Reviews (page 7 of 8)
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.
Scott Kelly's noncing World Cup participant.
I like a lot of this but a few songs aren’t for me. 40 minutes in I thought it should be almost over but had another 30 minutes left. Too many songs went on for too long. Best songs are: Heat, Dooinit, The Light, Payback is a Grandmother, Geto Heaven Part Two and A Song for Assata.
Why are these songs so bad? It's the questions. Actual worst album I've ever listened to.
There's some solid songs on here, especially Payback is a Grandmother, but it didn't grip me. Mostly boring and didn't feel original, even for its time. 2.75/5
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
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.
It kind of dragged on for me. It was alright I guess. Probably wouldn't listen to much of it again.
I thought this had a lot of interesting content.
Greit nok, men komme ikkje vidare til Oslo. Pluss for namedropping av Kraftwerk
Good album. I hear a lot of good about common, expected better.
Not huge on this. It was I tersting to listen to but I can’t see going back to it.
I feel that I should have liked this more than I did - it seems to tick all the right rap/hip-hop boxes for me, but for some reason it didn't grab me. Maybe it's the production - everything is muddy, the drums seem to clip, and the vox is buried underneath everything else.
Great production makes the band sound great. Common's flow and verses sound as good as ever but I think I'd like the featured artists to have a bigger impact on this album. The grooves are exemplar of the "turn of the millennium conscious rap" sound that was just emerging. For that reason it deserves its spot on the list but there are other albums that did it better -- including albums by Common himself.
Some of it didn't resonate with me but great music.
A bit too long. It's very chill and slow paced and I would prefer if the album length was shorter. I've actually never listened to Common before but I'm familiar with his acting work. He's not a bad rapper but not really my taste.
Man this was just soooo boring to get through
Meh. I enjoyed it for the first half. It was punchy and fresh. As it went on though, the rubbish tracks were left for last. If it was half the length, and the goodies kept in, it would have been an entirely different scenario.
Proper jam this, perhaps repetitive in parts but keeps the 4th star as it flows so well!
I think I'm discovering that I only like laid back cool jazz inflected hip hop in small doses. I don't dislike anything here, but a whole album feels backgroundy. The second half gets better, though.
Yeah quality hop that hit
This was ok, if a little generic 2000's sounding
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'd have thought the opening tribute to Fela Kuti would have been much more vibrant, felt far to subtle to celebrate a legend. I'm 50/50 on this album, bits I liked, other bits not so much. 2.5 I wasn't familiar with Common, but checked his filmography, turns out I've seen him in a bunch of movies.
Amazing
Terrible. Simply terrible.
Interesting hip hop with deep low bpm feelings
Pretty good rap. Mostly nothing super great, but ‘A Song For Assata’ is such a great song. Overall, maybe not the best, but enjoyable.
Yeah, sorry, I'll pass. (Didn't age that well, either.)
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.
Just not my thing.
Not as good as I was expecting
not for me
Amaze.
Bity może i by przeszły, ale rap mi nie podszedł
Hip hop clásico con toques jazz negros. Para amantes del estilo
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.
Favoritas: -The 6th Sense
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 really enjoyed the jazz accent on this one. Still, maybe a little too long and it got boring in the end.
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
Another hip-hop album with great songs, flow and beat in it that are unfortunately drenched in a too long and samey overall work. It's sad, because there were very nice moments in it.
hyväyt VAIBAT.. VIBES. VIBAT. VAIPAT... joo liian pitkä ei dirversifikaatioitua musiikkia tarpeksi koko albumi vähän sitä samaa niin joo leikkaappa... heh.. persujen mallista.. LEIKKAAPPA PUOLET POIES.... silti.. hyvää settiä, vihaa homoja a film called... prostituutioesque biisi.. but that beat tho...
Kind of a miss for me. The first half was disorienting and hard to get into. At least in the second half the songs were more focused. Too long. Light 3.
Two stars for production. Common's rhymes are terrible and annoying.
Hasn’t aged as well as I thought I would tbh but a solid effort enlivened by some top beats
I was hopeful after the first track of lounge beasts. It took a turn for cranky wordsmithing after that and I wasn't as keen.
Ths started badly but definitely improved. Apparently after this album Common promised to stop using homophobic slurs in his songs so that is kind of admirable in a fucked up way.
So bad…
Enjoyed this one. Never listened to Common before, but several of the additional artists I was a fan of prior.
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
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
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.
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.
Way too misogynistic for my tastes.
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.
Nope
I'm not too much into rap, but some of these beats are real nice. Complex intellectual shit.
un mood rilassato, fin troppo
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
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.
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
Fine. A couple of elements that caught my attention, but otherwise Common's lyrical facility was overwhelmed by the bland musical backdrops.
Top 3 Songs: 1 - The 6th Sense (8) 2 - The Light (4) 3 - Geto Heaven Part Two (14)
Como hip-hop
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
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.
Another album where, having listened to it merely yesterday, I can remember almost nothing of. Let's play it again. OK, so yeah, this seems really quite well produced. I'm not exactly grippered by it, but it is diverting. Perhaps it's a grower?
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.
Decent sound. Mark it down due to crudeness of lyrics
Very average. Common’s rhymes were very run of the mill, music comp was generic 90’s hip hop. Solid 3. Probably only listen once.
I like it! I'd give it, like, 3.5, but I'm going to choose to round down on this one.
I liked this album, but it's pretty long. It's interesting to see how many different hip-hop styles we have only in one album. It sounds exactly like what I expected for one 90s/2000s hip-hop album. The cultural mixes of the end of the XX century are all here. Reducing 30 minutes and being a little less repetitious would be one of the great hip-hop releases from the last decades.
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.
Did I really just hear this dude repeatedly slapping a woman?
very cool
No
Zzzzzzzzzzz
Ok. Open minded but it's 77 minutes long which for any genre makes me roll my eyes. Interesting mix of funk and soul rap. Overlong. Not my thing.
4.5. Superb album, great mix of excellent music with incisive lyrics. Standouts: Cold Blooded, The Light, Funky For You, The 6th Sense. Thelonius, Geto Heaven Part Two, A Song For Assata, Pops Rap III...All My Children.
dilla and premier
Enjoyed the flow and vibe. But the homophobia stood out like a sore thumb and spoiled it.
Solid record
I' not that much into Hip Hop, because hearing that much text feels pretty exhausting to me, especially on such a long album. I can appreciate the art, but it's not something I can listen to regularly.
After being surprised by how much I liked "Be", I was hoping to enjoy this one more than I did. Not bad but nothing stood out.
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.
I really liked the first half of this album. It's super catchy and funky. Sadly, yet again, this is way too long. I don't know what's with rappers and their need to make albums that are 70+ minutes long. It loses focus near the halfway point and the last few songs are just kind of forgettable. 3/5. Cut out some songs and it's a 5/5.
2-3, not my prefered genre
Hip hop pausat i amb molta influència del r&b i el soul. Molt de tarda urbana passejant en samarreta per un loft industrial amb un mug de café ben calent a les mans
Not even halfway through this and I've already added it to my library. Don't know how I've never heard this before but some absolute heat is on this record.
Good stuff! Certain parts reminded me of Buckshot LeFonque (a Branford Marsalis side project). Enjoyed this one - 4/5.
The album had a nice vibe to it. I liked the beats. They were funky. Altough it was much of the same kind of songs.
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.
Meh! Not bad, not good, just background noise
Nice opening, well put together. Good listen 7/10
Sorry, this stuff just doesn’t work for me.
Good messaging/lyrics. Wasn’t a huge fan of the beats and the vocal level seemed quiet compared to the beats
outcast does the flirting with jazz samples way better and this rap is very boring
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.
not really big on hip hop and this wasn't an exception. overall ok, 2,5/5.
Had a bit of good shit, enjoyed that some of the album flowed into each other.
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.
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.
Common is stone keeper
I feel like I should like this more than I do. It's a head scratcher. I like Common. I enjoy Be a lot and I was into Finding Forever when it dropped, even though I don't return to it often. I don't know why this album never did anything speical for me, and listening again has yielded the same result. It's not bad it's enjoyable enough. A bit on the bloated side but aid rather just listen to Be.
Like water for chocolate by common (formerly “common sense”) is dope, 3.9/5. Some good conscious rap, great flow and soulful beats. It’s cont common’s best album, that would be Be, but it has its moments: The light🔥 Funky for you 6th sense
Plein de belle collaborations, mais plutôt beige comme album.
J'aime beaucoup ce type de Hip Hop. Common, tout comme J Dilla et Mos Def, est un membre périphérique du collectif Native Tongues, collectif qui regroupe entre autre De La Soul et A Tribe Called Quest. En plus tu rajoutes la participation de Questlove à l'intérieur du collectif Soulquarians et il y a tous les éléments pour me plaire. Donc cet album est bon, mais il est vraiment trop long et n'a pas assez de moment forts qui se démarquent. Pas assez de différence pour soutenir l’intérêt tout ce temps. L'album suivant, Electric Circus est plus intéressant dans son éclectisme et l'album Be paru en 2005 est dans la lignée de cet album du jour, mais plus concis et avec plus de moments forts. Par contre il y a tout de même d'excellentes pièces comme The Light et Dooinit produites par J Dila. The 6th Sense produite par DJ Premier est aussi très bonne. J’aime vraiment comment il mixe. Il y a des bonnes collaboration, mais peut-être que ça en aurait pris plus pour soutenir la longueur de l'album. J'aime beaucoup comment est traitée la fin de A Song For Assata avec le discours philosophique à la fin. La finale de l'album aussi est un moment fort en laissant la place encore une fois à son père, Lonnie "pops" Lynn, qui partage ses expériences et opinions. C'est un concept qui a débuté sur l'album Resurrection où il a commencé à laisser la place à son père pour la dernière pièce des albums. Je trouve que c'est vraiment chouette comme idée.
loved the beats and other aspects of the production in this but it was a little bit too long for me
The album started off great then kind of slowed down near the end. Very cool listen but I probably won’t relisten anytime soon.
It was tough to keep my attention going through many of the songs. The lyrics are decent, but not much in terms of hooks or catchy beats. 5/10
Still don’t know what it was meant to be
4,5
I enjoyed “The Light”
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!
I heard he was an antidote to the popular violence and misogyny of the era. I guess homophobia sounds so groovy we don’t mind?
Nice rap. But sometimes too long.
How you can tell this is a rap album released in the year 2000: (1) Themes of racial injustice (2) Macy Gray appearance (3) Casual homophobia and misogyny played for laughs (4) It's about six tracks too long (5) So many references to pimpin'. Best track: A Song for Assata
This is good. I like the instrumentals, and I like the guys voice. The lyrics are also pretty solid.
Thought I wouldn't enjoy this as much as I used to due to seeing through the 'conscious' part of 'conscious rap' now (which I did), but the flow and production is lovely. However, ain't no-one falling for the 'I would rather have a meaningful conversation than sex with all these fine ladies" stuff, that's defo just another way to try and get laid. Also, I'm not homophobic, I just don't want them to bring it around me is not exactly conscious rap! However, I don't judge rap albums by their morals.
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.
Commin on maballs
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
Tråkigt och helt för långt. Aning predikande på vissa låtar, trots att beatsen är bra. Skriv mer än en fängslande låt!!!
Hip hop is not one of the genres that I listen to a lot, and I honestly usually don't care that much about it, but I have to say I really like A Song For Assata, it's my favourite and I got chills. I also liked The 6th Sense. I thought some of the lyrics or words being said were funny, and even if I don't usually vibe with hip hop, I can appreciate the clever rhymes.
La Fouine est toujours en forme.
Un album monotone au possible dépassant l'heure? Pas de doute, c'est bien un album de rap des années 2000 du générateur.
Словно один и тот же трек на протяжении 77 минут.
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.
Was okay probably wouldn't listen again, prefer his acting
Really liked this!
Not aged well sexist homophobic and probably a bit racist. Just some man talking about shagging bitches and shooting people
This kinda rap is like Dr Seuss gone rancid. Nope.
2/5 naaaah
Hip hop. Why are so many of these albums on this list? Annoyed 1/5
Laid back hip-hop
Great album, I’m surprised I didn’t listen to this when it was out 20 years ago, it was exactly the kind of thing I was into. Awesome production, nice tone and flow but I was surprised by the amounts of niggers, hoes, gats and fags included: not quite as conscious I was expecting.
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
No gusta
Ok
interesting mix between instrumental and jazz rap
Beter als verwacht hiphop album met jazz invloeden, zeker niet verkeerd
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.
Didn't blow me away but enjyable enough
Doesn't quite click with me. Has some high points, but lots of middles.
This is sweet relief after a bunch of gangsta rap albums. Gangsta lost me, and the soulquarian, conscious hip hop is a blessed relief. I love the Dilla/Questlove production. Common isn't the world's greatest rapper, but this record is a breath of fresh air after the violence and misogyny of much of 90s hip hop. The production is A1, which makes this a really wonderful album to listen to.
On the one hand a strong solid album… it flows well, maintains the level of quality throughout, smart rhymes, wonderful guests. On the other hand it has few standout tracks - it doesn’t peak and through it just marches on, albeit a good march - you’re not going to walk away with favourite tracks - but you’re very likely to like the album as a whole. It is also a tad overlong, but not tiresome.
Ha! I don't need to listen to this... I heard Common's latest song on the radio a few weeks back and I think I cracked my issue with him. He's got flow, he's got skills but his songs are just not terribly interesting - for me at any rate - except for those ones with the catchy samples expertly woven into them. So on this album, it's The Light and everything else... just doesn't really grab me in the same way that it does. I want to like Common more, I really do - even if he did try to kill John Wick.
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.
Common leaves me feeling underwhelmed. He's trying out alot of different things here, and he's assembled quite a production team, but it never quite coalesces.
Never can get into Common, I always hear he's "socially-conscious" then I hear him calling people faggots and yeah... no thanks. Everything else is fine.
Buen disco de jazz Rap
Zum Teil gute Beats und Common hat ne gute Stimme, aber insgesamt sind das zu schwache Songs.
In genere mi fa schifo l'hip hop, ma qua mi devo ricredere, mi è piaciuto.
There are a few songs with great messages, but most of the album is pretty average.
Not my Style
This is Common's fourth album, and it was his critical and commercial breakthrough album - being certified gold in the US. The hip-hop album received praise from many music critics for being able to tell stories throughout the songs, as well as discussing socio-political issues about race. To me, this type of rap is old-school and outdated. It doesn't have that "oomph" that modern hip-hop has, and the skits on many tracks gets old really fast. I didn't find much to like about this album, but I don't hate it either.
Musically this album is good, really good.. However the rapper is very inconsistent, I think fewer songs would have helped.
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.
Probably a better party album than anything. Common does some of the best story songs
This is a lengthy album clocking in at 1 hour and 17 mins. Regardless, there's enough variation in the tracks to keep listening. Some resonated stronger than others and some, (like Funky For You at 5:50) completely change direction for the worse. This album is mostly relaxed vibes, simple beats and easy listening. Never spent any time with Common but enjoyed this more than I thought.
I don't know what to make of this mix of two very different styles of hip hop. Musically, it is a great example of alternative hip hop/jazz rap, and stands out with some of the better examples of the subgenre. But lyrically, it is not from that world. Too often eschewing the positivity of alternative hip hop for language and themes that are cruder, "Like Water for Chocolate" disappointed for failing to live up to it's potential.
More aggressive and harder than the album Be. I like Be better but I generally like his flow.
not really a fan the only thing he has going for him is a really unique voice 2.5
So cool
I tried really hard to like this. Musically the beats are solid but by the end of the album it began to feel like they were on a loop. I also found Like Water For Chocolate over-long which is probably what caused the album not to grab me. Maybe it is my background but I found some of the lyrics like Common says in the last track "not for me". That is fine, I can't for a second say that I know what a black person in America goes through. It is a form of Common's story telling fair enough but I found the more gangster elements of the album a bit false. I also found a couple of lyrics a bit sexist and couldn't work out if Common was being serious in what he rapped. A good ablum overall but one that isn't going to go on my high rotation list.
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.
Somewhere out there, among our music reviewing colleagues, a 20 year old black woman is doing her very best trying to make sense of Pink Floyd’s 'Dark Side Of The Moon,' but to no avail. Not her fault. That’s more of a 62 year old white guy’s jam. Her generation, along with her culture, race, puts her at a comprehensive disadvantage with an album like 'Dark Side Of The Moon.' Same thing with me on 'Like Water For Chocolate.' Too much of this experience simply went over my head, not the fault of Common and crew. But while my young friend out there and I struggle to understand each other, and these musical artists who represent us, it doesn’t mean that we still can’t feel what’s going on in each other’s world. 'Like Water For Chocolate,' to me, felt positively Afrocentric. Musically, mostly R&B flavored Hip-Hop, and lyrically exploring an alternative response to life in America among its Black citizens than what, for example, the gangsta rappers advocate. Common and company are fighting for a larger, selfless good, justice and righteousness, with counsel like: ‘… give back what you receivin (‘Time Travelin’’).’ On ‘Doonint,’ the claim is the spitting of ‘something different’ from the typical violent, misogynistic rap that seems to be normative- ‘I rap for the hungry and underprivileged,’ albeit, ‘with a chip on my shoulder.’ Common and company will not have you mistake their kindness for weakness. They are still just as dangerous, as deadly, as the gangsta rappers. For what has proven to be more deadly to the damaged status quo, wherever, whenever, and among whomever that occurs, than Love? Even Common’s father testifies to the positive, healing power of love on the final track, ‘Pops Rap III – All My Children,’ as the most successful solution to the issues confronting the black community. Again, I don’t really feel very qualified to review this LP, or rap in general, I’m discovering. That said, I do appreciate the amazing spoken poetry set to really cool music that this LP shares in abundance. These are talented and skilled artists, masters at their craft. My favorite vibe was actually on the very first track, ‘Time Travelin,’ with its quite unique and spell-bounding hybrid of R&B, Hip-Hop, and psychedelia, of all things! The strong echo/reverb put on the vocals truly gave it a psychedelic sounding component that I’ve never quite heard in this genre, and I liked it so much that I found myself increasingly disappointed that they didn’t use the entire LP to explore it further. Inagodadavi-vi-vida.
I'm not a big rap guy so getting rap albums is always tough for me here. So far all the rap albums mostly come from the US and represent a culture I did not grow up in and have never experienced. This makes it tough to judge these albums given how reflective they are of the society the respective rappers grew up in. However, compared to some of the previous rap albums I've gotten, this is more in my style. The beats are more jazzy and the flow is a bit more my style. Still the lyrics are a bit homophobic, which Common has admitted to saying he doesn't want to use any more which is always good to hear.
Never heard this before, I like it.
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.
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
I enjoyed this album. Never really listened to Common but thought that this was an album I’d re listen to. Some of his songs are catchy and most are upbeat. He does a good job of not being a typical 90s gangster rap and has his own flow and style. Similar to the roots and tribe in my opinion. 7.6/10
Not a bad rap album but not a geeat album
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
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.
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'll give Common credit where credit is due, his vocals are so smooth and gives a great vibe for the beats that accompany him. The feature are really good too, particularly like Pops on the last track. Some really good songs here with the favourite being The Light. Not something I would listen to whole as its not my thing but definitely some songs will be added to the playlist.
Awesome album. Lyricism is top notch, and the beats are immaculate. Questlove and J Dilla on production is such a dream team and they really show out. The feature list is great too with Slum Village, Mos Def, MC Lyte, Bilal, etc. It's one of those albums that you have to keep coming back to in order to really dive into all of its nook and crannies of both lyrical meaning and musicality. Also my neck is sore from nodding my head for over an hour straight.
I 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
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.
Loved this, smooth rap some really catchy hooks and beats
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.
I thought it was shit tbh. Good looking guy though
nice!
Too many curse words to enjoy as casual listening.
I was pleasantly surprised. Although I didn't vibe with all of the songs, I did enjoy listening to most of this album. The production and storytelling were solid on all the tracks.
This is a long record that has not aged well. Nothing stood out to me but the gay slurs.
Very boring, nothing here that I enjoyed at all. And to top it off, it's too long.
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.
Decent rap album that is too long and lacks any standouts
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 🌟
I'd love to vibe to this with all the guy's vocals cut out. The musicality of it all is pretty nice.
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
Like Water for Chocolate by Common (2000) If the listener can get beyond the seemingly obligatory profanity, braggadocio, and revolutionary apocalypticism, he/she will discover some serious thought. This is a plus. Now the music lacks the innovation and intricacy of, say, a production of Kanye West, and the rapid pace of the delivery precludes a full understanding of the message on a first listen. One needs to slow way down and listen repeatedly to get the excellent effect of Common’s meaning. This characteristic, however, diminishes its quality as an album. There’s beauty to behold here, but it takes work. 3/5
The sound blends a bunch of genres together, including funk and afrobeat, but also electronic to create a product that sounds very much like a product of its time, yet excels in its endeavors with each track. Maintained momentum all throughout, with tracks blending into each other. Only exception is that I found the clarity in its pop track "The Light" to be a sore thumb. Despite this, I found the length to be a huge weakness, starting to lose focus near the middle. Had to drop and come back to the second half later, but it's still full of good tracks. Use of spoken word works well for covering political topics, like "The Questions" to make it super easy for audience to follow along on first listen. Favorite tracks: Time Travelin, Heat, Dooinit, Funky for You
This album has a few issues, particularly in length and pacing. It’s a bit bloated, both in overall length and in a few songs that really could have been edited down a bit. But all that falls by the wayside with just how good of a vibe it puts out. Equal parts passionate and relaxed. I feel like I’ve been snatched away and placed into Common’s living room, and he is making some tea while telling me about some social issues he is passionate about. That is a feeling I can’t help but love.
So the thing about Common, is the he is an excellent lyricist with a special sound. I feel uplifted, and yet, grounded when listening to him. He absolutely captures a cup of coffee in the middle of the city on a Thursday morning for me. Sometimes it is cheesy, I'll just say that is a little cream cheese on a bagel with my coffee. I can't always put this on, but I can for sure put it on every morning.
It was OK.
grand
Was ok, some nice instrumentation. Vocals got a bit tedious. Not awful, not great
Super bon album de rap avec des bonnes influences jazz
Ihan lepposaa menoa. Ei herättänyt tunteita. 2,5*
Isossa mittakaavassa ihan laadukasta räpäytystä, mut suurin osa onkin yhen tähen osastoo
Good grooves.
There's an opening section, between Time Travelin' and its reprise, where jazz-rap beats manage to stay together despite the low level of melody in the production. It feels simply-right, but my sophomore analysis is that the mix of straightforward flows, old-school beats, and many collaborators is actually quite deft. (Defter by far than that sentence.) The second half reads much poppier, but there's an attempt to pimp square the conscious circle, introduced by a quote of Gil Scott-Heron. "Clumsy" is the wrong word, since A Song for Assata is so successful that it integrates hip-hop self-reference, too. But the half doesn't quite work. But I still like the project: It's strong.
Common fucks, and this album is great
True Rating: 75/100
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.
No me tomé la molestia
Putamadre qué de mal humor me pone escuchar a este cabrón
It was okay.
Solid! Self aware! Smooth!
Ещё один рнб/хип хоп альбом, нет, спасибо.
Kolejny dzien pod czarna flaga, jak woda na czekolade, czy moze jak woda dla czekolady, co moze sugerowac okladka albumu, tym razem zaskoczenie jest wieksze, bo artsta dobrze znany, a jednak wybor albumu z jego dyskografii dosc nieoczywisty, bo poklask podziemnych hardkorowych glow na liscie otrzymalaby plyta resurrection, natomiast jego najlepiej sprzedanym materialem i nadal sluchanym, jesli luknac na spotifaja czy last fma jest zdecydowanie bardziej popowy, a mniej consciousowy be z 2k04, a tworca listy postawil na kompromisie pomiedzy tymi dwoma stylami, chociaz juz sama oklada czy tytul rowniez moze miec cos wspolnego z wyborem tej pozycji, bo o ile common zawsze byl raperem ktory otwarcie mowil o problemach murzynskiej spolecznosci, tak w tym albumie jest to motyw przewodni, ale jednak troche z mniej krytycznej strony patrzy na spoleczenstwo niz chocby na wspomnianym resurrection, wiecej tu gloryfikowania czarnosci, ale takze holdowania wczesniejszym pokoleniom, co juz mozna zobaczyc po samych tytulach trakow, jak otwierajacy time travelin a tribute to fela, tego samego feli ktory mial juz swojego picka z swoim zombie, theloniousowy traczek tez jest oczywistym nawiazaniem do monka, niezrozumiala hajpowosc tej plyty moze wynikac z dwoch powodow, ilosci featurow, bo na 16 trakow, tylko 6 jest ich pozbawiona, a nawet na trakach bez featurow samplowanie bywa tak mocne, ze czuc obecnosc samplowanego artysty, co nie zawsze jest zle, ale gdzies w tym wszystkim traci sie sam kontent commonowy, a skoro o samplach, to na produkcji sptokaly sie legendarne teraz postacie, to jest j dilla z slum village oraz questlove z the roots, dodatkowo pojawiaja sie kawalki wyprodukowane przez dja premiera, czy chocby pana di angelo z poprzedniego picka, jaki ten murzynski swiat muzyczny jest maly, like water for chocolate plyta z pomyslem na siebie, pomyslem ktory zostal wykonany, bo sprzedac politycznie swiadomy hip hop w roku 2000, to sukces sam w sobie, ale jednak godzina siedemnascie czasu materialowego jest zbyt rozciagnietym konceptem, ktory caly czas sie powtarza, featury takie jak mos def na the questions pomagaja, ale co za duzo to niedobrze po pewnym czasie, na plejaka wrzuce wlasnie the questions i chyba najbardziej z rozpoznawalnych kawalkow plyty, czyli the light i ten dosc nietypowy jak dla tej plyty, bo bialy sampel pana caldwella z open your eyes z 80, oba kawalki wyprodukowane przez mistrza J
Simple beats, fun lyrics over top.
Very nice old school
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.
Tres bon album de new york rap. Dj premiere, une belle decouverte j’ai hate d’en entendre plus. 4.65
Very early 2000's, I think I can hear the Snoop influences and the East Coast origins.
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.
I had no idea what genre I was listening to at the start of the first track, but overall a pretty decent story driven album. The 6th Sense was the highlight for me.
It's..okay. Song for Assata is great, but most of the album is a bit of a slog, about 20 minutes too long. Marred by homophobia and misogyny in spite of Common calling his girl his equal multiple times
Starts off good for me, a lot of the music is all actually played by various other musicians which makes sense as is not typical repetitive hiphop beat/s but commons rapping is not the best but it is an intro so makes sense. Quite dated at times like you could never say "Deep as a skinny girl's cunt" now and also "In a circle of faggots, your name is mentioned". The music is good, but commons rapping is not great at all really but I like his voice but not saying much really. This is getting a high rating for ?questlove, j dilla and other collaborators/featrures like dj premier, macy gray and cee-lo. I always liked the light, has been in my liked songs since my ipod probably. I also recognised and liked 6th sense, but again is more about dj premier than common. Didn't do a lot to keep me engaged, could have be 10 tracks really. Low 3.
I can’t do anymore hip hop. Sorry.
Can't believe I've never heard Common before. The production is brilliant in this album, with phased vocals, tasteful use of synths, keys, trumpets and strings, a bass tone that's compressed to a satin chocolate finish, and rich, measured backing vocals. Common's flow is great and the tribute he pays to african american music from the past 50 years is dense as hell. Through Jazz, blues, disco, funk, RnB (especially on the keys), soul, and others, Common elevates the music of black artists onto his own personal pedestal, and then takes inspiration from it to create something really exciting and original. It drags a bit in the middle for me maybe, but that's the only complaint I have - and Common's reluctance to fall into patterns of singing about the same tropes that a lot of 90s hip-hop singers did is not only refreshing, but it also allows him to touch on some really emotional and personal points of interest. "Save the war stories for Private Ryan"
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
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.
Really solid hip hop record
Rätt bra. Bra beats och lyrics. Men blev lite väl långtråkigt. Men finns guldkorn. Bästa låtar: The 6th Sense The Questions The Light
Classic, smooth hip-hop. Conscious ideas. Favorite song(s): Questions, 6th Sense
not my type of rap
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Heat, The Light, A song for Assata
Not my cup of tea
Good production but didn't really connect with the feel of the music
Liked it much more than I thought I would, since Common generally doesn't do much for me. Overlong, but saved by great production.
A surprise find here - Really enjoyed it throughout and will go back and listen again
2000s rap, okay stuff.
I should listen to more Common
This music isn't for me.
I’m writing this hours after I actually listened to the album so I don’t have much to say cus I don’t actually remember too much. Rap isn’t usually a genre that holds my interest and this was a long one so a lot went over my head from my lack of attention which again, I feel like is crucial for rap. There were some good bits like the pimp battle and I love that his dad has his own track on the album. Main gripe is length.
Another great hip-hop album. Common has great flow and the beats are funky.
This is such a solid record from front to back. Absolutely love it.
I had the album on shuffle and didnt realise until 40 mins in. I enjoyed the album, a lot of these albums, I listen to on the side and see if anything stands out, nothing did, but I still enjoyed it. real rating 3.5/5
This was a long album, it kind of felt long for the sake of it. However, I love the instruments in this, they create a vibe that I really like. The instrumentals on their own are really smart, and I enjoy the rap also. There's some clever lyrics in here, I liked "I'm Morpheus in this hip-hop Matrix". Shame about the homophobic lyrics, not aged well and were uncomfortable to hear, that alone loses this a star.
Jo men den var inte så pjåkig
SO GROOVY
Che bellissima production! Il beat e` super soft e raffinato e i momenti jazz e funk si fondono benissimo. Hip hop jazz funky super elegante e coinvolgente.
Bra för din genre, but not my thing, sorry
While I was happy yet not surprised to see Be on the list, this album was definitely not expected. It's a good listen - I prefer the Questlove production - but I had to remind myself several times that it was Common and not Q-Tip. Really could have been an ATCQ tribute album. The Light and Sixth Sense are strong tracks but the album lacks an overall flow and several songs try too hard to be edgy compared to some of Common's better lyrical work.
A solid 3. Similar to the last Common one, I enjoy the more musical and jazzy accompaniment. As usual, I'm listening while working so the lyrics don't get as much attention as they should but what I picked up was good.
Echt, ook dit weer een met predikaat Hele Leuke Plaat. Neeext! Wel opgeleukt met aardige geluidssamples.
Mos def, dj Premier lauter Guade sachan
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.
Wow, this is really smooth, interesting, catchy stuff. I had not heard the album in full before, and I like it. To state the obvious, Common has certainly gained so much visibility since this album, and deservedly so. Solid, well-thought-out, jazzy, captivating stuff here.
It's not Be, but it comes close
Jo
2 - "Freaky like Marv Albert in outfits" 7 - The Questions é MUITO boa 8, 9, 10, 11 - sequencia absurda de batidas PIKA Depois de pesquisar eu entendi o pq eu gostei tanto desse álbum: ele é todo produzido pelo J Dilla. Conceitualmente é muito muito bem feito, liricamente também, as batidas também. Se esse álbum fosse um jogador de basquete ele seria o Anthony Davis. O que que ele não consegue fazer? Você examina a habilidade defensiva, muito bom. Beleza, então ele deve ser um passador ruim? Não. Então ele é um zelador: defende, rebote, assistência? Também não. Ele faz tudo que precisa e faz muito bem. A imersão que esse álbum causa na história que ele conta é absurda. Ele é balanceado, pega fogo no miolo e termina muito bem.
Nah Bruh. 2/5
Buen rap
Jaunty with a smooth tip
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
Interesante la cantidad de estándares referenciados en unas bases que beben del soul, del jazz y del R&B. No me mata líricamente a priori, pero tampoco le he prestado toda la atención del mundo.
Very enjoyable, I haven't listened to any common before. I like the jazz influence, the whole thing works well
i like! felt a lil long but it was good. so far all the songs are good
This album is so good. I liked this a lot more than Be.
Inget speciellt liksom, bra vibe men inte mkt mer än så.
Best tracks: Time Travellin’, Dooinit, The 6th Sense
Good for scatting over!
Still not the biggest fan of Common, but super funky beats. Good for driving.
Nee helaas
Niet mijn ding, maar ook niet slecht en ik was ook blij met de afwisseling.
Goeie rapvibe, toffe beats. Maar niet echt heel vrouwvriendelijk. Daarom een sterretje minder
No thanks, did not listen
Viel me niks tegen. Op een gegeven moment had ik het wel gehoord, maar dit soort wat meer user-friendly-gangster-rap kan ik best hebben.
Niet mijn kopje thee. In afwachting van wel een kopje thee voor mij.
Boring
A lot more lo-fi than the other Common record on this list - no hits so far, and far too long at 1hr17. With some serious trackless editing, could be excellent