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.
Start the Show
Common Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Step out of the cold cold
We come from the 'Go, 'Go
To the top of the globe globe
The pimps and the hoes hoes
The Folks and the Stones Stones
Whoever you ride fo', we back for some mo'
Get back to the show show, you know
Uh, uh
Ladies and gentlemen the C-O-double-M-O-N
Synonym for fresh, truth is the emb-lem
Hardcore since I was next door to Clem and them
Cold as the winter when fake niggaz was shiverin
Shakin in they Timberlands, you was played as Bennigans
Hot for a minute, now you just a "remember him"
I been a +Master+ since P was No Limit-in
Stick a sayin, no gimmick and no mimickin
Q infinitin down old blocks are bendin in
Yellin (Fuck Tha Police) like Ren and them
Pelican brief these niggaz on who I be
Before the paper and the fame niggaz knew Rashid
Noble like Dru Ali - many have come
but few have been chose to be a true MC
You sing along wit it, inside you knowin it's wack
Young who? I don't need a openin act
Now let's start the show show
Step out of the cold cold
We come from the 'Go, 'Go
To the top of the globe globe
The pimps and the hoes hoes
The Folks and the Stones Stones
Whoever you ride fo', we back for some mo'
Get back to the show show, you know
Let, let, le-le-le-le-le-let's go
It's a festival in hip-hop, we do it non-stop
Pop your bottles, Chicago niggaz do it in staccato
Choppin notes for my homies, fuck a motto
And Farragamo shoes givin dudes the model
Think fast, drive slow, survival is the throttle
Your live show is hollow, shoulda kept it local
Rappin over vocals, soundin soft as JoJo
With twelve monkeys on stage it's hard to see who's a gorilla
You was better as a drug dealer
Feel the passion of this B-boy ration-al
Half of it is what you say, and half is style
Guess it's time for you to stop cashin now
It's over folks, tell your guys to put the glasses down
Masters now, verses touch the youth like a Catholic priest
Performances keep me stackin the sheets
Now let's start the show show
Step out of the cold cold
We come from the 'Go, 'Go
To the top of the globe globe
The pimps and the hoes hoes
The Folks and the Stones Stones
Whoever you ride fo', we back for some mo'
Get back to the show show, you know
In Common's song "Start the Show," he encourages his listeners to get ready for his performance. The song opens with a chorus that invites everyone to "start the show" and leave behind their problems. As the song progresses, Common showcases his talent by delivering a verse that talks about his hardcore rap style and his journey to becoming a successful rapper. He boasts about his skilled rhyming abilities and how he has been a "master" of rap long before he became famous.
Common's verse shows his pride in his Detroit roots, stating that he and his fellow rappers have come all the way from "the 'Go" to the top of the world. The verse also recognizes the different kinds of people in the audience, from the pimps and hoes to the Folks and the Stones. He asserts that whoever they rap for, Common and his crew will always be back with more. Finally, Common takes a dig at lesser-known rappers who try to imitate famous rappers, stating that he does not need an opening act.
Overall, "Start the Show" is a confident, bold anthem that showcases Common's rap style and his status as a master of his craft.
Line by Line Meaning
Now let's start the show show
Let's get started with the show!
Step out of the cold cold
Let's step out of our comfort zones and do something great!
We come from the 'Go, 'Go
I come from Chicago, the 'Go, where many great artists have come from.
To the top of the globe globe
We're aiming to be at the top of the world with our music.
The pimps and the hoes hoes
Our music is for everyone, including those in the pimp and sex worker communities.
The Folks and the Stones Stones
Our music is also for those in the gang communities (Folks and Stones).
Whoever you ride fo', we back for some mo'
No matter who you are, our music is here for you and we're coming back for more!
Get back to the show show, you know
Let's get back to the show and enjoy the music!
Ladies and gentlemen the C-O-double-M-O-N
Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce myself, Common.
Synonym for fresh, truth is the emb-lem
My name Common is synonymous with freshness and truth is the foundation of my music.
Hardcore since I was next door to Clem and them
I've been making hardcore music since I was young, living next door to my neighbors, Clem and them.
Cold as the winter when fake niggaz was shiverin
In the face of fake people, I remain cold and unaffected like the winter weather.
Shakin in they Timberlands, you was played as Bennigans
Those fake people were shaking in their Timberland boots and now they're reduced to being forgotten like a Bennigans restaurant.
Hot for a minute, now you just a "remember him"
Those fake people were hot for a minute but now they're just a distant memory.
I been a +Master+ since P was No Limit-in
I've been a master at my craft for a long time, since the days when the rapper P was popular.
Stick a sayin, no gimmick and no mimickin
My music has no gimmicks and I'm not mimicking anyone else's style.
Q infinitin down old blocks are bendin in
My influence stretches far and wide, reaching even the most obscure and old locations.
Yellin (Fuck Tha Police) like Ren and them
I'm not afraid to speak out against injustice, just like the rapper Ren and others who famously shouted 'Fuck Tha Police.'
Pelican brief these niggaz on who I be
I'm laying out the facts about who I am to these people, like a legal briefing document.
Before the paper and the fame niggaz knew Rashid
Even before I had my success and fame, people in my community knew me as Rashid.
Noble like Dru Ali - many have come
I am a noble person, just like the historical figure Dru Ali. Many others have come after him, just like many other rappers have come after me.
but few have been chose to be a true MC
Not everyone is chosen to be a true MC, only a select few meet that criteria.
You sing along wit it, inside you knowin it's wack
You may sing along to certain songs, but deep down you know they aren't good.
Young who? I don't need a openin act
I don't need any opening acts, I am well-known enough to carry a show on my own.
Let, let, le-le-le-le-le-let's go
Let's get started and get hyped up!
It's a festival in hip-hop, we do it non-stop
Hip-hop is like a festival and we keep it going constantly.
Pop your bottles, Chicago niggaz do it in staccato
Let's drink and celebrate! In Chicago, we do it in a rhythmic, staccato style.
Choppin notes for my homies, fuck a motto
I'm making music in honor of my friends, not to adhere to any moral code or motto.
And Farragamo shoes givin dudes the model
I wear designer shoes and am a role model for other men to emulate.
Think fast, drive slow, survival is the throttle
Think quickly but act calmly and strategically. Surviving in this industry is all about pacing yourself.
Your live show is hollow, shoulda kept it local
Your live performances are uninspiring, you should have stayed at the local level.
Rappin over vocals, soundin soft as JoJo
Rapping over pre-recorded vocals is lazy and you sound as soft as the singer JoJo.
With twelve monkeys on stage it's hard to see who's a gorilla
When there are too many people on stage, it's hard to see who the real standout performer is.
You was better as a drug dealer
You were more successful as a drug dealer than you are as a rapper.
Feel the passion of this B-boy ration-al
Embrace the passion that comes with being a true B-boy and being rational with your music.
Half of it is what you say, and half is style
Being a good rapper is half about what you say and half about having a unique style.
Guess it's time for you to stop cashin now
It's time for you to stop relying on your past successes and start working harder now.
It's over folks, tell your guys to put the glasses down
It's time to stop celebrating and get serious. Put away the drinks for now.
Masters now, verses touch the youth like a Catholic priest
We are now masters of our craft and our music is touching the younger generation in a way similar to how Catholic priests influence their followers.
Performances keep me stackin the sheets
I'm making a lot of money from my performances and stacking up the cash.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LONNIE RASHID LYNN, MARILYN BERGMAN, MICHEL JEAN LEGRAND, ALAN BERGMAN, KANYE OMARI WEST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
RAH SHA
THIS BEAT IS SICKKKKKKK .
miguel
Only real common fans know about this song
Quinten Pressley
Kanye before he lost his damn mind 😂😂
Its Shanti
This track is so dope!
miguel
Most slept on artist and album of all time
Cadillac P
Love it
Gopro-Taj games
I wish I knew about this song sooner
Brow Assistência técnica
Top 🤟🏾🙌🏾✊
Bam Bambino
classick!!!!
Abigail Tovar
Nice