Common, a hypocrite/sellout? I dunno... what'cha think?

November 14, 2007 @ 10:53 PM

TreatiseMelody

Post: 103

Join Date: Nov 2007

We all know that Common has been delivering some pretty decent music ever since Can I Borrow A Dollar? But recently, he has agreed to team up with Lincoln to promote the 2008 Lincoln Navigator, and he will be appearing in some promotional ads and stuff. Plus, we all remember those GAP commercials he did a while back...

Peep these lines from one of his best songs*
youtube.com/watch?v=Y12YgEIFcAY

"I mightve failed to mention that the shit was creative
But once the man got you well he altered the native
Told her if she got an energetic gimmick
That she could make money, and she did it like a dummy
Now I see her in commercials, shes universal
She used to only swing it with the inner-city circle
Now she be in the burbs lickin rock and dressin hip
And on some dumb shit... She was really the realest,
before she got into showbiz." ("I Used to Love H.E.R.", Resurrection, 1994)

He's one of my fav rappers and all but these verses that he spit on "I Used to Love H.E.R. totally contradict his actions right now. I'm not sayin that other "good" rappers haven't been in commercials or movies before, but they didn't denounce it the way that Comm did. And not that he doesn't deserve to be well known, but bein a hypocrite hurts his credibility. He criticized hip-hop for the direction that it was headed, but now he's doin the same thing almost.?????????????????????????????????????????

November 14, 2007 @ 11:01 PM

TheCityOfChi

Post: 4612

Join Date: Nov 2006

by being in a commercial for lincoln your no way degrading hip hop, doing a comercial is not selling out, hell what other rapper do you think would have done GAP ads? he said he did those ads becuase he respected what GAP was doing with the product red line. He did it to support the company and spread a message, not to make money. Alot of rappers are doing car comercials now anyway (jay-z, TI, ludacris and slum village) Are you saying SV sold out by doing a commercial for pontiac?

November 14, 2007 @ 11:15 PM

TreatiseMelody

Post: 103

Join Date: Nov 2007

yah, I know Jay, Slum Vill, and Luda have been in commercials, but have they come out with songs that denounced the idea of artists/hip-hop being commercialized by certain aspects of the media. I'm trying to stress the hypocritical aspect of it on Commons part, him doing exactly what he described in 'I Used To Love H.E.R.', not about making money or anything.

November 14, 2007 @ 11:19 PM

Brooklyn_718

Post: 2561

Join Date: Sep 2006

Location: Pluto

Common been doing this for so many years and times have changed since then. He's one of the best and in my opinion he's getting better and better with Kanye on his production team so its not like he got into showbiz and his albums started sucking...His albums are hot right now.

November 14, 2007 @ 11:32 PM

TreatiseMelody

Post: 103

Join Date: Nov 2007

Common been doing this for so many years and times have changed since then. He's one of the best and in my opinion he's getting better and better with Kanye on his production team so its not like he got into showbiz and his albums started sucking...His albums are hot right now.

I agree times have changed, he still does make G.O.O.D. music, but I guess I'm just feelin like his albums nowadays lack that certain rawness that they had back then. You know before he had a decent amount of MTV airtime...

November 15, 2007 @ 06:08 AM

Essence0

Post: 651

Join Date: May 2007

Location: Jamaica Queens

You realize "I Used to Love H.E.R." is about 14 years old and Common has grown up. It's a good thing he doesn't view Hip Hop the same way now that he did back then. He's changed his perspective for the better imo and this isn't the first time he's done something that went against he said in the past.

November 15, 2007 @ 06:09 AM

Inactive

Commons one of my favs and i didnt like his last album at all....with that said...

I have no problem with Common getting his cash. And, yes he has contradicted himself in the past about the commercialism (literally!) of hip hop and even said a few lines making fun of rappers doing movies...now every time i go see a flick I see Commons milk dud head ass on my screen lol. So he's human....he got older and realized that being financialy secure for yourself and your family in the future is way more important than a few uppity lines in a rap song here and there. If the people want him as a spokes person...pffft why not. I know I'd do it.

But like ive said in another post though about a similar topic. Common can murder a 80 yr old woman walking home from the grocery store and the internet rap fans would still be like "So? He been rappin long enough its about ti,e he got to kill someone...she wasnt gonna live long anyway." The internets love Common lol.

November 15, 2007 @ 07:40 AM

mrnogoodnick

Post: 509

Join Date: Oct 2006

Location: Brooklyn

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yup yup and yup. I agree with what you said including the part about Com's last album (Bor-ring)....BUT

you're like the hypebeast Bill O'Reilly. You stay on some "the internet's full of knee-jerk Common sweating, Lil wayne hating rap elitist lame kids blah blah" ish. I don't believe the hype.

November 15, 2007 @ 08:16 AM

Mr Chubbs

Post: 1277

Join Date: Jun 2007

Location: coldblood

Who cares? You cant say you wouldnt. He'll probably promote anything that he doesnt have moral conflicts with. Thats totally fine. Its not like hes promoting it in his music videos and shit, or his actual songs. Now thatd be wack as hell.

www.totallyfoolproof.com

November 15, 2007 @ 09:55 AM

Christdawg

Post: 2639

Join Date: Feb 2007

Location: Queens, NYC

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yup yup and yup. I agree with what you said including the part about Com's last album (Bor-ring)....BUT

you're like the hypebeast Bill O'Reilly. You stay on some "the internet's full of knee-jerk Common sweating, Lil wayne hating rap elitist lame kids blah blah" ish. I don't believe the hype.

November 15, 2007 @ 09:59 AM

complxsuede

Post: 58

Join Date: Apr 2007

Location: Not too far from hom...

i used to love h.e.r was back in 1994 and like someone said earlier, times have changed. promoting the gap and lincoln are probably companies that don't conflict with him morally. if he opposed these companies and what they stand for he probably wouldn't be a spokesperson for it.

November 15, 2007 @ 11:56 AM

harrysax

Post: 213

Join Date: Jun 2006

i don't think it matters common can do wahtever he wants and he usually does things for a reason he hasn't really been in a wack movie yet, he did ads for gap because he likes gap and besides i didn't hear neone calling him a sellout when he was doing those get tested hiv commercials

November 15, 2007 @ 01:11 PM

Quickstriker

Post: 1493

Join Date: Jun 2006

Location: Bay Area

Common said a lot of things. He criticized Ice Cube in "The Bitch In Yoo" and well he's now trying to do what Ice Cube is now doing, i.e acting, pop music haha. Now is Ice Cube a sell out too? Perhaps. I just think people get older and they're priorities change. Will I ever take Common seriously again or buy his music? Most likely not since I haven't liked anything he's done in a long time. You'd be better off just letting it go and not stressing about it. All you can do now is listen to Common's classics, cause now his music is trash.

November 15, 2007 @ 01:47 PM

Quickstriker

Post: 1493

Join Date: Jun 2006

Location: Bay Area

its not trash he's just in a different mindstate.
and pop music?
thats what people say about jay....kingdom come, they didnt like cause he wasnt on his r.doubt shit....duh, dudes a millionaire now and is doing big shit, not hustlin and shit anymore.

but finding forever was.......7/10
i fucks with be

Not a fan of any of the Common albums post, "Like Water For Chocolate". They're ok for what they are, but they're not my style.

November 15, 2007 @ 02:28 PM

Inactive

i don't think it matters common can do wahtever he wants

LOL! No he can't.

And yes he is a hypocrite.

November 15, 2007 @ 02:31 PM

CHEEP

Post: 4161

Join Date: Mar 2007

Location: 904

i bet most of the people calling him a hypocrite are closer to 10 than 30... just sayin.

November 15, 2007 @ 02:40 PM

dmwalking

moderator

Post: 2649

Join Date: Aug 2007

Location: New England

for real, living as long as I have I've realized that the opinions and stances I've had on certain subjects have changed. That's part of living. We're all hypocrites dude. People say, I hate being lied to but lie to eachother. People shoplift but get mad if you rob em.

I'm sure many of your fav rappers were hypocrites too. Pac? Keep your head up? I get around? Yeah. KRS? Anti bling but does a song w/diddy. Big? Talks all that beef ish, but when beef pops off he wants peace w/peace w/pac. Jay retired. We know how that's going. The list goes on.

Dude is human. We all contradict ourselves because we can't calculate what the future has in store for us...so all of our current opinions are not too much more than assumptions based on what we know at the present time. But you never know what may happen to change your opinion. I'm just saying, rappers are still human and succeptible to contradictions.

No need to hate them for it.

guy on some broke bus. Love, Sosa. "Don't feed the trolls" initiative coming soon. We can rebuild.

November 15, 2007 @ 03:12 PM

Quickstriker

Post: 1493

Join Date: Jun 2006

Location: Bay Area

for real, living as long as I have I've realized that the opinions and stances I've had on certain subjects have changed. That's part of living. We're all hypocrites dude. People say, I hate being lied to but lie to eachother. People shoplift but get mad if you rob em.

I'm sure many of your fav rappers were hypocrites too. Pac? Keep your head up? I get around? Yeah. KRS? Anti bling but does a song w/diddy. Big? Talks all that beef ish, but when beef pops off he wants peace w/peace w/pac. Jay retired. We know how that's going. The list goes on.

Dude is human. We all contradict ourselves because we can't calculate what the future has in store for us...so all of our current opinions are not too much more than assumptions based on what we know at the present time. But you never know what may happen to change your opinion. I'm just saying, rappers are still human and succeptible to contradictions.

No need to hate them for it.

Cosign. Hypocrites, we are all hypocrites

November 15, 2007 @ 03:29 PM

Mr Chubbs

Post: 1277

Join Date: Jun 2007

Location: coldblood

Damn am i the only person that thinks Be is one of the best albums out in a while. I'm seriously in love with that album, i listen to the Track Be, everyday. That song never gets old for me.

www.totallyfoolproof.com

November 15, 2007 @ 03:46 PM

Inactive

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yup yup and yup. I agree with what you said including the part about Com's last album (Bor-ring)....BUT

you're like the hypebeast Bill O'Reilly. You stay on some "the internet's full of knee-jerk Common sweating, Lil wayne hating rap elitist lame kids blah blah" ish. I don't believe the hype.

I can agree with that....now admit you're a nose in the air hip hop douche bag elitist and the world will be a happier place.

November 15, 2007 @ 06:39 PM

StrghtCshHMY

Post: 169

Join Date: Nov 2007

Location: NYC

AS soon as a music artist starts branching out in their ventures, the fans of said person are quick to brand them a SELLOUT. It IS possible to make good music, be true to #1, and rake in extra cash.

A sellout is someone who ditches whatever cause he was supposedly down with in order to get a quick fix.

Getting rich does not always equate to selling out.

November 15, 2007 @ 07:11 PM

The Cool Kid

Post: 194

Join Date: May 2007

Location: aNYthing

I respect Common to the fullest for what he's doing, especially promoting GAP's product Red line...he was able to address a real serious issue at the same time as getting paid. It obviously shows that he put thought into choosing a sponsor...atleast he didn't come out and promote Pimp Juice or some shit.

This is America, capitalism reigns supreme, and as long as he's not promoting some bullshit then I have no problem with Common getting money. The rest of these super underground broke ass rap cats need to take a business lesson from Common. You shouldn't be ashamed to make money...god forbid.

November 15, 2007 @ 09:19 PM

mrnogoodnick

Post: 509

Join Date: Oct 2006

Location: Brooklyn

I can agree with that....now admit you're a nose in the air hip hop douche bag elitist and the world will be a happier place.

not gonna happen. but keep fighting that hip hop culture war Mr. O'Reilly.

50 Cent says: murder...I DON'T BELIEVE YOU...

November 15, 2007 @ 09:34 PM

SeanCK

Post: 408

Join Date: Aug 2007

Location: Chicago

ppl change in their lifetime....

so do MCs

November 16, 2007 @ 06:06 AM

Inactive

not gonna happen. but keep fighting that hip hop culture war Mr. O'Reilly.

50 Cent says: murder...I DON'T BELIEVE YOU...

Oh well. guess some of us can own up others cant.

November 18, 2007 @ 02:52 AM

SoleFresh87

Post: 1296

Join Date: Nov 2006

Location: Columbia , South Car...

Common is still nice , he aint selling out in no way or form , as long as he doesnt start rapping about McDonlads burgers or rap about Kool Aid ...isnt Lincoln a black owned company , im probaly wrong but oh well at least he gets a free ride and a phat check go Common !

Extra Money every month. http://cashcrate.com/253274 Instagram @g87vrse

November 18, 2007 @ 03:18 AM

Rogue Artist

Post: 397

Join Date: Aug 2007

just let it go....

I used to be like you about these hip hop cats but once you start looking around everyone has sold out in some kinda way.

Look at KRS One he's supposed to be one of the purist emcees who talk about no sell out and leaving all the jewelry to the women and not being blinged out but he did Sprite commercials back in the day & wore fat dookie ropes which was considered bling at that time....

Queen Latifah used to be all about "Ladies First" and black pride back in the day now she's all about doing make up ads, voice overs and movies, she so far away from how she started out in hip hop.

The list goes on and on, I just try not to think about b/c it used to piss me off b/c I grew up listening to these cats and it all seems hypocritical but I guess you gotta put food on your table.

If you were in their shoes would you "sellout" too?

Most people say no but I think its different when your in their shoes.

November 18, 2007 @ 01:34 PM

np2fast

Post: 637

Join Date: Jun 2007

Heres the difference between common and other rappers. He endorses goods in their commercial but in no way does he do it in his song. You wont hear him talking about Patron or any other alcohol to make a quick dollar.

The guy wants to make money on the side; let him be. This does not affect his hip hop game, just his persona.