I first heard of Common, or Common Sense, a few years ago while talking to a co-worker about underground hip hop. Admittedly I've been more into Mos Def and Talib Kweli from the rap UG, and been big fans of their work
I have been waiting for this one for a while now, ever since hearing the cut The Food on the Chappelle Show earlier this season ... learning that Kanye West was going to produce this one, really upped my interest ... looking at the cameos on this, got some John Mayer, Bilal, John Legend, and of course Kanye ... The new single, The Corner, dropped and tided me over 'til now
Common - Be REVIEW: B/B+
What hasn't been said about "The Corner" and "The Food", these two definitely need to be in anyone, and yes I mean, anyone's music collection ... especially those who even have a remote taste for quality hip hop
There is one thing that is unmistakeable, Common can rhyme unlike any other. Common's rhymes can stand up well against the best in the game today. The beats are very diverse, and the tracks are actually more musical, very soulful ... the Kanye influence is very evident. And his raps are so positive, it doesn't get down in the gutter.
This CD might be more accessible than some of his efforts, but something must be said about the effort to ground his album back in hip hop essentials ... I can see what he means when he says that so many artists now make people think rap/hip hop/new R&B is just so tired -- this one is definitely a breath of fresh air that sticks to your mind, rather than makes you just shake that ass
The only thing that holds me back from an unqualified recommendation is that although all the tracks are interesting, outside of the few standout tracks, the overall album didn't grab me to spin it through end to end repeatedly, just pick off the really memorable tracks ... but I can see how this album might be the answer for true hip hop afficionados who want quality
Recommended ... our grade: B/B+
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