded I think about new orleans Back in school, you all niggas you should call in August
Even though someone is in the game, they see the business failing. Common insults the person and throws in a witty comparison to how you can't make money if your name is on a cheap basketball. Common thinks about the devastation in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and he tells haters to not even show up for school in August because they will flunk out.

I'm the sun that goes down but I'm still revolving Southside walk it out, while still you're crawlin' If rap was harlem, I be james baldwin With money in the bank like g. rap, we're calling
Although Common's star might be setting, he is still making moves. He references 'Walk It Out,' a popular Atlanta dance at the time, contrasting it to 'walking' in Chicago. He elevates himself to writer and activist James Baldwin, and claims he is successful like G. Rap.

[chorus] We coming from the South (side), south (side) South (side), south (side) South (side), south (side) South (side), side of the chi
Reiteration of the chorus about the south side of Chicago.

With niggas masked up like phantom of the opera Dreaming of the day they push a phantom to the operas Can't wait till they say, 'yeah, ran up at the oscars.' Poppa, I heard his life is like a movie
People are willing to conceal their identities and do extreme things just to be famous. They even dream of times where they can flex expensive cars at the opera, and run up on the Oscars red carpet. When Common references 'poppa,' he is probably talking about himself, making light of a rumor he heard that his story should be made into a movie.

Like when em' played him and mekhi played a rasta Mexicans don't love it like it was for la raza But this is for the mobsters, holla We some true chi-town legends, accept no imposters
Common mentions how he was portrayed by Eminem and Mekhi Phifer on screen. He notes that his music isn't as appreciated by the Mexican community as other groups. This is for the 'mobsters' of Chicago, and Common and Kanye see themselves as true legends from the city, telling listeners to not settle for fake imitations.

[chorus] We coming from the South (side), south (side) South (side), south (side) South (side), south (side) South (side), side of the chi
Reiterated chorus about the south side of Chicago.

Uh, the un-american idol, tower like the eiffel Lean wit it, rock wit it, black like the disciples Know when to use a bible, and when to use a rifle You rap like you should be on the back of a motorcycle
Common sees himself as the opposite of the typical, white-washed American Idol. He is as grand as the Eiffel Tower and black as the apostles. He understands when to be diplomatic and when to use force. He insults a rapper for sounding just like how they look, like someone who should be riding in the back of a motorcycle.

Caught a case of robbery, and 'beat it' like michael Your career is a typo, mine was written like a haiku I write to 'do the right thing' like spike do Through conflicts that's crucial and drama that's psycho
Common compares himself to Michael Jackson, as he overcame a legal incident as well. He roasted the previous rapper for messing up his career, while Common's path is like a well-written poem, specifically a haiku. Common is conscious and responsible in his lyrics like Spike Lee, even in the face of conflict or drama.

[chorus] We're coming from the, hey!
Another chorus as the song comes to a close.

Spice it up (la, la , la) Ya might have to spice it up Spice it up, spice it up, Take your life and Yo, we're coming from the, hey! We're coming from the, hey!
Common tells listeners to switch things up and add some flavor to their lives, and emphasizes once again where he and Kanye hail from. The song ends on this note.

And this concludes our chicago show Please stay tuned
Common signs off as if it was a radio program or TV broadcast, asking listeners to stay tuned for more content.