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Fans of Chicago rapper and actor Common are certainly familiar with the steady voice and presence that his father, Lonnie Lynn, presented on several of his albums. Mr. Lynn passed away last Friday, rocking the Hip-Hop nation who grew up listening to his words of wisdom on the tail end of his son’s musical works.

Almost twenty years ago, Lynn would drop his first feature on Common’s second album in October 1994, Resurrection. With what would become his signature intro phrase – “Hey, hey, old bean, and you too, baby sweets” – Pops’ raspy voice felt instantly familiar, never preachy and downright resonant. Lynn appeared on seven of Common’s 10 albums, and each time longtime listeners patiently waited for Pops to drop his rap. Lynn even showed flourishes of poetry as he became comfortable in his designated role.

A quick look at Common’s Twitter feed doesn’t make mention of the loss, and the most official and earliest statement came by way of the National Basketball Retired Players Association. As reported by the Associated Press, Common briefly spoke on the passing of his father in an interview on Monday. Across Twitter, fans offered words of condolences to Common and his family in this sad time.

Producer and DJ Matt Ferran compiled all of Lynn’s spoken-word pieces into a streaming Spotify playlist, hammering home just how vital Pops was to the experience of Common’s music.

According to a Wikipedia entry, Lynn passed away peacefully. He was 71.

Rest Powerfully, Pops. Thank you for your wise words.

Check out the playlist below.

Photo: Controverse Music/Soundcloud