Common has always been known as an insightful artist. He developed his sound for soulful instrumentals, savvy hooks, and introspective lyrics over the course of a handful of years and albums before 2005’s “Be”. But in this particular release, we see a fully-fledged realization of his potential as a paternal figure for change, social progression, and influence to the fatherless youth of America. Common was introduced to Kanye West in the early 2000s, and the pair quickly became the nation’s golden boys that represented an approach to rap music removed from hyper masculinity, and centered around empathy towards a somewhat lost generation. On the gorgeous closing track to this epic series of poetic tunes, Common spits, “Knew this girl selling her body, wish she knew what it was worth. Between God and trash, looking in every car that pass…” Throughout the course of “It’s Your World”, Common expresses his frustrations for the situations a variety of seemingly innocent people find themselves in. It’s apparent to him, someone who claims to have been raised by the odd boyfriends of his mother who would stumble into his life (disinterested in the child searching for a mentor), that the misguided actions many people direct themselves with tend to originate from a lack of parental attention. Common envisions a world where the responsibilities that extend beyond the bare minimum of feeding/clothing/bathing children are met by educated, intentional mothers and fathers alike. He believes that a harmonious relationship between the two creatures that developed this child would lead to positive consequences that in turn allow for the child to recognize their worth, their capabilities, and their role in society without the intervention of insecurity, instability, or the interjections of soulless aggressors. He wishes that he could sit down with this prostitute and talk her into a life that benefits her trajectory as a healthy member of society, rather than one that contributes to the feedback loop of regression against her psyche.

This newly-formed reality would require social change, without a doubt. Another quote from this song is as follows: “I remember in high school she had a passion to sing, now she see herself in a casket in dreams. These are the children of crack and rap, blacks done lack self-esteem; yo we forgot the dream.” Though this is certainly a lot to swallow, it can be summarized as a call to action for those that grew up in rougher environments to wake up from the echo chamber of negative self worth. When one finds themselves born into a universe that systemically drills insecurities (both financially and socially among others) into one’s ego or perception of themselves, it takes so much to claw out of that hole. Children are highly malleable individuals, with neuroplasticity that grabs onto any little detail in an attempt to form a roughly-drafted identity. Poverty, gang violence, drug dealing, and other things tear apart the fundamentals of safety one should have, which poses a threat to minds that cannot know any better due to their own lack of development, and lawfully-imposed inability to control their daily lives. It’s apparent to many that such trauma, when left untreated for decades, leaves a mark on the soul that takes years of reframing and therapy to begin overcoming. Common is begging somebody, anybody to assist him in his goals of teaching these vulnerable children the concept of self-love, so that there’s more self-rooted assurance of opportunities that exist beyond the enclosed space of impoverished communities. The title of the track is a poem in itself: “It’s your world”. Common’s approach to this is different than how other barons of social change may tackle such a broad and complex topic. Rather than working to degrade the systems that take advantage of the innocent or ignorant, he seems to face the kids themselves before they’ve been totally tampered with unhealthy ideologies, and is setting a precedent that surely they won’t forget: you can change your situation, and you’re worth more than you may think you are. Unfortunately, certain systems will always exist because there are always going to be evil, manipulative, narcissistic persons finding ways of gaining leverage over the average citizen through sociopathic measures. When one wall falls, another of a different color is built in its place. Common might know this, and is arming the people with armor and tools to break through any wall that’s built to box them out. This is an uncommon, but highly effective way of empowering the powerless. Ultimately, Common wants what’s best for the humans who possess properly positive souls, and is using his craft as a musician and wordsmith to articulate how to achieve the resources necessary for ending systemic issues.