Lonnie Lynn
Encyclopedia
Lonnie Lynn, nicknamed "Pops" (born May 24, 1943 in Chicago
, Illinois
), is a retired American
basketball
player.
At 6'7" and 215 lb, he was a forward and played basketball at DuSable High School
on Chicago's south side before moving on to Wilberforce University
and Upper Iowa University
.
Lynn was drafted by the St. Louis Hawks
in the 12th round of the 1966 NBA Draft
and later played one season for the Pittsburgh Pipers of the American Basketball Association
in 1969–70, averaging 5.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
Once known to Chicagoans for his play at DuSable High School, Lonnie Lynn has gathered a following in the rap world. Father of hip hop artist Common
, Lynn performed on several of his son's albums.
On record, Lynn shares opinions, experiences and wisdom to a younger hip hop audience in spoken word poetry format. Many of these appearances, in particular "Pops Rap" on Resurrection
, feature Lynn discussing the hippie
ideals that have found their way into hip hop culture. In an article for National Public Radio, journalist Robert Siegel
wrote of Lonnie "Pops" Lynn:
Although he was reared in Chicago, Lynn was greatly affected by visits to the south during his youth and the brutal murder of Emmett Till
, a fellow Chicagoan.
Lonnie has another son aside from Common, the entertainer.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
), is a retired American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player.
At 6'7" and 215 lb, he was a forward and played basketball at DuSable High School
DuSable High School
DuSable High School was a public high school in Chicago opened in the Bronzeville neighborhood in 1934. It was named after Chicago's first permanent non-native settler, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable. DuSable was built to accommodate the growing Phillips High School in the 1930s. The campus was...
on Chicago's south side before moving on to Wilberforce University
Wilberforce University
Wilberforce University is a private, coed, liberal arts historically black university located in Wilberforce, Ohio. Affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, it was the first college to be owned and operated by African Americans...
and Upper Iowa University
Upper Iowa University
Established in 1857, Upper Iowa University is a private institution of higher education with its residential campus located in northeast Iowa near the Volga River in the rural community of Fayette, where around 900 students are enrolled....
.
Lynn was drafted by the St. Louis Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
in the 12th round of the 1966 NBA Draft
1966 NBA Draft
The 1966 NBA Draft was the 20th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on May 11, 1966 before the 1966–67 season. In this draft, ten NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. A player who had finished his four-year college eligibility...
and later played one season for the Pittsburgh Pipers of the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
in 1969–70, averaging 5.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
Once known to Chicagoans for his play at DuSable High School, Lonnie Lynn has gathered a following in the rap world. Father of hip hop artist Common
Common (rapper)
Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. , better known by his stage name Common , is an American hip-hop artist and actor....
, Lynn performed on several of his son's albums.
On record, Lynn shares opinions, experiences and wisdom to a younger hip hop audience in spoken word poetry format. Many of these appearances, in particular "Pops Rap" on Resurrection
Resurrection (Common album)
Resurrection is the second album by American rapper Common . Released in 1994 , the album received a great deal of critical acclaim, but not a significant amount of mainstream attention. Resurrection was entirely produced by No I.D. , and Ynot...
, feature Lynn discussing the hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
ideals that have found their way into hip hop culture. In an article for National Public Radio, journalist Robert Siegel
Robert Siegel
Robert Siegel is an American radio journalist best known as host of the National Public Radio evening news broadcast All Things Considered.-Career:...
wrote of Lonnie "Pops" Lynn:
Although he was reared in Chicago, Lynn was greatly affected by visits to the south during his youth and the brutal murder of Emmett Till
Emmett Till
Emmett Louis "Bobo" Till was an African-American boy who was murdered in Mississippi at the age of 14 after reportedly flirting with a white woman. Till was from Chicago, Illinois visiting his relatives in the Mississippi Delta region when he spoke to 21-year-old Carolyn Bryant, the married...
, a fellow Chicagoan.
Lonnie has another son aside from Common, the entertainer.