Reviews (page 3 of 7)
Soulful and low key for the most part.
Favourite tracks: the light; thelonius; nag champa; song for assata
A great album high 8
A little on the long side and dont like the lyrics but the music is excellent of course and out of the Common albums I know this one might be its best.
First time I've ever listened to a complete album by Common and this did not disappoint. The production and rapping are incredible and gel together well. The entire album is great, but The 6th Sense is my favorite.
4/5. This is one of the most complex and intellectual albums (like to pimp a butterfly). Although yes, there are some simple songs on the album, each one has deeper meanings than the surface level implies. Conscious hip-hop gets better with time and this might be a 5/5 for me but I don't fully get it yet, but what I did hear I very much enjoyed. The beats are so smooth, but not quite full hip-hop, a mix of jazz and funk as well. A great series of rap tracks that feel super influential to artists like Kendrick, Jay-Z, J-Cole, Run the Jewels, etc.
3.75
A bit overlong, but still expertly rhymed and produced with a cool jazz air. Could very much do without the gay slurs though.
Can’t go wrong with Questlove. I don’t usually gravitate towards rap, but I appreciate the skill and the poetry.
Groovy, impactful and 4 stars.
Great rythm with a mixe of rap, jazz and lounge music making it very interesting. Feels like old school hip hop and from my view very pleasant music to accompany your mind for a while. One of the favorite is the light
Much better than I first thought.
Similar to the other Common album on here, it's very smooth - easier to listen to while working than most hip-hop albums, although that comes at the expense of paying proper attention to the lyrics. I see quite a few reviews mentioning homophobia but that largely slipped under my radar with only one play through. Not denying it's there, mind. The misogyny of "A Film Called (Pimp)" was distasteful, but I guess MC Lyte got to return fire. Fave tracks - "Time Travelin' (A Tribute To Fela)" was a great opener. Like "The Questions", too - love a bit of Mos Def...
I've not listened to much Common before. This was quite enjoyable. Reminded me of Mos Def. The album was a bit long though.
apart from the 2 unnecessary homophobic segments it was a really solid Neo-soul rap project with good storytelling and production, where the quality did not wane over the 76 minute runtime. brilliant
Grest album love the lofi rap
Common is a product of the golden era of hip hop and unfortunately due to his lack of radio play left him mostly forgotten over time by anybody who isn't a big fan of hip hop. It's a shame too because Common shares a lot of the same skill sets that the greats like Andre 3000 have. In songs like Cold Blooded he showcases his lyricism as he crams an ungodly amount of rhymes into a couple bars. For example: "The stylist and violence with vibrance The sign of times with rhyme shit is timeless" And "With penitentiary talk, Coke and Hennessy walk My imagery talks, metaphors and similes stalk" He has the ability to paint a picture and portray thought out concepts throughout a verse. Take verse 3 from 6th sense for example: Some days I take the L to gel with the real world Got on at 87th, sat by this little girl She recites raps, I forget where they was from In em, she was saying how she makes brothers cum I started thinking, how many souls hip-hop has affected How many dead folks this art resurrected How many nations this culture connected Who am I to judge one's perspective? Though some of the shit y'all bop to, I ain't relating If I don't like it, I don't like it, that don't mean I'm hating I just want to innovate and stimulate minds Travel the world and penetrate the times Escape through rhythms in search of peace and wisdom Raps are smoke signals letting the streets know I'm with 'em He even has the ability to tell a story throughout the course of a whole song. Take A Film Called (PIMP) and A Song For Assata for example. I have always heard about some modern rappers who were heavily influenced by Common but I never really took the time to sit down and digest his stuff. Excellent album with a ton of replay value.
bättre än förväntat
This is one of the best albums I’ve listened to. It clearly has had a great impact in rap today. My favorite track has to be the sixth sense. I mostly listened to this with earbuds in the car. It gets a medium to high 4
Pretty good
This was kind of a hard day to listen to a long album where the focus was on the words more than the music --- just didn't have the time to devote to it that I think it probably deserved. But I also think this album benefited from my low expectations of Common after listening to Be seven hundred albums ago. I had a hard time connecting with that one, so I expected similar difficulties this time that didn't quite pan out. I'm giving this one a 4 just to distinguish it from Be's 3. Ratings mean nothing!
Mélange de hip-hop et de jazz très sympa sur les premières pistes. J'ai largement préféré à /Be/ du même artiste.
Deuxième fois qu'on cet artiste, que je ne connaissais pas. J'aime encore mieux que "Be", celui d'avant (mais en fait sorti plus tard), bon samples, un peu jazz, un peu soul, assez posé, bon tout. Peut-être un peu trop long, et c'est dommage, j'étais pas loin des 5 étoiles.
3.75
Another great common album. Hadn’t heard prior but was an instant hit. I don’t know if I’d put it as high as Be but maybe that will change with time.
Awesome that we get another from Common on this list! I've been meaning to listen to this album for years, as I've heard it's his other peak, next to Be. It's very strong, some fantastic beats and you already know with Common that the rapping is going to be consistent. I love too that he ends so many of his albums with a poetry reading from his dad, adds such a cool layer to his music. This one's fantastic. Be is still my favorite from Common (and would likely never be dethroned), but this one is excellent too. There was only one track on here that even sounded familiar, but I came out with a ton that I really dug. Favorite tracks: Payback is a Grandmother, Cold Blooded, The Questions, Thelonius, Dooinit, The Light, Funky for You, The 6th Sense, Pops Rap III. Album art: Definitely a strong statement here, and gives a heavy meaning to the title. Love the framing and design, and that the title font is spaced unevenly, adds a cool edge. 4.5/5
Common had a pretty good flow. I liked how each of the songs worked into each other. I would have liked if some of the intros of songs were at the beginning of the song (ex. the phone call which goes into "Peace Is A Grandmother" should have been at the beginning of the track, not the end of the previous track). That's just nitpicking, though. Common's topics ranged from the thoughtful to spiritual to vengeful. It was refreshing to hear someone with range and not someone so full of braggadocio. The lyrics... are what they are. Songs like "Heat" made me wince just because of the language. But the bet behind them made up for it, I guess? As the songs went on, they got better. "Questions" is great, but who doesn't love Mos Def. BTW, you write a line in "Thelonius" like "Dreamin' when I wrote this, box me if I go too wild" you better give more props to the Purple One, knowwhatimean? So I liked it a lot, a couple of the songs I winced at the lyrics, but only in that it's not something I could pull off.
I enjoyed this album. It's not a masterpiece but very solid. Stylish beats, like a mix of soul and rap. Cool sound. Pretty deep (and at times funny) lyrics, though I couldn't always figure out what his message was. Like the end of The 6th Sense and A Film Called PIMP. Is he trying to be ironic or sarcastic? Is he playing the oblivious heel on the latter on purpose, so MC Lyte can be the heroine? I guess he got me to think, so some credit there. It's at least a 3.5 and I'm going to round up.
Has a nice chilled, laidback vibe to it. Rapping was calm and almost serene to listen to.
"Like Water for Chocolate" is the fourth album by American rapper Common. It was his first major label album and was produced by a host of people including Questlove (executive), Derek Dudley, J Dilla, James Poyser, DJ Premier, D'Angelo, Karriem Riggins and Common himself. This album marked the beginning of The Soulquarians of which most of these producers were collectively known as and appeared on others' albums as well. The genres listed are hip hop, alternative hip hop, conscious hip hop and progressive hip hop. It has afrocentric and socially conscious themes. The album was named after the 1989 Laura Esquivel novel of the same name and Common said was also named for his Pisces sign (water) and soul/blackness (chocolate). It was his commercial and critical breakthrough. The sound of ocean and birds, jazzy horns and Afrobeats open "Time Travelin.'" Women chanting. Pyschedelic rapping with echoes. The song is a tribute to Afrobeat music and human rights activist Fela Kuti. "Cold Blooded" has guest rappers Rahzel and Ray Hargrove. This has more of groove. It's funky and very 70's sounding. It better be as it samples Parliament, Fred Wesley and the JB's and the Steve Miller Band. The second single "The Light" has reverb-type beats and is soulful. Great poduction by J Dilla and sampling of Bobby Caldwell in the chorus. A hip hop love song. One of the best I've heard. A sample of Gil Scott Heron's "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" begins "The 6th Sense." This is soulful and uplifting. The hip hop culture and social consciousness. Common tells a story in "Payback is a Grandmother" of a thief who robs his Grandfather. Sirens ends the song. A spoken word song ""Pop's Rap III...All My Children" featuring Common's father ends the album. Relaxing. Jazzy. Chill. It's funny; I was just watching Common last night in the Apple TV series "Silo." Recommended by the way. This album is dense, groovy, souful and funky. I think executive producer Questlove had something to do with that. Songs of love, ills of society, battle rap and family. Great production with all involved. It is sprawling and long at 77 minutes but a lot here worth giving this a listen.
I love this style of hip-hop. Really good album. Looks like the first song is a tribute to Fela Kuti who had that baller jam album a few weeks ago. I like the beginning and the end of the album a bit more than the middle. I like the story and how it's kind of a concept album. There's a good amount of homophobic lyrics, but I get that 2000 was a bit different in that regard.
Solid bars and strong beats. Points lost for some blatant homophobia.
I struggle to listen to lyrics sometimes, especially on a first listen, so I tend to mainly judge albums based on the sound/production/etc. It can be difficult to properly judge albums that are more lyrically-based, such as a lot of hip hop and folk. With that said, I really enjoyed a lot of this album. I loved the production and soundscape, and really enjoyed the jazz and funk influences.
It's nice to have a bit of mellow jazzy hip hop on as background music so there being no killer hookline or anything bombastic is a good thing. The only thing to really grab the attention was Pops rap at the end. his voice is like a beautiful slice of buttered toast.
This album was awesome. Had some classics and reallly got me in a great mood. I think some of these songs could have ended earlier but that’s my only complaint
I thought this had a lot of interesting content.
Proper jam this, perhaps repetitive in parts but keeps the 4th star as it flows so well!
Amazing
Pretty good rap. Mostly nothing super great, but ‘A Song For Assata’ is such a great song. Overall, maybe not the best, but enjoyable.
This is some legendary hip hop. Deep, funky, varied beats from start to finish. 'Heat' and 'The Light' are the first songs to jump out at me.
I was really suspicious about this one since I had heard Be a few years ago and didn't like it at all. But this one is a whole lot different, being much closer to jazz rap like The Roots or Mos Def. It really changes my perspective of Common so I'm glad I listened to this.
I use to listen to a lot of common. I think he bring something different in the industry during a few years. Love the jazz rap
I really love neosoul and I’ve always liked common’s vibes. This album isn’t perfect, there’s some slightly jarring language and it’s a little long. A solid album overall, but I wanted just a little more
This is my favorite of all Common's releases. for some reason I have always grouped Common's works with The Roots releases. Not they are linked thematically or that close musically. It is not simply ?uestlove''s production, although that may be a factor. They seem to share a certain desire to incorporate hip-hop into traditional soul element that was different from many hip-hop artists. On that level this is a huge success. In 2000, this was great hip-hop to me. This wants to be a major statement from a major artist. Common is clearly a major artist, but the songwriting is very good, but not great to my ears, and some songs could use some editing. So, a very good, but not great score.
A really well made neo-soul/rap fusion. You can tell that this was made in the same sessions as Dangelo’s Voodoo just from listening to it. The horns on “cold blooded” were awesome and “Funky for you” was a highlight for me. Jarring to hear Common, of all rappers, use an anti gay slur given what he is today. Not quite a 5 but very good.
Smart, well crafted music, with rich arrangements, strong lyrics and creative vocal effects. My main critique is that it runs a little long. Fave Songs: Time Travelin' (A Tribute to Fela), Cold Blooded, Heat, The 6th Sense, A Film Called (Pimp), Geto Heaven Part Two
common Common W. This is a soulquarian classic, great storytelling, funky beats, funny lyrics at times. It is a bit too long but not unbearable. Best tracks: a song for assata, thelonius, the 6th sense
Yeh, this I can get into. Old school hip hop blended into soul, funk, bit of Macy Gray. Great music to work to.
Good album, the lyrics didn't seem to age well though.
Very enjoyable rap album from a time where I know almost no music from.
Solid record
Good, raw hip hop. Common's beats are great, his flow is on point and his message in each piece is clear. This reminds me I need to listen to more Common. 4/5.
Good stuff! Certain parts reminded me of Buckshot LeFonque (a Branford Marsalis side project). Enjoyed this one - 4/5.
Nice opening, well put together. Good listen 7/10
The beats on this album are so chill and funky and smooth. I love it. Common's vocals complement them amazingly with conscientious lyrics. I need to listen to him more.
4,5
There’s enough cringy stuff on here to cause it to fall short of a five for me, but there’s just as much inspirational stuff and the music is darn good. I enjoyed this!
This is good. I like the instrumentals, and I like the guys voice. The lyrics are also pretty solid.
Common doesn’t excite me as a rapper. I can’t quite pinpoint why. J Dilla is the real star here. It’s his stellar beats and production that elevate ‘Like Water For Chocolate’ to classic status.
The usual Common mix of conscious preaching, brag-rap, love songs and storytelling. The Jaydee (pbuh) production gives the album it’s edge over his preceding albums
Словно один и тот же трек на протяжении 77 минут.
Really liked this!
Laid back hip-hop
I've been a rap fan forever, but never listened to much Common. After hearing this album, I'm thinking that may have been a mistake. Above average album for sure.
I more recently started listening to Common, with his 2021 release and really enjoyed it. Silly me, I didn't realize how long he had been around. Some fantastic grooves, great collaborations.
Buen disco de jazz Rap
In genere mi fa schifo l'hip hop, ma qua mi devo ricredere, mi è piaciuto.
Probably a better party album than anything. Common does some of the best story songs
Hadn't listened to Common before. Liked it, not my favorite rap but told some interesting stories in some songs.
Very intelligent lyrically combined with fun beats.
This was an incredibly enjoyable album. The beats were strong and I could hear influences ranging from Latin music to funk and nineties R&B. Common is also a very gifted lyricist and rapper. My only complaint is the 77 minutes runtime.
I will be listening to this album again. Loved the meaningful lyrics with the slow groove. Favourite songs: The Light, The 6th Sense Payback is a Grandmother, Pops Rap III
Loved this, smooth rap some really catchy hooks and beats
nice!
At first the production is a bit rough and distorted, so it is hard to enjoy, but then it really picks up and some great tunes come out of it. Common is remarkable and technically proficient rapper that can rap about anything and sound great. That should be the focus of the album.
I really like the groove this album cultivates. Smooth, jazzy, bass lines that are lyrical as fuck. Definitely one of the better rap / hip hop albums I've heard so far. Aside from the groove the raps seem interesting and intelligent, at least at first blush. Bears further investigation to get the full feel of this very good album 4.25 🌟
Be is a little better
pretty cool album, I love old-school hip-hop it does sound a little dated tho, I feel like for a rap album from 2000, he could’ve been doing something a little newer overall 7/10
Super bon album de rap avec des bonnes influences jazz
Common fucks, and this album is great
True Rating: 75/100
Solid! Self aware! Smooth!
Very nice old school
Tres bon album de new york rap. Dj premiere, une belle decouverte j’ai hate d’en entendre plus. 4.65
Definitely a record that deserves a deeper dig… what was happening socially, politically, and around the world in the late 90s? Quite a bit of variety and his voice is top
Jazzy, a la Guru, vocal flow I can’t diagram. Really good instrumentals. J Dilla on production for most tracks.
Como Agua Para Chocolate. Más allá de las atractivas influencias jazzeras y de neo soul de este álbum, el lirismo y la producción son los protagonistas indiscutidos. Sin duda de los mejores trabajos de Common. Para mí un sólido 7/10
Solid album
Really solid hip hop record
Classic, smooth hip-hop. Conscious ideas. Favorite song(s): Questions, 6th Sense
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Heat, The Light, A song for Assata
A surprise find here - Really enjoyed it throughout and will go back and listen again
Mos def, dj Premier lauter Guade sachan
Jo
This album is so good. I liked this a lot more than Be.
Best tracks: Time Travellin’, Dooinit, The 6th Sense
Still not the biggest fan of Common, but super funky beats. Good for driving.
Had some good flooooow. Didn't listen closely, but I liked it and will probably re-listen.
really enjoyed it more than I thought I would
Good compilation of well known songs. But seems like cheeting to call it an album
very good, quite long but good
Classic
Not what I usually listen to, but I appreciated the complexity of the sound
Very much in my "like" territory as far as hip goes, an artist I haven't listened to enough. Especially effective deployment of guest artists.
Very good album. Common is definitely underrated.
Slow jamming.... altogether nice album for a low key vibe, productive.
good
Solid, absolutely good tunes.
Awesome album. Introduced me to Common
Mfer is sense. Way too deep for a surface level listen.
Solid, can't remember comments anymore but ya 4.
2000s conscious hip hop
Classic rap, pretty good!
Added to my collection. Very chill and conscious lyrically.
Ægte hiphop, lyrisk, afslappet
R&B
Surprisingly pleasant and skillfully produced hip hop
2,5
Perfectly fine, but it didn't grab me. The production almost approached wall-of-sound levels, which I found a bit overpowering to the rapping.
Not my favourite Common record, but still lyrically a good time and with some fun beats and features.
It's hard to match his "Be" album, but the second half of this album sold me. The cover of the album itself hits harder than the first half of the album. I only wish it had more versatility, particularly in the first half. Favorite Track: "Pops Rap III...All My Children".
I really enjoyed the last album by Common we had. That had both J Dilla and Kanye as producers. As much as it irks me to say, Kanye really did a good job “Be” and his presence is missed here. For whatever reason this album never really interested me. Maybe I was just not in the mood. It’s a genre I enjoy but it missed some heavy hitters like those on “Be". Mid 3.
Good! Not one i'll go back to really, but wouldn't be upset at all if it came on
Real middle of the road album to me. Also I find that albums that go over an hour start to lose me if I wasn't super bought in from the jump.
De Common me sorprendió el sonido de Be (2005). Este es igual de bueno. Sonido Soulquarians: Questlove (de The Roots ), J Dilla, James Poyser , D'Angelo (con quien intercambia aquí Geto Heaven Part Two por Chicken Grease de Voodoo) y Pino Palladino. Portada (foto de Gordon Parks en Alabama en plena era racial) y título (película homónima) excelentes.
Good album. Enjoyed the vibe and message.
It has some cool beats, pretty funky throughout. I like Commons rap style but the album starts to drag a bit. It is just too long for my liking. I do prefer conscious rap, so this is right up my alley but I need to pay more attention to it while listening to get it all.
Solid three-and-a-half-stars rap record, a pleasant surprise.
meh. I tried to like Common, but he just feels so common.
Okayish, ale nic szczególnego. Bardziej wyluzowany styl, jazzowe bity. Takie na 3
One of the most bloated albums I encountered so far with 1001, some highs that warrant a personal 3 star rating
Good old school hip hop album Commons got a lot of good stuff. This is a good album
I usually like this type of music, and I will definitely liste again to this record while working or reading. However, the record itself gets too repetitive and the tracks sound rapidly similar to each other to fully enjoy it.
Beats were funky as hell. Bars were fine for the most part, some pretty questionable stuff. Most performative bro ever. Way too long. Song for Assata a highlight
Good beats
Common is obviously a good rapper and there were a lot of cool soul beats on this album. That said, Common albums generally lack the edge I like when I listen to rap. So for me it was good not great.
"the stakes are high, like my uncle is" revived shakespeare to write this one for them
This is interesting and i liked most of it. Star-studded collabs that glide between smooth R&B and tight raps. But, at 1:22, it’s too long and the tracks start to sound the same despite their individual creativity. If it were 20-30 minutes shorter, I would have scored this a 4. But it’s a little bloated, so it earns a 3.
Pleasurable and head-boppable but beat is super basic and the rapping isn't like insane
Interesante rapero que no conocía. Álbum del 2000 con sonido 90s, y algo de R&B. La mueve el tipo. Como no conozco tanto el género no sé si es revolucionario, pero suena bien y entretiene. Lástima lo extenso. Cómo le gusta a los raperos hacer álbumes que pasan la hora de duración eh. 6/10
Goood album. Not really a standout banger track but a solid album.
I never really got into Common. He comes across as very corny to me.
Equivocal, we'll say, on gender issues, but I like that he murdered all those guys for his grandma. Rhythmically dull, but I suppose it's fine to dance to, and the background production keeps things interesting. I know so little about the trajectory of hip-hop that my evaluation is meaningless. Did I like it? Not really. Pops says it's probably not for me anyway, which I accept. "I went from bashful to asshole to international" is a world-class line though.
I like the jazzy vibe from the off, initially not liking the flow and his rapping but as I got into it it was quite fine. Good to actually move off of all that bravado gangsta thug shit and turning it on its head. Took a while to get into but actually enjoyed the more soulful vibe. 3 Star, possibly higher with more listen, though it is bloody long
i like common always great instrumentals
I’ve decided I really like Common, and yet despite that I didn’t really like this album. There’s some really great rapping on this album, no doubt, but there’s also a lot of fluff that you could cut entirely, especially towards the beginning. The highs of this project are still REALLY high though, so I don’t mind too much. It’s just a really long album, it’s something of a beast to get through. Favorites: The Light, The Questions, Payback Is A Grandmother
Meh no sé me olvide, lo pondre como 3
Liked the jazz influences, but im not big on rap.
2.75
Fine album but an hour and a half? Just because CD technology allowed such long albums, doesnt mean they should.
Even before the overt reference in The 6th Sense I was hearing a modern take on Gil Scott Heron in Common’s performance. It’s an intelligent and grounded take on hip hop with a snappy, crisp, jazz-y production. I like the way he projects his voice and how he mixes serious points with humour. I also admire his love of his family and him inviting his dad onto rap.
Not as obnoxious as modern rap. Appreciate there's some attempt at music going on and it's quite listenable, but still not for me. 3
Hmmm, some good stuff amongst this but overall I feel like it was a bit of a slog and has dated quite poorly. Too long. Too much pimps and hoes chat. Good sound but even that can get a bit meandering.
Great jazz rap album. Some outdated terminology and ideas but the beats are refreshing. The 6th Sense, whilst a solid track on its own, has an absolutely unnecessary skit at the end which ruined it for me. Fave track: The Light
Pretty eloquent style - more than just a commercial pitch man
I didn’t mind the other Common album on the list. I don’t like this one that much. It’s over-long at 1 hour 17 minutes and it feels it. It’s repetitive. Sure, it’s got a different sound to listen to rap, but more variation and less hubris.
I have a hard time with Common. Like The Light was one of my favourite tracks of the era but over a full-length, I can't help but find him pretty cringy. Good beats but sometimes a bit too much.
Not my taste, but I wouldn't turn it off if it was playing.
It's just another rap album.
The first track is interesting. I know this is under hip hop, but it feels more like experimental electro pop. Track 2 starts off great. This album is pretty good. Not my thing, but I’m finding a lot I really enjoy. On long albums like this I get bored. It’s the same thing over and over.
Decent stuff, not as good as I imagined an oferring from Common would be. It drags a bit, but then again today is my first day back in Lithuania on holiday and feeling a bit distracted, at least 3 stars for sure. I will have to REVISIT this one, probably 3.5 on RYM?
Groovy
This had some hard vibes about it, and I really enjoyed the production but I’m just not into rap enough to rate it higher. The beats are cool but go on too long because the focus is all lyrical, I think it’s length went against it by the end.
Like Water for Chocolate is an album that really relies on gripping you with its atmosphere. The beats are gorgeous, soulful and there's always something extra in the background to give each track a new dimension. Common does a good job with his flow, even if it's a bit reserved at times, and there are some really nice features here. Sadly, the album didn't really grab me today, but that might be just because I'm having an exhausting day so far. I'll be sure to give it another listen soon. Favourite track: The 6th Sense
Some really cool songs but 77 minutes of it started to drag on. And I know it’s a sign of the times, but a lot of sexist and homophobic lyrics that rubbed me the wrong way today
77 minutes of fake woke. Beats were good doe.
Thought I never heard of this guy but I actually have a liked song in my playlist. Must have been a recommendation from one of my sons. Anyway it’s another rap album. Lots of collabs and nothing got me interested. Too long. It’s fine. Sometimes when I listen to rap I feel like. Am being lectured or preached to.
я ничего не расслушала, но голос у него умиротворяющий
I don't think I've heard anything by, or even heard of, Common before this album, which is always an intriguing proposition with this collection. And thankfully, this was one of those positive surprises. Although it's nearly twice as long as it probably should have been, nearly every track is both solid and musically more interesting/varied than most of the rap/hip-hop albums in this collection. My favorites were mostly the ones that had guest artists on them, like the opener "Time travelin'", "Cold blooded", and "A song for Assata", plus "The 6th sense" and his dad's "Pops rap III". And while the "conscious rap" aspect isn't all that subtle, Common has a good sense of rhythm (and rhyme) and a sense of humor, and enlisted a great production crew in the Soulquarians to blend in a nice variety of music and samples over and under the beats. I'm not sure it's quite in four-star territory, but it's definitely worth at least 3.5.
A little editing and a little more of the music would have made this a great album. Sometimes the rapping dominates in a way that becomes more like spoken word.
This grooves and was really catchy throughout. It was definitely a little longer, but I enjoyed it overall. Actual rating...3.5 Liked Songs: "Time Travelin' (A Tribute To Fela), "Cold Blooded" , "Dooinit" , "The Light" , "Funky For You" , "Nag Champa (Afrodisiac For The World)" , "Thelonius" , "Payback Is A Grandmother"
find it very hard to get excited about conscious rap which, as a genre tag, feels stuffy and moralizing, more focused on being an alternative to something else than anything in/of itself. it also immediately invites itself to scrutiny - i find the homophobia and misogyny here a lot harder to forgive when Common's positioned himself as a healthy alternative to hip-hop's regressive aspects. maybe he's only interested in the aspects that feel regressive for straight guys, i don't know. the whole thing of pretending there isn't any "consciousness" to Mobb Deep's street-level grindhouse, or Wu-Tang's comic book mythmaking, is so silly. but! i'm reviewing a record, not a movement, so i do have to say that this is pretty listenable as a collection of songs. it does sometimes get preachy, the awkward moments stick out really noticeably, and like so many potentially-good hip hop records it's just way too fucking long. but i just can't stay mad at the Dilla production, the lovely Soulquarian features (god, was D'Angelo a breath of fresh air) and the energy and inventiveness, which i have to admit to, of Common at the center. he's a sturdy MC with a kind of warm expansiveness to his lyrics - i can't say i find him too exciting, but you do get the feeling he was going for a real everything-record here, and i did find myself wrapped up in that. won't return to this, but it does seem like a really well-executed example of a certain thing that isn't entirely for me. looking forward to getting to Be, which appears more focused - here's hoping!
Solid album, but for this style of Hip Hop: too late to be lefendary.
The production and features can’t make up for how corny Common can be.
“The world’s oldest proFESSION… whole thing is like a LESSON… ain’t no second GUESSIN…” Cmon dude be serious
Enjoyed this, though on first listen I think I might have preferred Be. The Light is a great track
Fine, very much in my wheelhouse but not sure if I needed to listen to two Common albums before I died. I've managed 1.5.
Is every day going to be a duplicate from now on…great album though, 3 stars!!!!!!
Solid, rap, album, pretty enjoyable. But nothing crazy for me personally, three stars.
Aujourd'hui on parle de Common et de son disque Like Water For Chocolate, sorti en cette année charnière qu'était l'an 2000. Pour moi, c'est une période de transition brutale : je terminais ma décennie à la radio et mes quatre ans de sacerdoce dans mon magasin de disques indépendant. J'avais passé des années à jongler entre les imports obscurs de neofolk, les pressages limités de chez 4AD et les sorties industrielles les plus abrasives. Alors, quand ce disque est arrivé sur le comptoir, porté par une hype critique qui frisait l'hystérie collective, j'ai voulu y croire. On nous vendait le retour du vrai hip-hop, celui qui a du cœur, des instruments et un cerveau. Le disque s'ouvre sur un hommage à Fela Kuti, et là, j'admets que le côté organique m'a tout de suite titillé l'oreille. Il y a cette chaleur, ce grain de son qu'on ne trouve que chez les Soulquarians. Avec Questlove à la batterie et J Dilla aux manettes, on est dans le haut du panier de la production. C'est rond, ça bave juste ce qu'il faut, c'est vivant. Il y a un petit côté A Tribe Called Quest qui n’est pas pour me déplaire, cette nonchalance jazzy qui te donne envie de hocher la tête mollement. Mais très vite, un sentiment de "déjà-vu" s’installe car c’est classique, très classique, voire trop classique. On sent que chaque note est à sa place, que chaque rime est pesée pour ne pas trop bousculer l'auditeur. Tout est maîtrisé, tout est trop "bon élève". Common, c'est le rappeur que tu peux ramener à un dîner de famille sans que personne ne s'étouffe avec son rôti. Il est conscient, il est spirituel, il est respectueux. C'est admirable, certes, mais artistiquement, c'est parfois un peu anémié. C'est du "conscious rap" qui se regarde un peu trop dans le miroir, s'assurant que son bonnet est bien ajusté et que son message est bien clair. C’est propre, c’est lisse, et au bout de 77 minutes — parce que oui, le mec prend son temps — on finit par avoir envie d'autte chose pour se réveiller les neurones. Le groove est là, c’est indéniable. Des morceaux comme "The Light" sont des modèles de production soul, des sucreries qui passent toutes seules. Mais c’est bien ça le souci : ça passe trop tout seul. Ça glisse sur l'esprit sans laisser de griffure. Pour moi, la musique doit être une confrontation, ou au moins une expérience qui te sort de ton confort quotidien. Ici, on est dans le confort absolu. On est dans la moyenne haute de ce que le hip-hop peut produire quand il veut se donner des airs de grand art, mais ça reste un exercice de style très balisé. Au final, si je dois être honnête avec mon parcours de disquaire et de radio-man, ce disque mérite sa place dans les "1001 albums" plus pour son statut de jalon culturel que pour sa capacité à me faire vibrer aujourd'hui. C'est le témoignage d'une époque où le rap cherchait une légitimité dans le passé (la soul, le jazz, l'afrobeat) plutôt que de s'inventer un futur radical. C'est un 3 sur 5, ni plus, ni moins. C'est la note d'un bon artisan qui a rendu une copie impeccable mais sans génie provocateur. Un disque dans la moyenne, pour un moment de détente organique, mais qui finira inévitablement par prendre la poussière entre un album de D’Angelo et un Tribe Called Quest, parce qu'au fond, je préférerai toujours l'original à la copie certifiée conforme. C'est le paradoxe de ce genre de disques : c'est tellement "classique" que ça en devient presque transparent.
Great production and some very good songs, especially The Light. Not as good an album as Be though, and it's way too long. Still too much homophobia and misogyny on here, which kind of undermines a lot of the more "conscious" messaging of the lyrics. Kinda mad there's two Common albums in this book but no Mos Def! Rounding this up to a 3 though, because I think more hip hop albums in this style are needed in the book.
Коммон репует хорошо, но мне не хватает нерва
Same as The Roots. Cool, but no idea what any of it means.
i enjoyed most of this, it could've easily been two pretty good albums. instead we get one decent album that feels bloated.
Not what I expected. Pretty good! 3.5.
Before Common helped define a new wave of Conscious Hip Hop moving into the mainstream around the middle of the 2000s, he dropped a criminally underrated and under-appreciated project called Like Water For Chocolate. Despite it now garnering quite a bit of love on online music forums and online Hip Hop circles, I almost never hear this album discussed out in a broad sense with other people like Be is. If I am being honest I wasn't really vibing with this album all the time, especially with how spotty I thought the first half of this project was, but the more time I gave it the more it started to grow on me until an absolutely stellar closing put a nice pretty bow on this project. I don't think it is nearly on the same level as Be, but there are some highlights here that utterly clear anything on Be without a shroud of doubt. The features from the likes of Neo Soul classics like Jill Scott, Bilal, Cee-Lo Green, and of course my favorite of the bunch D'Angelo really help tie the bridge between Soul and Rap into a very stylish blend on Common's part. Like Water For Chocolate may not be the best album in the world, but if you let it enthrall you in a world full of creativity and inspiration, you will walk out moved regardless. Maybe I will give this a relisten down the road but for now I feel pretty happy with where I stand with this project.
As far as Hip Hop/ Rap albums go I quite enjoyed this, and by that I mean I was able to listen to it all the way through and nod my head along at certain tracks. Did I connect with it enough to listen again, no! But I got through it and it wasn’t half bad for a genre I am not into.
I loved Common’s features on so many tracks from the 2005-2015 period but this was a little lukewarm for me. A bit long, although I really enjoyed the last few tracks in particular.
Cool, vibe, the song the light sounds really familiar, Erykah Badu has a version, but it gave me general vibes. New school hip-hop.
‘Twas long, ‘twas fine. A record for playing a little too loud while you get your hair cut.
Nothing on Be.
Nice, soulful rap. Some of the lyrics are a bit dated but overall I love Common’s flow. He has a way of being thoughtful and soulful one moment, then tough in the next. The production features some great soul and funk samples too. The tracks blurred together by the end, but I like the style and energy.
Nice album. I like Common and have listened to him more because of this list but I do feel at times that he does a lot of things pretty well, but doesn't really shine in one or a few areas and this ultimately is a knock against the listening experience for me. His voice is nice but also somewhat uncharacteristic. I like his lyrics (and he tends to avoid a lot of rap tropes that I find uninteresting, like "I'm the best", which I appreciate), but I also find that I'm not getting enough out of them. The beats and instruments are.. there? I don't really ever leave a Common song and think "man that beat was so great". Common has a really good "hangout and chill" kind of rap sound. It's nice, but not really what I look for when I want to listen to the genre. Not trying to be too much of a hater but sometimes I think his rap name is pretty apt.
2000s soul, hip hop. Critical breakthrough. Pretty minimalist rap with jazzy beats. Cool enough but MOR.
Very funky and chill to listen to
Solid
I feel like I should like this album more than I did. I really didn't connect with the first half at all - it was perfectly fine hip hop, but the album didn't grab my attention until the 2nd half started. Bonus points for the songs all being blended together, nice touch. Perfectly fine overall, just not wholly for me. Top tracks: The 6th Sense, Payback Is A Grandmother, A Song For Assata
There are a lot of strong beats here, and the overall sound is smooth and easy. Musically, it’s consistent and well produced. The trouble comes in the lyrics from song to song—he can go from uplifting and building women up to talking about them like property.
Unique rap album. Listened as I drove into Chicago. Enjoyed the vibe a ton with great instrumentals, I was not locked in on the lyrics. Enjoyed pretty well
Best Track - "The Light"
Sweetner?
Nice vibes but not totally my scene. Great beats. Have enjoyed the Common albums but not tooo much ya know. Like the random scenes . Bit long and repetitive at times 6 / 10 best track/s: Geto Heaven, Payback is a Grandmother, Time Travelin'
A bit bloated, but otherwise solid - the production is great, and Common is a skilled orator. Skits weren't nearly as jarring as some of the other gangsta rap albums on this list.
Com can definitely flow. Just wish the beats were a bit more on point. Favorite track: The Light
I like the backing - mix of soul, funk, jazz, reminds me of Tribe called Quest. The album grew on me with each listen.
vibe carina verso la fine, abbastanza chill quindi un po’ diverso dal solito
I wanted to give this 4 early on but it's very long and gets boring for a good stretch towards the end. I'm not sure why people are fixating on the homophobia - maybe I missed something, but the lyrics sound relatively mild to me compared to others. It's hardly surprising that a hip hop album from the year 2000 has some objectable lyrics in it.
Decent beats, but generic rapping
I had never listened to common before this, and I liked it a lot! Idk, not much more to say besides it was cool
3.5/5
Not my usual but this was good
First time listening to this and really the first time listening to Common. I like it, has sort of a Black Star or Q Tip feel to it in some ways. It’s not surprise to see Mos Def feat. I was just reading about everyone who contributes to this album and it all makes sense you have some very talented people working on the music. The lyrics themselves aren’t really connecting for me so far. But the soul, jazz, beats, and the music is a great vibe. This album is so long, I don’t know why artists continue to do this. You’re inevitably going to have things on the album that just should have been cut. Trim the fat give me the good stuff. All in all this is enjoyable, solid.
This is ok. Overall, very mellow and inoffensive (except when gay men are mentioned, then it gets offensive in a different way). Looks like Common has since denounced his homophobic lyrics which is good to see. If I wanted to listen to jazz rap I'd probably go for A Tribe Called Quest or Nujabes but this is fine. 3/5
I prefer hip-hop that’s very fun or very aggressve, whereas this is a bit too laidback and neo-soul influenced for me. Groovy vibes.
Pretty good.
First official Common album of the list. I am familiar with his better known songs from this album, and I really like the album "Be". This one was also nice- some strong entries in The 6th Sense and The Corner. Some I also felt were just average. Overall- good album. 3.5/5
Heard Before? When it came out. I didn't really remember it. Notes: - tight grooves, classic beats. so many fun production details. - fantastic array of guests and features. - common varies his flow just enough to keep things moving and exciting. - lots of dated, prejudiced lyrics that are best ignored. - at the same time, a number of poetic moments and plenty of honest exploration of social issues. even occasional humor. - like virtually every rap album of the time, too much filler, on both the song and album level. Verdict: I'm clearly not the target audience for this style of rap lyrics, but I could listen to these instrumentals all day. Listen Again? Not the whole thing, but I put some tracks on a rap playlist.
Not my thing but liked some of the more relaxed, jazz-oriented material.
Liked a lot of this. 6th Sense my favourite with its Gang Starr feel - which it would do with DJ Premier involved. Jazz and soul vibes on point mostly and some good collaborations. Point off for the smattering of casual homophobia thrown in and for being a bit long.
🎧Pretty good rap record, little too long
he's not bad but he should have stayed a rapper Would I listen again? Nah Deserves to be on this list: maybe 3.4
Common tries rapping over anything from Afrobeat to funky disco to gospel-tinged R&B, and is moderately successfully. Musically, it's better than average, but lyrically it's the same tired old shoot.
Okay, okay, I admit it. A good album can indeed be too long.
Good, but not enough to get me to listen to all of it
This just didn't do much for me. Decent but uninteresting rap.
Common generally doesn't do much for me. The whole conscious rap thing is as much of an act as gangsta rap was at the time, particularly when you’re still pretty homophobic. Overlong, but saved by great production of J Dilla and Questlove. 3⭐️
-this was pretty good!! def didn’t like it nearly as much as Be but i’m glad i got the opportunity to listen to more of Common’s stuff. seems like he had a pretty influential impact on 2000s hip hop -definitely could have been MUCH shorter, it felt extremely long. though i doubt Common fans would agree -Favorites: Time Travelin’ (A Tribute To Fela), The 6th Sense, A Song For Assata
An impressivly groove hip-hop venture into family and tradition. I think I prefered the other Common album "Be" by a landslide though, because it's more melodic.
His album 'Be' was Mythic Rare good. This album is only a mere Common.
An American rapper named Common! Who knew...? Anyway, this largely passed me by, probably because musically it didn't really land. Apparently, in places, the lyrics are questionable, although I didn't really pick up on this because I zoned out fairly quickly. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ ★★★☆☆ (5/10) Total reviewed : 203 Already owned : 44 Purchased : 8 To buy list : 6 Nope : 145
This is just super average hip hop. Beats are fine, but the flow and message feel forced.
Man, I really don’t know what happened to Common in the 5 years following between this and his other album on the list, Be, but this album is astronomically different than that one. As terrible as he is now, Be being produced by Kanye likely has everything to do with that, and you’d be foolish to not see or accept that. While still good in its own right, Like Water For Chocolate doesn’t really bring anything new to the table. It’s full of that classic homophobia and misogyny we’ve all come to love out of Hip-Hop, and the songs are all pretty generic to be honest. They’re still good, but they aren’t very memorable. It’s long as hell and doesn’t have many real bangers, although “Payback Is A Grandmother” was my favorite for sampling “The Payback” by James Brown. I love that song. In fact, a good deal of these songs pay tribute to Black icons like Fela Kuti (“Time Travelin' (A Tribute To Fela))” and Thelonious Monk (“Thelonius”), which is pretty cool. Not exactly subtle either with the naming conventions on those two songs, but still cool. I only became familiar with Kuti, his talented family, and Monk because of this project. Getting to understand and listen to the inspirations behind some of these albums ahead of time has been a very rewarding experience I must say. Anyway, while this album is pretty violent and angry at times, Be I would call more grounded, more focused, less angry, and much more accessible to everyone. That being said, I guarantee you can probably find a bunch of people that prefer the more uncut feelings and vibes of Like Water For Chocolate compared to Be, and I would completely understand. While I gave that one a 4, minus one because of the Kanye tax, I’d give this one more of a 3.6. It’s very long, and it’s not tremendously memorable, but Common has such a great and catchy cadence, and I still have to say I don’t think this has a lot of filler, length be damned. Really fun features as well, even if I don’t recognize many of them. I have to confess something to you. Be was my 3rd most listened to album of 2025, and this project is entirely to blame/thank for that. While I largely prefer Be, I still thoroughly enjoyed listening to this one, even if it isn’t as focused. Common is absolutely on my radar now, and I vibe with his music pretty heavily.
To me, there were better albums. The Light is a classic.
5/10
Overly long, but they guy has some great storytelling
Overall vibe is alright but doesn’t compare to his contemporaries (D’Angelo, Nas, Mos Def, Erykah Badu, etc.)
I'm not much of a rap guy. I find that they talk about things I struggle to relate to from my privileged position in life. I have to appreciate then as an outsider. As an outsider I have to say that this album has a really solid vibe to it even if it is a little long
Oh yeah. I think I had a Napster edition of this back in the day. Very nice. I think Common is very tall, good for him.
This album sounds great. The beats are warm, textured, and alive in that Soulquarians way, with grooves and samples that immediately pull me in. From a production standpoint, there’s a lot here to admire. It feels organic, human, and carefully crafted without being slick. Where it loses me is the rapping itself. I can tell the lyrics matter, and I respect the intent, but the delivery often fades into the background for me rather than cutting through it. The flow feels steady to the point of monotony, and while there are some solid hooks, the vocal presence doesn’t grab me the way the music underneath it does. This feels like an album made very much for a specific audience, and I’m not quite in the center of that circle. I appreciate the sound and the vibe more than the core performance. It’s good, sometimes very good, but it doesn’t fully connect with me. A three-star record for me: strong atmosphere and production, admirable in purpose, but the rapping itself is the least compelling element of the experience.
I am afraid I will never get hip hop, so I was not really impressed by this album but I didn't dislike its jazzy atmosphere...
Definitely not bad, but nothing remarkable.
6/10 first listen but i will say i didn’t have meaningful listen. there’s some bops and cool songs tho
I like the production/music better than Be, and the rapping/rhymes less. Gotta love the Fela/Tony Allen afrobeat shoutouts. Soulquarian shit. The real band providing the beats is always cool.
Calm listen. Enjoyed it.
Too moderate
I liked it but too many times women got called bitches
A few good songs in the middle but I definitely preferred his other album
erm... its ok 3/5
Understandable lyrics, great grooves. Appreciate this as a great example of the art and style. If this is not your thing, it still deserves a listen
Great, smooth hip hop, marred by a bloated album length and incredibly dated lyrics.
Sits in between the conscious rap and gangster rap both in themes and sound. A strong first half is diluted by songs that serve as skits rather than full fledged songs on the second half. Could have done with a trim.
Honestly liked this more than I expected. The beats and samples were really good - jazzy, engaging. Too long overall, probably, but didn't mind vibing with it today. Was torn between a 3 and a 4 - let's say 3.5, eh?
You can definitely tell this is before his Kanye influence still pretty good common is just kind of boring
Common has a good flow and decent writing, but this one aged quite poorly as many from this era have. Love the beats and production though, really vibey.
Ok
Some good sounds but a bit over long
enjoyed it, but dragged a bit.
Recognised a fair amount, enjoyed it but potentially marked down because of the flu factor
His fourth album. Hip Hop / Soul. Smooth, soulful, jazzy vibes. It's a pretty chilled sound throughout. The production is crisp. Lyrically a little up and down but overall a decent album.
70
Tää oli huomattavasti parempaa räpäytystä mitä eilinen. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Taas commonilta hyvää sämpläystä ja räppiä. Ihan mielellään kuuntelin!
Good mix of old school and new school sounds. Easy listen
Solid album. I liked his voice, the flow was effortless, beats were catchy. He used some voice modulation I've never heard before. A good time
Real good soulquarian rythmns and rhymes. I'm still learning about common, the other album on this list I liked a bit more. But this was interesting enough to hear what this transition period in 2000 may have sounded like. I hear inspo for big boy and andre 3000 within this album too. East coast for life.
I should like this more based on my previous reviews of rap albums with a jazzy backbeat but this one didn’t hit for me.
A very well done conscious hip hop album. The beats are top notch and Common’s style fits the vibe. The homophobic stuff is strange, and seems out of place . “The 6th Sense” is a great song. 3.5/5 Might listen again
Fine I guess? Nothing was overtly awful. But there were moments where I forgot I was even listening to a song. 3/5
Något som inte funkar helt för mig med beatsen här, känns lite styltigt liksom. Svag trea
Day 14. Best tracks: Time Travelin’ (A Tribute To Fela), A Song For Assata. … 6/10. Does it belong on the list? Maybe. There was a lot of really good hip-hop in this era, and Common's "Be" is already on the list and is a better album from him.
Conscious. Great production, good variety, some surprises. Enjoyable for such a long recording. Because I'm not a hip-hop fan I can't judge this against anything else in the genre, but I really liked the Jazz through-line which brought some uniqueness to a genre that sometimes overstays its welcome.
I appreciate Common's unique Chi town style and flow. He is incredible in finding success through music and acting. This album is not my favorite. Instead I love Finding Forever start to finish.
Inoffensive.
Nice background music
Enjoy the vibe more than the album. Definitely do not miss the skit centered era of hip-hop, and most certainly do not miss the overt homophobia. 2.5/5
𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 is a solid, well-produced conscious hip-hop record, but I don’t quite understand the massive praise surrounding it. Common’s flow is smooth and the production (especially courtesy of J Dilla) gives the album a warm, organic sound — yet it often feels too polished and predictable for its own good. It’s thoughtful, yes, but rarely surprising. A good record, just not the revelation it’s often made out to be.
Fine
This was ok, but I struggled to form any kind of connection with it. It's quite long, and the chorus of almost every song consists of the song title repeated a bunch of times like a pokemon saying its name. Yer man has a nice voice though. Since watching Silo I can't hear it without thinking of Robert Sims, which makes it a bit harder to take the rapping seriously
Ålreit å høre på. Blir litt lange og like låter, men viben er fet. Klink 3'er
Less corny than some other Common stuff I've heard. A few really strong tracks on this.
Started of it sounds dated and a lot of the N word and homophobic references which seem a little wrong in the year 2000. I mean Eminem may have said them in the 90s playing the Slim Shady Characters but no excuse here. Then the later songs it got better and old school vibe well delivered and great rapping especially when the woman came in they helped well. Not bad nice break from guitar riffs
I liked this but it brought up an interesting internal question for me: what makes a rap album good? I was around in the 80s, when rap rose to mainstream, so I can put older stuff into historical context. But since 2000, I feel like other than vibes, I couldn’t tell you why this album is any better than Lil Snotzy or some other made up rapper that I’ve barely heard of. I’m old. And white.
Tribe vibes. I like
I love the production on this record but I do find Common really corny at points. There are a few serious bangers but also a fair number of skips for me. Have def heard it a fair bit over the years but not in a while. I’m gonna give it another listen in the next few days and see if it grows on me more.
I generally enjoy all the Soulquarians records. Dilla shines on this, but more than the others, this record feels like it’s made for a certain kind of person with a certain kind of life experience I don’t have. The Preemo track goes.
I listened to this split between my bad car stereo and then my headphones for the later tracks. The tracks are all pretty listenable there isn't anything that is just difficult to get through. I don't think it treads on any new ground as far as hip hop it's just a competent production of the hip hop of the time.
Just ok
I could see myself liking this if I listened to it more.
Zvjezdica viška za Assatu, baš mi ovo dođe kad smo je izgubili neki dan. Inače je ovo neuporedivo gori Common album s liste, nije prošlo 5 pjesama a već sam pomalo gledala ima li kraja. Tekstovi u fazonu "ja sam bolji čovjek od svih drugih repera", pjesme gdje je jedini "instrument" kao škripa ploče, tako to, ali je on opet najbolji primjerak svog žanra općenito jer ima nečeg drugačijeg.
The 6th Sense is a banger. The rest felt pretty flat. The beats are okay but something about his flow is lame
Good lyrics, nice tunes.
Common fan since he was dating Badu.. (so beautiful, he is the black Brad Pitt) seen him live and and stood next to him while Erykah did her show, same venue, the night after (SOB's in nyc) I think he is great & really like a lot of tracks on this record, but there are a few I don't like at all - giving it a 3.5
There is a wide and deep range of storytelling across this album. As it explores R&B, soul, and spoken word, it kept my attention.
In 2000 this was about as good a hip hop album as there was. Now - an above average history lesson featuring a who's who of guest artists, producers and collabs. a solid listen - of a little long.
I’ve owned the CD since early 00s. But I’ve always been slightly bored by it. And though it might sound blasphemous considering his clout: I never really cared for J Dillas beats. They are organic with a really nice bass sound. But honestly they never really bang. The only time this album gets a bit exciting is when a stuttering DJ Premier beat interrupts the proceeding in ”the sixth sense”. It doesn’t matter that it’s a formulaic premier-beat, it still slaps. I gave ”Be” five stars but this is an album that I rarely want to return to. Commons lyrics are a bore: trying to be insightful and conscious but still ”hard”. It makes it all feel a bit insincere, and frankly a bit boring. It’s an album I want to love but never managed.
Solid beats, got my foot tapping.
Was pretty good. Didn't hear anything I thought was super exceptional. 3/5
This is my 2nd. album by Common. I loved the first one, but this seems overly long, and honestly not that interesting. The flow is fine, the production is fine, the lyrics are iffy, and everything seems 50% longer than it should be.
Our first rap album on the list. I am not familiar with Common at all. Mr. Common? I liked the instrumentation of the tracks. I don’t have a good ear for rhymes, I’m always amazed and befuddled when I hear someone rap their favorite song because I seem to always have a hard time understanding what they’re saying. That is to say I’m not a very good rap critic. I just don’t like the flashy bravado rap which I didn’t hear much of here. This album was ok. It was chill and not tough to listen to though I don’t think I’d revisit it.
Common is on record expressing many bigoted views. Separate the art from the artist. Not bad, the music holds up and does not feel outdated to listen to today. Some of the songs I thought were corny, like the one about his grandma getting robbed. The pimp song, the back and forth was kind of fun.