Often, all Rap music is denoted as lacking in moral content due to the fact that several Rap Artists proclaim the use and abuse of drugs, violence, sex and degradation of women. However, in the song "Retrospect for Life," artist Common Sense addresses issues of morality by poetically expressing his feelings towards life. In "Retrospect" to what has happened within his own experience, the artist looks back and retells a story in which he regretfully disrespected life.
             The song begins with a quick introduction where Common directly states his message: "Yo, we gotta start respectin life more y'all." He then beings to retell a story in his life where he did quite the opposite. By agreeing to have his child aborted, Common's irresponsible actions caused him to refuse life to his own child. In the first verse, the writer approaches the subject matter as if he were actually speaking to his aborted child: "Knowin you the best part of life, do I have the right to take yours/Cause I created you, irresponsibly." Here the writer questions himself, and asks if he has the right to take away the life that he created irresponsibly. Throughout this verse Common's use of literary devices such as imagery and symbolism help to vividly reveal his true emotions. By saying he was, "Turnin this woman's womb into a tomb," he creates a mind picture of the woman's life giving womb to now be a place of death. Moreover, in the following line the use of the word!
             seed is symbolic of the unborn child: "But she and I agree, a seed we don't need." He then goes on express his remorse for taking away the, "seed we don't need," by stating images of all that he took away: "I'm sorry for takin your first breath, first step, and first cry." Finally, in conclusion of the first verse Common says, "Cause $315 ain't wo
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