Produced by No I.D.
HookRewind that one time please (x2)
Verse 1Should it be, can it be simple?
Life is like the tempo of a No-I instrumental
Things that we been through define who we are now
Since Can I Borrow a Dollar?
Ooh, I'm a star now, coming from Chi-town
We was the first to do it
Me, No I.D., Twilite Tone on the music
The city on our back, we was the opening act
Throw our tapes in the crowd, they throw 'em right back
But we stayed on track, they stayed on the tracks
I stayed on the raps 'til we made it on the map
By then, No I was my main guy
He and I was like Chi-town's Gang Starr
We had came far together, with a long way to go
Seeing a bigger picture, but now from different angles
Tangle of the hustling, survival in the game
Felt I had to leave home to be a household name
Show money low, needin' to stack fast
City did have my back, now it's a backlash
Was I a slave to the cash and wanting it so bad?
I just became a dad, rap was all I had
So I moved to New York, to make it pop
Did Like Water for Choc, that album changed a lot
But my man who I started with, wasn't a part of it
And his presence I didn't even acknowledge it
Knew I was wrong, he shoulda at least had a song
It wouldn't be me without No I.D., and Twilite Tone
Wishin' I could get that time back
Oh I care, yo man, rewind that
Me and Dion back in the zone, I'm doing shows with Tone
For the future of the Chi we gon' bring it back home
Rewind that and we could do it again
No I.D., Twilite Tone, where the story begin
Hook
Verse 2This one's for my man J Dilla
As I say these words, my eyes fill up
Cuz wasn't non' realer than James Dewitt Yancey
So I'mma dedicate this to Dilla and his family
In Q-Tip's basement, I first met Jay Dee
I still remember the first beat he played me
He came to the Chi laid three that was crazy
Didn't even know me and gave 'em to me for free
I got the the D, peace yo, big love
Cook up some hot shit, then go to the strip club
Then we made The Light and times got brighter
I said turn it up Jay'll take it higher
One day, I noticed he was tired quick
That's when I found out, Jay Dee was real sick
Things got worse before they got better
I said, Come to L.A. for peace and good weather
We got an apartment just so we could spark it
MP in the front room, records in the closet
The beats got iller, but the sickness was still there
I'm wishing I could will him out of his wheelchair
It was hard for me to come home every day
And see my homie Jay's life fade away
I stayed away some times, in other words I ran
Til one day J brought me this TV stand
It was a gift so I couldn't refuse it
It came from his heart, I regret I didn't use it
The lupus got worse and, for what it's worth
I wanted him to have a Grammy before he left this earth
Wishing we could have that time back
Oh we can, yo man, rewind that
Hook
Verse 3You never gone, you live forever through song
I feel it when I seem 'em with them Dilla shirts on
I know you're still shining, from heaven you watch me
Watch me put this Grammy on the stand you got me
Outro(Common)
That's the infinite team right there, me and Jay Dee, I'mma work with him whenever I can, cause he's just like, constantly progressing and growing. He's one of the greatest producers... greatest musicians of our time. For real, I really know that
Like, I used to be able to wake up in the morning and hear J Dilla beats being made. You know, I really, really used to walk by and be like, Man, I'm blessed. I really felt that, like, during the time when he was making it, not like, I don't look back and have to say I was blessed, I know I was blessed. But during that time I looked and say man, I'm gonna see Jay Dee make beats every day, you know, as long as he was healthy, he was making music
(J Dilla)
Common, ok for me, ok it's definitely not a Common album
But, it's Common