Common's 2000 Album Like Water for Chocolate is Classic Hip Hop

Hip Hop artist Common released Like Water for Chocolate in 2000 with songs like "The Light," "Geto Heaven Part Two" and "The 6th Sense."

Common is known in the hip hop genre as a solid lyricist whose music is always fresh and brings a different flavor. Common's real name is Lonnie Rashid Lynn Jr. and he was born in Chicago in the 1970s. He released Like Water for Chocolate in 2000 and had hip hop fans mesmerized with songs like "The Light," "A Song for Assata," "Nag Champa (Afrodisiac for the World)" and "The Questions."

Common's Albums

Common's debut album was Can I Borrow a Dollar? in 1992 with the song "Take It EZ." Common's follow-up was Resurrection in 1994 with the song "I Used to Love H.E.R." One Day It'll All Make Sense was released in 1997 and Like Water for Chocolate in 2000. Common then released Electric Circus in 2002 with the hit song "Come Close" featuring Mary J Blige. The video for "Come Close" aired on BET and other music networks where Common's leading lady was hearing impaired and he would write signs to her expressing his love. 

Be was released in 2005 and then Finding Forever in 2002 which was executive produced by Kanye West. The Universal Mind Control album was released in 2008 with the title song "Universal Mind Control." A compilation, Go!: Common Classics, was released in 2010 with hit songs "The Light," "Come Close" and "Testify."

Like Water for Chocolate is a Great Hip Hop Album

Like Water for Chocolate has sixteen hip hop tracks on it and some do have explicit lyrics. This album features artists like Jill Scott and Bilal in "Funky for You," Mc Lyte (http://www.officialmclyte.com/) in "A Film Called (Pimp)," Rahzel in "Cold Blooded," Mos Def in "The Questions", D'Angelo and Cee-lo. All of the songs on this album have lyrical input from Common who is listed as Lonnie Lynn. Common's father, Lynn Sr., also orates on this album in "Pops Rap III…All My Children."

• Common's Version of "Geto Heaven Part Two": Common's "Geto Heaven Part Two" contains a sample from The Family Stand's "Ghetto Heaven" which was written by group members Peter Lord, V. Jeffrey Smith and Sandra St. Victor. D'Angelo sings the hook and portions of the original "Ghetto Heaven" in this song where Common raps about life in the 'ghetto.' Common emphatically raps "A thug is a lost man in disguise" and "Find heaven in yourself and God" in the lyrics of this powerful song.
• Common's Love is "The Light": "The Light" has an infectious instrumental that Common raps with a poetic flow. It was produced by the Soulquarian's. He starts off "I never knew a love, love, a love like this / gotta be something for me to write this." This song can considered one of the best hip hop love songs. "It's important we communicate / tune the fate of this union to the right pitch" begins the second verse. The music video has Erykah Badu as the leading lady and begins with the glare of light shining from a spinning record and the image a red lava lamp.
• "A Song for Assata": Another heavy poetic song by Common is "A Song for Assata" featuring Cee-lo (http://www.ceelogreen.com/). This song brings to mind strong images of the Civil Rights Movement. "They said she robbed places that didn't exist" and "I wonder what would have happened if that would have been me / all of this just so that we could be free" are minute portions of the strong lyrics. This is the longest track on the CD and features strings played by Larry Gold. It ends of with a woman's voice speaking "Freedom…You asking me about freedom… I know a whole lot more about what freedom isn't than what it is…."
• Common Hits Hard in "The 6th Sense": "The 6th Sense" is another of Common's songs that features Bilal's voice in the background vocals. DJ Premier produced this song and implemented the scratches and cuts. "The 6th Sense" begins "the revolution will not be televised / the revolution is here." While the song contains elements of Mobb Deep's "Allustrious," the first line comes from Gil Scott Heron's poem "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised." "If the revolution had a movie / I'd be theme music" and "I just wanna innovate and stimulate minds / travel the world and penetrate the times" are some of the lyrics of "The 6th Sense."

Common's release of Like Water for Chocolate in 2000 brought hip hop a fresh new voice and style. With the tendency of hip hop artists of that time to lend their voice to materialism and sexual perversion, Common stood out with his tight and distinct poetic lyrics. Like Water for Chocolate featured other fearless and innovative artists like D'Angelo, Jill Scott, Bilal and Cee-lo who always bring a fresh message in their music. Songs like "The Light" and "The 6th Sense" will entertain and inspire generations of future hip hop fans. 

The Factors that Play Out in Our Lives

It's usually a lot on my mind, but I try to take on things step by step....day by the day. I see a lot of funny things going on and people are chatting. I take each day in stride and work accordingly. There's a lot that needs to be accomplished but just a few persons are willing to do the work. Changes will happen whether we like it or not. Unfortunately, it's more often than likely that we won't like it.

I've notices certain things and I will adjust myself as well. I have to make the difference in my life. I have to know what works for me. The game of life is about the risks we take. I have to be adventurous and seek to better my life. This is something that we all need to do. Several factors play out in life - our good deeds, who we know and of course karma. Whether you believe in fate or faith, you still have to pay your cards right. I don't worry about changing the what I have done in the past. Somehow God has pulled it all together for me and I thank him for the blessings and the challenges because every challenge is a blessing in disguise.

So today, do not be frustrated or turned off with your situation. Seek our ways to make it better. Be mindful of the people around you and seek to be among those who will encourage you. Write your goals and find ways to pursue them. Do what you have to - that's positive - to chart the path you need to be on to improve your future.

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POEM: The Leader in You and Me

I don't like being behind
and no one does
however
it's a lot of work to stand in front
you have to be wise
you have to be strong
and you have to be real
with yourself
everyone can be a leader
but not everyone
can lead
because first
you have to be able to
take instruction
you have to be able to listen
because no leader
can stand on his or her own
you need support
and you have to give support
so don't think that
a degree makes you a leader
cause you have to earn your stripes
you have to know when to move
you have to know
when to take action
and sometimes that action
brings repercussions
but a leader has to
take the good and the bad
so when you take the helm
know that you will be
under fire
but you have to stand strong
be firm
and still be ready to apologize
leaders have to balance a lot

It Pays to Pay Attention

It really pays to pay attention! I just made a bubble but thankfully it can be solved. I guess my mind was not in the usual place. I always tell my son to pay attention to what he is doing and that he should read over. This morning I am a testimony to that - I must pay attention.

Thankfully in the middle of creating this blog post, the problem was solved. We have to thank God for his small mercies. It is a beautiful thing to feel a sigh of relief. There are a lot of other things going around me that are in a cloud of suspicion and strange behavior, but I will persevere.

I am a Black Diamond generation. I will never be beat down. I am a child of my ancestors and we are a clan that pushes for what we want. I don't give up that easily. I thank God for another day and look forward to dealing with what comes before me - reading over twice of course!

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Prayer for Palm Sunday

I have not shared a prayer in a long time. I guess it is fitting to do so on Palm Sunday. I hope everyone has a blessed rest of the day.

Heavenly Father,

You are our creator, our best friend, our guide and our savior. Protect us, Lord, from evil and create in us clean hearts and clean minds so that we may love our fellow man. Guide us on a path of redemption and growth. Instill in us the things that you would want us to do so that we can be champions for your kingdom. Watch over the poor, calm the hurting and help the broken hearted to be healed. Dear God, help us to be better servants and better shepherds to your flock. Lord, help me to be a better example for those around me. In your name I pray.

AMEN 

POEM: In Other Words

In other words
it's still hard to say
it's still nevertheless
a pain to understand
comprehension is a task
and if you want to compose
you still have to dispose
of the emptiness in your head
so don't act like you can't hear
or stare at the sky
open your mind
cause the other words
are the ones you need to know
so don't be fooled
follied or bullied
just get it in your head
in other words

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Our Children and Their Increasing Workload

It is a lot of work dealing with children and their homework. It gets even harder when it's time for tests. I have been trying to study and practice as new work is given but it's hard with so many subjects to cover. I have now employed online quizzes and tools to help my son and hopefully it works. He works very hard. I always say that when he gets an 'A', he has worked diligently for that 'A'.

I was different. Some things were easy for me. I could grasp math and had a command of language and Spanish. History was hard for me because of the memorization. Geography was more realistic to me because I could apply it to something natural. My daughter seems so ready to take on challenges but it's left to be seen what type of learner she will be.

I encourage every parent to work their hardest with their children. I know it's not easy but do your best.

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