'Resurrection' Twenty Years Later - Chris "Preach" Smith

The fall brings forth much more than the final
flourish of foliage. It’s a time for celebration and
reflection to go along with the newly found chill
in the air. And in that spirit, I find myself writing
this with a bit of amazement that Common’s
highly regarded second album, Resurrection, turns
twenty today. Amazement…and a certain sense
of clarity.

I remember that trip to Hot Waxx on The Ave. to
get my cassette copy all those years ago. The trek
home on the Q4 with the album in my ears, being
transported to Chicago. Resurrection dropped at the
beginning of my senior year in high school, a week
from my birthday. I was coming of age, in that little
bit of precious space where you’re not exactly a man
but you’re past being a child. Life was asserting itself
and I was caught up with all of the possibilities. So
this album wound up becoming part of the year’s
soundtrack. It wasn’t until later when I fully realized
how Resurrection was meant to be a coming-of-age
chronicle in so many ways. This was when Com was
going by Common Sense still, and building on the
success of Can I Borrow A Dollar? that had dropped
two years earlier. Most were checking for him ‘cause
of “Soul By The Pound” and “Breaker 1/9”, which got
some decent rotation. Second albums can sometimes
scuttle rather than solidify careers in rap as we all
know. But thanks to Com and the pristine production
from fellow Chi-Town native No I.D., Resurrection
wouldn’t fall off the mark. Thanks to the lead single,
“I Used To Love H.E.R.”


“I Used To Love Her” is without question one of the prime
moments of hip-hop on many levels. For one, this track
that had hip-hop personified in the form of a beautiful
woman is still impactful to this day. It wound up sparking
a beef between Com and Ice Cube that was vicious and
fueled the East Coast/West Coast conflict for a couple of
years. It’s also significant because in the overall context
of the album, it is a strong piece of wisftul reflection. If
you remember, the album itself was divided in half - The
East Side of Stony and the The West Side of Stony. Stony
as in Stony Ave. in Chicago’s Southside. It’s important
because this track, which was second on the album sets
a brillant pace. You get walloped with Com’s insightfulness
and (to keep it real) prophetic power because when you
listen to this track again and look at the state of contemporary
rap you can’t help but feel a bit somber. “I Used To Love
H.E.R.” also jars because of what H.E.R. stands for - Hearing
Every Rhyme. And truthfully, do you do that with some of
these more popular rappers these days? Also, you have to
appreciate that this was the first of only two singles to propel
the album’s success.

Resurrection had many other tracks that spoke to me
heavily. ‘Communism’ resonates with me as one of
those joints, with bittersweet horns and a laid-back
harmonious stride that Com spits on effortlessly as if
he was out on the corner past midnight getting lyrics
off his chest in short breaths you see in the cold. “Book
Of Life” also jars because it illustrated struggle as a
young Black man who doesn’t have many prospects
trying to make it. Take these lyrics:

I tangle for cash
hopin it’ll last until the end of the week
but all I eat is fast food
and you know how junk food goes right through ya
so I return to the A-rab then on the way back
I stop at the liquor store then grab me a six pack
knowing that when I’m done with that I’ll be back
to get some more

That’s just one sampling of Com’s powerful yet
straight-forward lyricism. On their own, a lot of
Com’s lyrics from this album stand out as prose 
worthy of Richard Wright but with more hope to
be claimed. That’s the engine that pulls the album
forward, the lyrics. Com also showed on Resurrection
just how in tune with the ‘hood he was on all levels.
‘Chapter 13’, a track discussing the merits of how
far material riches get you, ends with a joke/parable
that would’ve made Redd Foxx grin. It’s a cut that
doesn’t get a lot of recognition but stands out for
the back and forth Com has with Ynot, who holds
his own rather well AND produced the beat. I mean,
it’s old-school neck-snappin’ and signifyin’ at its best,
between Com’s ‘Poor Man’ and Ynot’s ‘Rich Man’ as
you’ll see in this excerpt:

Yes check it
I didn’t grow up po po po
but once you get grown
and out on your own
bills upon bills upon bills is what you have
before you get your check you already spend half
see I make the money money doesn’t make me
I ‘m a reflection of my section and my section 8 me

Don’t get me wrong, Resurrection also flourishes 
because of the joyfulness to be found in the album.
‘Nuttin’ To Do’ is a bluesy and quick paced track of
reminiscing that has the same pop one hears from
opening a can of cold beer and just as much body.
Even the ‘WMOE’ radio segment that serves as the
midway point of the album is lively, giving you the 
feeling as if you’re out in a bar or house party catching
the album. (Side note: watch ‘Cooley High’ with this
album playing. Thank me later.) The most striking
track that ties it all together is ‘Pops’ Rap’ featuring 
Com’s dad, Lonnie Lynn. Hearing it now is poignant
because it was both a father and son coming together
in a new and unexpected way. But it reminded you 
of how you sat with your own pops and other older
heads on the block and got that wisdom. Wisdom you
may not fully internalize until later. It made me seek
and then really hold onto peace with my own father
over the years. For a good deal of cats out there, they
cite this as inspiration. It’s all the more poignant ‘cause
Pops wound up being a fixture on all of Com’s albums
until his passing earlier this year. And credit has to be
shown to No I.D. who also grew into the household name
he has through his skillfully crafted production here. He
managed to provide a rhythmic watercolor picture of 
Chicago as Com saw it, a blend of tough reality, social
and political awareness, good times and soul that simmers
like Harold’s hot sauce. There’s also an inset reverence 
for hip-hop as savior and teacher throughout that Com 
displays in lyrical dexterity and that No I.D. matches with
samples from Grandmaster Flash to ODB to the Whatnauts.

Finally, one has to look at Resurrection as one that explores
the arena of finally embracing maturity. I mean, as positive
as Common is and has shown himself to be throughout his
career to this present time, the album does contain a heavy 
use of the ‘B’ word. Com does reference women as ‘ho’s’ 
in the album. It’s a contrast to his reverence on ‘I Used To
Love H.E.R.’ but it also is the illustration of a young Black
man finding his way. It’s a snapshot of how much he’s grown
as a man and an MC when you consider his discography as
he got down with the Soulquarians. Resurrection is an album
that is meant to hone the gold given to us as wisdom as we
get older and move past childish things and ways. It deserves
its place as one of the best hip-hop albums of all time. I got 
the chance to listen to some of it with my Pops. I hope to share
some of it with my children in the near future. Because there
comes a time where we all have to bring back the essence we
came up with to move ahead in life. This album is just one of
the blueprints on how to begin.