Released: August 30, 2019

Featuring: BJ the Chicago Kid

Songwriter: BJ the Chicago Kid Common

Producer: Karriem Riggins Burniss Earl Travis II Samora Pinderhughes

[Verse 1: Common]
When the day breaks, I display grace
Through infinite takes, and heartbreaks
The ground shakes, talks around race
Through birth quakes, I keep my crown straight
And bow face to you, it's salutations
I hold you high, you brought me in creation
You were patient with me dribblin' in the basement
And said, "Where's your common sense, boo? Don't waste it"
The pain that you had, it was hard to place it
For my dad, I couldn't be a replacement
I yearn for plates with catfish and collard greens
You got me into school, off of Mama schemes
I know I can lean, on you for anything
Ain't have to want for nothing, you my everything
They say we don't get to choose our mothers
Somehow I know our souls chose each other

[Chorus: BJ the Chicago Kid]
Saint something, please protect this family
Give cover, from the world's insanities
I know you got a lot on your plate
The stress is on a lot of your faith
And no matter what's coming
I will be there, I will be there

[Verse 2: Common]
Jesus walked across my lawn
And told me you the mom I'm supposed to have
Nobody in my life is as close as that
If I'ma write you a song ain't no holdin' back
Now, I wasn't raised in no cul-de-sac
You said, "Stay in school," 'cause you ain't know I rap
Teachin' me in moments I ain't know was class
That's why every girl I go home with be showin' class
When I show my ass, you gave me a whippin'
The paradigm shifted and parentin' is different
Black woman strength in search of vulnerability
You did everything you could and did it willingly
Instilled in me values of what a child do
To say you my Ma, I'm ever so proud to
You wrote me letters to get myself better
I still cherish when we pray together
That's a time I really feel the Lord
I thank you for the your declarations and your vision board
It hit a chord, when they rolled you into surgery
Mama, you the sky and earth to me

[Chorus: BJ the Chicago Kid]
Saint something, please protect this family
Give cover, from the world's insanities
I know you got a lot on your plate
The stress is on a lot of your faith
And no matter what's coming
I will be there, I will be there

[Outro: BJ the Chicago Kid]
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah (Oh-oh)
Ah, ah, oh, oh, ah, ah (Ooh-ooh-ooh)
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Common

Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. (born March 13, 1972), better known by his stage name Common (previously Common Sense), is a Grammy and Oscar-winning rapper and actor from Chicago, Illinois. Common’s inspired mix of poetic flow and hip-hop soul has helped him earn his status as one of the most respected rappers in the game.

After being a ball boy for his hometown Chicago Bulls as a teen and attending Florida A&M University for business administration, Common Sense kicked in and he left school to become a rapper. He gained national attention after being featured in the Unsigned Hype column of The Source magazine in 1991. He released his debut album Can I Borrow a Dollar? through Relativity Records in 1992, followed by his breakthrough second album Resurrection in 1994, which features his hip-hop classic single “I Used To Love H.E.R.”

As his career began to take off, he was sued by the music group Common Sense over the name, leading Common to drop the “Sense” and allude to the change in the title of his third album, One Day It’ll All Make Sense (1997). He has released several critically acclaimed albums, including Like Water For Chocolate (2000), which features his J Dilla-produced hit single “The Light”, and Be (2005), which was released under fellow Chicago musician Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music imprint. He also joined musicians Karriem Riggins and Robert Glasper to form the group August Greene, and the trio released their self-titled album in 2018.