Conversation so far:
what happened to Common in 1996?
Initially scheduled for an October 1996 release, Common finally released his third album, One Day It'll All Make Sense, in September 1997.
how did the album One Day It'll All Make Sense do for rapper Common?
The album, made a point of eschewing any gangsterism, was critically acclaimed and led to a major label contract with MCA Records.
which year was the contract for rapper Common with MCA Records?
1998
what happened to rapper Common in 1998?
Cameos on some of these artists' discs and the strength of his indie albums prompted MCA Records to sign Common in late 1998

Question: what other significant things happened during these years?
Self-contained rewrite: what other significant things happened during these years 1996-1999 for rapper Common besides signing MCA Records?