Rapper Lonnie Lynn, aka Common, is headlining a campaign event for Democrat U.S. Senate candidates Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in the Georgia runoff campaigns in Savannah on Saturday. The event is a “Get Out the Vote” rally to urge Georgians to cast their ballots during the early in-person vote period, which is open now through December 31. The runoff election day is January 5, 2021.
Warnock is running against Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler in the special election, while Ossoff is competing with Republican Senator David Perdue for a full six year term.
Notably, Warnock is the Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, which makes his campaign’s promotion of Common as a special musical guest at the rally a headscratcher for voters given the rapper’s questionable lyrical messages in his music.
Here are a few excerpts from Common’s music over the years.
** Caution: Profanity and offensive language quoted below. **
Song: “Real Nigga Quotes” – 1997
One two, one two, one two
Yo, I be the Big Illinois, here to build and destroy
I come on your deck, on your set
On your strip, through your borough
Rippin’ any muthafucka that steps towards me
Yeah, I got power like floors be, yo, check it out y’all
Real nigga quotes I tote, got some shit on the free
But this some shit that I wrote, legendary like The Goat
Who got game? Giving a quarter rest while I make these quarter notes
My album, niggaz was expectin’, now my water broke
Before it, I was sorta broke
Get the paper for the funnies, sports and the horoscope
Song: “Ghetto Dreams” – 2011
Ghetto dreams, ghetto ghetto dreams
Ghetto niggas’ dreams from the hood
I want a bitch that look good and cook good
Cinderella fancy but she still look hood
Butt naked in the kitchen flipping pancakes
Plus she tricking from the dough that her man makes
We got our own handshake, her titties ain’t fake
Fucking in the car ’cause we just can’t wait
To get home early in the morn’ getting stoned
Pretty with her eyes low, running by Bible
Song: “Heidi Ho” – 1992
Whatup BITCH? I’m Petey Wheatstraw
And you don’t stop, with the heidi heidi hoe
Hi hoe, or bye hoe, if you’re lookin for a sucker
(What are you?) I’m just another motherfucker
Pucker your lips, do flips like Mary Lou
Just because I fucked you doesn’t mean that I’ma marry you
Bury you, I will do, after, I bill you
Kill you, hoe, cause your shit smells like mildew
In 2011, Michelle Obama invited Common to the White House for “An Evening of Poetry,” sparking criticism of the move given the rapper’s controversial lyrics. One of his rhymes took on former President George W. Bush, with Common saying in his poem “Letter to the Law,” “Burn a Bush ’cause for peace he no push no button.” It was recited on a 2007 episode of HBO’s “Def Poetry.”
ABC News reported on the controversy surrounding the rapper, quoting the Obama White House’s statement in defending Common’s appearance.
“While the president doesn’t support the kind of lyrics that have been raised here, some of these reports distort what Mr. Lynn [Common] stands for more broadly.” said then-White House press secretary Jay Carney in ABC News. “One of the things the president appreciates is the work Mr. Lynn has done with children, especially trying to get them to focus on poetry as opposed to some of the negative influences of life on the streets,” he said.
Frank Corder
