In an interview in Los Angeles on Monday, rapper Common confirmed that his father, Lonnie “Pops” Lynn, passed away on Friday, Sept. 12.
Lynn was 71-years-old.
Fans remember Lynn as a staple on Common’s albums, appearing on many of the rapper’s songs, delivering poignant, powerful, and poetic lines to accompany Common’s soulful flow.
“He was truly a natural poet and master of words. His personality and soul shined through his work,” Common, whose real name is Lonnie Rashid Lynn Jr., said in the interview Monday.
“The way he said things made me look at life and the world in a new way, in a different way. They always sparked a thought in my head. His words would always make me strive to achieve higher, to write better, to be more truthful with my words.”
Common also spoke in depth about his relationship with his father in his 2011 memoir, One Day It’ll All Make Sense. Lynn, a star high school basketball player in Chicago during his time, struggled with drug addiction and fatherhood. The two eventually reconciled.
Lynn recorded his last poem on Common’s The Dreamer/The Believer in 2011:
“For those of us who come from less than enviable circumstances, dreams — good dreams, sweet dreams — dreams come true. Truthful dreams, truthful dreams become life…”
“Live the life you believe. The American dream, the black American dream, the universal dream. For the sake of the unwritten laws of humanity, I believe in God. I believe in my ancestors, I believe in my offsprings … I believe in the truth, truth. See you next lifetime.”
Our condolences to Common and his family. May Lynn rest in peace.
SOURCE: AP/ABC | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
