I met this girl, when I was ten years old
And what I loved most she had so much soul
She was old school, when I was just a shorty
Never knew throughout my life she would be there for me
On the regular, not a church girl she was secular
Not about the money, no studs was mic checkin' her
But I respected her, she hit me in the heart
A few New York niggas, had did her in the park
But she was there for me, and I was there for her
Pull out a chair for her, turn on the air for her
And just cool out, cool out and listen to her
Sittin' on a bone, wishin' that I could do her
Eventually if it was meant to be, then it would be
Because we related, physically and mentally
And she was fun then, I'd be geeked when she'd come around
Slim was fresh yo, when she was underground
Original, pure untampered and down sister
Boy I tell ya, I miss her

Now periodically I would see
Ol girl at the clubs, and at the house parties
She didn't have a body but she started gettin' thick quick
Did a couple of videos and became afro-centric
Out goes the weave, in goes the braids beads medallions
She was on that tip about, stoppin' the violence
About my people she was teachin' me
By not preachin' to me but speakin' to me
In a method that was leisurely, so easily I approached
She dug my rap, that's how we got close
But then she broke to the west coast, and that was cool
Cause around the same time, I went away to school
And I'm a man of expandin', so why should I stand in her way
She probably get her money in L.A.
And she did stud, she got big pub but what was foul
She said that the pro-black, was goin' out of style
She said, afrocentricity, was of the past
So she got into R&B hip-house bass and jazz
Now black music is black music and it's all good
I wasn't salty, she was with the boys in the hood
Cause that was good for her, she was becomin' well rounded
I thought it was dope how she was on that freestyle shit
Just havin' fun, not worried about anyone
And you could tell, by how her titties hung

I might've failed to mention that this chick was creative
But once the man got you well he altered her native
Told her if she got an image and a gimmick
That she could make money, and she did it like a dummy
Now I see her in commercials, she's universal
She used to only swing it with the inner-city circle
Now she be in the burbs lickin' rock and dressin' hip
And on some dumb shit, when she comes to the city
Talkin' about poppin' glocks servin' rocks and hittin' switches
Now she's a gangsta rollin' with gangsta bitches
Always smokin' blunts and gettin drunk
Tellin' me sad stories, now she only fucks with the funk
Stressin' how hardcore and real she is
She was really the realest, before she got into showbiz
I did her, not just to say that I did it
But I'm committed, but so many niggas hit it
That she's just not the same lettin' all these groupies do her
I see niggas slammin' her, and takin' her to the sewer
But I'ma take her back hopin' that the shit stop
Cause who I'm talkin' bout y'all is hip-hop



Lyrics submitted by edbear0817

Track duration: 04:39

"I Used to Love H.E.R." as written by Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Ernest Dion Wilson

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CHRYSALIS MUSIC GROUP

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


I Used To Love H.E.R. song meanings
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22 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment: I Used to Love H.E.R, "I Used to Love Hip Hop in its Essence and Realness" by Common has to by far be one of the greatest songs in hip-hop history. Unlike many artist today talking about money, promoting a clothing line, or degrating women; Common keeps hip-hop clean and speaks nothing less than realness. A young corrupted girl is the analogy used for hip-hop, and their rocky relationship throughout the years. A true mastermind of rhyme and flow, Common puts where hip-hop has gone and where it is going into a perfectly crafted track.
    Talkin' about popping glocks serving rocks and hitting switches
    Now she’s a gangsta rolling with gangsta bitches
    Always smokin’ blunts and getting drunk
    Telling me sad stories, now she only fucks with the funk
    Stressing how hard core and real she is
    She was really the realest before she got into show-biz
    I did her not just to say I did it
    But im committed but so many niggas hit it
    That she’s just not the same letting all the groupies do her
    I see niggas slammin’ her and taking her to the sewer
    But imma take her back hopin’ that shit stop
    Cause who im talking ‘bout ya’ll is hip hop. (50-61)

    Now hip hop has made a drastic change. Violence and drugs are the primary topics in most songs. In the phrase “Stressin’ how hardcore she is/she was really the realest before she got into show-biz.” Artists feel the need to feel tough and they stress how "gangster" and "hood" they are in every track, yet hip-hop was at its realest before it became a major trend.
    He admits to having “did her,” as in being a part of hip hop but unlike most who did, he was commited. It is also stated that once so many artists go a hold of this new genre of music, it was never the same. “I see niggas slammin her and taking her to the sewer,” is a reference to the abuse believed that hip hop endured while going through these changes. The last two lines show his love for the music, and that he will not abandon it in hopes that things will go back to how they once were.
    Flag adrianna11on February 16, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I've heard H.E.R also stood for Hearing Every Rhyme... hence I used to love Hearing Every Rhyme
    Flag a224hon May 02, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i have heard 2 versions for what H.E.R stands for
    1 ) "hip hop in its essence and realness"
    2 ) "Hearing Every Rhyme"
    Flag scr1bbleson August 27, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Always-Sweeter67

    How could you say that? I love Hip-Hop with every cell in my body and never in my life have I wished gangsta rap would just disappear. It's necessary, that's what life is like for so many and that needs to be known. Gangsta rap was integral to the growth of Hip-Hop and without it many artists woldn't be around. N.W.A. is just as much a part of Hip-Hops DNA as Grandmaster Flash or anyone else, they started a movement that hasn't died out, lyrically the material can be wearing but you have to have the bad to recognize the good as well, so please don't tread on any form of Hip-Hop.
    Flag grayarea9on August 14, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Yes the acroynm H.E.R. stands for
    "Hip Hop in its Essence and Real"...

    Yes Kanye makes reference to this song on his
    "Homecoming" song.

    How 'bout that beef he caught with Ice Cube because of the song. Cube felt Common was bashing the West Coast and the whole gangsta rap scene because in the song he criticized the route hip hop was taking.

    Cube then came out with
    "Used to love H.E.R. mad cuz I fucked her"

    Common with "The Bitch in Yoo"

    They finally settled it.
    Definitely one of my favorites songs.

    Common Sense.
    Flag musicomplexityon May 24, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:metalmouth
    did common rap on the commercial,
    because if he didn't then thats not what he's talking about.
    He's talking about how you find hip-hop in commercials now a days.

    anyways, it sounds like common has a cold but i love how he portrays hip-hop as a girl
    is it me or didn't kanye use the same first 2 lines in his song homecoming on his latest album?
    Flag michelle.on April 01, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Common is an amazing man and I agree with every word of this song. I sincerely hope that one day the gangsta rap will die out, and we can have people like The Roots, Pharcyde, Common... they can re-create hip hops true form.
    Flag Always-Sweeter67on March 22, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This is such an amazing song, the whole idea but the way he spits it as well, cant fault it.
    I dont exactly live in a hip hop friendly community, the whole bein a white teenage girl livin in the UK, the closest u get to rap is the hoodies listenin to 50 cent, and so its almost impossible tryin to explain to people how much it means to me, the way i feel when i hear true unadulterated hip hop, i mean i wish i had the ability to explain it the way people like common can. Respect to all the heads out there x

    (PS seriously, anyone have any idea what the H.E.R stands for? coz as far as i can see,"hip hop in its essence and realness" is the only one so far)
    Flag more--than--wordson December 08, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The song uses an extended metaphor comparing a woman that Common loved to hip hop music. The song criticizes the direction that hip hop music was taking during the mid-1990s. It specifically refers to the fall of Afrocentric rap and the rising popularity of West Coast hip hop and G-funk. In the song, Common makes an analogy comparing the degradation of a woman with the deterioration of hip hop music after its commercial success forced it into the mainstream.
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/….
    Flag carfo624on July 13, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Damn, I love this song. I love it how the personification of rap came out. Beautiful song and description of its evolution. I also love how the video covers the different elements of hip hop. That's something that is missing in today's mainstream rap videos. That along with the actual meaningful essence of rap music.
    Flag maffy06on July 11, 2007   Link

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