Common could be the most self-righteous mainstream rapper in hip-hop. However, renowned poet Maya Angelou believes that the Chicago rapper dissed her by using the N-word in a song that she is featured on from his new album The Dreamer/The Believer.
Common begins “The Dreamer” by rapping, “Ferrari testers, Armani dressers exquisite thick b—–s that body bless us, rest assured, we getting festive in Miami now, told my n—– ‘ye i’m about to win a Grammy now.”
After Common raps two more verses, Maya Angelou delivers a touching poem.
“You can build a better future when you join the winning team, if you desire a bright tomorrow, you must build a brighter dream. Dare to let your dreams reach beyond you, know that history holds more than it seems, we are here alive today because our ancestors dared to dream,” she says.
Common responded to Angelou’s criticism by saying, “Ms. Angelou knows I do use the word. I told her what ‘The Dreamer’ was about and what I wanted to get across to people. I wanted young people to hear this and feel like they could really accomplish their dreams.”
Although Common often raps about uplifting his community, it’s unfortunate that he used the N-word in a song that features Angelou. As a young girl growing up during the Civil Rights era, Angelou witnessed the effects of racism in America firsthand. The use of the N-word is not a cool way to connect words in a rhyme to her. She saw how the word was used as a terroristic threat against blacks who were lynched in the South.
But through pop culture and media, the N-word has become so universal that other races have adopted it as slang.
Common’s new album, The Dreamer/The Believer is one of the best albums to be released in 2011. But Common should have given respect to his elders by refraining from using the N-word while recording a duet with one of the greatest poets in history. –amir shaw
