Common -- Kanye West's Right ... Chicago's an Ultra-Violent Place

Kanye West wasn't exaggerating when he said people from Chicago aren't afraid to get violent -- and it's become a DEADLY problem in the Windy City ... so says Common.

The rapper-slash-"Hell On Wheels" star was out in NYC yesterday when we asked about Kanye's comments on Jimmy Kimmel -- when KW implied that he's not afraid to fight because he's from Chi-town (the actual quote was "Never think that I'm not from Chicago for one second.").

But Common tells TMZ ... Chicago's violent reputation isn't something K should be bragging about -- it's something that needs to change, stat.

"You see what's going on with the young people right now, there's a lot of death and violence going on in Chicago ... but we're gonna make change."