Reviews (page 6 of 7)
Eh not bad but not all that interesting. I liked the Spotify radio that came on after this more than the actual album. 4/10
Not my genre
the quethtionths
Common is lame af
Pretty forgettable. Sadly, Kanye still remains the best rap artist I’ve heard on this project.
One problem I have with nearly all hip-hop/rap records from that time is how the lyrics are often socially critical, exposing racism and other issues. At the same time, they include homophobic, misogynistic, ableistic, and fat-shaming lyrics. On top of that, all they then add is that idiotic gangsta stuff. Great beats, samples, and production cannot level that sh*t out. Running times of +1 hour make it even worse. That said, Common is a bit better than most, but still too much.
19/07/2025 Found this album quite boring. Never heard of this guy, and I can't imagine he'll pop up again anytime soon. At least I hope not.
I like the jazzy sound but I checked out when the homophobia came in
I’m starting to form a new rule when I rate these albums: if I get a rap or hip-hop album that is over an hour long, the highest I will give it is a 2. Every single rap album that has gone on for over an hour always, fucking always, loses my attention. Unless it brings it S-game, not it’s A-game. And honestly, this album brought its C-game. It’s not complete dog shit, but for its size, it’s nothing to write home about. Most of the songs are painfully average and some are just corny as hell, A Film Called (PIMP) and Payback Like A Grandmother especially. It drags on for way too long for what it provides. The only saving grace this album has is that I like that it’s more jazzier and smoother than some other rap albums. Otherwise this would be sitting next to The Chronic among my least favorite albums. Favorite track: The Light Other hits: Nag Champa (Afrodisiac For The World)
Just came up flat and well common.
Meh, never was big on Common
First impression pre listen: The hip-hop albums on this list have a tendency to be long and bloated. This one seems to veer towards that trend too. For me personally can hip-hop be pretty hit or miss depending on the production. I'm not overly familiar with this artist, but at least I know his name. Hoping the quality justifies the runtime. Individual track notes: Time Travelin' (A Tribute To Fela) I just reviewed both Fela and Femi. A fun conicidence. I was not expecting something so jazzy. The reverby background vocals add a psychedelic twist. Good groove. Don't love the vocal effect. A bit of a boring rapping style. The lyrics contain some interesting references. Decent. 3.5/5 Heat The beat is alright. Common has some good energy on this track. Not exactly the most interesting track. Average. 2.5/5 Cold Blooded Really don't like the hook. Sounds kinda goofy. I like the production, but Common's performance isn't really anything to write home about. Average. 2.5/5 Dooinit I guess the first verse has some heat to it. I like that he calls out other rappers. Cringe slurs. The hook is pretty okay. Has some interesting points about the culture here and there. Fine. 3/5 The Light Great beat. Love the sample for the hook. Some decently romantic lyrics. Pleasant enough. Feels comfy. Decent. 3.5/5 Funky For You The beat, the sampling and the general production is amazing. Sure there's some solid commentary in there, but Common is so boring as a rapper that it's hard to care about it. Love the ending. There's some great experimentation there. Love the vocals. Decent. 3.5/5 The Questions Great beat yet again. Horrible hook. I'm sorry, there's probably something in there that could be interesting, but it didn't manage to keep my attention. Boring. Dislike. 2/5 The Travelin' Reprise Honestly really cool. The jazzy pshychedelia is really infectious and hypnotic. I like the horns a lot. Good. 4/5 The 6th Sense Almost every beat on this album so for has been really good. Great vocals on the hook. The lyrics shift between great and dumb on a dime. Drags a bit. Cringe skit at the end. Average. 2.5/5 A Film Called (PIMP) Unlikable premise. Decent hook. The production is amazing. Boring performances. The female rapper is about as boring as Common himself. Average. 2.5/5 Nag Champa (Afrodisiac For The World) Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Some cringe homophobic lyrics too. At least the beat is pleasant. Dislike. 2/5 Thelonius Spiritual lyrical miracle adjacent. Who cares. Dislike. 2/5 Payback Is A Grandmother I'm fully checked out at this point. Yeah the production is good, but there's just very little to grasp onto musically. Dislike. 2/5 Geto Heaven Part Two Good feature. Solid message with some decent lyrics, even if its a bit straight forward. Kinda catchy. Fine. 3/5 A Song For Assata Great jazziness. Great storytelling. Harrowing story. Fantastic chorus though the performance is a bit cheesy. Simple and compelling concept that is easy and satisfying to follow along with. Love the ending sample. Good. 4/5 Pops Rap III....All My Children Another great beat. The spoken word is really smooth on top of it. Feels like a solid poetry session. Good message. Decent. 3.5/5 Final Review: What Common lacks in personality and interesting deliveries he makes up for in lyricism. At times he does come across as a bit arrogant in a "look how much deeper and mature I am than these other fools way". But mostly he sticks to interesting messages and some solid storytelling. I don't like the homophobia though. And while the lyrics can be interesting in a vacuum, he also happens to be the most boring rapper to ever walk the planet. Taking himself seriously beyond measure. He approaches the beats very similarly when it comes to structure, and his flows aren't very diverse. You don't really see him taking any risks or showing much personality. And don't get me wrong, he's good at his schtick, but it does run a bit dry around the halfway point in the album. The album is saved from being a total snoozefest by some truly amazing production by Dilla, Questlove and Poyser. The jazziness, psychedelia and hints of RnB make the beats dynamic and fresh sounding, and the way they've implemented the samples is stunning. Everything is placed incredibly well, and it completely saves the album from being a total disaster for me. It's almost like Common is the least interesting part of his own album, and I feel there's at least a hint of truth to that as even the features often overshadow him. I do feel like even with the great production that the album drags quite a bit and I don't really think the runtime is even close to justified. It had me completely checked out at some point due to how bloated it is. I'm being a bit harsh with this one, but I'm likely never gonna return to it. 2/5
This was way too long. Really didn’t enjoy the lyrics. I did like the actual music a lot of the time. Three 6+ min songs Five 5+ min songs Why?
Just sounded like generic rap to me. It was ok as background music, but probably won’t get another spin.
bloated
So long, so pointless. I suppose if the artistic process behind the music is setting up a drum machine and some vague keyboard sounds you can pump out over an hour of music reasonably quickly. Every so often something sounded pleasant because the sample was interesting but mainly it was turgid.
Basic decent rap album. Nothing overly consequential.
Eh
Nice grooves, bad lyrics
This is a bit of a drag. Way too long.
Better than the later Kanye produced album I've heard. It has its moments where it's on for sure. Unfortunately lots of filler though, and it really makes it drag a lot of the time. Could have easily made this a shorter and more powerful album.
Forgot to rate, then forgot I listened to it until I played it back a second time. So I guess that wraps it up.
Not my normal genre but trying to open my ears a bit more to different genres. In my honest opinion I didn’t enjoy it that much, but dint skip it either.
Common has never clicked for me. Still hasn't.
This is album is not terrible, but why does it have to be soooo long? I pretty much got the point midway through. This is a common (hehe) problem with hip-hop, they just overstuff their records to the brim. At least there are no cringy skits/interludes on this one.
Never did like Chicago rap. Too mellow and this album is not different. All the beats sound the same and it’s way too long
Great samples and beats but not my thing
Gros ronflement.
For lang, for mange fillers. Beatsene er rigtig fede, men synes de var federe på den anden Common plade vi havde. Han er ikke en særlig spændende rapper, men han er bedre til at rappe end han er til at være skurk i John Wick 2
Interesting beats and use of influencing styles, but again… I hate the lyrics
sound is cool but rap is not my type.
No le di su oportunidad escuché 2 temas y me aburrió lo siento
This was just another one
I remember this being pretty huge. Didn't really grab me.
I’m halfway through the project, give or take, and I now know I just don’t really get on with rap or hip-hop. I’m sure this is fine, but I don’t get it and didn’t enjoy it.
point9.
Two tracks on here that I found okay, so 2 stars or D.
some sweet ones but lots of duds and too long
Not really my vibe
This is when rap became a bit more melodic and it wasn't just talking, but I am not a huge fan of the songs from this album, although it was alright having it in the background. If you pay more attention to it, it would probably make more sense, but it's a bit meh.
The beats are competent. The production is solid but isn't anything exceptional. Common's flow isn't particularly distinctive and his lyrics aren't memorable.
Álbum repleto de ese sonido "jazzmatazz" que marcó la transición de siglo en el rap americano, y un clásico dentro de ese estilo. Funky a la vez que calmado, funciona muy bien como música de fondo. En general, un álbum muy sólido e influyente, con una producción excelente, pero demasiado largo. Además, la voz es súper monótona y acaba cansando. No puedo darle mejor nota porque no creo que lo vuelva a escuchar en su totalidad.
I like the lyrics, but not the music. 2.5/5.
Never heard of Common, this album seemed pretty standard for the hip hop at the time. I guess a lot of the themes went over my head as the wiki seemed to think they were far deeper than I picked up. Not sure a film called pimp is really a "send up of his own conscious image". There were some decent sections here and there but overall not for me.
Ok
Too long, not enough variety
Nah, not for me
Same topics and same inherent problems as most solo rap albums on this list. Not impressed.
So a lot of these tracks seem to have the lyrics completely disassociated from the underlying samples. It's a somewhat unpleasant and tediously long album. 2.5* and I can't round up.
surprisingly bad! i knew I didn't like modern Common but I figured there must have been some good era of Common, that does not seem to be the case though. leads off with a weird down tempo jazzy interlude that's both aggravating to listen to and insultingly labeled as "a tribute to Fela" (big swing and a miss from Femi) and pretty much continues along those lines
In the first two tracks, Time Travelin' and Heat, the clear standout is the basswork. You might as well lose the vocals entirely because the bass is so darn great (particularly when combined with the light, muted guitar riffs). The rapping is fine. Pretty monotonous and droning, as per the genre. But those backing instrumentals... man. Much jazzier than I'm used to for late-90s/early-00s hip-hop. Lots of Dorian mode (the best-sounding mode). That chopped-up electric guitar sound on Cold Blooded is fantastic. Just imagine that song as an instrumental. With some minor editing, this music could reach the heights of Floyd jam sessions. Unrelatedly, my favourite track on the album is Geto Heaven Part Two (mostly for the abundance of great instruments like the piano, harp, flute, and violin). And my favourite part of the album is Common pronouncing "questions" as "kwustiss". As many fellow reviewers have pointed out, the lyrics are fairly homophobic. This is, for our purposes, bad. I don't tend to pay lyrics much attention unless they're particularly bad, yet I was paying much attention to songs like Dooinit. Which I suspect also contains some racist poetry about halfway through its runtime. (Only need a drop of sexism to complete the holy trinity of rap! But, judging by the unusually pro-women lyrics at the end of The 6th Sense, it looks like Common covered their tracks.) Speaking of runtimes, the album is too long to really justify. If you've got 77 minutes of material, either release two albums or cut out the less interesting half. Another interesting element is the abundance of very sudden jumps into what sounds like a completely different song about a minute before each track ends. Now, if you have a fade or otherwise reasonable transition, I can understand it. Even hip-hop interludes, when found at the end of songs, typically don't leap straight into a skit but fade into it gradually. I guess Common isn't a typical rapper. But that doesn't make him better. 2/5 Key tracks: Cold Blooded, The 6th Sense, Geto Heaven Part Two
I'm conflicted about Like Water for Chocolate. On one hand, Common crafted quite the album; he pays homage to Fela Kuti and discusses a political activist's wrongful imprisonment. He holds nothing back in his lyrics, which really hit you in the gut. On the other hand, the album is very long and because of the many collaborations and directions Common went in, it isn't terribly cohesive. I nevertheless appreciate what Common did here. At the end of the day, I didn't enjoy Like Water for Chocolate as much as Be, which contained more soul than just straight hip hop. 2.5
I definitely struggled when it came to staying present with this album, and the album's length did not help matters, either. There was quite a bit of funk-driven hip hop on this album, which I can appreciate, but overall, this just never seemed to grab me.
Blind album and know the artist from another album on the project. I had a lot of the same feelings for this album as his last, but it was different in some ways that I feel I would not make. Less appealing.
I wasn't super into this. I'm not very familiar with Common, but I don't think I'd revisit this record.
Too long and I didn't care for the hooks :( 77 minutes! I liked Pops at the end though. 2.49/5
2.5
This was such a pain to get through. Over an hour long but not a single memorable song on the whole album, which is surprising because I mostly liked the last common album. Felt like the whole thing was just filler
Just re-read my review of Be while listening to the opening tracks. Yeah we will see if this remains interesting for 78 minutes. The music is decent, can't say I'm particularly impressed in the raps. But there's a fair bit of Fela and Femi in here, which you know, you can't argue with. All the stuff in the middle about pimping might have had irony or a strong message or it might have been simply garbage but it lost me in the middle. Aaaand, nothing after that grabbed me and the jazz seemed dialled back, so I really lost interest. Song for Assata was quite good to be fair. But too little too late.
..
I generally dig Common's work, 6th Sense is one of my favorite hip-hop songs of all time, but listening to this album front-to-back in 2025 was a confounding experience. It is jarring to hear someone who is so clearly in tune with and supportive of the struggle to liberate oppressed people causally use slurs. I mean there is a tribute track to Assata Shakur on here for fuck's sake, and the album cover itself plus countless other lyrics I could point to that makes the glaring homophobia seem even more bizarre and out of place. It bums me out to rate this so low, but I also see the argument for giving it a 1 despite all the redemptive qualities.
Liked the intro
I've tried Common in the past, just not my vibe. It was an interesting listen but still not my thing. I gather the message is a good one but too much N word and generic rhythms with a shallow bottom end to catch my attention. It's a popular album with a ton of listens from top to bottom. The biggest tracks were "The Light" & "The 6th Sense", neither of which I'd ever heard. It sounds older than 2024, the music was just weak and not compelling enough for me to dive in and enjoy. Not my genre, not by groove so it's hard to rate this one.
Don't mind the style, don't like the attitude.
Nope, sorry, not for me - I can appreciate the work that's gone into it, but don't like the sentiment behind most of it and just don't want to listen.
Sounds like Eminem
I'd like an instrumental version of this album that was about 30 minutes shorter. Some seriously purile lyrics in there. was looking forward to this one after listening to and enjoying Be.
same old stuff
The beats are sick, I am not a real big fan of his raps or voice. It was probably of it's time, but definitely some overarching homophobia and similar things. Beats 5/5 raps 1/5 = prolly a 2/5
Like water for passing.
as muck
I wanted to like this album, but its just not doing it for me. I've never really listened to Common before, maybe I'll come back to him later, but this album felt like a slog to get through.
Tiene buenos samplings y algun que otro tema bueno, no es malo, es normal; prefiero mil veces mas el album "Be" del 2005 del mismo artista. Mas Corto y mejor producido.
I think I listened to this album when I was younger a few times but I only remember a few of the tracks. A little to ‘jazzy’ for me at times.
Good background music, but not really into rap/hip hop
This is well-crafted, but I just don't like listening to rap music sry
I really did not like this album much at all. And there are aspects of it I really dug especially in the tracks. But for the most part, I don't like this kind hip hop/rap. I can't even really put a finger on why, I just don't. I do kinda feel like this is an important album thematically and musically, but even somehow recognizing that did not equate to appreciation. Two songs I did like... "The 6th Sense" and "A Song for Assata" they did struck a chord in me. The most of the rest honestly made me feel in comfortable. If I was more into this gernre as a whole, I could see myself rating this highly, but I really was soaked in a negative reaction to this. (4.85) ★★
Hip hop study beats to study and relax to. And by relax I mean get irritated to and switch off very quickly. Shame because I did want to like this more because of the talent involved but the rapping wasn’t anything special and the production behind it was super headachey and annoying.
#441. Not particularly interesting. 2/5: meh
I guess I'm just not a huge Common fan. Oh well. 4/10
Common isn't one of my favs...don't completely understand his critical acclaim. 2/5
Really disappointing, especially after listening to ‘Be’ again.
It wasn’t too bad as background music. 2*
Decent.
the instrumentals and samples sound really fresh and good, but the rapping is just lame and boring. also not important, there was plenty of better hiphop before 2k NNN
Nope
There were some bits that were sort of OK. And an awful lot that was plain terrible.
This sounds dated even for being 24 years old. Some of the beats are decent but the raps are boring and corny. I also disapprove of him fighting John Wick.
The production is amazing, I love Common's voice and flow, and this album starts and ends phenominally. But I just can't get into the middle of this album at all. Pretty much all the songs after the first song and until "Payback Is a Grandmother" (minus "Dooinit" which is also great) are just crap to me. Can't connect to them, weak choruses, not really saying much. But when Common is telling a story oh man does he really shine. Kinda struggling to rate this, is it a high 2 for its inexcusable bloat? Or a low 3 for its shining moments of glory? I don't know. I'm going with a 2, since I already know "Be" is going to be a 4 or 5
I didn't hate it but I didn't like it either. Rap is just not my thing. I got bored with this very quickly.
Tedious…
This could have been a four star album if it had been around half as long. It started to drag around the halfway point for me, and that drag just went on and on, until I really got sick and tired of listening to this.
cool but not for me
I did not care for the Common. It insists upon itself
Unimpressive. Did not hold my attention.
Muck
It was fine. 2/5
This has the potential to be all positivity rap. What’s the over under on “come together as one” being said? I’m taking the over. Early to Mid-2000s rap has a special place in hell regardless, but like anything. We will give this a chance. Jazz tribute to start. Probably an instrumental. I wish we were listening to jazz. Nah this is so lame. Stop. It’s like accidentally discovering your younger teacher is an amateur rapper on the side. This thing blows. We’ve even lost the musicality. Oh it’s returned slightly. And fade. 77 minutes of this, eh? Let’s hope “heat” actually brings something resembling that. I assumed that this album would be heavy lyrically. There would be plenty of time where the lyrics carried everything. The lyrics are fine. Honestly, they’re on the bad side of fine. It’s not that good. He has very little authority in his voice. The flow is middling to bad. This is lukewarm at best, pal. Next. Thi- Thi- This is RAHZEL. SSX TRICKY reference in my own mind is distracting me from the 2004 snap beat. Mixed with Common attempting to sound intimidating, this is another journey through substitute teacher rap. It’s just so cringeworthy to me. “Cold blooded, *ah huh* hardcore” Dad, stop, you’re embarrassing me. Also, I don’t know where rahzel even is. I just want to hear him ask me to do an uber trick one last time. Ok, a better flow. Some level of aggression to the beat. Chorus? Disgusting. Hahahahaha homophobic slur. Sign of the times I guess. Ugh. I hate that this is the best song so far. Oh here we go. This one is about to close the gap between men of all creeds. Oh no it’s a love song. Duuuude. You can’t be like “I won’t call you a bitch” when you did two song ago and also mentioned a “circle of f**ots” like 60 bars ago. Get outta here. The beat is ok here. I think common is so lame and that hasn’t changed here. Holy hell this is so ham-fisted. “Hey girl, sex is cool but you know what, you’re my equal.” Bro. This isn’t a revolutionary thought. Whoa guys. He treats women like humans. Quick. Somebody get this asshat a medal and a girlfriend STAT. You’re not Mos def. This is so 2000s. Stop saying “ah”. It sucks. Funkaaay. Yeah this would fit in real well at like a white millennial woman’s 40th birthday. The rhyme scheme is just meh. I really wanted cool lyrics from this because I thought that’s all we could get. They’re just ok. One or two decent lines on this one. Beat is ok but too much dumb shit surrounding it. I kind of like the r & b break near the end. That’s not bad. Not rap, but that’s probably a good thing. We’re getting an actual Mos Def feature. Mos Def and Mos Def - sugar Free are on the track. Let’s see. When Mos Def isn’t rapping, people should be asking “where’s Mos Def.” I am asking. The chorus actually has some energy so that’s a nice change. Oh boy, talking about being a “sexual intellectual” with a girl who says “I look 20 but I’m 15.” Fuck you. Mos def is better in every way. Even with a dumb verse about saying never and Jerry Seinfeld observations about ID. Reprise. Chance to reflect on how unlikeable this album is. It’s like hold music while you await some horror when the phone is answered. I know writing rap isn’t easy, but these rhymes are always so predictable. Pastor rap. Listen. The lyrics are annoying. Full stop. I wish it was cooler. I’m not trying to hate this, but he’s just not the best writer and his delivery is just so weak. Dude, common included an actress pretending to ask for his autograph. First time for everything. Hold on. Bad lyrics, but this beat is better. MC Lyte is so refreshing here. God. So much more ferocity and intention. This one is good. Cool instruments. Common should just back out like that scene in 8 Mile. Too long and too much common, but hey. Best one so far. And we return to the cold, empty abyss of Common raps. ZZZZZZZZZZZZ. Wake me up if MC Lyte comes back. Homophobic bars woke me up. What a loser. This one is ok. It’s fine. Man this is all so mediocre. Is this a song about crazy grandmothers? Or a PSA about not robbing grandmothers? Jesus. The beat is good. This one is somehow decent. Ugh. I guess I like the joke songs. Noooooo. A really cool intro ruined by more of the same, pandering, oddly sexual, lame poetry. This is one of the worst so far. Oh common, I can sympathize with dealing with “crap rappers.” Maybe he said crab. Ignore the facts for my bad joke. Please . Man. This song is pretty good. The laid back actually works here and I feel like this beat matches common rather than having him strain to be tough and cool. He usually sounds like a mouse trying to scream over a beat, but this one fits him perfectly. Yeah this one is excellent. Fantastic lyrics, great energy. Gets a touch melodramatic at the end but hey, Best performance from common by a god damn planetary span. Common’s dad appears. Why? End on the good song. I want a Time Machine to request this be omitted. This is dumb. 2.5 HIGHLIGHTS: Dooinit, A Film called (PIMP), Payback is a Grandmother, A Song for Assata.
im going to show my age and say that I know common as an actor, not a rapper. I’ve tried to listen to common before and just wasn’t the biggest fan.
gratuitous use of the “n word” and tons of misogyny… nothing new for this genre of music.
I only listened to it once, so some of the nuance in the lyrics may have been lost, but I wasn't impressed. There are a few good beats on this album, and I thought "A Film Called (PIMP)" was a novel track, but none of this was enough to make up for the average rapping, surface level insights, and blatant homophobia.
Musical guest on Chapelle’s Show-ass album You just KNOW he was wearing a little newsboy cap while recording this
Toooooo loooooooooooong!
I don’t like hip hop but I’ve heard worse.
A common and monotonous hip hop album about the same three subjects as always.
Okay, but not for me. Also found it to run a bit too long
I couldn't get into this
Common would be better if he acknowledged that he's rhyming over a beat. It's like he writes his rhymes before he's heard the beat, and then just says says them regardless of how it flows over the beat. He was one of the early rappers to flow off-beat, and it became popular and then rap fell off a cliff. Rhymes and beats should fit like puzzle pieces. I will die on this hill.
This was a bit of a slog for me and it’s hard to say why. I liked the beats, and to some extent, the flow. I found myself not knowing what he was saying a lot of the time. Maybe I’m just out of the loop. Nothing really grabbed me here. Oddly enough, my favorite track was the outro with his dad talking.
Somewhat enjoyed parts of this but it sort of lost me at the skit where Common beats up a woman. Get that he's poking fun at himself, but it's still weird to listen to. Some of the music's nice.
I love rap and hip hop and this one just falls very flat for me. The first song was a very poor start at an album. It sounds like it was recorded underwater. Not good.
Man...that one particular interlude was extremely off-putting, wasn't it? You all know which one. It really ruined an album I otherwise mostly enjoyed.
Eh
I wasn't a big fan of this album.
It's American hiphop.
Rap, don't like it and bad language too 2 stars
It was pretty good
i dislike all the coarse language
Funky, but overstayed its welcome.
I liked the music, but the vocals never quite seemed to match.
some good some bad mostly listenable but i couldnt get into the groove
The rise of the Soulquarians, eh? It’s more like the evolution of the Native Tongues collective, yeah? I liked this more than Mama’s Gun (which put me to sleep), but I like it less than some of the other Soulquarians’ output (like J Dilla, Questlove, or Mos Def). I did enjoy the self-reflective notes of many of the songs. I just wanted more catchy hooks.
Better than the previous album from Common. A little more diversity amongst the songs, and a Black Panther history lesson. I don't really have any objections, but nothing here made me want to put it into my playlist either.
Just not my thing.
Like some reviewers below, I liked the soul/funk groove, but the raps are misogynistic and homophobic. It's the reason why I just don't like rap from this era.
Boring…
It's OK at times I think. I just don't care for it.
I like some of the beats and grooves, but nothing really landed as being earth shattering. Pretty run-of-the-mill in my opinion.
Homophobia don't fly with me.
Common is an artist I haven't listened to a lot but am lead to believe he is very intellectual and deep with his lyrics. This is the second Common album I've had to review and it came off corny and contrived lyrically like the first. I enjoyed the beats but the album was a little long overall.
Really nothing special or memorable
Interesting samples but ruined by the nigger this, nigger that rapping
Nothing really popped out at me here
Not that good
I find Common albums vibey but unmemorable most of the time. A couple good beats but overall nothing that stuck out.
I'm not a the world's biggest hip-hop fan but I'm open to the possibility of liking some. This album is not it for me. Common seems to be providing a lot of commentary on race and gender issues but it doesn't resonate with me. Must have been under a rock in the early 2000s because this was the first time I heard "The Light" - a vulnerable and sweet love song, but not enough to save the album for me.
Boring
2-3
Fine. I wouldn’t listen twice.
It's okay. I felt like the whole first half of the album was missing something.
I almost like The Sixth Sense
Music is all vibes, lyrics are decent and intelligent at times, but subject matter is down right trashy.
I can intellectually appreciate Common, but this album felt like a slog to me.
This album is exactly a year older than I am :). There's also a song where he slaps a woman? Its been over a week since I listened to this and I don't quite remember what my opinion was, I don't think I liked it that much
Jazzy, laid back rapping. Cool. Not for me, though. Common is an exceptional composer, however.
Definitely some good samples. Loving the jazz elements. Not a fan of his rapping. The best songs were Geto Heaven Part Two and A Song For Assata. I was hoping the features artists would lift the album above a 2, but it wasn't enough. I was disappointed by how they treated Jill Scott's vocals, because I quite like her.
Not my style of album but I did like Time Travelin' and it's reprise.
It’s alright. Was kinda into the lyrics until he started saying some shitty things. Not as good as the other one I listened to
1. time travel - 1 2. heat - 1 3. cold blood - 0 4. doonit - 1 5. the light - 1.5 6. funky - 1 7. queztionz - 1.5 8. reprize - 0 9. 6th zenze - 1.5 10. pimp - 1 11. champa - 1.5 12. theloniuz - 1 13. payback - 0 14. ghetto - 1 15. azzata - 1.5 16. popz rap - 1
Too long for me, and didn’t grip me 2/5
The driving beat was just… monotonous. The rhymes were good, but just too much sameness.
There's a few good tracks in here which are pretty funky, with good beats and production, and lots of variation in instruments and so on. There's not many though, and the runtime is too long. Most of the album for me doesn't work and isn't my thing.
I'm not a rap guy but this is actually much better than 90% of rap I've heard. It was trending towards a 4 for me before it just dragged on way too long and then the homophobia was really cringe.
Was expecting more, all of the songs blended together Best song: Nag Champa Worst song: Pops Rap III…..All My Children
First time listening to Common. I like some of the instrumental stuff going on. I'm not a huge hiphop fan so it's tough for me to tell how technically skilled he is but the flow sounds fine. I'm not sure if this feels like mandatory 1,001 listening but I don't dislike listening. Doubt I'll relisten though and this is too long.
Didn’t care for a lot of the production on the album.
Yawn
I wanted to like this one more than I did, but in the end, I just really couldn’t get into it. Plus, it was bristling to hear things like f@**** thrown around so casually.
This is a genre I’m not that familiar and I don’t listen often. Seemed like a well produced album, good beats, even funky and jazzy at times but just not enough to really say I’d ever listen again. The homophobic slurs were not necessary. I did hear a shoutout to Kraftwerk…I think. Very powerful album cover & album title.
Not my favorite Common. Doesn’t help that it’s full of problematic language. He has thankfully publicly realized that was a problem and resolved not to use homophobic slurs anymore. A couple great ones here though
It was fine? I didn’t feel like it was particularly unique. Also for a rapper who is supposed to against homophobia, he sure used the f slur a lot.
I.... could not get through this. An album I can tell is well done but that is not for me.
not my jam
My first impulse after the first two tracks was to skip this whole album. Over an hour of mediocre rap with a weird pitched voice? No, thank you. Now, after listening through it all, I'm not glad I didn't. Admittedly, it grows on you. I have gotten to a point where I was neither annoyed nor excited, a tranquil headspace of pure existence. Weirdly enough, the only track I that kind of broke me out of my trance and the only one I remember listening to was "A Film Called (PIMP)". Cannot deny some head nodding going on. But that's it.
Not (uh) my style (uh) but I'll give (uh) it an extra (uh) star for the (uh) music. Had a (uh) Miles Davis and (uh) James Brown influence.
My mama taught me that use of the “n” word was a sin so I find it difficult to listen to “music” laced with that word! I prefer my music with a melody. Powerful lyrics contained within this Lp however and I totally respect the cultural differences.
Funky aburridito.
2.5
I tried to like this more than I did but I couldn't really get on with it. I really like his album after this but couldn't get into this for whatever reason. There's nothing bad about it I can put my finger on but it's maybe a bit muddled sounding after laser focused Jurassic 5
I'm not the greatest fan of rap/hip-hop I'm more of an instrument guy so nothing against the artist I just don't like the genre. 1.7
I don't particularly enjoy Common's music. I like rap, but he's always came off as "eh" to me. I had no desire to finish the album. I found it boring, which is disappointing because I went in optimistically.
Hm. 2-3
Not my style of music
Common explored and found a great flow that roles well with his style and voice. The music doesn’t really stand out to me, and as others have said I also noticed that the homophobia is strong here and it’s unlikely is listen to this again.
Don't really have an opinion either way.
Eh, it was decent but not much my personal style.
Not doing a ton for me. Clearly well produced. It's too long for sure, but it's a product of the too long CD era albums. I was just ready for it to be over after about an hour when there was still almost 20 minutes left.
It's not repulsive but there are few moments that stick. Overall it's a rather tedious and way too long listen.
Not working for me.
It started off on a positive note with the tribute to Fela, but, within the context of the last 3 hip hop releases we've received, Snoop Dog, Queen Latifah & Ghost Face Killer, this is less fun and less dance floor worthy. The sparse production could have something to do with it.
had to listen to it so many times cause i couldn't finish... what a nightmare
In a nutshell: great title, below average album Nice transition between some songs. Interesting use of samples/loops. But that's about it. The album is laced with hip hop cliches ("one-two", name dropping, self referentials) and IT'S JUST TOO DAMN LONG. It's 77:55?! This could have been a great album, especially with Common collaborating with genre heavyweights (D'Angelo, Questlove, J Dilla) but it doesn't deliver for me. Overall: 3/10
Nice grooves. Vocals are good. Lyrics annoying at best. 2.4
Struggled with this one
good beats but don't like their voice. at least he's not rapping about not killing people. oh nevermind, now there's a song about revenge murder for a robbery
Not a big fan. Maybe this was even generous.
Better than some rap
Whilst I have heard of Common, this hip-hop/afro beats transitioning into jazz is really not my jam. There are too many songs, and the album is over an hour long. Whilst the beats were ok in that they were a nice steady background sound, some of the lyrical content was not that great in parts, with some glimpses of interesting sounds, it really did nothing for me overall. Best: Geto Heaven Part Two Worst: Nag Champa (Afrodisiac for the World)
I haven't heard anything from this album previously, and unfortunately, it didn't do it for me. It should be noted that Common uses this album as a vessel for political commentary and social activism.
Okay. Not that impressive
Also ich respektiere es, aber es ist nichts für mich.
There are actually some good tracks on this one, but there are just. so. many. long. intros. and. outros. everywhere. So. much. filler. What the hell is the benefit of this on a 70+ minute long record?
Like Water For Chocolate just keeps going. It’s easily half an hour too long. Why is it 70+ minutes? Just why? Common is still a great rapper. But it was, among other things, the tightness that made Be such a great record. There are some very good tunes on this… There’s just so much else as well.
Me he aburrido, o no era el día. Pero estoy pensando que si un disco no es capaz de levantarte un mal día tampoco es un disco imprescindible. Suena bien, así que no es malo pero sin conocer su historia no me parece relevante.
This is interminable. The production is good and saves it from 1 star but raps come off as phony and it's so fucking long and drawn out. Please stop making records over an hour long, and for the love of God please stop putting them on this list.
80 minutes of this stuff? C'mon Common, I don't have the time for that much half decent rap music
Meh, not for me
I'm not familiar with Common's work, but I've enjoyed most of the rap albums that I've been assigned so far, so I figured I'd enjoy this album. Right off the bat, the album cover gave me the impression that this album would be pretty socially conscious and political in nature, so that was a mark in favor of me potentially enjoying this album. As I listened to it, I felt like the songs were really long and meandering, and I just wasn't a big fan of the rapping. The beats and production were above average, but most of the songs lost their shine with me before I reached the end of them. Even though I wasn't the biggest fan of this album, I did enjoy "A Film Called (PIMP)," "Geto Heaven Part Two," and "A Song For Assata." I don't think I'll be in a rush to listen to more of Common's albums.
I like common This one got kinda weird about all the pimpin 2
I don't think he's that good of a rapper
For being over an hour nothing seemed interesting. Not one part? It wasn’t awful or annoying it was just boring and long. We’ve had an album by Common before and I think I had the same opinion. Nothing great.
More than kinda-disappointed with this one - I cannot connect with this at all. Yet if it were described to me I'd think there's no way I wouldn't love it: r&b and soul mid-tempo grooves with acoustic drum samples... I think I'm not a fan of Common's rap style on this album, and it might be that simple. Less rhythm and more spitting (too) many words - meh. Yet 5 years later he releases "Be" which is an album I really liked - did he get better? Did he change his style? I don't think it's *that* different in terms of his style, but something about it here I really don't like - e.g. "Be" is maybe a more positive album and this one kinda feels distasteful at times; does/did this affect how he performed on it? Or maybe I can and should grade this on the same level as other genres - the songs themselves are far superior and catchier on "Be" than on this one. If this were an instrumental album I might buy it, but his rapping here breaks all the groove for me - it's a frustrating listen. Re-listening to "Be" right now to reenforce how much more I like it over this disappointing one. 3/10 2 stars.
nice vibes but waaaaaaay too long
What am I missing?
Fairly run of the mill - Common I guess...
Don’t have much to say about this album and was admittedly only half listening through the first half. The reason for these things is because it’s a pretty boring and mostly unnotable hip hop album. A couple decent beats here and there but that’s about it and keeps it from being a 1. Maybe a big deal in its day but I really did not feel it.
It's going to be a quick one in here - the topics that Common brings up on this album are very important and the way he sets up his lyrics is extraordinary. I have just one issue with his music - it's that I don't like it. The beats and flow is boring and I can't keep up with the verses. I'm just a casual hip-hop listener, but I need a little bit more "wow" ingredient to keep me entertained. So I'm really sorry, but I can't give a high rating for this album.
No one digs Common like Common digs Common. But he gets bodied by any guests on a track. The double edged sword of conscious hip-hop is that if you do say misogynist or homophobic things, there's no playing it up as an act. It doesn't suck or nothing, but if, say, Black Star is 5 stars, no way this is more than 2.49.
Two good songs, I had a hard time getting through the rest.
Greit nok, men komme ikkje vidare til Oslo. Pluss for namedropping av Kraftwerk
Not huge on this. It was I tersting to listen to but I can’t see going back to it.
Man this was just soooo boring to get through
I didn't enjoy this. The laid back rythms are good, but all the casual sexism and racism really put me off. Maybe when it comes to the misogyny I didn't, "get it". Maybe it was ironic or satirical or something?
I accidentally saw Common in concert once and it was just as boring as this album.
4/10. Not one I’d listen to again.
not for me
Bity może i by przeszły, ale rap mi nie podszedł
Favoritas: -The 6th Sense
Two stars for production. Common's rhymes are terrible and annoying.
I haven't actually listened to a lot of Common - his rise kind of coincides with the time that my interest in new music began to wane and my habits hardened - but listening to this album made it clear to me that I'm not missing much.
Not a fan of the synthetic sound. The album seems pretty basic, nothing stands out, besides the misogyny and homophobia. I'm not entirely sure why this made the list.
Not a huge hip hop fan, but there were some good beats. Still a lot of it felt incredibly bloated and I was just over it. Too long for me tbh Saved songs: Dooinit, The Light, The Questions
Better and smarter-sounding to me than the majority of rap, but still not better than 2 stars for me. It's simply not my style of music and it went on for too long. I did make it to the 11th track.
Way too misogynistic for my tastes.
Nope
un mood rilassato, fin troppo
Oikein hyvä flow ja smoothisti menee. Siksi meni multa myös aivan ohi, hujahti vain. Jotain kantaaottavaa olin kuulevinani, ei kovaa biletystä vaan asiallisempi meno.
Ei mitään varsinaista vikaa. Mutta jotain puuttuu - tai paljonkin. Karisma? Persoonallisuus? Koukut..?
Not for me.
Fine. A couple of elements that caught my attention, but otherwise Common's lyrical facility was overwhelmed by the bland musical backdrops.
I think for me Common is to rap what Elvis Costello is to rock: critically acclaimed and obviously talented but so not to my taste
Hey, bro. How you gonna drop a track all about respecting a woman and then, in the very next track, talk about b!%*#es and chasing p^$$y? Explain to me how that works again. Oh, right. It doesn't. It's pretty-boy wannabe rapper bullshit and it didn't age well. The only reason this doesn't score a single star is because the tracks are undeniably good (thanks, Questlove) and because it starts with a pretty decent tribute to Fela Kuti (who was an absolute legend).
expecting to either love or hate this, no idea what to expect. Kinda in between alas. 2 star cause i skpped a few but like the effort. Just not my music.
Not a big Common fan and this album reinforced my belief. 5/10.
The homophobic lyrics and use of the F word—and I don’t mean f**k—make this album unlistenable. Many great sounds, songs, and featured artists.
No
Not really a fan of this style of music generally. Decent rapping is sort of sparse on this album which I think is contributing to liking it less because I don't at all care for the jazzy horns that are found throughout basically every song. Also some of the sound effects or whatever you want to call them sound really dated at this point.
The opening was interesting and then it fell of hard. 'The Light' was good but it's followed by 'Funky for You' and 'Questions' that are probably my least liked tracks. Sometimes the instruments just cuts completely and it doesn't feel like there is any flow to justify it. Multiple times I had to check if a new song was starting or they just decided to change up everything in the middle of the song. This would have been a 3 for the often chill instrumentals and pleasant voice. Instead the bad tracks and repetitive beats takes it down to a 2 for me. Not a fan of the weird homophobic lyric either but I guess its 2000's murica'. This comment is almost as drawn out as the album.
2.9 - This guy’s persona seems all over the place. At some point in the early 2000s, I feel he tried to clean up his image and become a sunny face for daytime TV while retaining enough edge to keep the youth interested. There are some elements of that nice guy here but he intermingles dribbles of the pimp, thug and murderer, with confusing results. Either he’s self-aware and showing himself as a full, complex human. Or he’s just towing too many lines and loses the narrative. All of this would be fine if he weren’t also homophobic and misogynistic or if he consistently spit amazing bars. I’ve given this guy entirely too many chances and I’ll be glad to never think about Common again.
Plein de belle collaborations, mais plutôt beige comme album.
Still don’t know what it was meant to be
Tråkigt och helt för långt. Aning predikande på vissa låtar, trots att beatsen är bra. Skriv mer än en fängslande låt!!!
Un album monotone au possible dépassant l'heure? Pas de doute, c'est bien un album de rap des années 2000 du générateur.
This album thinks pretty highly of itself for how utterly mediocre its production, beats, and bars are. Bloated as well, though that's keeping within its egotism.
This kinda rap is like Dr Seuss gone rancid. Nope.
2/5 naaaah
Aprreciated as it seems to be an album of quite some depth but I just wish it had been distilled a bit further to reduce the noodling and filler. had it been half an hour shorter it'd have earned an extra star.
Socially conscious hip hop album with jazz and soul influenced instrumentation. Quite long (each track and collectively) and samey, which hindered my enjoyment and willingness to examine the album themes in more detail. Rating: 2/5 Playlist track: The Light Date listened: 09/06/22
Zum Teil gute Beats und Common hat ne gute Stimme, aber insgesamt sind das zu schwache Songs.
Not my Style
Aside from the blatantly offensive lyrics in a few of the songs, there some ok tracks. Not my thing, but I guess I can see why it’s in the list at least.
not really a fan the only thing he has going for him is a really unique voice 2.5
Not really my thing. I did enjoy it more than I do most rap or hip hop, but overall just not my favorite type of music. 2 stars.
Listened Before?N Meh. Better than some, but it takes a LOT to crack my rap preferences. Pretty juvenile for the most part, it has its moments. Added to Library? N Songs added to Playlist: The Light
Not for me, but not the worst thing I've heard on this list. 2/5
2.5, I wish I like hip hop/rap more
Couldn’t do it today. Jazzy background was ok, but otherwise not into it. 2
couple of good songs lost in a mediocre album that didn't need to be this long
Has potential for a smooth jazz / rap fusion. Never found of misogynistic lyrics... People are undervalued enough with our dumping more on
The first song, Time Traveling, gave me hope for this album. But, the rest of the album was a letdown. Better than To Pimp a Butterfly though. At least this one is listenable. 2/5
I wasn't into the first half but things took a turn with The 6th Sense. I was getting a misogynistic vibe, but Common artfully addressed that angle on A Film Called (PIMP). Lots being said but this album wasn't for me.
A few good moments from the self-styled 'Morpheus in this hip-hop matrix' - he seems like an engaging lyricist (and so does his dad, actually). But overall I found it a bit of a slog to get through. The production was too one-paced and muzak-y for my liking.
Too many curse words to enjoy as casual listening.
It was OK.
Isossa mittakaavassa ihan laadukasta räpäytystä, mut suurin osa onkin yhen tähen osastoo
Not the gateway album into the world if rap I was hoping for. I'm beginning to wonder if I can base my feelings on a person's rap career on the film and TV roles they choose. And my word, has Common been in some clunkers. By my definition, he's never been in a good movie. This is my first Common album, and I can already see a parallel to his film career. I hope I'm wrong. I'll get at one more taste of Common on this list. Maybe that will be my gateway drug.
It was okay.
Ещё один рнб/хип хоп альбом, нет, спасибо.
I'm not so into this type of sound. I do like bass, but more techno and I like rap but I did not find the lyric moved me. The beats were very down beat and the vocals not so impressive.
Not sure how to rate this, on the one hand I gave this album so many tries years ago because I think both The Light, and The 6th Sense are 10/10 songs. And I still listen to them to this day, but I've deleted all other songs from this album. Giving them a re-listen now I don't think I would reconsider downloading them again. So no, as an album I don't think this deserves to be here.
Bra för din genre, but not my thing, sorry
The album is interseting and is totally different from anything else I've realy listened to. I do not typically listen to rap, though I can see some people enjoying it. I wasn't really much of a fan of the album. I am not the biggest fan of the rap. It sounds to me as though the singer is just reciting a free verse poem and the beat isn't really anything too interesting either.
Nah Bruh. 2/5
Hmmm. Not catchy at all. Too long. A bit boring?
it was not good. the beats were ok. the lyrics suffered the same problem as any other rap artist: too full of himself.
słaby
Niet mijn ding, maar ook niet slecht en ik was ook blij met de afwisseling.
No thanks, did not listen
Niet mijn kopje thee. In afwachting van wel een kopje thee voor mij.
Nah
3/10. Debated between 3 and 4, but looking at the other threes I've given, this seems reasonable. This album just felt very long and dull, and while it wasn't bad song to song persay, it's not really for me, or at least not for 80 minutes all at once.
Boring
Conscious hiphop die Zweite. Wurde nicht auf Robert Smiths Scheidungsparty in der Hacienda aufgelegt. Punktabzug fürs wife smackin‘ 2.3
Nope
Not a fan of albums with the N word so liberally in the lyrics
Hip hip. Largo, coñazo.
Not a Common fan. Maybe if I heard this before the Apple commercials and saw all the shitty acting in mainstream movies I would be more open but I'm admittedly biased. It feels like listening to someone who thinks they're very deep and meaningful. I like angry cursing Common in "dooinit"... "The Sixth Sense" and "Thelonoius" are other stand outs. But otherwise not a huge fan. Too much god and shit in the last handful of tracks.
2.5 | No lo conocía, a pesar de conocer a algunos artistas muy de la misma línea como Kendrick Lamar o Lupe Fiasco. Lo más extraño es que en papel creí que me iba a agradar, hip hop que está bien producido, musicalmente muy bien hecho; incluso después me di cuenta que está producido por Questlove (el DJ de The Roots). Líricamente se aleja de la temática usual de la línea comercial, le da la vuelta y trata de decir en realidad algo importante que valga la pena. ¿Por qué entonces simplemente no me cuadró? No lo se pero a pesar de tener algunas canciones que sí me agradaron bastante como The 6th Sense o Cold Blooded simplemente no me termino de amarrar como disco. Quizá es que llega un punto en que es demasiada la línea de jazz suave y bebop que lleva, quizá es que algunas canciones cruzan más allá de darle la vuelta a la temática y llegan incluso a oirse cursis como The Light, quizá es que las primeras diez canciones me parecieron bastante bien mientras que las últimas 6 se sintieron medio innecesarias y de relleno. Un disco técnicamente muy bien hecho que me debiera de haber gustado mucho... y aunque lo puedo apreciar me quedo con la espina de que sin poder definirlo exactamente algo simplemente no me cuadró.
First album I have not heard before. Didn’t vibe couldn’t finish
Some good songs, but overly long and boring
Går inte gilla :/
Si este disco no fuera tan largo quizá me hubiera ganado un poquito más. El problema es que incluso antes de la mitad ya está demasiado R&B-saxofón-sofá-curvoisier y cansa. En algún punto unos sampleos (o quizá instrumentación real) medio me gustaron, pero fue hace taaaaantas rolas que ya no sé encontrar en cuál. De cualquier manera, fue interesante el ejercicio de tener tres discos de Hip Hop (casi) al hilo pero de épocas tan distintas. No es por viejito (porque nunca le había entrado al género) pero me gustó más el de Run DMC.
Not super impressed, pretty cheesy and empty production
Impressed that I made it all the way through this one, not my jam. But better than I was expecting
2.5 I'm so bored by conscious rap
Not much going on here. Not outright bad, but definitely not good. Just exists, mildly sucking. I kept forgetting it was even on. 2/5.
This album made literally no impact on me at all. I’ll start with the only real positive, which is the production is very crisp and clear, and musically it has a lot raw talent. The problem is I just don’t care for common at all. His delivery doesn’t do anything for me, I don’t like his flow or his pacing, and I honestly just think there’s something about him that’s so boring. I know his name is common but he really comes across like any generic rapper with a ton of money for production. Also one of the biggest songs on this album uses a sample of Bobby Caldwell and the sample does a lot of heavy lifting in that song. The other massive strike against this album is the fact that there’s a ton of artists collaborating on this album (nothing wrong with that BUT…) they ALL over shadow him, ON HIS ALBUM. Like all the features steal the show for their perspective song. Macy gray is the best part of their song, Ceelo green is the best part of their song, even his dad has a better flow and delivery than common. That’s embarrassing…
So belanglos, dass ich’s nicht mal hören kann. Rap ist ohnehin nicht hörbar!
Første fem numre var ens. Langsom rap. Så gad jeg ikke mere.
Not my thing.