The People

Lyrics

Yeah, this is for the people
This is street radio
For the unsung hero
Riding in the regal
Trying to stay legal
My daughter found Nemo
I found the new primo

Yeah you know how we do
We do it for the people
And the struggle, a lot of brothers and their folks
The lovers of the dope
Experiment to discover hope
Scuffle for the notes
The ruffle I wrote

Times was harder
If a rock star to the voice of a martyr
Why white folk focus on dogs and yoga
People on the low end try to ball and get over
Lyrics are like liquor for the fallen soldier
From the bounce to the ounce, it's all our culture

Everyday we hustling
Trying to get them customers
Law, we ain't trusting them
Thick bras, we lusting them
Sick and tired of punching it
I look on the bus at them
When I see them struggling
I think I'm touching them

(Chorus)
The days have come
Now we are one
Just take your time
And then you're fine

This is street radio
For the unsung hero
Riding in the regal
Trying to stay legal
My daughter found Nemo
I found the new primo

Yeah you know how we do
We do it for the people
The people, said that I was sharp on TV
At the Grammy's, though they trying to arie me

Got back stage and I bumped into Stevie
He said no matter what, the people gonna see me
Can't leave rap alone, the streets need me
Hunger in their eyes, is what seemed to feed me
Inside peace mixed with beef, seemed to breed me
Nobody believe, until I believe me

Now I'm on the rise
Doing business with my guys
Visions realized
Music affecting lives
A gift from the skies
To be recognized
I keep my eyes on the people, that's the prize

(Chorus)

This is street radio
For the unsung hero
Riding in the regal
Trying to stay legal
My daughter found Nemo
I found the new primo

Yeah you know how we do
We do it for the people
From Inglewood
To a single hood
In Botswana

I see the eye and we my people
Yours is my drama
Standing in front of the judge with no honor
My raps take mike to people like Obama

The karma of the street
Says needs and takes
Sometimes we find peace
In beats and breaks
Put the bang in the back so the seats can shake
Rebel Cadallic music for the people's sake
The people

(Chorus)

Analysis

According to the performer Common, in his song “The People”, every person struggles to survive but culture motivates him or her to progress. There are examples of how he convinces listeners of this point in his lyrics and in his music video. He uses methods such as particular diction, descriptive language, pathos and ethos, metaphors, symbolism, repetition, and references to get his point across. He has very convincing lyrics. Plus, the video captures his message and backs up his rhetoric argument.

Common's diction includes using slang and descriptive words and subjects. In line ten, he says, “and the struggle, a lot of brothers and their folks.” He is talking about families trying to make it. The word “struggle” is used directly and the meaning of it is clear. In line twenty, he says, “From the bounce to the ounce, it's all our culture.” The use of symbolism creates a vision of the people's culture. The word “bounce” represents the youth, working people, earning income, and prosperity. The word “ounce” represents nonsuccess, unemployed people, and failures. Throughout the song, he says, “we do it for the people.” The use of repetition directly addresses the importance of cultural motivation.

Throughout the song, the listener can picture images portrayed throughout the song to enforce struggling people and culture. In line thirteen to fourteen, he says, “[People] scruffle for the notes, the ruffle I wrote.” You can picture people so desperate for inspiration or a voice that they will scramble through rubish to hear what these words. In lines fifty one to fifty four, he says, “Visions realized, music affecting lives, a gift from the skies to be recognized.” You can picture a heavenly figure bestowing the gift of music and words to change peoples' lives. Music is a part of culture that needs to recognized. In lines sixty seven to sixty nine, he says, “From Inglewood, to a single hood, in Botswana.” He directly references certain locations considered rough for which the listener can picture. This reinforces the peoples' struggle to survive. Finally, in line seventy three, he says, “My raps take mike to people like Obama.” President Obama is a cultural and political icon for which all Americans can visualize. When he speaks, hundreds of people gather to listen. So you can picture large groups of people listening for inspiration.

Common uses pathos and ethos to affirm his argument. In line eighteen, he says, “People on the low end try to ball to get over.” There is pity for these poor people fighting to live. He directly talks about people not giving in to poverty. In addition to pathos, he states in lines twenty seven to twenty eight, “When I see them struggling, I think I'm touching them.” He connects with the people in that position. In lines forty one to forty two, he says, “The people, said that I was sharp on T.V. at the Grammy's, though they trying to arie me.” There is credibility established since he has appeared on T.V., made an appearance at the Grammy's, and is famous. So most people will trust his words.

In the music video, the director uses different filming techniques to dramatize Common's main point. For the overall music video, the camera mainly focuses on Common. There are scenes of a metropolis full of cars, street signs, metro trains, sky scrapers, new stands, and people. The scenes of the city show the urban and current issues that Common talks about. Shots of young and old people of all races are seen throughout the video to enlarge the spectrum of what people he talks about. There are a lot of shots of families and children. This brings out pathos because no one wants to think about children struggling. Common receives recognition from people in the streets as if they are thanking him for this message, which helps reinforce his ethos. To emphasize the hussle and struggle of the people, scenes of people walking, cars driving, and skies changing from day to night are sped up.

Common makes different motions to symbolize certain lines in the song. When he points to the sky, he means for the people to stay inspired. When he points to his head, he means to think about what you do. When he taps his chest, he means he speaks from his heart. Also, particular shots in the video highlight certain words in the song. When he says “regal”, a car is seen driving by. When he says “legal”, a group of young kids are seen. When he says “daughter”, a baby carriage is seen. When he says “people”, shots of individuals are seen. When he says “business”, a boy on a cell phone is seen.

Conventional methods in “The People” such as using symbolism, metaphors, and descriptive language support that every person struggles to survive but culture motivates him or her to progress. This song was very convincing and changing to my opinion of the influence of culture. In addition, the video added clarity to to the argument.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqn5f2ISnvo