Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. The Chicago, Illinois born rapper and actor better known by his stage name Common stormed in to North London's eclectic Camden Town and rapped the roof off its Roundhouse.
Common Sense now simply known as Common dropped his first album, Can I Borrow a Dollar? In 1992 and to date has released a total of ten critically acclaimed albums. The latest, Nobody's Smiling, brought Common back to the shores of the UK as he hit the road on tour. In typical hip hop style there was no elaborate backdrop, no entourage of dancers, just a DJ and an MC on the Mic spitting lyrics at a rate that only true fans can keep up with.
Despite starting off with mainly an underground following Common has risen through the hip hop ranks, and he now sits regal at the top. Not just content with mastering the rap game in 2003 and 2006 respectively Common added acting and modelling to his arsenal of talent. With all this creativity bubbling away in him it's no surprise that in 2011 he wrote his memoir, One Day It'll All Make Sense, where he openly discusses the close relationship he has his with his mother.
Back on stage he had showed real appreciation to his baying crowd who were saying every word with him. He paused in his musical onslaught to say that he loved coming to the UK because of its appreciation for Hip Hop. You only had to look at the crowd to see the truth in his words.
As a performer Common had unlimited energy as he bounced across the stage at the The Roundhouse which provided the perfect arena for an intimate but joyful celebration of the art of rapping and the culture of Hip Hop. Throughout the show Common made several references to DJ, Rapper and Producer J Dilla who also formed part of the rap trio Slum Village.
The Detroit born James Dewitt Yancey has had a massive impact on the hip hop world and his untimely death from cardiac arrest, having suffered from Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura and Lupus, at aged just 32 in 2006 was a loss felt throughout the rap fraternity. For Common J Dilla had been a constant in his life since 1993 and was featured heavily on Like Water for Chocolate, Commons critically acclaimed breakthrough album.
In 2007 Common dedicated his Grammy Award nominated and BET Award winning album Finding Forever to his friend J Dilla. The educated crowd cheered louder and prouder every time Common mentioned J Dilla and it seemed to fuel Commons energy that filled the high ceilings of the Music venue.
From his first words to his last the crowd couldn't get enough as they bobbed and threw 'em up for one of Hip Hops greatest servants and in return Common gave the crowd all he had, even stopping part way through to sign autographs joking with his fans "he brought my book man, I've gotta sign it." I've no doubt that the crowds would have stayed there for as long as he would have stood on the small stage. It was a night of mutual appreciation and the UK fan's grateful as always that the big hitters of Hip Hop had come to their shores.
Hip Hop is now into its fourth century and over the past forty years it has had more than its fair share of criticism. The art of rapping lost amongst the outrage at provocative lyrics. No one in the Hip Hop world is denying that some of the lyrical content has been explicit, provocative and damning. But what is also undeniable is that Hip Hop has become a reflection of underprivileged communities the world over. The poetry used to create the rhymes simply telling the way of life in the ghetto. Over the years Hip Hop has matured and the conscious message that was always trying to be told is now being rapped in more positive way. Hip Hop is now taking a seat in the Oval Office with the likes of Common Will.i.Am and Jay Z all speaking with the Obama's as the administration tries to understand the troubled areas of the vast country they represent.
Hip Hop will never be polite because the world is a fractured place. Hip Hop exists to give the unheard a voice and if that voice shouts too loudly there won't be any apologies. Common turned up and London turned up the volume - There were no apologies necessary!
