Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Seems to me this was intended as a double album, not only due to the length but the abrupt transition from Time Travelin’ Reprise to The 6th Sense. An aside - The static on 6th Sense leading into the iconic “revolution is here” intro had me longing to use it as a lead-in track for the hip hop mixtapes I made for girls in high school. After all Common’s voice is a well known aphrodisiac (it’s not just the nag champa). But goddam Common had to put an annoyingly long interlude at the end of the track about men as hypocrites and smacking hoes. Needless to say the feminist chicks I dug in high school weren’t having that and they were deprived of one my all time favorite DJ Premier beats. Alas! Anyways I wanted to dock the album a star for that and it being too long. I was ready to do so and then A song for Asata came on and I knew this had to be 5 stars. It’s a bit of an all star group with Common joined by the Soulquarians (Questlove, Dilla, etc). The beats are solid throughout ans aside from a few dumbass homophobic and misogynist lines the flow and lyricism are on point.
Really enjoyable, I loved the story-telling in particular. Not sure it needed so many skits and interludes, but I also know this is the way most hip-hop albums flow, so it would perhaps sound oddly like a compilation without them. I think I prefer his debut, but this is still solidly 5 🌟 for me. An underappreciated artist in my opinion, and one who deserves much more recognition.
Какое-то время мне нравился рэп, но недолго. Потом я стал ненавидеть звучание этой музыки, потому что все песни казались одинаковыми: скучный и однообразный флоу, бессмысленность текстов и наплевательское отношение к миру читающих эту ересь. Но! Этот альбом меня поразил. Он основан на всей той афроамериканской музыке, которую делали в 50s, 60s и так далее. Тут есть и элементы соул, и фанка, и RnB, трубы напоминают о джазе, но не сильно. То, как читает Common - очень круто: под мощную ритм-секцию голос отлично ложится. На фоне играет то орган, то скрипки, то гитара, что создает разнообразие для каждой композиции. Также хотелось бы отметить работу бэк-вокалисток: просто класс, задорно и весело! Думаю, что к этому альбому я еще вернусь, хоть на нем и есть песни, не вызывающие никаких эмоций, как и на любой, впрочем, пластинке. Любимые композиции: «Light», «6th Sense», «Funky For You», «Time Travellin» и «Geto Heaven».
Fantastic album throughout. It’s definitely a product of it’s time, but Common has apologised for these lyrics and is always trying to improve himself, so I think it’s important to bear that in mind.
Great album.
Probably his best album although I do have a soft spot for those first 2 records
Amaze.
very cool
4.5. Superb album, great mix of excellent music with incisive lyrics. Standouts: Cold Blooded, The Light, Funky For You, The 6th Sense. Thelonius, Geto Heaven Part Two, A Song For Assata, Pops Rap III...All My Children.
dilla and premier
Not even halfway through this and I've already added it to my library. Don't know how I've never heard this before but some absolute heat is on this record.
Great album, I’m surprised I didn’t listen to this when it was out 20 years ago, it was exactly the kind of thing I was into. Awesome production, nice tone and flow but I was surprised by the amounts of niggers, hoes, gats and fags included: not quite as conscious I was expecting.
So cool
Awesome album. Lyricism is top notch, and the beats are immaculate. Questlove and J Dilla on production is such a dream team and they really show out. The feature list is great too with Slum Village, Mos Def, MC Lyte, Bilal, etc. It's one of those albums that you have to keep coming back to in order to really dive into all of its nook and crannies of both lyrical meaning and musicality. Also my neck is sore from nodding my head for over an hour straight.
I should listen to more Common
SO GROOVY
Che bellissima production! Il beat e` super soft e raffinato e i momenti jazz e funk si fondono benissimo. Hip hop jazz funky super elegante e coinvolgente.
It's not Be, but it comes close
2 - "Freaky like Marv Albert in outfits" 7 - The Questions é MUITO boa 8, 9, 10, 11 - sequencia absurda de batidas PIKA Depois de pesquisar eu entendi o pq eu gostei tanto desse álbum: ele é todo produzido pelo J Dilla. Conceitualmente é muito muito bem feito, liricamente também, as batidas também. Se esse álbum fosse um jogador de basquete ele seria o Anthony Davis. O que que ele não consegue fazer? Você examina a habilidade defensiva, muito bom. Beleza, então ele deve ser um passador ruim? Não. Então ele é um zelador: defende, rebote, assistência? Também não. Ele faz tudo que precisa e faz muito bem. A imersão que esse álbum causa na história que ele conta é absurda. Ele é balanceado, pega fogo no miolo e termina muito bem.
An excellent blend of global sounds that feels as important in the 2020 climate as it likely did in the 2000 climate.
Listening session: july 4th, while getting ready for work Listened to before: no Thoughts: I was not familiar with Common but actually really enjoyed this album (which is not a surprise for someone who loves hiphop with groot beats and smart lyrics) Favourite tracks: Cold Blooded, The Questions & Geto Heaven (Remix T.S.O.I. - The Sound Of Illadelph)
A rich tapestry of soul, funk and jazz. Goes on a bit but never drags.
This is a Common album I've been putting off listening to it because of the length. Another case of 1001 album generator giving me a push to finally listen to those 'Maybe one day' albums. I feel in love with Be (my first album of his) at first sight, I now consider it one of my favourite hip-hop albums and has a place in my top 50 albums of all time. This album it's very psychedelic to my ears, which is different. It has some very cool sample usage (especially early on) and, the drum sounds sound pretty cool. It definitely isn't a love at first sight album, the production is still pretty good, but maybe not as good as Kanye's production. It has a bit of nuance, there's more hardcore-adjacent stuff, some straight soul songs, with not much hip-hop elements, some of the optimistic stuff that is heavily showcased in Be, and some cliche misogynistic hip-hop elements; which I can't fully tell if he is being sincere or poking fun. It's just a bit upsetting to hear the straight positivity of Be and then hear straight homophobia in "Dooinit" and Nag Champa." It just seems a bit antithetical to me. Preaching one thing in one song and in the next one he just seems to disregard what he was preaching. Perhaps I'm just looking into too much, but it seems a bit weird. One let down of this is "The 6th Sense" not the amazing optimistic song part, but the skit at the end that I really wish was a separate track, because that seriously ruins the song. Easily the best song here if skit is cut out. I can't stand listening to a minute of a skit, just a bit too long. Unlike Be, I will have to let this one sit and possibly maybe come back. Near the end it starts to get a bit dull, which makes me hesitant to return, and 70-nearly-80 minute long albums are just in general very difficult to digest. Be was a lot easier to process at it's 40 minute runtime. Maybe, maybe, I'll return. It was an alright album. Highlight Song/s: "Dooinit", "The Questions", "The 6th Sense" and "A Song For Assata"
Common knows what's up. Favorite track: Cold Blooded 3.5/5
4/5
Never heard of Common before, interesting! The rapping was decent, but the beats really impressed me. The album has that 2000s sound, but manages to distinguish itself from other more well known acts from the west coast. Despite not having many well known hits, I don't really find any songs on this album I dislike. Overall I really enjoyed the tone of this, will have to be a weak 4!
I found this one tricky to rate. Whilst I enjoyed it, I’m not sure I would revisit it in the future. However, it was batter than many of the albums I have given three stars. Therefore, I think it’s another 3.5 which might as well be rounded up to 4 (but with a caveat that I probably won’t listen again - a core value of a four star is a desire to listen again)
Loved this more than I thought I would, honestly. Cinematic at its core without feeling heavy-handed and "The Light" might just be the best hip-hop song I've encountered this year. Glorious.
It's strange how I generally don't like jazz that much, but jazz influenced hip hop is pretty good. This is an album with a few highs and a lot of the same thing that just goes on too long. Overall, it's above average. 3.5
Think I slightly prefer this one over Be in terms of sound, with its 60's/70's soul and funk inflicted jazz (with Be being the more Kanye style chipmunk soul). Be has just aged a little more compared to Like Water, since the whole chipmunk soul sound has kinda been relegated to the 2000's with Kanye's records. That said, while I think I like Like Water a little more due to that, I think Be is the more consistent album owing to its shorter runtime (nearly half as long), which is what's kinda hurting Like Water for me. Honestly, if Like Water was chopped down to 50ish minutes (or hell, even 60), I think it'd be a much tighter, engaging album. Just by the end it did get a little tiring. Either way, it does have some fantastic cuts on it, particularly The Light and The 6th Sense. The D'Angelo and Cee-Lo tracks are really good too, and great to see Questlove drumming on a couple songs. Overall, a really good record, pretty on par with Be.
Интересный альбом. Лёгкий, но при этом музыкально неординарный
Respectable early 2000s hiphop. Not as good as Be but I can certainly give this 4 stars.
Tuesday, 9 June, 2026 Amazing production. J Dilla kills it. Preemo steps in for one track and blows the roof off. Common’s rhymes are poignant and creative. It is a little long.
Really enjoyable album. Anything from the Soulquarian collective during this period is bound to be good and this is no exception
Cool sounding, some of the lyrics are pretty dated.
Long as it's funkaaaayyy...shout out to Jill Scott and Macy Gray (when we gettin that album?). 4
I would’ve done 3,5 if I could, but I love the rhymes, flow and general vibe of this album!
Not my favorite Common album, but his flow is just so smooth. Heckuva story teller too.
I like it a lot , but not as good as Be
Common is an excellent rapper and I love J Dilla's beats. This album could be 20 minutes shorter though.
Cool
Like Water for Chocolate I quite enjoyed Be, without being fully sold, giving it a 3, but this is clearly a notch or two above that album. He hasn’t necessarily got my favourite vocal tone, but he is clearly a dextrous and skilled rapper. An obvious issue though is the homophobia that's sprinkled throughout. He has since said he was in the wrong about it and that he wouldn’t ever say any of those slurs now, but for a progressive rap album and rapper with a strong accent on social consciousness and positivity, eg on A Song for Assata or on the anti-misogyny The 6th Sense, it is noticeably jarring. A further issue is that it’s waaaaay too long, there is no need for this to be 1hr 17mins. I don’t think it needs 16 tracks and I don’t think so many of them need to be 5 minutes plus - like lots of albums across genres in the CD era a degree of judiciousness is missing Aside from those elements of homophobia this is musically and, for the most part, thematically excellent, from the acknowledged Fela Kuti-isms of the excellent opener to the live drums and the overall jazzy sound. Although Kanye West’s production on Be had a fun, disposable sheen, Jay-Dee, ?uestlove, The Soulquarians and DJ Premier’s production on here has a far more satisfying sense of weight and depth, putting it alongside contemporaries like The Roots and Mos Def,(who are name checked and also appear, of course. Alongside Time Travellin’ and the excellent A Sing for Assata, highlights for me were Heat, The Light, the synth-bassy Funky for You, The Questions, the flute-y Nag Champa, Thelonius and the 70s-ish Payback is a Grandmother. Despite those misgivings this is a great turn of the millennium alternative/progressive hip hop album, and is easily a 4. 🍫🍫🍫🍫 Playlist submission: A Song for Assata or Nag Champa…I’ll go Nag Champa
Like Water For Chocolate was definitely an album i had a good time with. Ever since hearing Be, i did know that Common was more than capable person of making good hip-hop records and this earlier work from him shows it pretty well. The production here is really well done with that nice mix of hip-hop and R&B and i should have expected it would be good since DJ Premier put his name on one of the tracks. The lyrics can range from really good to pretty bad but that is certainly a common (no pun intended) stigma among records like this. While i still like Be more, i really can't deny that this album is really good. Best Song: The 6th Sense Worst Song: Thelonius
Wow what a hidden gem of a rap album. It's so modern in so many ways despite it being 26 years old. The lo-fi backtracks with witty lyrics have always been the rap I enjoy the most. It's good vibes with a powerful message. I love this album, 8/10.
Cool
not bad at all. it's calm for the most part while delivering its message, as any Common album would do. fav track is A Song for Assata.
Strong conscious rap, low 4
Common gets a solid 4, absolutely my kind of hip hop - conscious, jazzy, varied instrumentally, chillllllll
Be is een absoluut favoriet album van mij. De heerlijke vroege Kanye West producties en de bars van Common, het hit op elke juiste manier voor mij. Ironisch dus dat ik dit album nog niet eerder heb gehoord. Dilla productie, een op het eerste oog ijzersterke feature lijst en Common die hopelijk politiek beladen teksten op soulvolle productie spit? Dit moet haast wel weer een topper zijn! En ja hoor, voor mij is dit weer echt een goed album. Niet even goed als Be, ik denk dat ik de Kanye West productie gewoon net ff wat sterker vind. Maar daarnaast is Common ook gewoon echt wat verder dan op dit album. Hij is op dit album opvallend grof, wat ergens ironisch is gezien zijn latere status als backpack concious rapper. Laten we het jeugdig enthousiasme noemen voor nu. Maar als het hit? Ja, dan is Common misschien wel een van mn favoriete rappers. Hij rapt als een buitenstaander die verwonderd om zich heen kijkt. De schoonheid in de ghetto ziet. Zn mensen daarin ziet lijden ook. Soulvolle productie en heeeeerlijke hooks van Bilal, Ceelo en Macy Gray zorgen voor een ontzettend lekker en vermakelijk album. Net zo goed als Be? Nee, maar dat is voor mij een van de beste hiphop albums ooit, dus zeker geen schande. Maar dit is wederom een ijzersterk hiphopalbum. FAVO:Dooinit, The Light, 6th sense, Geto Heaven part two, A song for Assata
Time Travelin’ (A Tribute To Fela) [feat. Vinia Mojica, Roy Hargrove & Femi Kuti] — Not too energetic, and a nice slow. Good start for what the album might be. Heat — This one’s pretty fun. Decently catchy too. Cold Blooded (feat. Rahzel & Roy Hargrove) — Good duo to Heat (keeps the energy and vibe) Dooinit — oh thats why its marked E explicit…. (f slur) The Light — Has a more standard barrier between verses and chorus. It works! I like. Funky For You (feat. Bilal & Jill Scott) — It’s pretty good The Questions (feat. Mos Def) — A decent background song imo Time Travelin Reprise — Quick song, bit of an Intermission? The 6th Sense — I think this one’s got more energy than the previous songs. Not a bad thing, just surprised me a bit. also HELP THAT FINAL BIT A Film Called (Pimp) [feat. Bilal & MC Lyte] — This one’s p alrights Nag Champa (Afrodisiac For The World) — Pretty alright Thelonius (feat. Slum Village) — I like this one it’s fun Payback Is A Grandmother — I’m not sure if I’m the biggest fan of this one Geto Heaven Part Two (feat. D’Angelo) — Oh no lyrics? nvm there are but they’re just not shown i supporse. This one’s good :3 A Song For Assata (feat. Cee-Lo) — Might be my fav of the album so far alongside Heat and Cold-Blooded? Pops Rap III… All My Children (feat. Lonnie “Pops” Lynn) — Less melodic singing and more preaching but not in a bad way. Geto Heaven (Remix T.S.O.I. - The Sound of Illadelph) [feat. Macy Gray] — Interesting n fun song. It’s pretty up there.
Unexpectedly good
Classic Common man. The Sixth Sense an all-time hip hop track with an incredibly rare, actually somewhat funny skit included. Unheard of. 4/5
Man, the producers really carried this album to high heights. So many jazzy, funky and delicious sounds and samples. From google: Common's 2000 album Like Water for Chocolate was primarily produced by J Dilla, with major contributions from the Soulquarians collective, including Questlove (executive producer), James Poyser, and D'Angelo. It wouldn't be much of an exaggeration to say that that is the brain trust that birthed Neo soul. I'll be surprised if we didn't get a D'Angelo record down the line. It will probably be voodoo, because it's his most famous, but black Messiah is a 5 star album. This album was pretty long, but it didn't lose me nearly as much as some other others of the same length; there were so many interesting musical ideas, with some nice food for thought provided by common. I think he's plenty of respectable as a rapper, and I most appreciate the general positivity he supports. I wouldn't be surprised if those legendary producers were as drawn to his character as his skill as a rapper, because I don't think he's at the very top-tier when it comes to that. Still, he definitely has talent, and most of all the content of his lyrics is conscious and gives you something to think about. My favorite song might have been questions, not only for the delicious electric piano loop, but all of the thoughtful and/or playful questions. The one that stood out to me the most was "is black my complexion or is it all in my head," or something like that.
This might be another "Dad, why didn't you play this for us more often?" As often happens, I have a pretty good idea how I'll rate it before I listen to it again (since I own the CD), and just have to decide between 2 adjacent numbers -- in this case, 4 or 5. I'm listening to this while I'm having breakfast, and noticing that I have a tendency to lose focus, and let the music fade into the background. Which, I think, is part of why I'm leaning toward a 4. I high 4 (4.5 would be very tempting), but, I think, a 4, rather than a 5. Did I ever tell you my Common story? This was probably not too long before I retired, so maybe 8 or 9 years ago. I was going out to lunch (or possibly dinner) with a few female co-workers (so, attorneys). We got to the lobby of our building and were heading to one of the exits, and this tall black guy walks by. I didn't recognize him, but when we got outside the women were all suddenly like giddy, giggly teenagers, "OMG, that was Common! etc., etc." Ok, not a great story, but it was very amusing for me, to witness the temporary transformation of my serious professional colleagues into teenagers. ANYWAY, back to the music - a pretty amazing group of contributors, including Questlove, D'Angelo, Bilal, Jill Scott, Roy Hargrove, Cee-lo Green, Femi Kuti (son of Fela), and Pino Palladino (famous bassist). I like the way he incorporates a lot of different black music styles and influences, jazz and soul and funk in particular. There's a lot going on (in a good way); would probably justify (and reward) repeat listens. I think the biggest thing keeping me from giving this a 5 isn't really the fault of the album, but that I just don't like hip-hop/rap enough. At least this kind of hip-hop/rap, where the words are the primary focus, and the music is kind of background. (I'm thinking of DeLaSoul as a contrast, where the words are in service to the music, whereas here it seems more the other way around.) Still, it's hard to imagine a better album of its kind than this one. A (strong) 4 stars.
There are some great musicians credited on this album, mostly notably J Dilla. I think he gets most of the credit for the quality of production. Common didn't come across as woke as I think he would like to. I mean he really seems to think highly of himself. But I guess that's a job requirement for being an MC I enjoyed the story telling, featured vocalists, and instrumental performances moreso than Common's rapping. light four
Kendrick le nah. Just kidding. Kinda liked this. Chill funky vibes. Decent flow. Apparently the lyrics are rough, but if you aren't paying attention it's pretty good.
Classic
Classic hip hop record for the most part. Part of it hasn't aged well. When Obama invited this guy to the White House, Fox News and other Republicans shit themselves over it. Remember that? If Q-Tip sneezed the White House would probably collapse. RIP J Dilla who produced this.
I enjoyed this album. Good mix of sounds and lyrics
Not sure Common was going for pleasant with this but that's pretty much what I found it, and I liked it.
Common's cool-professor aesthetic has always stood out, even among his fellow Soulquarians, as claiming a spiritual and intellectual high ground for his music. And the flip side of that is that, like professors everywhere, he has always seemed the most susceptible to believing his own bullshit about the revolutionary nature of the (legitimately great) work he's doing. He brags on the opener about being a piano player in his last lifetime, but the false notes here sound particularly false - "A Film Called (PIMP)" goes for some profound statement about Black masculinity but just comes off clunky, as does the saccharine "A Song for Assata." But there are way more strong moments than weak ones, from "The Questions" (with crucial contributor Mos Def) to "Payback Is a Grandmother," a much more convincing tale of the streets. Not a bad dissertation, ultimately.
love how chill it is
Really nice, would listen to again
Lowkey soulful.
Liked the jazzy influence behind the old skool hip hop. 'A Film Called (Pimp)', 'A Song For Assata' were highlights
Amazing album.
nice 4/5
Overall: 8/10 I love these beats so much, they fit great with Common's lyrics and flow. There are times I don't enjoy the lyrical content, but that's mostly due to personal preference. Common is clearly a talented rapper. Fav Song: The 6th Sense
Really cool stuff. Haven't listen to much hip hop from this scene, but I should! It's great!
Cool
Vibes The light was zeer scheun, de rest ook
Amazing hip hop album. Love the first song is for fela kuti and amazing afrobeat musician and activist. This might be a new favorite hip hop album. It really feels what he’s lived through. The song about the pimp is really strong too.
I’m not entirely sure, but I think this may be the first album that was credited with production by the Soulquarians (as The Soulquarians.). When Questlove and D’Angelo met at the Source awards… the collective was borne. From 97 to 02, the collective had jam sessions in Electric Lady Studios. This resulted in Things Fall Apart, Phrenology, Voodoo, Mama’s Gun, this album, Electric Circus, the first Slum Village, the first two Bilal’s… it was some fertile shit. Questlove, J Dilla, James Poyser and D’Angelo. That’s a hell of a team to have behind your albums. Common was the most positive of the group. I happen to think his best album is One Day It’ll Make Sense…. That album transcended Jazz rap into just Jazz that happened to be rap. I think Things Fall Apart is the best thing the Soulquarians produced, but there’s not a bad album among them with at least two more all time classics in Voodoo and Mama’s Gun - who cares if Electric Circus kind of flopped. Well, the label did since they shelved Bilal’s second album and cut off funding for the whole shebang. This album took me ten or so listens when it first came out - it sounded like it came from outer space, but once it clicked it clicked hard. I miss Dilla, I miss D’Angelo and I miss this collective. I miss Mos Def not being an asshole. I miss this era of hip hop. It has always felt like the golden age died with the end of this Group’s activity. And how about that feature list: Femi Kuti, Bilal, Roy Hargrove, Rahzel, Jill Scott, MC Lyte, Slum Village, D’Angelo…
This funky jazz hip hop pocket where Common lives is a very cool little cul-de-sac. Incredible opening track and other highlights didn't stop me from getting impatient at the hour-mark.
Fav Songs: The Light, The 6th Sense, Nag Champa (Afrodisiac For The World), Geto Heaven Part Two Least Fav: A Film Called (Pimp) 8.9/10
Not usually my thing but definitely broadened my horizons. Love the mix of r&b and African beats
Amazing story telling and flow, with good beats. Really smooth. 4.5
Not a fan of Common rapping. Bit the beats, amazing production.
Four!
Not a rap guy per se but I respect good music. This is a pretty decent offering from Common. I like socially conscious music and it seems mot rap is truly that.
One of those albums I'd presumed I'd already heard all the way though... but don't think I actually had. A groovy, jazzy piece of hip hop that sets a mood, even if none of the individual songs really jumped out at me.
Another solid entry from Common. Best when it feels a bit jammy and like a group of talented people riffing (The Questions, Time Travelin'). I admit this might be the cynic in me, but the only thing keeping this from being a 5 is the faint whiff of cheese that seems to hang over everything Common does. I want to like tracks like 'A Song for Assata' and utterly agree with the message within it, but there's something too preachy, self-aware and/or try-hard about it (and a few others) that keeps me from loving the whole album unequivocally.
It’s fine
Comfortable, relaxed positive-vibe hip-hop with nice high points and an endearing charm
J dilla, questlove help, conscious rap Dooinit The sixth sense A film called pimp
Mellow rap beats - very enjoyable
favorite track - the 6th sense
Didn’t listen to the entire thing because I ran out of time but liked the sound
Prefer this to the more Kanye-centric Common album, it's looser and jazzier. The MC Lyte a definate High Lyte.
This caught me by surprise. I liked Common's Be a lot. This might not be AS good as that one, but still, beautiful grooves, just smooth as butter all around. I don't think it should be an hour and 20 minutes long, but definitely a good time even with this looong runtime. Mid-Low 4
bit homophobic otherwise great
Yeah, this one's good. Not too surprising I don't think. It's been a hot while since my last time listening to a Common album, as Be was one of the final albums that I got for the project in 2023! Over 2 years have passed since than, and my taste is sure to have changed, right? Well, it has in some senses, but my thoughts on Common remain as positive as ever. Admittedly, I do prefer Be, but Like Water For Chocolate is cool in its own way. When it comes to album collaborators, Be was largely defined by its production courtesy of one Kanye West, but Like Water For Chocolate is seen as a defining release for the Soulquarians, a group of artists who worked together to release some of the most beloved albums of the late 90s and early 2000s. I mean, you've got some absolute legends in here! Questlove, Q-Tip, D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, J Dilla, and the star of the show for today's album, Common. Many of the people I just mentioned show up here, and they're all great. J Dilla especially does an excellent job with the production, though I think my favorite beat on the album actually came from DJ Premier for "The 6th Sense." Amazing song. The whole album is just... cool. The production is mostly chill, which I like. Common's rapping is pretty great as well. There's some good wordplay and lyrical themes to appreciate. Common is most-often described as a conscious rapper, and while he may not have been conscious of everything at the time of this album's release, this does lead to the album's writing being more interesting and thought-provoking than other albums of the time. I like it. Somehow, despite the album being nearly 80 minutes long, I actually didn't really feel like the album dragged that much. It helps that there aren't very many skits on this thing at all. Maybe the album could've been a little shorter, but it's not that bad. Overall, Like Water For Chocolate is a cool album. It's got reflective writing, wonderful production, and a strong presence. Good stuff. 4/5.
Common-I really love the instrumental especially the Roy Hargrove parts. Problematic lyrics make it hard for me to enjoy the rest of album and rate higher. Tough to rate
8/10 Favorites: Heat The Light The 6th Sense
I gotta be careful here. Between that one review of Be on this site, and the cringest Pitchfork review of all time (which they scrubbed from their website, look it up on the wayback machine), there's something about Common that brings out bad writing. I'll just say, Common's best skill is his ability to find great collaborators. It's hard to mess up the combination of Dilla, Premier, Questlove, and D'Angelo.
I forgot about this guy
i enjoyed this actually i really liked common’s rapping style and the themes in especially a song for assata were super interesting. reminding me to brush up on my black american communist history actually. but probably not something i’d keep going back to.
Great beats with socially conscious lyrics, can see how it influenced subsequent releases like TPAB, not as tight as his later album Be
I think The Soulaquarians are probably the most important group of musicians of the 90s and 00s, this is so good
I really enjoy Common’s flow, and the beats on this album are great. I didn’t connect to every song, but I enjoyed just letting the tracks happen.
Easily the best hip hop artist I’ve had in this list. Another great album.
I liked this one. Better than a lot of the other hip hop albums I'd been fed recently. Good vibe, good grooves. I'd come back to this.
Glad I've finally heard this, I had it on the list when I got into this specific time and era of Neo-Soul stuff, as I'm pretty sure this album was being made at the same time as all falls down by the roots and mamas gun by Erykah Badu, and maybe also Voodoo by D'Angelo (rip btw) and I think they were being made in the same studio (or at least very nearby), which is something that's not really happened ever, where such a wealth of material comes out in such a short time. A lot of these beats are J Dilla I think, and they are AMAZING, love the loose percussion and sample choices. He's a great rapper obviously and very socially conscious, in the same way that people like Black Thought also were. I do feel like its too long, I think some of the Roots albums also have this problem, but there's good quality the whole way through, and it doesn't feel like there's loads of filler. Features are good, both rapping and guest singers. Favourite songs: time travelin' (a tribute to Fela), cold blooded, dooinit, the light, funky for you, the 6th sense, Nag Champa (Afrodisiac for the world, Thelonius, payback is a Grandmother, geto heaven part two, a song for Assata. Overall around 8/10 (feels close to 9)
Started off okay but I liked it by the end.
This is my first time listening to a Common album start to finish. The production on this is top notch. There are a couple moments where the lyrics are a bit homophobic, but it's nice to hear that Common himself is displeased with that. This is a solid album.
Common is so underrated. A bit too much homophobia for my liking in a couple of the tracks but eh, it's a product of its time. We learned and got better.
Not too bad so far. A 4.
Beautiful album, really appreciate Common's ability to harmonize rougher narriatives into beautiful anthems of strength.
Top 3: 1. Funky For You 2. Time Travelin' (A Tribue to Fela) 3. The Light Boombap clássico e muito agradável de se ouvir. O álbum tem seus destaques, mas depois da terceira música, parece que tô ouvindo a mesma música por 1h30 seguida.
It is a little long as others have said, but it's a great album with some good content. Nice beats, jazz fusion, challenging themes and mostly decent rapping. It's old skool with a twist. I quite like it.
Cool Common
More than 100 days late listening to this album but I got around to it eventually. It's great but I think making this album the full length of a CD did more harm than good. A lot of the songs run a little long and there are a few songs I wouldn't keep on the album. Past that, a lot of the songs are great. All of the little tributes and nods to historical stuff like jazz artists and movies were really nice and Common always has a really uplifting feeling to his music. The features make a lot of this album for me, like Femi Kuti in the opener or Slum Village showing up on Thelonius. A Song For Assata and is an incredible heavy-hitter at the end of the album. Reading about her lead me to find out she died recently. For anyone that doesn't know who she is, it's very important to learn about her. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assata_Shakur
Common to me is a rapper who flirts with corniness but the production and guest appearances more than make up for it!
He's good but this isn't my music
8,6/10
Not quite to the same tier of excellence that Be is. The production here is still great. Common does his poetry thing. Favorite songs were Cold Blooded, The Light, and Geto Heaven Part Two.
This is my favorite Common album. It's a full course meal of hip hop, full of amazing beats and samples, socially conscious and philosophical and self-reflective lyrics, positivity mixed with dark realism, etc. Is it too ambitious though? Sometimes Common does seem up his own ass, maybe trying too hard. But the production throughout is outstanding-- shout out to J Dilla. I love the samples from funk and Afrobeat, like Fela Kuti and Parliament and James Brown. It all lends a certain organic chaos and movement. This is all balanced by the spoken-word tracks and parts which come back down and command your attention.
This album surprised me. Is this east coast? I haven't had time to research like I've wanted. Whatever this is, I like it. Very R&B rooted with great flow and lyrics on top. A lot of fun.
Lekker hoor…
Rating: 7.5/10 Too long but the highlights are quite good. Still don't think Common is a top-tier rapper though, flow and delivery too one-dimensional.
4 stars
A hard rate. I liked the music, but it all kind of ran together. It also felt like everything was dragging on by the end. Those are the negatives. But the positives are Common had good flow and I really do enjoy this style of smooth hip-hop with a good message. I think a true rating would be 3.5, but I'll round up.
Common is synonymous with socially conscious hip-hop and this is no exception here. I’m not overly familiar with his work, this album was only the second Common record I’ve listened to, but I like what I hear. The influence from Fela Kuti and Afrobeat permeates this album which is never a bad thing. The homophobia and misogyny that is endemic in rap from the era does bring it down a bit and it is overlong by about 20 minutes, but this is a solid package overall.
Very intriguing. I think there was more here than I caught, and it also made me want to go back and find it.
7/10
8/10… hip hop / r&b
I don't know much about rap but I think this album is exactly what hip hop is about.
Really smooth, love the production on this album. The flow between songs is something I really appreciate, it all feels so cohesive. Delightful vibe, very chill.
Very good album. Some really good songs, I mostly like the grooves. Surprisingly easy to have in the background.
This has some of my favourite songs, but by own criteria for these other albums, it is too long. I'm also not really sure about some of the lyrics which might be homophobic, or it's ironic? I'm not sure.
Would be my favorite old school lyricist, the jazz influence and the impeccable flow and clarity, but a star off for the misogyny and homophobia, and no, no points back for lamp-shading the hypocrisy.
Alright, this took some convincing to like, thankfully it's long enough to give you that time. Common is very obviously into the wordplay, rhyme scheme, how the hell did he keep 8 rhymes going at a time over 16 bars type of rap. For every line that comes across as intellectual theres another that exists to serve the rhyme scheme and then, very often on here, randomly, a homophobic bar. As usual, I don't think it's fair to entirely excuse that as a product of the time but it is. Lame but not an outlier of the time. The soulquarians are so good on this. Truly every musical moment on here hits well. I love how bored and tight Questlove can be, J Dilla's beats are incredible (rip), and Pino holds this thing down so well. Technically, this is a 5 on his skill/dedication/etc but on enjoyment I'm hitting a 4. I'm not saying there's a direct line of influence but it's easy to see where like Kendrick and Mac Miller come from listening to this. There's high potential to listen to this 50 times and hear each bar differently or find things you didn't notice and then read the wikipedia page of the thing he's referencing and then listen to it again and then grow more appreciation for the album. I think my 4 hang up is that there's not really any singles other than the light that I would return to on this album, I would just listen to the entire album again if I wanted to return and I don't really want to do that.
Definitely enjoyed this album. Hadn’t heard Common before, just knew of him as an elder statesmen of hip hop. Beats great, lyrics great, flows really good. Just toooooo long 4/5
I've only ever seen Common on TV so I was pleasantly surprised to find rich textures in his music!
# In-Depth Review: Common's *Like Water for Chocolate* ## 🎵 Overview *Like Water for Chocolate* (2000) is Common's fourth studio album and a landmark release in hip-hop. It marked his major-label debut under MCA Records and represented a significant artistic evolution, blending conscious lyricism with soulful, jazz-infused production. The album is often regarded as a cornerstone of the neo-soul and conscious hip-hop movements, thanks to its collaboration with the Soulquarians collective . --- ## 📝 Lyrics Common’s lyricism on *Like Water for Chocolate* is introspective, socially conscious, and deeply personal. He explores themes of love, spirituality, social justice, and self-awareness, often with poetic nuance. Tracks like "The Light" celebrate romantic love with vulnerability, while "A Song for Assata" narrates the story of Black Panther activist Assata Shakur with historical precision and empathy . However, the album occasionally suffers from lyrical contradictions, such as espousing enlightenment while using homophobic slurs or misogynistic similes (e.g., "deep as a skinny girl’s cunt" on "Heat") . These moments undermine the album’s conscious messaging and reflect the complexities of Common’s artistic growth at the time. --- ## 🎶 Music and Production The album’s production is a masterclass in genre fusion, blending hip-hop with jazz, funk, Afrobeat, and soul. J Dilla (Jay Dee) is the production MVP, contributing to over two-thirds of the tracks and infusing the album with warm, soulful grooves . Standout production moments include: - **"The Light"**: Dilla’s iconic sample of Bobby Caldwell’s "Open Your Eyes" creates a smooth, timeless backdrop for Common’s heartfelt lyrics . - **"The 6th Sense"**: DJ Premier’s boom-bap beat provides a gritty canvas for Common’s introspective bars . - **"Time Travelin’ (Tribute to Fela)"**: Afrobeat rhythms by Femi Kuti pay homage to Fela Kuti’s legacy . The Soulquarians (Questlove, D’Angelo, James Poyser, etc.) contribute live instrumentation and collaborative energy, giving the album a cohesive yet eclectic sound . However, the album’s length (77 minutes) and occasional pacing issues make it feel bloated to some listeners . --- ## 🧠 Themes 1. **Social Consciousness**: Common tackles issues like racial inequality, police brutality, and the commercialization of hip-hop ("Dooinit," "The Questions") . 2. **Spiritual and Personal Growth**: Tracks like "G.O.D. (Gaining One’s Definition)" and "Nag Champa" reflect Common’s struggles with faith and identity . 3. **Love and Relationships**: "The Light" and "Geto Heaven" explore love with a maturity rare in hip-hop at the time . 4. **Afrocentricity**: The album draws inspiration from Black musical traditions and historical figures, emphasizing cultural pride . --- ## 📈 Influence *Like Water for Chocolate* cemented Common’s status as a hip-hop innovator and helped define the early 2000s neo-soul movement. Its influence is evident in: - The rise of conscious hip-hop artists like Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole, who emulate Common’s blend of social commentary and personal storytelling. - The mainstream acceptance of genre-blending production, as seen in projects by artists like Anderson .Paak and The Internet . - The album’s collaboration model, which inspired collective efforts like Black Hippy and Dreamville . --- ## ✔️ Pros 1. **Groundbreaking Production**: J Dilla and the Soulquarians created a rich, soulful sound that remains influential . 2. **Lyrical Depth**: Common’s introspective and socially conscious lyrics set a new standard for hip-hop . 3. **Cultural Impact**: The album elevated Chicago’ hip-hop scene and inspired a generation of artists . 4. **Standout Tracks**: "The Light," "The 6th Sense," and "A Song for Assata" are timeless classics . --- ## ❌ Cons 1. **Lyrical Inconsistencies**: Homophobic and misogynistic bars clash with the album’s conscious themes . 2. **Overlong Runtime**: At 77 minutes, the album drags in places and could benefit from tighter editing . 3. **Pacing Issues**: Some tracks (e.g., "Payback Is a Grandmother") suffer from underwhelming production . --- ## 🏆 Conclusion *Like Water for Chocolate* is a visionary album that balances artistic ambition with cultural significance. Despite its minor flaws, it remains a timeless piece of hip-hop history, celebrated for its production brilliance, lyrical depth, and role in shaping neo-soul. It is essential listening for anyone interested in the evolution of hip-hop and conscious music.
Very much enjoyed the gentle beats and fun raps. Didnt really listen to the lyrics so if they're super offensive I take this review back.
Common really brought it on this one. The album has a smooth but sharp feel to it, mixing thoughtful lyrics with strong production that still sounds fresh. He’s always been a solid rapper, but here it feels like everything clicked into place. The collaborations help a lot too. Having artists like Mos Def, Erykah Badu, Cee-Lo Green, and Macy Gray pop up gives the record a ton of range and personality. Each guest adds their own spark without taking the spotlight away from Common. It feels like a community effort in the best way possible. And bonus points for this era being immortalized on Chappelle’s Show. That connection just makes the album feel even more rooted in the culture of its time.
Pretty good, i really liked to social commentary and the beats! I think commons's flow can get a bit repetitive though
Great sound, enjoyed a lot.
I liked it. Similar to d’angelo with some nice features
Liked this quite a bit. Very jazzy and Common has good flow. A little too long for my taste, but I never found myself wanting to put something else on.
bby - 6 lil loser - 9
Really smooth album! A lot of great tracks in here. Good production, most of the lyrics, vibes, so on and so forth. Just solid all around.
I've always liked Common! On this album he finds himself with some BEAUTIFUL production, on top of his usual flavor of conscious rap. He tends to opt for a more peaceful attitude, and that never stopped him from having good rhymes! ..Wait, what was that slur just now? Standouts: Cold Blooded • The Light • Funky For You • The 6th Sense
Great rap album, great production. While some of the lyrical content makes me cringe today, his social messaging is still relevant. Any album that can make me laugh, ponder the unfairness of society, and tap my foot is a winner for me. I just think it would've benefited from a little more editing.
86% Best: Heat; Dooinit; The Light; The 6th Sense; Thelonious; Payback Is A Grandmother; Geto Heaven Part Two Must-Hear? Sure
I liked this more than I expected considering its length and the fact I knew none of the songs. I'd listen again! 3.5
Good album something different
Common lays down stories and trials and tribulation with a smoothness and vibe that can't be matched. Luring you in with smooth beats and a steady voice, not brash and in your face like other rappers. Jazz and soul influenced, steady gentle backbeats. It works. My Rating: 4/5
This was needlessly bloated both in album length and a lot of the song which were extended with repetitive aspects or pointless skits (mostly pointless) but other than that was was a good album, the second half was what especially shined for me personally but the whole album had great production and decent flows at least throughout, some familiar features aswell. Favourites: time travellin’, dooinit, the 6th sense, Thelonius, payback is a grandmother, Geto heaven pt2, and a song for Assata (my personal favourite, loved the storytelling). Overall, 7/10.
Favorite Song: The Light
Chi city classic. Love Common!!
3.7 - Enjoyed this
Yeah alright, not bad. Fave Tracks: Heat, The Light, A Song for Assata, 3.7/5
This was a lot better than other stuff at the time. I do like Common, overall, but my favorite tracks were the ones where he worked with artists, and I felt like his actual rapping was often overshadowed by the music of the Soulquarians. Of course, I'm reviewing the album, not just Common, so that actually adds a start in this case. Huzzah!
Time Travelin' - so good - LOVE the music stop-start device. Every song is great - lyrics particularly good in: The Light The Questions The 6th Sense Love how much he mentions his daughter too. Love the Hardy Boys mention in Payback Is A Grandmother and the storytelling style to that song. LOVE the phrase "with a quickness" too. The last two are fairly dull, but other than that incredible all round.
Une surprise, c’est du hip hop, mais il y a un quelque chose de différent ce celui que j’ai écouté (provenant des USA, parce que le hip hop Québécois, c’est une autre histoire). Il y a un côté jazz et soul (je crois) que je trouve intéressant.
3.5
På musikkfronten er det veldig bra, og ditto på rapfronten (der har jeg dog ikke mye peiling). Fin flyt i albumet
It's not as good as Be IMO, and could do with a bit of a trim, but some great stuff on here.
REAL cool. i had heard a few songs of common but didn’t know he was THIS good
Excellent production and concept. 4.5 stars
Common’s voice is so so soothing. The album Be is 10x better, but I would never kick him out of my ears.
J. Dilla. I love how this guy pops up like Zelig in all the 90s albums I loved.
Very cool
while this album was a little long, it was really good, something about his beats are light and feel-good. Rapping with none of the mean muggin in your face gangster tone. Just letting lyrics flow over some jazzy beats. I liked it
33/1001. Another new artist for me, and another positive surprise coming from hip-hop. Funky, soulful, witty... but seems to repeat what's good. In the end the songs blend one to another and not too many stand out. Definitely have to check out some more Common. In the end an album with lines like "From bashful to asshole to international" deserves nothing less than 4.
This is definitely not my genre, but I really enjoyed listening to this album. All of the tracks were pleasantly musical and the recording was very clean and well-done. I like Common's style and I really enjoyed the last song (apparently) recorded by Common's dad, haha. Four stars.
cool and refined
Common might be too 5 rappers tbh. this was a 77 minute album and it never felt too long. always interesting stuff going on. i’ve gotta listen to him more
never heard of that but it's a cool album. i'd listen to it again
Notable songs - The 6th Sense old school rap with a sprinkling of new age from the 2000s. Sorta like a mix of Lauren Hill's Miseducation sound with the politics of Tupac. You can hear the transition towards hip hop of the early 2000s but still has the sound of the 90s. The music incorporates more funk and soul that also reminds me of Nujabes, who probably was inspired by this album ngl. Im not the most well verse with modern HipHop but I feel like there is less of it that is political like this album, outside Kendrick who else?
At this point I can just trust any Soulquarian's album on this list because so far none have let me down. The only more or less thing I could say against this record is just the fact that some lyrics can be... well as weird and bigoted as a 00s rap album can be but at this point I'd be more surprised if an album from that era didn't say something weird. Either way, great album
4/5
I enjoyed this, I haven’t heard of the artist before either
Great production!
The more I think about this album, the more I really like it! I think the blend of confessional style rap and smooth background beats combine this into a worthwhile listen. Definitely enjoyed listening while working as well
I have heard Common before, and I never had any issues with him, but his music also never clicked with me. This album came out at a time where I was looking for hip-hop that was either even more classic sounding like Jurassic 5 or really bombastic like Outkast. However, now, going back to it, I really enjoyed it and could see myself listening to it again.
The last track with his dad won me over. But really the whole thing was pretty good.
It is rather decent, a bit of a throwback to more narrative rap. The Questions, Thelonius, and Payback is a Grandmother are brilliant. Love the use of samples, and bringing in thorough instrumentation. Common has decent flow. More of a 3.5 than a 4, but a 3 feels harsh on what is a good, lengthy, well-thought-out album. Mos Def and Slum Village are excellent collaborators here.
I'd never heard of common before, although googling him tells me it's the guy from Silo! I actually thought some of this was really good. For an album released in 2000, it sounds more old school, there's some great bass in some tracks. There is some of the gangsta tropes here, but it isn't overbearing. It's more chilled than that. Not sure the more soul parts are for me though. But overall, when it was good, I thought it was very good. Highlights: Dooinit The light The 6th sense Geto heaven part 2 4
bops on bops
Not the most enjoyable to listen to, but Common did a great job getting his points across and I found the album pretty educational, as well as pretty clever a lot of the time. Because he nailed these key areas that I often complained about in other rap albums, I feel like it elevates him to a four.
hmmm do I know Common? The intro to this first track would have made me think it's jazz...but the wiki says it's rap. YOOOOO WTF!? This guy is also an actor and is in Silo!! What a trip. This was a great album. 4 stars.
3.5
Enjoyed this. Vaguely aware of the geezer, but never listened to any tunes before, other than a few he’s done with old Kanye. He’s a good storyteller. Simpsons: Guest star (The Great Phatsby)
Perfect album for a spring afternoon. The vibes, production, and amazing rapping all just make this an amazing experience to listen to. I will admit it is a bit long, and the production definitely isn't as good as Be, but this album's flaws are easy to look past with how great everything else is.
Solid listen, although like a lot of hip-hop albums from the time period its a little long at 78 minutes. In hindsight, it's clear why this is an essential listen; it captures the energy and spirit of top-tier producers/musicians (Questlove, J Dilla, D'Angelo) in their prime. The lyrics match the music in quality, and overall it will be rewarding to revisit.
Love this guy
Thought this was quite good - Common is definitely a rap I should look into more. He's got great delivery and it seems like his lyrics are thoughtful and good storytelling (I didn't pay as much attention as I should have). The hooks and choruses with many different guests were solid and brought a nice R&B edge to the music.
This is a very good album. I'd give it a 3.5 if I could, but I'll bump it to 4 stars because there just really isn't much out there like it. Common is, rightly, lumped in as a "conscious" rapper, but there's a lot more than that on this album. There's jazz, there's blues, there are collaborations, there's standard braggadocio, hard core rap. It's really a great presentation for the breadth of Common's vision and skill.
4/5 liked the funky hip hop vibes
This was really cool. Common has great social commentary and a very nice voice and flow.
Back in the day, I had some friends who were really into Common, so listening to this album was like a trip down memory lane. The lyrics capture that early 2000s hip-hop vibe, and Common’s smooth style meshes perfectly with the production. What stood out to me the most was the easygoing, smooth, and jazzy feel of the beats.
Some pretty eclectic influences. I enjoyed it!
This album definitely has a "cool" factor to it as he commentates on society and black culture. The songs are creative and well composed, and he's super talented. The guest collaborators add a lot of interesting layers to his storytelling too. Overall, I thought this was super solid!
always like comon's flow and sound. some good colab but not his best work
Love this album so much! In particular, it has many more uplifting lyrics than most of the genre. Common is a national treasure. After seeing the dedication to Fela, I looked it up. It is, indeed, Fela Kuli, and apparently because of his activist movement. I learned after that about Fela's beating after making Zombie, so I listened to that album next. Splendid evening all the way through.
This is an early 2000's hip hop album, which is actually the first rap album I got on my album generator, believe it or not. Admittedly, I was not very thrilled when I saw it because hip hop and rap are not exactly my forte. It's not that I don't like it, I just never reach for it and this album made me wonder why I don't. I'm figuring out that I love albums that are smooth and easy listening; albums that create a vibe and an atmosphere. This album definitely does that. I can see the concrete jungle of American metropolitan life, I can smell the bodega coffee, the steam from the subway, I can hear the distant sirens. It's a timeless record with great production and interesting commentary about life on the streets. Though, there is homophobic lyrics in there, some hints of misogyny in there... which sucks. Big time. You could make excuses such as the time this album was made but still, it's disappointing. Though, name me a rap album from this time that didn't use any of that language. I'm going to surprise myself and say this could be a four star album, I could see myself listening to this on a lazy Saturday afternoon.
Back in the day, I had some friends who were really into Common, so listening to this album was like a trip down memory lane. The lyrics capture that early 2000s hip-hop vibe, and Common’s smooth style meshes perfectly with the production. What stood out to me the most was the easygoing, smooth, and jazzy feel of the beats.
longer, more dated (the pimp skit makes me a lot more uncomfortable than the f slur uses lol), and less potent in overall mood than Be, which i have to admit makes the overall package a bit worse and harder to get excited about, but as neat as peak-era kanye is, he's just got nothing on j dilla in the position of Most Prominent Beatmaker For An Album and that deffo makes me understand anyone who prefers this record. dilla's drum programming is the stuff of legends, and even beyond that this whole record musically is just exquisite and subtle and rewarding. they do frankly often outshine common's presence, but ultimately they work in tandem with his delivery being the anchor that allows the whole beat to reach its max musical potency. definitely still a couple hangups but man...a ton of this has my heart
I'm not into rap or hiphop usually but this one felt kinda refreshing. A little too long but still ok. Can't tell about the lyrics, I'm not a native speaker, so most of the songs especially playing on the background sound like simlish.
I love the layering of the sound throughout this album. The composition and timing inspires me to listen to every word and note throughout each song. This album is for adults.
Soulful, deep, and warm!
I'm an unabashed Soulquarian fanboy. Questlove and J Dilla in the same space? So much genius and skill there. And the music on this doesn't disappoint. The beats are so tight and complex. Everything is carefully constructed and dialed in. There isn't a single note out of place or extraneous part. That attention to detail they have here is inspiring. Now, Common on the other hand is not my favorite rapper. He's pretty middle of the pack, and his career is spotty. But man, they do manage to elevate him here. The blatant homophobia and misogyny is really, really unfortunate. It distracts from everything else that is so good. Cold-Blooded and The Light are just phenomenal songs.
Well, this confirms I like Common. Most of this album is really really excellent. Wasn't crazy about the opening track, but maybe that'll change over time. It's not perfect, but the music is great throughout and I appreciate most of his lyrics. I'll definitely have to dig through the rest of his work now.
Hip hop classic! I love those. It's got some nice features too!
Not my genre. But I was feeling it.
CD
нормалек. такой вид хип-хопа (семплированный, ближе к джазу) боле-менее нравится. подойдет для вечеринок)
Sounds fun
It gets off to a relatively slow start but gets considerably better. One likes the chill flow as much as the positivity, though like so many hip-hop arists, there is a bit too much in the way of self-reference. "Time Travelin," "6th Sense" and "Geto Heaven" are all terrific. "Pops" is a great closer. Hard not to like an album that comes so correct with its name-dropping – including but not limited to (and Femi), but Roy Ayres, Erykah Badu, Stevie, Tribe Called Quest. Be is the slightly better record, really – tougher, but also sweeter – and it's worth asking if this list really required two Common entries, likable as they are (and he is). Also: seems dumb to name a record after a not especially good book (and even iffier movie).
a really solid 90's/2000's rap album with some really varied tracks in there. something i can see myself going back to.
I liked this enough that I had an immediate relisten, which is unusual for me. This record has a really wide range of musical styles and yet is held together by the common thread of, well, Common. LOL
I always dig this kind of rap. A little more artistic, and thoughtful. A good time for sure
This is my second Common album on this list. I didn't like this one quite as much as the first, though not by much. Lyrically it lacks in a few spots and some of the samples didn't land for me. It's still a good album though.
It is a very strong album, lyrically, emotionally, beat wise. Its a touching work, but it is slightly too long. Otherwise, its great
I miss this era
Even though it's all basic concepts of modern hip-hop and sounds pretty ordinary and conventional, but still it was year 2000. 25 years later still feels good.
Pleasant surprise! I had never heard of Common, but find rap/hip-hop quite interesting so was keen to listen to it. I was hoping for a good one, because I had Kendrick Lamar last week, with high expectations, and was disappointed. This album I liked. The opening track was a very good start, which helps. The songs are quite varied and not all equally good, but many had interesting samples and good grooves. Common seems to be (like many rappers) a socially engaged person (and I'll take Michelle Obama's word for it). I'll definitely listen again. Is it a 3* (because do I _want_ to like hip-hop more than I actually do) of a 4* (because I haven't heard many better hip-hop albums, but not all songs are top)?
Textbook example of how to do storytelling
Darker than any Common project I've heard previously. It's weird, it's baked in Soulquarianism, it's a beautiful work. I expect to love it even more as time goes on.
It was ok
Enjoyable enough Never really got into Common
As far as hip hop goes, this is some of the best around. Sleek, soulful and jazzy. Common's rapping style matches the music. Some underground stuff is better but I'd call Common one of the best of the mainstream. As others have said, the album is too long but that was a common problem of the CD era. Had he trimmed about half an hour off, this would be a stronger album. The lyrics deserve some attention here. Common stood out as a more progressive voice around the time of this release. He has numerous mentions of women being equals and calling out violence against women. That's great but it seems like a pretty low bar by 2024 standards. Given the context of the time and the genre, it's still noteworthy. It's undercut a bit by the homophobia and fat shaming though. Overall, not a perfect album but Common is definitely talented.
I dug this, real smooth
Great flow, classic rap and hip hop is nice to hear. I forgot how much I enjoyed Common. Funky For You was a favorite for me.
Not to be an old head but it was nice to hear some hip hop that had something to say. The beats are sumptuous and the rhymes are smooth. Lots of great guests too. Pretty good album baby yeah
I definitely dug this. It reminds me a bit of lofi hip hop. Chill with a nice jazzy vibe. I didn't pay close attention to any of the lyrics so can't speak to those, but definitely something I would put on again to enjoy in the background while I am relaxing. A little long, and the vibe is "off" on a couple song so this ends up a 4* for me.
The first half hour or so of this was a drag (and this is too long of a record, it's an hour and twenty minutes long) but everything that comes after makes me get why it's a classic. The lyrics are pretty dated and homophobic but I'll still come back to this
This rolled by - a really good record.
Pretty good! I’d never heard it, and I’m not mad at all.
Some lines don’t really age well, as in the “safe” Common saying specific slurs, but these bars are good. great even. Common Sense is spittin.
Hip hop before everything got real shouty again in the oughts and teens. Great flow from Common. Man's got bars for days. Not my primary place of fandom, but it was still a good listen. Unexpected bangers: Cold Blooded, Funky for You, A Film called (PIMP), Song for Assata
This is my hip hop. Musical. Conscientious.
It starts to win me over halfway through and then does overstay its welcome a bit. Still a fun vibe throughout and I can hear the influence on a lot of my favorite rappers today. Lot of great intangibles on this one Rating: 3.8
My first time listening to a Common album that isn’t Be - it’s real good! Wears its influences in its sleeve, a very openly communal album, and has some really smooth and classic J. Dilla production on it!
I actually really enjoyed this! I kinda think Common can be pretty corny and there is some unfortunate homophobia but the instrumentals and production are just so so nice!
It's pretty long but a very easy listen. Common has never done much for me as an MC and this didn't change my mind, I just don't think he sounds good on a beat, clunky flow. BUT he does have one hell of an ear for production. J Dilla on 90% of this, the rest is the likes of D'angelio, The Roots, DJ Premier. That's some serious taste, makes the album super enjoyable even if his rapping isn't to my liking as much.
Decent album and an enjoyable listen. Didn't fall in head-over-heels for it, but I would listen to it again.
Very good! First few tracks took a bit of getting into but then it took off! Loved it. Felt very ahead of its time for 2000 - never heard of these guys, would love to hear some more. Always interesting when no tracks off this album are in their most popular tracks on Spotify. 4.1
C O double M O to the N! 2 rap albums in a row, check it out! I loved the samples used in this album. It has a very pleasant vibe to listen to. I had a very wrong idea about rap and hip-hop albums from the 2000s, but this one is making me change that view a little. Nice surprise!
Smart, a lot of catchy beats, and several tracks where women are respected?? 3.8 stars
Good rhymes, decent beats, didn't set anything alight though. It's nice.
Common isn’t necessarily the most exciting rapper but he always has a good ear for a groove, and the production on this is fantastic as expected. Before the futuristic vibes of Electric Circus and the Kanye-helmed pop-soul smash of Be, the heart and soul of Like Water For Chocolate is that vibrant Soulquarians sound (the production powerhouse of D’Angelo, J Dilla, Questlove, Erykah Badu and more who dominated the neo-soul scene of the early 2000s) Throw in a handful of features from the likes of Black Thought, Mos Def, Macy Gray and Bilal, and Common bringing his trademark consciousness and consistency, and you have a really powerful and clean as hell hip-hop record
Fantastic production. Def need to check out more Soulquarian work. Great stuff 4/5 👍
Pleasantly surprised, the jazzy beats were good and the lyrics and flow were pretty good too.
That is hip hop just how I like it. Boom bap sounds and intelligent lyrics!
I lov common but if were honest this is probably a 4. Be is gonna be a 5 tho. And ya the homophobia in this is sickening and ruins a few songs :(
Hard to stay focused for 1hr 17. Nothing really stuck out to me even after two rotations, but I like the sound and the rap style.
Pretty solid. A nice blend of traditional Hip-Hop and Alt-Rap.
Politically charged yet chill. How does one achieve such vibe?
Sounds dated, not sure what year this one was released. 2000. Now I know!
Chill album. Like a lot of hip hop from decades past, it has it shortcomings but overall a really fun listen.
has a nice flow to it. Common is a top 10 MC in my opinion.
Heat // Cold Blooded // The Light // The 6th Sense // Thelonius // Payback Is A Grandmother // A Song For Assata //
This was a good listen! I didn't know of Common, Josh and I had this album on in Rotterdam and he knew him. Good storytelling, fun beats and samples, quite long but that wasn't too bad!
A bit too long but really nice chilled hip hop vibes. Lyrical themes stand out as quite alternative for the genre. Common has a really breezy and enjoyable flow but J Dilla's beats are my favourite element, there are a real myriad influences on show in them. Docked a point because it's too bloated mainly
It really grew on me. The first half I was pretty ambivalent toward it, but starting with the 6th sense it became really incredible. My favorites were the 6th sense, a song for assata and pops rap III. 8/10
Another great socially-conscious hip-hop album. I like this sorta shit. It drags on a bit. But it had some great hooks and beats. Nothing shattering, more of an art project than something I'd play at a party.
Soulful, Afrocentric, and ambitiously lengthy, Common's release at the turn of the millennium stands as one of the most beautiful fusions of neo-soul ethos and traditionalist jazz rap. The production crew is incredible here, with standouts like J DIll, D'Angelo, and DJ Premier taking notes from similar groups like the Root, Black Star, and the Pharcyde to sculpt these funky, light, and undeniably cool beats. I love the funky drive of the song 'Heat', the stripped-back clunk of songs like 'A Film Called (PIMP)', and that stuttering sample flips on 'The 6th Sense'. Common himself has a standout voice, both literally and figuratively, and it's clear that with this album, he set out to use that welcoming voice to present topics he felt were most important to him. I love his depictions of culture on the song 'The 6th Sense' alongside that slick Bilal hook. 'The Questions' with Mos Def is probably the most consistently enjoyable song here and I love Macy Gray's version of 'Geto Heaven'. I have to shout out 'Thelonious', not only because of how slick the beat and Slum Village features are but also because it has Dilla tearing it up on the mic also. I can't not mention the emotionally powerful and intriguing string-backed story of Black Panther member Assata Shakur on 'A Song for Assata' which has a gorgeous chorus by CeeLo Green. Just some incredible hip-hop that, musically and conceptually, was rejecting the sounds that were being ushered in at the turn of the millennium. So many great songs here that exhibit both Common's lyrical prowess, and the beat-making ability of his peers.
- Habe ich noch nie von gehört. Scheint ja aber ein richtiger Insider-Meilenstein zu sein. - Fand ich total geil. Obwohl es als HipHop Album jetzt schon über 20 Jahre auf dem Buckel hat und man das Alter vor allem im Rap finde ich immer merkt (Häufiger hat das bei mir eine negative Auswirkung) habe ich das Gefühl, das diese Platte RICHTIG gut gealtert ist. Sowohl musikalisch als auch textlich und technisch - Der Typ hat eine angenehme Laid Back Attitüde. Die Samples und Beats sind super nice. - Habe wirklich nichts gehabt, was mich daran gestört hat. Auf der anderen Seite ist beim ersten Hören jetzt auch kein Track so richtig hängen geblieben. 4/5
It gets off to a relatively slow start but gets considerably better. One likes the chill flow as much as the positivity, though like so many hip-hop aritsts, there is a bit too much in the way of self-reference. "Time Travelin," "6th Sense" and "Geto Heaven" are all terrific.
Just like the Be, pleasantly surprised again! Common has a new fan from the generator. Hell yeah.
May 31, 2024 HL: "Time Travelin' (A Tribute to Fela)", "The Light", "Funky for You", "The 6th Sense", "Geto Heaven Part Two" I found the perfect album to bridge this album with 1999 (yesterday's album): Voodoo* by D'Angelo. On one hand, D'Angelo has a lot of similarities with Prince, both in romantic R&B jams and in being a multi-instrumentalist prodigy; on the other, he worked with a group called the Soulquarians to usher soul/R&B into the 21st century. The Soulquarians included members like Erykah Badu, the Roots, and Common. I don't know a whole lot about Badu or the Roots (time enough), but album #197 on this journey was Common's Be (2005), an album which evoked The College Dropout a lot more than Voodoo. I'm curious to see where this album's sound lands on that spectrum. Okay, it officially supplants Be as my favourite Common album! Probably too long, but the big guest list and messing about with genre helps keep LWFC from becoming stale. J Dilla's production is smooth as heck, but the song that jumped out at me the most was handled by DJ Premier of Gang Starr, "The 6th Sense". Like the aforementioned Badu & the Roots, I know I'll be coming across Gang Starr at some point on this website, which I look forward to. *Voodoo was much more enjoyable to me than Brown Sugar (1995), the one solo D'Angelo featured on 1001 Albums.
This is the second Common album I’ve reviewed. The first, Be, was decent but didn’t blow me away. I’ve said it many times before but hip hop is a big blind spot for me, so there are likely lots of nuances that I miss. However, this album was really pleasant. I enjoyed the self referential commentary on lyrics about women as they are so frequently reduced to meat in this genre. It was eloquently done here.
Brilliant, thought provoking at times, could be a rimless one
The great silver lining about being a bit behind on this list is that I can choose which album to put on when. It’s Deep Clean Saturday, so this album’s hour 20 minute runtime feels less like a chore and more like a perfect pair for today’s work. Always loved this album. Long! I don’t think I’ve ever gotten past the pimp song and skit, lol. That’s a skit to wake you out of a daze, one of the lasting memories I have from this album. You get the sense that Common feels sure of himself here. Tons of confidence. It’s “Jazz Rap” via Tribe, all grown up, with plenty of delicious horns, Afrobeat bins fides (I see Fela’s son on the title track and throughout), and lots and lots of good vibrations. Feel good records, not super ornate or adorned— they get their point across. The playing is understated but excellent throughout. A slew of recurring guests, and one of my favorite DJ Premier beats (“The 6th Sense”). Great to put on and just vibe to. Never asking for too much, understated in a nice way. 4/5, have come back to this many times and will!
I didn’t know I liked Common this much
first listen the amount of legendary musicians / producers on this record is astounding
Common did the impossible here. He wrote and produced a hip hop album that clearly speaks to his life experience, and the world around him, without saying nigger 200 times or devoting two tracks to his dick. Bravo!
Uusi tuttavuus mutta ihan ehtaa tavaraa! Hyvä meininki. Tulee sopivasti mieleen dela, tribe, roots jne. 4/5
Pitkäaikainen suosikki ja kyllä vaan toimii. Commonin tyyli on just omaan makuun. Jos tästä karsisi vartin tyhjäkäyntiä ja homoslurrit pois, niin antaisin vitosen. 4/5
Rennolla otteella voimakas levy. Ei liikaa kukkoilua, tiukkaa asiaa. 4/5
I liked this a lot. “A Song for Assata” is my favorite. Some of the themes were a little dated but it’s a solid album that took me through almost seamlessly.
Highly political but effective. Loved the jazz elements. Quite artistic but also pragmatic.
Very chill, great flows. A little dated in some elements, but great overall.
Great album. 4 Favourites: sixth sense, the light
Pretty good stuff from the guy in the T-Mobile commercial.
Heat Dooinit The Light The Questions A Film Called (PIMP) Payback Is a Grandmother A Song For Assata Time Travelin’s vocals sounds like background vocals. Not a fan. Great story telling and talking about real life things that matter. Easy to listen to and makes you think. Has a good vibe behind it.
Like Water For Chocolate was a refreshing change from the usual hip hop gangsta fare and joined a mini renaissance of conscious nu soul hip hop albums from the likes of Mos Def, Talib Kweli and The Roots. The star of this album is J Dilla / Jay Dee whose production is exquisite and Common’s flow pairs perfectly with the beats. Lyrically, Common is frequently interesting, occasionally (and surprisingly) homophobic (for which he has apologised) and occasionally obscure.
I love hip hop
I only listened to the first song. Not even the whole thing. I just want feeling like music yesterday. The album a day pace is a little too quick sometimes.
Solid Chicago hip hop
3,6
It sounded like the hey Arnold theme song
YUM
Gotta listen to it more but it’s getting a repeat
Smooth but a bit too long for me.
If there’s anything to take away from this album, don’t mess with common’s grandma
Another formative album for me. So many standout tracks that I still revisit. The features are all incredible and the Dilla impact is perfection. Almost rated a 5 but there are multiple albums in his catalog I think are even better back to front.
Def dig the sounds of this era of hip hop.
I would listen to this again. Nice jazzy instrumentals on tracks which is a lot different from what I’m use to hearing on hip hop tracks. Common has good flow too. 3.5 rounding up.
Mjög djassskotið hip-hop og skemmtilegt. Renndi tvisvar, gæti mun oftar.
Standouts: Time Travelin' (A Tribute to Fela). The 6th Sense, A Film Called Pimp, Payback is a Grandmother, Geto Heaven Remix T.S.O.I., Pops Rap III...All My Children 3.5
This has been one of my favorite Common albums for a while. Pretty much anything by the Soulquarians from this time period is going to be my favorite ____ album. So I’m coming into this biased. That said, some of this hasn’t aged well. Particularly his use of the f-slur. I’ve read that he apologized and vowed to never use the word again around the time his next album came out, so that’s nice, but it’s still hard to hear in this, especially because he seems to emphasize that word in the line. Another downfall of this album is the length. Others have mentioned this. It’s somewhat front loaded. But it’s hard to ignore the production on this. The beats are phenomenal, Questlove’s drumming is amazing as always, the features are kind of a who’s who of that era of conscious/underground hip hop, and Com’s flow is distinctive and comforting. Common is not my favorite MC, but I have a lot of respect for him. The caveats take away one star from this. This is not an album I constantly find myself going back to, but I very much enjoy the tracks that I enjoy.
•Owned •A project that represents the dual return-to-roots themes that dominated hip hop in the late 90s: a focus on the MC, on the art of rap; digging in jazz and funk crates for inspiration. The result is Common's composition book taped together and backed by some of the most genuine producers hip hop has ever seen. Wait until we get to Things Fall Apart... •4/5
I listened to this on my HomePod and this album is in Dolby Atmos. Sounds amazing
If this did not inspire Kendrick to make TPAB, I would be seriously amazed. Super soulful, really conscious message, and all the features thus far have been brilliant. And it's an absolute relief to finally get a hiphop album worth listening to from this generator!
Enjoyed this one