Be

Not really my thing but I enjoyed it and will listen again

I was excited to get this album but I don't know if its because I'm not feeling 100% or something else but this album didn't do much to move the needle for me. The beats are cool and I am not taking any points away because of Kanye being featured on this album but something about this album made it not hit for me as much as I thought it was going to. 3/5

Ptn je me le suis pris. J'ai kiffé. Déjà c'est un album produit en majorité par Kanye à l'era College dropout/ late registration donc prime soul sample/ pitched voices. Ça me donne des sons de Kanye de l'époque supplémentaires que je connaissais pas. Ensuite, l'écriture/la voix de Common j'ai bien accroché, évidemment à voir à la réécoute/ avec plus d'attention mais de ce que j'en retiens c'est très sympa. Et l'album dans l'ensemble est cohérent et tourne très bien. Bref, gros banger ajouté à ma bibliothèque. 1) Be (intro) 2) They Say 3) Go !

Sympa

Good variety of backing tracks which are soulful and fun. Rapping sounds the same throughout. 3/5

Smooth

i think i've heard a few tracks by common before but definitely never a whole album. this one's pretty good! the beats aren't my favourite but the production as a whole is really solid, and there's a few tracks in there like "go!" and "chi-city" which i really enjoy the subtle scratching on. "they say" is pretty great too. it's a very chilled out vibe overall and im into it. it's not incredible but it's definitely good enough for a solid 4.

Knew it was a Kanye production immediately. Album greatly benefit from it otherwise just kinda meh

It feels safe and even a little bit boring, but in a good way. I don't know, maybe this is a four star album, but for now let's leave it at three.

i already know this gonna be a good album

I enjoyed Like Water For Chocolate a lot, I was luke warm on Electric Circus and because of which never checked out any albums after it. This is the first time listening and it’s good but not great. There is something kind of boring about Common that I can’t put my finger on.

I dislike this less than the other Common I had, but I still don't like him or his dumb hats.

This is pretty much my introduction to Common. I’ve heard the name before, and I’m sure I’ve probably heard him featured on something at some point, but as far as actually sitting down and listening to a Common album, this is the first time. And honestly, it’s fine. There’s a lot of smooth production here, some really enjoyable samples, and the whole album has a pretty laid-back, polished sound. Nothing on it annoyed me, and there wasn’t really a track I outright disliked. But at the same time, there also wasn’t much that grabbed me. Part of the problem might be that I listened to Kanye West’s The College Dropout only about a month or so ago, and Be reminded me of that album quite a bit. Obviously Kanye’s involvement in the production has something to do with that, but because The College Dropout is still pretty fresh in my mind, some of this ended up feeling a little derivative rather than completely new to me. I do appreciate the political and social topics Common gets into, and there’s definitely substance behind what he’s rapping about. But after listening to the whole thing, I still don’t really feel like I discovered what makes Common distinctly Common. When I think about some of the other major rappers I’ve heard, there’s usually something about their delivery, personality, storytelling, or overall style that immediately separates them from everybody else. I didn’t quite get that here. So yeah, Be is a perfectly pleasant album. It sounds good, it’s easy to listen to, and there’s nothing here I particularly disliked. Unfortunately, there’s also nothing that really blew me away. Sometimes an album can do absolutely nothing wrong and still leave you with basically nothing to say about it, and I think that’s where Be landed for me.

I really liked the way the songs were mixed. Vocals and backing tracks are excellent. The lyrics were a bit too religious for my taste, but excellent artist

2/5, enjoyable enough but just not my jam.

I’m familiar with a good amount of Common’s music. It’s decently good but he’s never been my favorite.. idk he just seems like he’s trying too hard to convince everyone he’s such a good guy lol

Not for me

Nice.

Well, I appreciate the sound, the socially conscious lyrics and all, but it's not for me. Not remarkable

Better than I expected, but still not something I’d choose to listen to.

Better than I thought tho not extraordinary.

Kanye honing his craft while Common expresses himself with a sense of ease and renewed self-assurance.

Pleasant-sounding jazzy hip hop.

Enjoyed this.

Ik kende de beste man nog niet en moet zeggen dat mijn leven er nou niet bepaald veel beter op geworden is nu ik hem wel ken. Ook niet slechter opzich.

Shamefully I had never even heard of Common. This was nice but nothing did it for me, it was a bit smooth.

595/1089 - I'm decently good at math and I enjoyed this. Some of the chipmunk production I'm not too huge on but I liked the piano parts.

I mean it's not as offensive as some of the Kanye crap I've been listening to. There are some creative music ideas in there. But I just don't like it.

"Ain't nobody expect Kanye to end up on top / They expected that College Dropout to drop and then flop / Then maybe he stop savin' all the good beats for himself / Roc-A-Fella's only n— that helped" That is a direct quote from Last Call by Kanye West. I bring these lines up because either he had a change of heart in the few months between The College Dropout and Be, or he is a liar, because this album contains nine of the best beats he has ever made. Remarkably, the other two non-Kanye produced songs are equally impressive, thanks to the late great J Dilla. I could rave all day about the production on this album, but this is Common's album after all, and Common didn't put up a legendary rap performance on every song just for everybody to talk about it like it's Kanye's album. The storytelling is some of the best I've heard, and the delivery of these lyrics are as lively as the production. Oh, and as a self-proclaimed John Legend hater ever since All of Me dropped, I will acknowledge that maybe I'm in the wrong about him, because his contributions to this album are wonderful. If I'm ever having a bad day and need to cheer myself up, this is going right next to Songs in the Key of Life in my rotation. 9.5/10 Favorite tracks: Be (Intro), GO!, Love is..., They Say

Good music. Super repetitive lyrics. Meh.

very good vibes clear message no playlist worthy songs though

Never really listened to Common. That was apparently a mistake, this album is excellent. He’s such a great lyricist.

Black is beautiful. 🔥✊🏿🖤 Standout tracks: Go!, Faithful, and The Corner. Will definitely be keeping this album in my music library and will listen again.

I didn't know this album and was having a hard time finding time to listen to it. I often listen to these albums while reading, but I found it hard to listen and read to this one. With that said, I kept hearing the first two songs before I would give up, and I thought those two songs were amazing. I thought for sure this album would get a higher rating from me, but the rest of the album didn't move me as much as those first two tracks. I still enjoyed it, but I had high hopes I'd like it even more.

3.5

Solid nor spectacular

I didn’t know that I liked Common, but now I do.

i love this sm

très cool mais un peu cliché parfois 3/5

I’m not sure I’ll return to this album. I’d like to know more about the history, but the songs felt repetitive at times and I found myself wondering when it would end? Unfortunately this isn’t my top genre but I appreciated listening to a new sound

I knew him first as an actor but he’s good at both

I'm at a crossroads with this because the Dilla and Kanye production is solid, but Kanye's presence alone (particularly when he raps on two of the songs) taints everything. I go from finding Common's raps sounding very dated to thinking they're solid enough. Very much of its era, and it's hard to feel like "oh yeah put on that Common shit" in 2026.

Great production, mediocre rapping

If ever someone wasn't the target audience it I Some good songs some bad I'm looking at you go. Not unpleasant just a bit meh.

Common is probably one of the most accessible and relatable hip-hop artists in the business. His rhymes are smartly written, thoughtfully choreographed, and his albums have a polished shine to them. Be is no exception, in fact, it may be his best work. I prefer my hip-hop a little grimy and lived in, but there's no question that Common has talent that overflows each one of these tracks. He's a poet and a storyteller of the highest caliber.

Liked this a lot. Great, relaxed almost playful delivery.

I enjoyed this one more than I was expecting to

Excellent conscious rap. An earlyish Kanye production! Unmistakable. 8/10

What a masterpiece! Seriously, this is some of the best Hip-Hop I have heard in a long time! This was produced by J Dilla and Kanye, arguably while both of them were at their very best and mixing that with the talent of Common, this is easily one of the greatest Rap albums of the 21st Century! 'GO!' and 'Faithful' were my favourite tracks, but it would be ignorant not to recognise every tracks as phenomenal. 'Testify' and 'Real People' were the weakest, but not many rappers (Or music artists in general!) would ever dream of making tracks as brilliant as them!

I'm pretty good with basic arithmetic, but I never got into higher-level mathematics.

originaly wanted to skip, couse not my ganre, but damn, this is good

This was a fun enjoyable rap album. I wouldn't fall in love with it but Id call it a 3.

Not the biggest Hip Hop fan, but this wasn't bad. I really liked the opening track, but unfortunately the rest of the album isn't as good imo ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have a master's degree in literature, so surely I should like this? I don't. Boy was that painful. The lyrics are dumb and often sexist, and they're written with the most bland and boring rhymes known to man, sung with the energy of a house plant. Some songs have soul elements, and they're almost good, but there's too much dogshit on this album for it to matter. I did the math.

Solid mid 2000s hip hop album. You can hear Kanye’s production all over this thing and Common just masterfully throws his lyrics out almost effortlessly.

Definitely not Shrek Core. Not even close. Great album. Opening 5 tracks are incredibly strong. Great instrumentals, great flow. Peak Kanye. Only sags a little around track 7/8/9. I don’t love ‘they say’. The rest of the album is really up there.

Kanye’s production and Common’s rapping style make this a landmark album of 2000’s hip hop.

ich verstehe, warum das Album legendär ist, aber es ist lieber überhaupt nicht meins. zu unentschlossen zwischen Soul und Hip Hop, aber immerhin 100% J. Dillah Trademarks.

Wow. This was phenomenal. I have been disappointed by most of the hip-hop we have listened to so far. It hasn't aligned with my taste or hasn't been as well produced as this album. Be is in its own league compare to what we have listened to. Its vibrant, energetic, smooth, creative and so intriguing. The production is ear candy and the flows are so silky. I would 100% return to this album, what a great find! Favorite Tracks: Be The Corner Go They Say

I Just Wanna Be 1001 Albums Generator 333 (8/23/2026) I mean you get mid-2000's Ye producing with Dilla and good flows from Common and it's bound to be a masterpiece. From the walking bass that opens the intro, it was clear to me this was going to be a fantastic album, and it pretty much doesn't slow down the whole way through. The only bumps in the road for me are the slightly lofi The Food (which was recorded on the set of The Chapelle Show, and just sounds less full than the rest of the album), and the spoken word of It's Your World Part 2. Besides that, it's perfect midwest hiphop. A blend of jazzy and chipmunk soul production from two of the greatest producers of all time. 4.5/5, rounded up to 5. Favs: Be (Intro) The Corner They Say Least Fav: It's Your World Part 1 & 2

I can't believe I've went all these years without listening to a full Common album. The first time I heard, "Go!" I was absolutely in love but I never dug deeper. I'll be sure to listen to more of him in the near future though. This is literally neo-soul in rap form. The conscious message of this album, coupled with Kanye's production and engineering is just... lovely. The Chicago sound is unmatched!! This album is For Us, By Us riddled with references, bars, samples and sounds that makes up the Black experience.

Great production. A great time for Kanye, his influence is noticed in the whole album, also cant dismiss legend J Dilla. Common is smoof wit it, good storyteller, has a nice way of wording things; bars. Appreciate a lot of the subject matter: love, faith, describing the street corner of the poor.

Highlight: Real People Be is a better album than Late Registration. Both lyrically and with the beats. Kanye co-produced this album as did James Poyser (The Roots), so you can hear their influences. I don't think it shows anything new in context of 00's hip hop. Common is offering a different POV. Overall: 4/10

This was the first time I've listened to Common, and I was incredibly impresed. It's a great album with classical hip-hop production with a Kanye stamp. In an era in which hip-hop was more club focused I can imagine at the time this came as a nice break. Commons flow on this is incredible as well and the use of features is also great. Genuinely impressed with it, 4/5.

I am not a HipHop girly, but this one is nice.

Honestly don't know what to make of this one.

Groovy!!

Very excited for this one because I saved my first full listen-through for this project. Such a good record!

Pretty good. For a genre I’m not the biggest listener of, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. 3.5/5

Kanye West jumpscare As someone who was not impressed by his first album we had on here, this is so much better. MUCH better flows, The Corner and Go! have hypnotic, absorbing beats that are a lot gentler than some other albums we’ve had, but still do a great job of keeping energy going. Say what you want about Kanye but his contributions on this album make it so much better, his verses are great and the music as a whole improves Second half definitely loses a lot of steam, but that might be a symptom of just how good the first half is. I still don’t think his vocals are particularly strong, and i don’t think it’s a coincidence the tracks where there’s no featured artists are the weakest Still though, I’m very impressed by the turnaround between this album and his last one we had, really goes to show what a new producer can do. Probably right around an 8/10 for me

my mind when I think about the word "lounge". You know, a place to chill, maybe have a drink or two with someone else. While Common might not be the greatest MC ever, he has a nice voice and lush instrumentations that will make you feel at ease with the world that is produced by the King Midas of hip hop production, Kanye West, plus a couple of J Dilla produced tracks. This means slick production over the jazzy instrumentation and the most on-point beats in the game. That's what make this record shine. Also, it has "Be (Intro)" that has to be the one of the best beats Kanye has ever lay in his life. The lyrics are ok. Positive if a little simple, but sometimes you need simple lyrics and the right attitude to clean up your act and this album feels quite fit for the moment.

This album sounds so good, and reminds me that Kanye really is talented. I truly wish he hadn't gone crazy. I cannot tell how much of this sound is from Common or Kanye, but I liked it.

Know this one well. Love the beats, love the lyrical style and cadence, equally the content. None of the gimmicks, grand-standing or interlude-ey filler here, and no bad tracks on the album. Top draw hip-hop.

some great songs and overall well produced, just gets a wee bit repetative, and some weird linds/song topics in places

Super smooth jazzy hip hop

Muy buenos samples

Not bad but did not listen to the whole thing since its not my style

4.35. Solid B+. Need to add common to my algorithm

Common is quite common.

“Be plus” Modern rap with plenty to like … lots of skill and artistry and storytelling. Over great beats and super clean production. Back when Kanye changed his name to kuntye

Not bad but probably wouldn't listen again

3.18 out of 5 stars for Common's Be. It was just OK. I liked some of the throwback vibes, felt like a Marvin Gaye album at times, but I guess I'm more of an East Coast or West Coast Hip Hop lover, Chicago just ain't bringing it. Also, I'm not a huge fan of Kanye West, so I'm knocking the score down a bit more on his guest appearances. Common himself is not that bad of a rapper, but in the end, he's just.... common.

Masterful.

Ich fand’s eigentlich ganz solide, die ersten drei Songs waren nice. Manchmal waren mir die Beats ein wenig zu repetitive, bzw. ich fand sie teilweise zu unangenehm abgemischt(?) als dass ich sie mir hätte länger geben wollen. Besonders testify und the food meine ich damit btw. Ah und: Es gibt einen tweet der geht so: „i was raised on silk shirt rnb so all that incel shit never hit for me, i believe in beggin for the pussy. outside in the rain, crying, throwing up, just for a sniff. thats your role as a man“ Anyways, faithful ist peak simping lol.

Well, I’m gobsmacked. I’ve heard of Common, but never heard him. I loved this. No matter what you think of Kanye just admit he’s a great producer. I loved this so my much it’s added to my account to listen to again.

I feel like I’ve heard of this guy. But don’t really know anything. I love the opening on “Be(Intro)”. Vocals kicked in. This is amazing so far. This is a great record. I really enjoy the music. This album is not the kind of stuff I normally look for. But it has swayed me. I need more like this. I’ve really enjoyed this album.

Enjoyed listening to this yesterday but didn't take any listening notes and struggling to remember much about it. But seemed to be quite mellow lyrical hip hop as opposed to Gangsta rap style hip hop, so always a plus from me there for that. Perhaps somehow between 3 and 4 stars. Rounding down.

it's...fine? nothing is particularly outstanding, nothing is particularly bad, though the christianity is weird as usual

Haven’t had a hip hop album in a while. Honestly quite enjoying this so far, the title track (and intro) was super! I really liked the piano at the end. The corner was a bop. I really liked it. For a track called GO!, it sure didn’t feel like it had any urgency. I did think it was fine though. Faithful was ok. It has that religious sound I don’t usually love, but it was alright. Testify sort of hurt my ears with the background voice. They say was pretty good. 3/5 ⭐️ 221/1089

At last a rap album that I don't hate. Maybe because it's often tuneful and I can hear a connection with black music of previous decades.

Despite not being a big fan of his, and not having an extensive knowledge of his discography, I immediately could tell that Kanye was involved in the production of this album. It was an enjoyable listen and I would probably rate this higher outwith the context of this list, but for now, it’s a very solid 3.

LOVE

Almost as good as a rap album can be without Eminem.

Common tries to make the mid-2000s version of What's Goin' On, and while he doesn't quite get there (and TBF, that's a sky-high bar), he creates an album where he shows hip-hop can be conscious with a message. He focuses on Black life in America, and while it was from 2005, this sounds eerily like today 21 years later. Smart sampling soul as the backing tracks, and it's lean in arrangement. Guest vocals by John Legend and another legendary Chicago MC (who also produced) gives it a smooth polish. Also this is an album where the track listing really matters, and listening to it in order punches up the message.

Be- 8/10 The corner- 7.5/10 GO- 8.5/10 Faithful- 8.5/10 Testify- 7.5/10 Love is- 7/10 Chi city- 7.5/10 Real people- 8/10 They say- 9/10

Pure 2000s vibes. I like Common have listened before. Kanye West jump scare. Also the song about being faithful had me thinking about John Legend the quintessential cheating on people songwriter and suddenly he appeared singing the chorus about how he swears he'll be faithful. Man the 2000s were wild.

I enjoyed his straight up approach. Felt like serious rap music that manged the avoid alot of the tropes that can plague the genre. Didn't know much about Common but I will add this to my listen again list.

I’m no mathematician, but the reviews on this album were a bit depressing. Specifically, the review stating that they always thought of Common as a rap Dementor who was there to suck the joy out of a song by balancing the bragging and naughtiness and that worst of all he was open and empathetic towards people who aren’t the same as him. I’m starting to get a better sense about why I don’t like a lot of modern hip hop; seriously, how are empathy and humbleness seen as bad things? That said, even with Common’s “dad like” empathy and humbleness, I still didn’t overly enjoy this album. It was fine, but not something I have any desire to hear again.

Listened before?: never Be (Intro) - 4/5 The Corner - 4/5 Go! - 5/5 Faithful - 5/5 Testify - 4/5 Love Is... - 3/5 Chi-City - 5/5 The Food (Live) - 4/5 Real People - 4/5 They Say - 4/5 It's Your World (Part 1 & 2) - 5/5 Average score: 4.3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ i enjoyed listening to this. if i'm being honest, i think i'm more of a fan of the production on this album than i am of Common's performance (hence why this isn't quite a 5-star album for me personally). either way, it's a pleasant listening experience overall, and i have little to no complaints

A surprisingly good record. I’d never heard of Common before but I enjoyed this, the groove was there and the lyrics weren’t misogynistic self aggrandisement… there was a decent amount of positivity there!

Obvious talent, not for me.

Loved Common in Hell on Wheels and John Wick. Should stick to acting.

não curto tanto rap. O álbum da Jazmin Sullivan eram bom, mas provavelmente porque tinha bem pouco rap nele e bem mais soul. ao longo do álbum, minha opinião foi derretendo. Não dei nada na primeira música, comeou em the corners e go!, faithful acabou comigo, mas testify me tirou um pouco da imersão rap/soul/r&b das anteriores, mas love is... recuperou muito bem. Nunca pensei que ia dizer algo do tipo, mas a música com participação do Kanye West é uma das melhores do álbum.

This is a great album and I'm so happy I discovered it here. Great production, great flow. Fantastic.

Lyssnat enstaka låtar som jag verkligen diggat, men aldrig tagit mig igenom hela i ett svep. Otroligt album helt klart!

Not my vibe.

Common is incredible. This is peak Kanye production (also some J Dilla sprinkled in). Just a complete masterclass in every sense of the word

Pre Listen: Another group I've never heard of. Based on the release date and album cover, guessing rap? I've said it before, I'm always a little ambivalent towards albums released during my lifetime that I've not heard of. Lower expectations than usual. Notable Tracks: Be (Intro) - Not the sort of rap I was expecting, nice. Reminds me a bit of Kanye's golden days. Got some superb lyrical work here. Testify - If I had to choose a least favorite song, it would be this one. The female sample is blegh. The lyrical content is good, the story it tells is neat (many such cases), but the sample is unrelenting. The Food - Holy shit, first Kanye appearance in this project. I'm itching to get to talking about him, when he has his moment on here. Bro's like a specter. The Corner | It's Your World - Tied for my favorite tracks. I absolutely love the commentary here, I love the beats, and I especially love the last part of It's Your World. That piano is chef's kiss. Post Listen: That was a wonderful album. I got an album a little while ago I absolutely dogged on which attempted(?) to be a reflection on African American Society. I think this one explored that concept, but a million times better! The lyrical work is what stood out to me as exceptional. Consistent themes of love and faith within a culture which frustratingly interprets those things as lust and blind loyalty. All while reflecting on living in such a culture, watching it change, and working towards a better future for yourself and your loved ones. The beats too are pretty good throughout, got an odd looping sample here and there, but overall it's great. The only thing keeping me from giving this a 5 is personal taste. It's not quite my genre, and in keeping this project personal towards my own tastes, I just don't see myself adding anything here to my playlist, but if I end up coming back to this I could very easily bump it to a 5. 4/5

First half is pretty great and I enjoyed Be overall. I don’t know if I was losing steam towards the end but it all started to blur together. Definitely one of the strongest rap albums I’ve heard on this list so far.

Dope

surprise Kanye album

Honestly enjoyed this more than I expected given the release date and not knowing the artist. I'd say solid 3.5. It was fun, felt distinct and had a great flow. No takeaways, but definitely enjoyable.

Liked the Kanye songs the most. Generally enjoyed. 3

I just can't take this guy seriously

Not my style at all. And the rhythm feels off to me. ★★

quite nice and sonically varied. Enjoyed the soul samples and lush sounds.

Yeah it’s alright, I would give and extra half if I could, but this feels right relevant to other albums of the same genres that either should, or will be on this list.

Good vibes. Liked this throughout.

First song really does set you up for something unique and interesting and then the rest of the album is... ok? Like it's pleasant to listen to but that's it. I need my rap to have a bit of a kick to it.

Sunday, 2 August, 2026 I had forgotten how good this album is. It is Kanye’s *best* album.

Well, wasn't this a delightful surprise! I'd never heard of Common before this, and wasn't really going into the album with high expectations, but I was hooked from the soul-drenched opener, produced by peak-era Kanye. The rest of the album pretty much holds up to it, though it slightly suffers form not being as esoteric or hard sitting has late registration or college dropout

Conscious Hip Hop Favorite Songs: Be (Intro), Go!, Faithful, Love Is…, Real People, They Say, It’s Your World (Part 1 & 2) Least Favorite Track: Chi-City Yet another surprise by the site itself. I haven’t heard about this artist in particular, but hearing that Kanye West was the main executive producer for the album is going to be familiar territory for me. I’ve heard of Kanye’s stuff before, and uh…let’s just say that I’m not a fan of Kanye, even before when his mental health was going in a downward spiral. But after listening to this album, while it’s not something that immediately jumps out of me instrumentally (with the exception of the first track), what I really liked more was with the lyrics. It shows how vulnerable Common is with in terms of his faith, his romantic and sexual side, etc. Overall, definitely listen to this album. 9/10

A really good album. I really enjoyed the soul, funk grooves behind a great vocal rhythm. The flow of the album is so smooth it makes it such an easy listen without feeling like it’s never ending. Despite featuring that guy, I do think it’s a really good album with interesting themes and an uplifting social message within a sad reflection on social landscapes.

the production is so good im barely paying attention to what common is saying

Liked "The Corner," "GO!" and "Testify." Generally uplifting messaging throughout.

Vivid lyricism paired with stories to tell and good production

Yes

Nah... Can't put my finger on why, but nah.

Absolutely amazed by this album. Everything from the writing to even the features with people like John Legend and Kanye West who I typically don't care for, especially the latter, were great.

It was okay

cool, but ew kanye

I know this album pretty well from years ago. Was when I first explored a lot of this era’s hip hop in college this was one of the albums I really liked. I’m sure it will hold up. Common has a great flow and tone in his voice. Feels classic and timeless. The sound of this album is so good. That early-mid 2000s peak Kanye production. It creates the sound and vibe of the album and Common’s themes and raps excel within in. Lot of great tracks. Definitely a mainstream sound but elevated with a lot of the lyrics. The Corner, Go, Faithful, Testify, Chi City, They Say. Just good songs. This album is just great. There’s a defined sound and themes throughout. Think it will be a 5. Probably one of my favorite hip hop albums. Immensely easy to listen to.

Enjoyed the album very much. I liked the storytelling and use of background singers.

No es el tipo de música que suelo escuchar, no soy fan del rap, pero este álbum suena muy bien. En especial "The Food" me gustó mucho junto con "They Say". Su intro es muy buena, el final también le hace honor. Lo volveria a escuchar, tal vez teniéndolo de fondo mientras hago alguna tarea, no creo que escuchar y comprender las letras sea lo mío, pero lo que más me atrae de ese género es lo instrumental y el ritmo, son muy buenos.

Solid early 2000s hip-hop vibes. Very good production throughout, with no one song standing out too much. A well rounded experience for hip-hop listeners looking for a pretty good album to add to their playlists.

This was better than expected it was a sort of jazz rap album but surprisingly I liked it a lot

there was one super cornball song in the middle that pmo, otherwise really well done can tell that kanye was influenced by this it was good!

The rhymes are fire, but the production is ass. A good voice with smart lyrics is backed by annoying high pitched repetitive noises, washed out synthetic keyboard, and dull drum tracks. Turns out that's Kanye, up to his bullshit. Turns out I like Common enough but fucking hate everything that pretentious bigoted dipshit Kanye does. His ass production overwhelms this album. He pulls it down from a high four stars to a low two.

taki kanye westo eminem i like it

I can see why someone might like this. I don't care for the production, the lyrics, the genre. So it's not for me, but I'm docking a point for Kanye.

Liked nearly all of it. The female vocals on "Testify" were way too repetitive, so much so that I was just waiting for it to end. But that was shortly followed by "Chi-City", which livened things right back up.

At this point I am averaging about 1 in 7 good albums per week ... so I figure at this rate, at least in the next couple years I will get another 88 great albums. Not sure why I am still here.

See oli väga okei räppalbum. Mulle meeldis ta meloodilisus ja lüürika mis oli rohkem jutustav ja innustav kui osad teised. Samas meloodia ja rütmi poolest jäi see minu kõrvus alla eelmisele kuulatud albumile "Fishscale", mis seda ilmselt veidi varjutas. Seetõttu thaksin talle hindeks anda 3,5 kui saaksin. Kuulasin Łódźi botaanikaaias jalutades.

Kanye West just stole his album!

The sampling and theme/lyrics take this album up a notch making it creative and powerful to listen to. The outro pulls it all together.

Not normally my genre (math major, here), but I genuinely really liked it! Even though I didn't understand any of the words (I comminicate in numbers), the melodies were very nice and I enjoyed the instrumentals. Especially on the title track, the melody felt very... numeric.

4★/5 [07.23.2026] 07.24.2026

Really quite nice!

Much better than the last Common album and unfortunately I think it's the Kanye production

Too much Jesus for my taste - all Jesus and faux-respectful ogling of women. Also just not sonically for me - too smooth or something.

Wow, some incredible music on this album. The music, the voice, the lyrics, the rhythms, the rhymes; it's all comfort food. It's so smooth and comforting even on his more confrontational and aggressive tracks like "Chi-city". Please do yourself the favor and listen to this album on good headphones, it's absolute ear candy. 'Ye definitely knew how to produce hip-hop in his golden age. I'll be revisiting this album for sure. 9/10

3.5 cool Kanye songs on this one

This was super good I love Kanye as a producer. I love the walking bass in the intro. I love all the kids in the closing track and just the production and rap throughout is great. I wouldn’t be surprised if I come back later and bump this to a 5

Had already heard this album and was a fan. This would make an excellent "double-feature" paired with another cinematic-in-scope album from this list: "good kid, m.A.A.d city" by Kendrick Lamar. 4 stars.

I can see it's quality but not a style of hip-hop I enjoyed

Great storytelling and cool sounds

The 8-bit sounding synth in the intro track is neat. I can see the Kanye production. I don't connect with this stuff that much The 2nd half of the closing track that emphasized the overall "Be" theme (album title too) was neat. I dig that part Also this is indeed a funny review: > "They say because of the fame and stardom > I'm somewhere in between the church and insane asylum > I guess it's messin' with my health then > And this verse so crazy when I finish > I'm just gon' check myself in" > If only Kanye would've listened to himself in 2005

Didn't really enjoy it

Fun Fact, I've listened to the instrumental versions of all these songs more than the actual album. I got the instrumentals in a grab bag from a record store and like a true music/record collector (hoarder) i've never sold it. Pretty good album with or with out lyrics.

Rap was the last genre I really "got;" even past my teen years of considering anything without guitars non-music, I struggled to get into a genre that I believed, for many years, was not made for me and could thus not be understood by me. I think Midnight Marauders was the first time a rap album well and truly clicked with me. This album is a lot more joyous than that one. In many ways, it feels like a celebration of success, the end result of a desire to share joy with the world after winning the proverbial lottery. This is the kindest, most pure-hearted hip hop release I've ever listened to, and while not every song is completely perfect or memorable, there's more than enough here to mark this as a standout release of 2000s hip hop. A nice cast of features, including Johns Mayer and Legend, and the completely uncontroversial Kanye, round out the brilliantly produced tracks. I'm not sure how often I'll return to this but it's a very pleasant listen that leaves a listener with a smile on their face. Key Tracks: The Corner, The Food, Real People,

Æ hadde trodd at æ kom til å like det her mye mer enn æ gjorde, men æ tror nokka av problemet va at æ ikke va i rette humøret. Bortsetr fra en Kanye West-jumpscare va det helt ok, men æ hadde likt det bedre om været va bedre.

One or 2 tracks save it from a 1

Solid.

Peak Common and peak Kanye

coulda been perfect, sans John Legend

It’s really unfortunate for Common that I now see him as a minor character on the not very good Apple TV show Silo so I cannot take him seriously as a musician. I think he’s in the zone of conscious rap where he’s absolutely humorless but also not like coming off as having a deep political understanding or being able to tell emotional stories - it’s very in the “where is the love” vein (pejorative). I definitely get the Marvin Gaye thing they’re going for like just a smooth sincere guy saying there are problems - but Marvin Gaye is Marvin Gaye so he doesn’t have to say much to be powerful. The production is really great - of course it was Kanye. Especially liked the first and last song - more jazzy backing like a tribe called quest or something. The rest was classic 2000s Kanye which is fun but I’d rather hear it with a funner higher energy rapper. The only moment I really tuned in and was loving it was the very end of the last song which was Common’s dad?? So 5 stars for Common’s dad that was great.

The opening track is pure bliss. Excellent discovery

rap blanco, para escuchar en el shopping y no sentirse vacío por dentro. common es rap pop.

It's pretty remarkable how hard every song here hits, because they all do slightly different things: some of them go as far as they do because of their instrumentals (provided by former talent Kanye West), some because of their subject matter, some for their flow, ETC. What is consistent is that Common's lyrics always shine, and he always feels so in control of the songs he's on. Track after track, hook after hook, you get all these different sides of Common that are all interesting, powerful, and thorough. Flawless and lean, like a nice vacation. A part of me wishes there was more to this album, but the other part is so blown away by what's here that it all works out.

I remembered this a lot more clearly than I thought I would, must have listened to it more than I thought back in 05/06. I had the idea that it was kind of pretentious but didn't find that to be true.

There were some elements of the album I liked, some of the sound and vibe. But. Once he opened his mouth the whole thing just fell apart for me. I just can't get behind rap. Just can't. I endeavoured through the full album but it's not a good sign to start counting down tracks till it's completed. 4 tracks counted down each one about 3 minutes in length... Then I got to the final (double) track coming in at 8.5 minutes. I could have cried into me steering wheel. EIGHT FRICKING MINUTES. Dear god, never again.

Very very good, it flows so well, production is spectacular. It's not long so it's easy to listen to. Liked how the songs move from one to another and lyrics are amazing. Recommend it 100%

Last time I had to listen to an album by this bloke, I hated it. This one is equally loathsome. As always I tried a few tracks and then gave up.

I liked this album a lot. It's very apparent it was produced by Kanye right around the time of "Graduation" in a good way. Highlights: "Testify" and "They Say"

I like the vibe of urban hip hop. Usually more honest, socially aware, and less vulgar. Commons voice and style is smooth and enjoyable

The production is a good bed for common to rap about whether he should fuck god if she was a woman

Liked this a lot more than I thought I would. Felt like the musicality was interesting in contrast with the lyrics and rap. Enjoyed this listen.

I like maths and I like this album. If you listened to Go! You probably would know what it is about 4.8 out of 5

Despite being a skilled mathematician who is lukewarm on rap, I enjoyed this album.

Couldn't finish, too boring. Not my cup of tea. 1/5

Sometimes it sounds like the best album ever and other times it’s pretty…bland. It’s like a turkey sandwich when you’re starving. Amazing at times, but in the end it’s just turkey

Garbage.

better than I expected with pre insane kanye.

It was ok for this era of music, but very middle of the road

Gotta be his magnum opus, smooth ass bars with intelligent lyrics and lots of kanye features. Baller. That last track is amazingly moving 4.6

Some of this is great. Every bit deserving of the reputation & praise. Had I gotten onboard at the time this may be a landmark album for me. As it stands that train appears to have left & this mostly just reminds me of contemporaries that I like more. 3.49

2000s Chicago was a really special place and time for hip-hop. Thus album never blows you away with a big single but is a smooth and enjoyable ride from start to finish. Only complaint is the sound quality on The Food, but it was a live TV performance so these things happen.

favs: they say it’s your world (part 1 & 2) rating 0.8/5

Great album but not my bag

Great album, loved Kanye on it enjoyed the message of It's your world if they meant what they meant.

2nd Common album from the generator. Good beats, surprisingly enjoyable. Too bad Kanye was involved 3/5

Super

"Be (Intro)" takes me back to high school. The rest of the album was pretty good. Not totally my genre but I respect the art and it was not unpleasant by any means.

It's not annoying but it's not for me.

# Album Name: Be # Artist: Common # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: Honestly, not for me # Top Tunes: # Would I listen to it again? No

Go!

Common an apt crtique.

Opposite of Bad (1987). Starts REALLY strong, ends okay.

As someone with an arts degree, I'm afraid I don't have that special mathematician's edge required to truly *hear* this album (yes, I am also dunking on that 1 star review from 2020 because it deserves continued scorn). Rap is not my genre though I can always appreciate a well-produced album with impressive lyrical flow and this album delivers on both. An enjoyable listen and a bittersweet reminder of mid 2000s Kanye.

I like rap and am pretty good at math, so have no way of explaining why I didn't like this album. Common is okay (if a little corny), but this is not my fave listening experience.

I like it.

Hatte immer auf der Liste, da mal reinzuhören. Sehr chillig, gefällt mir.

Recht trocken, ganz nett.

Freaking good.

Peak Kanye, peak Common

Que bien me la pase escuchando este disco. Que gran sonido tenía el hip hop de principios de los 2000's. Es un sonido muy distintivo, se siente como si estuvieras caminando en una ciudad cosmopolita con mucha actividad desde el amanecer hasta que acaba el día. Lo disfrute mucho. Me dio vibes a los inicios de Kanye West.

Nice

I begrudgingly must say, Kanye is a pretty damn good producer and rapper. This record is very well produced, and the strong tracks are very good. Same-y at times, but overall a really solid hip hop record. Not something I will put on much, but I respect the creativity, production and flow of this one.

4.5 Pre-crazy Kanye production for a talented lyricist is always gonna be a good album

Rollazo hihopero. Me encanta!

No está mal, interesante

Wow.... did not expect this to be so good... Honestly great musicalization and Lonnie Rashid's tone in vocals is perfect to rap.

Some of the best hip hop beats you're ever gonna hear are on this records. Straight from the opening, when the bassline on Be (Intro) hits you know it's about to be special. The song has such triumphant energy and some of the best strings I've ever heard. The album dishes banger beats one after another. The Corner goes a lot harder even if I'm not super crazy about the rapping. Go is beautifully uplifting, has amazing energy that I just cant get enough of. I love the vocal chops on Testify, they make up for one of the more unique instrumentals here. Common also kills it with the storytelling. Chi-City is another amazing one, so rich and detailed. The last 2 songs are also some of the best of the album. Common's performance is mostly great, there are some songs where he doesn't sound as good but it's really a minor issue on an otherwise great album.

Amazing album, got me though tough times

Exceptional album. The first and last songs are two of my favorite songs of all time. The middle almost rises to the same heights. Essential listening if you're a fan of mid-2000s rap, rap in general, music production, and lyricism.

Hell fucking yeah, nothing makes ya feel better than having a handful of songs of a very specific album liked in Spotify and then listening to that album all the way thru and confirming that it’s THAT good. 5/5, maybe 4.5 at worst because of modern day Kanye

Not for me

There’s something interesting about hip hop of the 2000’s, a clear definition between those artists who were making music for the mainstream (Kanye west, Nelly) and those who were doing it for the art (Talib Kwali, Nas, cannibal ox). Common lands in the former camp for me, due to the production quality, the melodies and composition. However one thing he does in this album is try to bridge that gap between the two in what he’s rapping about, some very serious themes of loss and hardship. If that message reached kids who got curious/sympathetic to the black experience then that’s not a bad thing at all.

Gohja

I’ll round up to a 4.

i teared up right on the first track so i knew in my heart it was going to be 5 stars please come back home kanye

I like most elements of this but my brain is left wanting for something catchy and dynamic, can't help but compare it to kanye albums that I like better, I'd rate my enjoyment a 3.5/5 if I could

Holy shit this was great. There was a divergent timeline where Kanye totally could have stayed a producer I honestly would have welcomed it.

Didn’t expect to see this one on here as it’s generally regarded as Com’s 3rd best album, but glad it was. Prime Kanye beats and Common has always been one of my favourite rappers. First two tracks really stand out but a little mixed after that. Very early 00’s to have a live track from the Chapelle Show.

3.5 I didnt know the guy from Framework, rapped.

Kanye carreo el album

Be(Intro) - 4.5/5 The Corner - 4/5 GO! - 4/5 Faithful - 3.5/5 Testify - 4/5 Love is… - 4/5 Chi-City - 3.5/5 The Food - 3/5 Real People - 3/5 They Say - 3.5/5 It’s Your World - Part 1 & 2 (Explicit) - 3/5

Devo dire bell’album e l’impronta fi kanye si sente molto

como alguém formado em humanas e em exatas, apreciar esse aqui foi uma aventura. ow puta que pariu hein, common + kanye é pra jogar tudo pra puta que pariu seloco bruto demais, letras 1000% e produção bizarramente boa que beats, diga-se de passage

ser de linguagens é uma dádiva. apreciei esse aqui demais! só beatzão PEDRADA e o flow no ponto também. soa um pouco como o college dropout (até pq menos de 1 ano de diferença), mas o common ainda deixa bem original. bão demais, cê tá maluco

Good flow

норм.

First new artist and first rap album. Pretty good overall really enjoyed hearing something differnt

Thoughts before listening: I think this is the 2nd Common album on here. I mean I like Common well enough, but having lived through his era as a musician (he's seemingly more of an actor these days), I don't necessarily remember him being a big enough deal to warrant 2 albums. There were a lot of other rappers in his same scene that could have been included instead of putting Common on here twice. Also, I believe I was a little underwhelmed by the first album I heard from him, but I do remember this one being a bigger deal at the time. Review: Okay. I like that the jazz and soul based beats here quite a bit (I think Kanye is to thank for that), and Common is definitely in the general hip hop realm that I always preferred. I think it was called backpack rap with more socially conscious lyrics and not "gangster" rap. That being said, Common still has plenty of sex obsessed lyrics that make this an uncomfortable listen for a 45 year old father of a daughter. I also don't really like Common's flow all that much which feels too rigid and dry. I'll give this 3-stars.

I wasnt expecting to like this but wowoowowowowowoow I'm floored

rhythmic hip-hop w/ a common theme through all the songs. inspirational, great music, great flow, and love how the final songs ties back to the name of the album.

Was fine, nothing special. Liked the intro the most

Killer

Good.

❤️

like yeah! sounds a bit like kanye. quite musical. appreciated the female background vocals

This is okay but nothing special. I listen to it and forget it almost immediately.

ALMOST a five- used to listen to this a lot; incredible opening set of songs and a super cool sound

Meget sejt.

Great album all the way through. Great samples. Rating: 8.5/10 Favorite Song: The Corner, Be, Go

Not something I would normally listen to but enjoyed it

Not my fav but not bad

This is a good rap album. Not historic, but good. I'm a fan of Common. Pitchfork: 8.6 Rolling Stone: n/a Best Songs Be (Intro) The Corner GO!

😀👍. At first I didn’t like the album but it got me at “GO!”. To me, this sounded like Drake and Kanye West. But it definitely was better than Drake.

Smooth and charming

Peak Kanye production

Enjoyed it

I haven’t listened to this album in ages, bit of a jump scare with all the Kanye but I really enjoyed it

I just got Like Water For Chocolate recently and it might just be the nostalgia talking, but I rate that higher. “Go!” takes me back though…

You have to say ye is a good producer

This is a quite enjoyable rap album. Fun to listen to, pretty groovy.

74/100. No work of art remains exactly the same because no encounter with it remains exactly the same. The listener brings a different history each time, and the meaning changes accordingly. A really strong record from Common. The flow is smooth, the delivery is confident, and the production is packed with some excellent jazz rap and soul infused beats. The combination of gospel influences, classic soul samples, live instrumentation, and conscious lyricism gives the record a sense of humanity that is easy to connect with. It's centered around growth and self-realization. Common spends much of the album reflecting on identity, purpose, community, and the challenge of becoming the person you're meant to be. I think this is a record I would have loved even more a couple of years ago. As my tastes have changed, I find myself connecting a little less with hip-hop than I once did. That is not really a criticism of the album itself, more a reminder that our relationship with music changes over time.

"Be", "The Corner", and "Real People" are first-rate raps, and the background melodies held my attention. But the third track, "Go!", lost me, as the lyrics seem forced and repetitious. The other tracks seem to drift along ... nothing surprising.

Sort of like an update Smoky Robinson with a bit of rap-iness. Not really my schtick, but not bad.

Be eternal

hiphop, säkert bra om man lyssnar på texterna med, gött flow

"The corners were our Taj Majal"...GTFOOH.

Solid production overall, but the more soulful bits don't do much for me Fav tracks: The Corner, They Say

Incredible Kanye and J Dilla production, you can feel it instantly. Don't know why I haven't listened to this yet, it's just a great time cover to cover. Easy 5, but imagining that PhD guy fuming in the corner while you listen is worth half a point if not more. Plus the album is 42 minutes, how can you be mad when it's basically a lunch break's worth of songs. yeeeesh My favorite on this is either the intro/title track or "They Say" which is downright luxurious. Maybe my only complaint would be that it gets a bit too sentimental, but If it's between vapid and sentimental I will always lean towards the cheese.

Favourite Songs: The Corner Testify Chi-City

I don't have a PhD in math, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. I enjoyed this album! It was pretty good, and I liked the early Kanye feature. 8/10 Would I listen again? Probably

I listen to a lot of Hip Hop and rap so this definitely isn’t my favourite Hip Hop Album but it’s still pretty good. TOP Song: They Say

Not for me

This album is good and underrated

Brilliant production, very kanye/joey badass esque flow. Crisp and hits just right, definitely worthy of the numerous awards.

So smooth so far, 2005 was one of the best years for RnB and Hip Hop, really reminding me of early kanye.. oh because hes literally on it..

fuck me this one is gorgeous. kanye and dilla are a match made in producer heaven. i really enjoy common as a storyteller as well. how have i missed this one for so long?

Heard Before? Not since it came out. Notes: - Kanye from the before-times. what a producer. and also Dilla?! the beats are varied, bright, beautiful and exciting. can this please be an instrumental album? - honestly i remember Common being a better rapper. his flow is fine, but the rhymes can be awkward and his lyrics too often oscillate between forgettable and embarrassing. - "The Corner" brings me back to why I love rap in the first place, but then "Go!" leaves me itching for the skip button. Verdict: Fabulous sounds paired with occasionally clever raps I can live without. Listen Again? Nope.

Sounds ass

Solid flow and excellent early 2000s vibes. Fav song: They Say

The beats reminded me of earlier Kanye and lo and behold, he produced this album. I was really charmed by the synth in the intro, in isolation I think I'd have guessed it was from a steven universe song lol fav songs: Love Is..., Real People

Just a great album. 10 great tracks out of 11. The track on this album I don't like is "They Say" By the way if you like Common and if you like basketball watch the "Soul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association" documentary. He's the narrator & executive director of this documentary. His late dad played in the ABA. 4/5

A very enjoyable listen. Really solid production that almost felt lo-fi so it was pleasing to the ears. Lyrical wise nothing stood out too much but it wasn't bad either. Some of the samples used were great choices as well like the Marvin Gaye sample in 'Love is...'. Definitely a stronger album in the 2nd half though. 3/5

Strong positive vibes on this one. Offers deft, thoughtful wordplay atop the always rolling often euphoric quasi-gospel beats of peak (ie: pre-Nazi) Kanye. I respect the homage paid to ATCQ in the opening number too, a nod to the past while looking forward. Two decades on it sounds a little dated but there is enough intelligence, spark and care to keep it from coming off as cheesy or stale.

Enjoyable, good beats, a bit jazzy/funky at times.

This album was honestly pleasant to listen to. I had never heard of Common before and the sound very much reflects the release year. Kayne is featured alot with supporting vocals on this album. Its a shame Kanye lost his mind and was surrounded by people who didnt care enough to give him the help he needed. A modern Brian Wilson. Album was good though

I love maths and like Common.

It's interesting to hear this and know it was mostly produced by Kanye around the same time he released TCD. It's definitely a sister album in terms of production. I feel like Common doesn't bring the exact energy needed for a lot of these songs, but he does rap well throughout.

This is Common's magun opus. Common is poetic, masterful, and purposeful in his rhymes. Production by Kanye West, and the legendary J Dilla make Common's flow feel feather-light and breezey, or heavy and blunt as bricks. Additional appearances from John Mayer and Dave Chappell cement Be in a very particular time, but when I listen to it now, it benefits from the nostalgia. We were truly blessed by this album.

I always enjoy Common's flow. Its intelligent and intentional. His voice is iconic. This album is my second favorite of his.

Don't have loads to say, was pleasant enough but didn't make a huge impression on me.

I bought this at the time it came out since it was pretty hyped and he's from Chicago. I liked it but have slept on it since. I really appreciated it this time through and probably listened to it 3 or 4x over the last several days. Sometimes it is hard to figure out how much Kanye is driving these arrangements versus Common but I appreciate the range of vibes, and especially like the pieces that have a Curtis Mayfield flair. I like the continuum of Chicago dudes and Curtis was amazing.

4/5 - Hadn't heard it before and listened a couple times through. Smooth style. The first two tracks were my favorites.

For all these inspired Kanye beats, I can’t really get past common himself here, who seems to be trying to make the Bush era To Pimp a Butterfly (derogatory) and the best writing he can do amounts to stuff like: “So many raps about rims I’m surprised fellas ain’t become tyres!”

I enjoyed this. Great, chill production. Nice to hear a young Kanye before… stuff. A little bit more preachy than my usual rap tastes but not overly so.

Not really my thing, but I appreciate it

Be (Intro) - Chiptunes into horns/trumpets, ayo? Neat. The Corner - classic moody philosophical corner stuff ya dig? I dig. GO! - unusual, a bit more funk or w/e, not quite my jam.. Faithful - appropriately enough, gives a soul and gospel vibe, decent rap but it's not really banging for me. Testify - interesting composition for the theme/subject matter and female vocal. Not fan of it outside of the storytelling. The QUEENPIN lol. Love is... - too mellow for my tastes, didn't really manage to capture my attention. Chi-City - now this is nice classic hip-hop. "so many raps about rims surprised people don't become tires" is funny. The Food - solid track. Real People - kinda felt like filler. They Say - needs to be harder hittin and all that, for my taste. It's Your World - well rap part was fine but rest is just like melancholic and moody talk, the kids and the old man and all... This whole thing is kinda lacking in songs to be honest. It just needs more songs, a bit more consistent and straightforward, less experimental, just to have more meat on the bones. As it is, it was a big jumble of a lot of things. Trying to do messaging, storytelling, funk-y stuff with experimental tunes and beats - I just like grounded, hard-hitting rap, so I find this lacking. Could easily be rated higher if it was handled differently or if it simply landed for my personal taste.

Be advised, this is only like half a Common album. You can feel the Kanye West all over it, and being a longtime fan of his *music*, it's the only thing I could really focus on to the point of where I felt I was a bit unfair to Common. On the production point it's done well and up to standard. Not Kanye's best especially at the time, but far and away not his worst. Common himself raps nicely with some great lyricism at times. Maybe I'm missing something as I'm not a PhD mathematician, but it's not a bad hip hop album, and deserves it's place on the list due to Common's legendary status.

not my cup of tea to be honest. too many not so tasteful sex references as well lol

Classic

As much as we don’t want to admit it, Ye snapped on these beats. An underrated classic in my opinion: great productions, flow, lyrics, and storytelling. Likes: Be, GO!, Testify; The Food; They Say; It’s Your World

ok

Laid back hip hop, reminded me of US3 or Guru. Clever and smooth.

A decent array of backing music on this album that is a bit more creative than some in the genre, and nothing overly offensive, some fairly “nice” social commentary type stuff. Some decent snippets of early days Kanye in there too. Overall pretty easy to listen to apart from the indulgent last song. Still not really my style but I appreciate it and I think it’s far better than many hip hop entries on here, so it’s just about a 3.

Another hip hop album. I do try but I struggle with these as they seem so repetitive. This and soul / funk music just fails to land for me. "Real People" has a funky soul hip hop feel. Basically a mish mash of my least favourite styles all in one so that doesnt help! To my dumb ear it sounded a littles 90's with a slight modern lift. I even almost heard Gorillaz at one point ("The Corner") and thought for a second I might actually enjoy this. It has a more vocal hook that draws you in unlike the rest. I wont slam this as clearly has value to someone just not me. Its fine.