Common Says the Era of ‘Bling Bling' is Over

When the president was simply known as Senator Barack Obama running for office, all hands were on deck as it pertained to the overall support that he was receiving.  It fully showed in the landslide results of the election against McCain as most in the Black community raised their arms to say “My President is Black.”

Since then, there have been mixed reviews in relation to actions that have been made by the president since entering the White House.  Whatever the case may be, he has left lasting impressions on certain people in the urban community as they have all strived to become more than they once were now that they are aware of the fact that a Black man has the ability to run the country.

With that change, there must be growth promoted because the only way to go forward is to progress and experiment with newer and unknown tastes and leave routine acts to those that are unwilling to step out from the past. 

During an interview while at the Hennessey Artistry event this weekend, Common gave some knowledge on the evolution of Hip-Hop and the disposal of old unnecessary trends.

"I also don't find as much gangsta talk.  You see the whole chain-shining-and-rim era is gone. That's like super-played out.   Just to have that, I think, is part of the Obama effect. 

Stepping away from the material world and no longer feeling the need to boast about what a person has or how much a person has, there has been a window that had been thrown open for artists to come in and express themselves outside of the riches.

“People want to say intelligent things and talk about hopeful things too.  Whatever MC doesn't, I will.  People always want to feel better and be inspired and sometimes we need it.  I think the conscious rapper will always be able to live and exist.”    

For those that feel that Obama is here to solve every problem in America with the wave of his hand, those people are sadly mistaken.  The country is in too much disarray for one man to handle everything in his first term out.  He has, however, inspired others to look deeper within and realize the potential that everyone has whether they acknowledge it or not.  The purpose of Obama might not be to save the country, but more to show the country that they can save themselves.