"When did you fall in love with Hip Hop?"

December 26, 2011. Day after Christmas. Senior year of high school. 17 years 
old. I was sitting on the edge of my bed with my laptop and listening to music on my trustworth Sony MDR V6 headphones. It was either really early in the morning or late in the afternoon. My mom was asleep (we share a room), there was something really boring on TV, and there was plenty of snow on the ground. I got a couple of iTunes gift cards for Christmas and was itching to buy some new music. I decided to try and get some good Hip Hop songs or albums and add to my growing interest of “real” Hip Hop music. (I was introduced to “real” Hip Hop the year prior; Aesop Rock’s song “None Shall Pass” changed my life and encouraged me to look for more lyricists.)
I googled things such as “alternative hip hop” and “best hip hop songs of all time” to see what gems I could dig up. I went on a bunch of random sites and saw a common thing: Common Sense ’s song “I Used to Love H.E.R.” It was listed on many different sites as one of the greatest Hip Hop songs ever. I HAD to check it out. For some odd reason, I swore up and down that the song was from the late ’80s and was going to sound like “The Message” or like a Run DMC song (musically speaking; referencing the drums, synths, guitars). To this day, I still don’t understand why I thought that haha.I proceeded to look at the Wikipedia article for the song. I read yet again about its prominence in the genre. Then, I glanced at something that said the song held a double meaning. He raps as if he is speaking about a lost love, but really, he is talking about Hip Hop. WHAT?!!!??!!I shouldn’t have read on!! I have a tendency to ruin things for myself. I went on ruining things by reading the lyrics before I thought of listening to the song. I read, and felt “meh” about it. Love song with an interesting twist… but THE LAST LINES OF THE SONG! What?? He’s talking about Hip Hop? ( I finally understood that Wiki article, sort of).

I quickly decided to actually listen to the song. I went on youtube and searched “Common I Used to Love Her HQ HD” (because I lubbz da high quaaa-leee-teehh). Unfortunately, I didn’t come across a HQ/HD version, so I just went with the first vid from the results. First thought: “Sheesh this vid is so old and grainy and low quality!” But I enjoyed it very much. I loved the visuals and loved how it was an actual video, not some la di la in a big room with a green screen and other “music video” cliches. My favorite parts were seeing the kid admiring his records and all of the scenes at the park, where the people were dancing.Then I started really listening.I enjoyed the music! The piano was soothing (laah, laaah, laaaah, laaah), the guitar was smooth (doo, doo, dooo-doo, doo, doo, doooo, dooo dooo, doo doooo dooo doo), the drums were TIGHT (ta boo boom, bap,ta boom bap, boo boom, bap! And the bass. THE BASS. (duuum, duum duuuum, duuum duuum duuUUUUUM, duuum duum duuuumm duuh duuummmm). Now, I’m a sucker for basslines. Whooh boy, that got me stuck. I think I started bobbing my head…Side story: I knew of Common before because I had gotten a digital copy of his album “Be” from a friend, but never paid it any attention except for the title track. I also had a few songs that I liked that he was featured in. I always thought his voice was interesting.Back to the topic. His flow, the way he rode the “I Used to Love H.E.R. beat, was all too cool. His words dove into the track with pure grace. I loved how connected his voice was to the music. During the while, I tried to pay close attention to the lyrics… I was drawn in. When I started the video, I forgot most of what I read about the actual meaning of the song (thank God, I like to be surprised). Hearing him actually say the words was more impactful than reading them. During my listen, I was sort of impressed. It was a typical love song, but at the same time, it wasn’t. The way he spoke and the words he rapped were different than anything else I’ve heard. Listening to the lyrics was also sad, because his first love, from whom he know from age 10, basically became a whore and someone who changed herself for popularity…Then. The end of the song. That last line. 

“But I’ma take it back y’all and let this shit stop/ cuz who I’m talkin’ bout y’all, is HIP HOP”

Hmm.
Oh.
OHH?
WHAT?!!!??!(mouth drops)
DID HE JUS- wait.
OH SHIIIIIIIIII-(eyes buggin and all)
REPLAY DAT!!!!
My actual reactions^

I was mesmerized. I was flabbergasted. I was…. I don’t even know. I just knew this song, with its bass line and that last lyric had to play again. It was like I was hit with a train, no, it was like I was hit by life the way ?uestlove was hit with being “grounded” because of the Michele Bachmann incident (no more free range, guys). I was in trouble now. I found an actual song that made all the sense in the world. I was “grounded”, and my punishment was to find even more music like this. Again, I say I am so glad I forgot about when I read the lyrics because I wouldn’t have had the same reaction. I actually wish I never read about it and stumbled upon the song randomly, I would have probably flipped a table…December 26, 2011. The day my life changed. I now had a favorite song of all time. I now have a song that expressed all of my feelings towards a genre that I thought I knew, but didn’t. On that day, I also purchased from iTunes The Pharcyde’s “Bizarre Ride” album, Nas’s “Life’s a Bitch”, Wu Tang Clan’s “Protect Ya Neck”, The UMC’s “Blue Cheese”, and House Of Pain’s “Jump Around”. (Only reason I remember those is because I still have the iTunes receipt; I honestly DON’T remember how I came across these songs).I fell in love with Hip Hop, and it was love at first sight/listen, just like what happened with Sidney and Dre in the classic movie “Brown Sugar” (which also plays like 10 seconds of the song, and they also rap a part of the song in the movie too!)Thank you Common, for changing my life, just like The Roots did with basically their whole… existence. May Hip Hop(e) live on!Here’s the video HD and HQ vid I uploaded a while back, I need more views! haha http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JmlhoIWZsU

And I just realized that October 25 was the 19 year anniversary for the “Resurrection” album. Wow!

When did you fall in love with Hip Hop?