Synopsis

Common's video follows a young couple facing an unplanned pregnancy and the painful question of whether to continue it. As the woman wrestles with her decision, Common confronts his own fear, responsibility, and sense of loss. Lauryn Hill appears alongside him as the song's moral and emotional counterpoint, while performance scenes are intercut with stark images of pregnancy, isolation, and spiritual reflection. The narrative presents abortion as a deeply personal choice whose consequences continue to affect everyone involved.

Factoids & Trivia

• "Retrospect for Life" was released in 1997 as the first single from Common's third album, "One Day It'll All Make Sense."

• The song was based on a real-life situation from Common's past. He later explained that the lyrics represented what he was feeling at the time, rather than a simple statement of his personal political position.

• Lauryn Hill's contribution gives the track a second perspective, turning the song into a dialogue about responsibility, faith, fear, and the value of life.

• The production was handled by No I.D. and James Poyser. The beat samples Donny Hathaway's "A Song for You," while Hill's vocal section draws on Stevie Wonder's "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer."

• The video includes appearances from several prominent hip-hop figures, including Pete Rock, Black Thought, Questlove, and Mase.

• The video's serious subject matter helped distinguish it from the more performance-centered rap clips common in the late 1990s. Its restrained, dramatic presentation matched the song's confessional tone rather than treating the subject as a provocation or a punchline.