One Day It'll All Make Sense

I ordered the book when Common was talking about it on the twitters. (Read the book, his Mom didnt quite know what to call it either) But anyway, I immediately ordered the book from amazon.com. It arrived quickly and I was excited but apprehensive. See, I read Decoded, but didnt quite feel the excitement that everyone else felt. I love JayZ - no reasonable doubt or otherwise. And I think dream hampton is simply brilliant. But the book left a lot to be desired. Sure there were some pretty pictures, but still.......For these reasons, I was taking my time about reading this book. Cold feet? Second thoughts? Its like I wasnt sure what I was going to learn. Everyone that knows me knows that I like to read. Reading was my first love. My first hobby and remains my true passion.With trepidation a couple of nights ago, I cracked the spine and though I've said it before - this time for real "what a ride". Common shared all his business. His first sexual experiences. His hits and misses. His fears. His loves. His passions. His spirituality. But most importantly, dude shared his vulnerabilities. He wrote about his hurts, his pains and his less than courageous moments.I know that many see him as a sex symbol. I know I do. I think he is F I N E!, handsome, smart, sexy, intelligent and I adore his music. I was first introduced to him for real for real with the cd One Day It'll All Make Sense when he had become known as Common rather than Common Sense. The track that attracted me to the music was Retrospect for Life with Lauryn Hill. Before that I'd heard about him, specifically his ode to Hip Hop, I Used To Love H.E.R. He writes about all of this in the book. He even shares what he was going through when he wrote the lyrics. He shares his family's dirty laundry.If you ever listened to a Common (Sense) cd in its entirety you always hear Pops Rap. They told some of the story. Pops was telling his and his namesakes story. Lonnie Lynn and Lonnie Rashid Lynn (our Common) could not be more different yet more alike.Reading this book will make you feel like you're talking to a real good buddy - listening to him share his life story. Some of that stuff you might not want to hear, but it's so tragically wrong and right all at the same time. When I bought the cd Electric Circus, I thought this brother must be going through something. True enough he was. He writes that he felt it to be creatively genius. Hmmmm. Then on Be, you see more influences of someone else but not necessarily the growth of an individual. Rashid, as you will feel like you have to right to call him after reading the book, saw it as growth. Possibly. I cant really say.I know that Finding Forever was more evident of the Common Sense with whomI felt a connection.The book is full of popular culture references and recent history. If you read it, you will find out about Common's ascent into the movie industry or acting. You will learn about his connection (loosely) to the White House and the Obamas. Naturally, there are plenty of hip hop references and those popular artists from the genre. Yet the biggest thing that made me feel like a snooper was witnessing the relationship with his parents. He and his Mom seem to be naturally friends but first parent and child. That remains evident with his Mom's notes throughout the book. Oh and his relationship with Jay Dee made me slightly uncomfortable. The emotions are raw and Jay Dee's untimely passing still feels like an open wound.I imagine that writing the book had to be a form of catharsis or cleansing for Rashid. However I feel that his sharing it with the world was huge. You've probably already read that in the book he shares that Erykah Badu broke up with him over the phone essentially saying that she didnt want to do the relationship anymore because she was feeling someone else. Whoa! He writes that the break up hurt and it hurt bad. I could say more, but I think you might want to read it for yourself. Plus he details some of his other love relationships.Lonnie Rashid Lynn has a soft side but he's oh so hard. There arent many but the curse words are present. I say check it out and tell me what you think.

In an age where gangsta rap has become the face of hip-hop culture, and hip-hop culture is marketed and sold like a commodity by four or five white men who work for Clear Channel, it is refreshing to read a version of the black male experience that acknowledges our complex history and diversity in America. This is an autobiography written by a black intellectual who does not view himself as separate and apart from the vices and virtues of his community of origin. As a documentarian and participant in the streets of Chicago, Common's life journey demonstrates that black people can be "in it," but not “of it" by our own choosing. Hip-Hop transcends the boundaries of townships and voting districts, allowing us to do the same in our own lives and live out a reality greater than the typical negative stereotypes of crime, corrections, drugs, gun violence and misogyny. As the only child of a single mother, it was truly gratifying to read about the relationship between Common and his mother, and to also read their words and thoughts intertwined and interwoven from page-to-page and chapter-to-chapter. A lot of dudes can rap, but very few have their own voice. Common demonstrates himself to be one of the few chosen, in the spirit of transformative emcees like Rakim, Krs-One, Nas, the artist formerly known as Mos Def and Black Thought. In many respects, their lives have become greater than their art, allowing them to become Hip-Hop immortals.

I just finished this book and I guess I should start being honest in admitting that I am a big Common fan. This book was a fantastic read and I probably could have finished in a couple of days if I had the time to do so. I am most impressed with the honesty that Common exudes in telling his story. I feel that it would be easy for an artist who is primarily known now for his social work to lose sight of who he was on yesterday. Common never lost focus of who Rashid is and being anchored by Rashid, the good and bad and ups and downs, allows Common to not only be who he is today, but to be comfortable, pure and honest with who he is today. Reading this book made me go back and cop some previous Common albums that were not in my collection and boy am I glad I did so. If you are a fan of Common or even if you have heard negative things about him and who he is, I strongly suggest that you read this book and then see if your stance was correct. I would dare to say that you would not even want to judge him or anyone else for that matter. You would be more inclined to treat others with respect and judge less books by their covers. LOVE.

Common has always been one of those people that you want to keep a watch on. His music, though in the beginning, was a bit controversial has been inspiring and had a message that reached all people.In "One Day It'll All Make Sense", Common offers up himself and his mother provides a great backdrop to his story. I love the relationship between the both and how conscious Common is when expressing the loss of loved ones and the love that he has had for the women in his life. This book offers great life lessons for everyone, I will always remember the quote that his mother said about having friends and the importance of where to place them. I enjoyed reading and being introduced to the people that had an effect on Common, whether good or bad.I recommend this book because it is one that every person in their lives can identify with, no matter how old you are or your race, religion, or creed. Common writes in such a transparent and effortless way, that you cannot help but be in engage in what he has to say. Buy this book, you will not regret it.

I was disappointed, I expected something more interesting from him. I thought he was a strong person with high values...but not really.

Good pages easy to read

This book has great insight into the rappers life, for Common fans or for non fans it is just worth a read.

If you like Common's music you oughta give this a shot. After reading it i feel like i know him for such a long time.

Really good recommended++++