No offense, but that doesn’t mean he’s an agent, he’s just boring and unimaginative. Nas released a song about the same worn-out topic with the same worn-out ideas rapped about.
The truth is, there’s a topical ceiling for most of the borderline-conscious artists like Common. They’re just going to rap around “black entrepreneurship,” touch on vague “stop the violence” lines, and probably say they want weed legalized.
He’s not going to give us dead prez, Lupe Fiasco or Mos Def-level introspection and worldview.
Sure. He's definitely boring and unimaginative. That's not what makes me think he's an agent, though it's part of it. I think the proliferation of black excellence mascots communicating in uniform empty rhetoric isn't coincidental, actually. It keeps black people rooting for idols and empty mantras while distracting them from the worsening of their plight. And it gives white liberals the absolute least to do in the name of absolution and progress: be allies by supporting goofiness rather than meaningful societal change.
Common isn't just still cutting lame, saccharine, empty records. He's voicing major corporate commercials. He's (poorly) freestyling the intros at the NBA All Star game. He's a visible member of Hollywood. He's cleaning up on the college lecture and corporate convention circuits, where he's collecting checks to talk about racism and diversity despite having expertise on neither and offering little outside of platitudes and cliches. It's not always dumb luck that finds certain figures perpetually propped up in the spotlight, regardless of the quality of their art, thinking, acting, etc. When I notice a person continues to be foisted upon the masses and granted huge platforms in spite of being a clown, I start paying attention and wondering why. In Common's case (and with other mascots like Common) I suspect they might be part of an effort to dumb down the discourse and undermine any potential revolution by selling the rest of us the idea of a bought and paid for, empty Black Renaissance that keeps us feeling a sense of fulfillment via idol worship and social media talking points. Am I saying I'm definitely right? No. Am I saying I have genuine suspicions? Absolutely.