Common's new book, "One Day It'll All Make Sense," hit store book shelves last month. Here is the publisher's synopsis:
"Common has earned a reputation in the hip hop world as a conscious artist by
embracing themes of love and struggle in his songs, and by sharing his own
search for knowledge with his listeners. His journey toward
understanding--expressed in his music and now in his roles in film and
television--is rooted in his relationship with a remarkable woman, his mother,
Mahalia Ann Hines.
In "One Day It'll All Make Sense," Common holds nothing back. He tells what
it was like for a boy with big dreams growing up on the South Side of Chicago.
He reveals how he almost quit rapping after his first album, "Can I Borrow a
Dollar?," sold only two thousand copies. He recounts his rise to stardom, giving
a behind-the-scenes look into the recording studios, concerts, movie sets, and
after-parties of a hip-hop celebrity and movie star. He reflects on his
controversial invitation to perform at the White House, a story that grabbed
international headlines. And he talks about the challenges of balancing fame,
love, and fatherhood.
"One Day It'll All Make Sense" is a gripping memoir, both provocative and
funny. Common shares never-before-told stories about his encounters with
everyone from Tupac to Biggie, Ice Cube to Lauryn Hill, Barack Obama to Nelson
Mandela. Drawing upon his own lyrics for inspiration, he invites the reader to
go behind the spotlight to see him as he really is--not just as Common but as
Lonnie Rashid Lynn.
Each chapter begins with a letter from Common addressed to an important
person in his life--from his daughter to his close friend and collaborator Kanye
West, from his former love Erykah Badu to you, the reader. Through it all,
Common emerges as a man in full. Rapper. Actor. Activist. But also father, son,
and friend. Common's story offers a living example of how, no matter what you've
gone through, one day it'll all make sense."
Common has received accolades for this book. Here is what a few of his colleagues have said regarding his work:
"Common is a 360-degree human being, and I don't say that about many people. He
never needed to "pimp the hood" to achieve his deserved success. He is an
eloquent and honorable role model and his memoir is a perfect example of his
depth as a human being. In addition, reading about his childhood and upbringing
in Chicago is really a trip - because we went through so many of the same
experiences albeit decades apart. Chicago is still the roughest and primary
"Institution of Hard Knocks," and if you can make it there, you can truly make
it anywhere!" -Quincy Jones
"Common has written a magnificent memoir. It states that it is a book about his
fascinating life. That is true. More importantly, his story is the story of all
young people trying to grow up. His saga reminds the reader that love liberates
and poverty cripples. Common writes beautifully, like the poet he is."
-Maya Angelou
"A powerful memoir that speaks to all audiences." -Queen Latifah
Purchase "
One Day It'll All Make Sense" at
www.thequalitycorner.com.
Steve Harvey's best-selling book, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man has been transformed into an ensemble comedy/drama that hits theaters this spring.
