Be

Feel like several half cooked songs

Some of the beats/backdrops on this are actually pretty good and mood-evoking - there's more than a hint of soul throughout the album. Bin off the vocals/lyrics and you'd have something that I might chuck on as background music. As it stands, though, this is just absolutely not my thing.

Intelligent rapping with excellent production. Not my favourite genre, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Rap

Lwk good

Really good opening track. I don't listen to rap at all but i kinda like this album. So far the rest of the album is too funky and repetitive for me. Not my style really. When I listen to rap I like it little bit more angrier and maybe energetic. Pretty solid album to chill out and even though it's out of my music bubble I sometimes foumd myself vibin' to it.

Refreshing rap style and lyrics that feel a little differentiated than just gangster rap (im rich, I've got a big d*ck, I do drugs, etc.) At the very least I can say that I've never heard anything by common before this and am glad to have the exposure.

Excelente álbum, la producción es exquisita, se nota en todas las matices que presenta una producción muy detallista y dedicada, los instrumentos muy jazz/blues en general, un poco de hiphop en el bajo, por supuesto mucho rap también con la voz. Los instrumentos acompañan de una manera envolvente a lo que transmite Common con sus letras, por último, los samples con las distintas voces que vamos escuchando en el álbum son excelentes y generan lo mismo o mejor que los instrumentos, acompañar al artista, complementarlo, resaltarlo; técnicamente encuentro que está excelente, nada que decir, mucho sampleo estilo kanye west (como colabora me imagino que es por él este estilo o las ideas, los samples de las voces sobre todo). De nuevo, desconozco la historia pero el sonido es muy 2000s cuando se combina rap con jazz/blues, mucha producción y los samples característicos de este mismo género y cuando escuchas a Common te transmite el rap de los 90s, la combinación de estas épocas se logra muy bien de principio a fin en el álbum y con algo muy importante: no ser repetitivo. Personalmente el álbum tiene todo lo que busco en un álbum cuando me imagino la palabra rap o hiphop, también pude encontrar similitudes entre el estilo de este álbum y artistas del género aquí en Chile como tiro de gracia por ejemplo. Este álbum le voy a poner un 4 más tirado para 5, pero siento que el 5 debe guardarse para un álbum sensacional, nada más por eso, si no fácil para mi es un 4,6 o 4,7 por temas de gusto. Citando a mi compadre Chino también daré mi canción favorita y la menos favorita. Canción/es favorita/s: Chi-City, The Food - Live Canción menos favorita: Love is...

Me parece un álbum con toda la esencia de rap gringo de los 90 y 2000. Perfectamente pudo haber estado Nas, Snoop Dog, Pharrell y tantos otros íconos de esas épocas. No le puse atención a la letra, pero melódicamente y en cuanto a beat me parece muy bueno. Esas bases características que mezclan el r&b con rap te hacen mover la cabeza al instante. La colaboración con John Legend y Kanye West notable, los tres funcionan muy bien. Mis canciones favoritas: Faithful y Testify por el sample. Mención honrosa a la transición entre Real People y They Say.

Ni conocía a este artista. Buen disco de rap que mezcla el hip hop y soul, muy arquetipico del rap de los 2000s, el sexto de Common y quizas uno de los mas exitosos de él, después de sacar álbumes bien criticados. Cuando empece a escucharlo me sonó un poco familiar y fui a ver los créditos y cache que lo produjo Kanye, y se nota su influencia, suena un poco a él, sin nada nuevo en producción pero con un sello distintivo, no conozco la discográfica anterior del artista pero parece ser que esta alianza con Kanye en la producción y composición le dio frescura. Buenos beats en general, me gusta el uso distintos instrumentos como contrabajo, percusiones, saxofón y pianos, etc ojalá le hubieran subido un poquito más el volumen a los bajos pero bien equilibrado en general. De su rap, letras no muy complejas, pero directas y conscientes, habla de "ser" y del ahora, de lo espiritual y cotidiano. Usa distintos recursos para rimar como coros y multisilabicas. Peeeero me paso que en la mayoría de las canciones me falto algo, dar un pasito más, siempre como al borde de hacerme agarrar la cabeza pero sin lograrlo como en otros discos del genero. Disco bien regular y por lo poco que leí considerado una obra maestra del rap de este siglo con buenas calificaciones. Para mi no alcanza el 4, esta más bien entre el 2 y 3. Creo que alcanza el 2,5 así que redondearé pa arriba. Canción favorita: Probablemente Be (tremendo sonido del contrabajo) y GO!

A good hip hop background album. Some of the lyrics were cringe but not all.

RnB bien mais pas top

Melodically rich, great production - so far, this is the most enjoyable hip hop album on this list.

Not for me. I liked it marginally better than other rap stuff I’ve listened to.

Very listenable (both Common's raps and peak Kanye production)

Initially had some positive feelings about this album. But then on "Faithful" Common tries to imagine if he would "still be runnin' game" on god, if god was a "her." Lonnie Lynn, a man who has won every award available to a musician on god's green earth, wants us to join him in imagining if he would: -Get jealous about other men worshiping his woman (god) -Whether he would be more into god for her mind or her "heavenly body" -If he would still want his ex when he is "wit' her" (fucking god)

rap/hiphop alegre y movido, se deja escuchar pero tampoco es rap duro

I don't quite know why -- but I didn't love this. Don't get me wrong, the material is phenomenal and a breath of fresh air, and it's by no means a bad record. I guess maybe it just feels a bit stale, or sedated, or something. Or maybe it's just a little too hopeful to grip me, which I guess is something for me to get into in therapy. Fave tracks: - Be (Intro) - The Corner - GO! - Testify - Chi-City - Real People - They Say - It's Your World - Part 1 & 2

I enjoyed this. Old Kanye is pretty smooth. Common is a cool character. Way better than modern rap.

Peak early aughts consciousness/storytelling rap

Never knew hip-hop could be so boring, extra shocking since Kanye (f*ck 2025/26 Kanye) produced this. Dad hip hop

I cant remember what it sounded like I know first track sounded like a gameboy game. I didnt listen to it all, theres a limit to this speech impaired nonsense that I can listen to.

I listened 8 hours ago and have completely forgotten what I was going to say about it. So there's that... It was forgettable. Obviously. Not terrible.

Ok Robert Sims!!

My first experience with Common was on Like Water For Chocolate, which was a very good album, especially the song The Question. But fuck me, this album takes it to another level. By the time you get to GO!, you instantly know this is a Kanye album. The production on this goes fucking insane and carries this album. That's no fault of Common, but just simply down to the fact that Kanye West WAS so talented back then. This album was incredible. Well deserving of such a high average rating. Every song on this thing hits, Common and Kanye really go together so well on this thing.

A bit repetitive but very charming. As someone who isn't well-versed on hip hop, I found that Common's verses are complemented by very well by Kanye's production. Of all of the tracks on here, They Say was the only one I found to be particularly weak. I was going to give this a strong 3 but after a couple of listens (even the fact that this warranted an enthusiastic repeat listen) I thought it would be absolutely taking the piss to not give it a 4. Highlights: Be, Go!, Faithful, Chi-City

This album showcases classic soul and R&B as the bedrock of the production, some of J-Dilla’s best chopped beats, and Common’s smooth delivery. They all work in perfect harmony. More spoken word slam poetry than rap at times, Common manages to cover similar themes to other hip-hop artists, but delivers them in a more, intelligent subtle way.

Very good. Felt like an instant classic and immediately brought me back to some good old days of hip hop. Kanye West at his peak in production.

Chill hip hop album. I remember when he was Common Sense. Don’t think it stood the test of time

Probably need to have a few more listens, but liked it on 1st play, couple of nice trax, will listen again.

banger conscious hiphop og boom bap rap. Mit første indtryk var at det lød lidt ligesom J-cole og tror også han har draget stor inspiration her. Teksterne er awesome og det er kanye west der har produceret det meste af albummet.

I'm not sure how I never listened to this album before, but it is a classic. I heard the singles off the album and they are great, but the rest of the album keeps it going as well. I am a sucker for that era of Kanye, so it was right up my alley.

It's a good modern hip-hop/rap album. He mixes in plenty of elements of soul, R&B and hip-hop. Solid production by Kanye back when that was a good thing.

Honestly, I like it. Loses a star for being produced by Kanye (for being Kanye, not the quality), gains a star for songs produced by Dilla. Ends up at 4, so not bad at the end of the day.

Makes me nostalgic for the early Adult Swim era of Hip Hop.

Great

listened twice and definitely will listen again, it's phenomenal

Liked the album, disliked the features

Day 126 Few enjoyable songs on here, really liked Testify. Not sure I’d come back to the full album in future 6/10 Highlights The Corner Testify They Say

Bon, mais un peu inégal.

Oh my fucking god. Produziert und arrangiert wie ne B-seiten Sammlung, miese Beats, peinliche Lyrics... Abgrund much?

Jeder Song für sich macht ungefähr einen Minute Spaß und wird dann nervig. 2005er US-Rap der ein wenig ungelenk versucht 90s mit 50cent zu verbinden. 2 Sterne dafür dass ich 3-4 mal mit dem Kopf geknickt habe.

Compared to his previous album, it’s clear that Common learned from past missteps, tightening Be into a lean 43-minute runtime with no bloat or filler. Once again, I found myself enjoying it far more than I expected. Common doesn’t fit neatly into stereotypical hip-hop or rap conventions; his beats and soundscapes feel organic, creating a relaxed, effortless vibe that sets him apart from many of his contemporaries.

This was much more enjoys than expected. That's due to the music bed underneath the songs being so jazzy and soul filled.

I'm not racist this is just bad music

I’m not able to contextualize this, so it’s interesting to read what other people who are much more knowledgeable than me have said about it. It’s a decent listen, I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t one of those albums that immediately grabbed me and that I had to listen to again. I guess part of the problem with this project is that with a new album every day, if something doesn’t have an immediate impact, it’s probably not going into rotation so that I can grow with it. Oh well.

Nope. I don't get him, maybe it's his voice or his delivery, or smart-man rap, not sure, but I don't get his groove. The album has a solid listening count with "Be" clocking in at 38M listens, "Go!" at 54M and "The Food" at 26M, nother other track has fewer than 5.5M. So while it doesn't float my boat at all, it's popular and appreciated by others. I think the cameo of a young Kanye West the entire album including "The Corner", "Go!" & "They Say" (with John Legend too) helped propel this album once Kanye hit it big. I got nothing from this, but I don't like Kanye either. I felt like they were preaching AT me the entire album, not entertaining. I don't listen to music for the message, so it's lost on me. 2.5 stars, I'm sure it's good, I just don't enjoy it.

released 2005. Commons 6th album and a ‘magnum opus’ hip hop album with Kanye, it balances broader societal issues with personal reflections songs i already knew: none songs i liked: the corner, chi-city fun facts: the album is primarily produced by Kanye and the pair were friends since high school. song the corner is a screen scripture narrated by The Last Poets who are considered the godfathers of hip-hop

One of the better rap albums I’ve ever heard. Always forget how good common is

Features kanye. Antisemite.

Nice smooth r n b with intelligent lyrics and quite melodic. To my surprise I went back for a second listen to some of the tracks. They Say is a great track.

I liked the music... and some of the sampling (which is part of the music.) It was an easy album to listen to and I would probably appreciate it more if I dove into the lyrics and knew what the songs were about. Is this Common's best album? I did read that "The Corner" was one of his best songs.

- Wel leuk - 0 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM - 0 nummer al toegevoegd aan MMMM

Bieng certaines chansons sont répétitivess et les autres des masterclass 3.5 mais reecoute nécessaire

This album showcases Kanye’s (classic soul sounds)production as much as Common’s smooth delivery. The two work in perfect harmony. More poetic than rap at times, Common manages to cover similar themes to mist hip-hop but delivers it in a subtle way.

Aside from questioning why Common is on a list like this, it was fine. It sounded much like any other rap / R&B album from that era.

I loved the Intro, which was a promising sign. Reading the featured artists in the first track were Kanye and John Mayer felt like a double-whammy of "problematic" (though to very different extremes) and as I know nothing about Common, I looked him up. He seems like a great guy who genuinely tries to make the world a better place and then gets called hokey for it. I think this is probably more a warm summer day album, than a dark dismal UK winter day album, but I enjoyed it regardless. I like that it feels like a positive, uplifting album thanks to the lyrical content. And yes, I like the production. If only Kanye had stuck to producing records like this instead of becoming what he is now. Should be a 3.5 but I don't think this is quite a 4 for me, so: 3/5

Smooth

Love the intro. Probably my favorite era of Kanye production, I love the sample and background vocals. Not sure if the vocals and production always work together as cohesively as I want tho

85

I'd say I'm pretty good at math. Sure, I don't have a PhD, but I'm a sophomore in high school taking- and having an A in- Precalculus. With that out of the way, this album is a pretty solid example of 2000s hip hop. The beats are good, and the flow is solid if not the best. The songs are well made and fairly enjoyable. Lyrics are excellent in that they don't rely overly on hedonistic and boastful tropes common in some rap from the period. Unfortunately, I found the album's sound a little repetitive and unengaging toward the end. It's far from terrible, however- even for this typical "intelligent kid" who nearly always has the answer and does consistently well on tests.

Common is a different modern rapper, he isn't the fastest and doesn't spend the whole time talking about how amazing he is or being in the club. His lyrics remind me of old school rappers who focused on big issues, the cities they love (Chi-City shoutout), and women (not always my favorite of his lyrics) and that is a good thing. He mixes that with hip hop and R&B music styles that make it unique. The Intro was great, Testify was a great story, Chi-City was fun and Real People was different and poignant. He is different in the genre blending together different traditional black sounds and does it well. Being from Chicago he also doesn't get tangled up in rap beefs and just makes music that has a purpose.

It's okay. I liked The Corner song.

I had high hopes, based on the cover alone, that this was going to be a smooth bass-y modern lounge thang, similar to John Legend, but it’s not. I love the idea of what this could’ve been. Common as a rapper is definitely of his time. His voice sounds irritated and doesn’t emote anything except urgency and confrontation, even in the more chill tracks…much like Kanye. The music slides into that old school R&B and Soul sound, which I love…like Kanye. Go! is nice. Testify is a good song. Chi-City is great…I love that this album is generally about Chicago. I guess if he wasn’t seemingly trying to rap like Kanye, I’d enjoy this more. I’ll still take Common over Kanye any and every day of the week though.

This was pretty cool, I especially enjoyed the jazzy moments in a couple of the later songs. There was a lot of diversity in sound overall too, and it kept my ears on their toes. Very enjoyable listen!

I used to love this album 15 years ago, mainly because of the warm and charismatic flow of the gentleman from Chi-City. It has a very laid-back vibe, with uplifting lyrics and smooth jazzy beats that show that hip-hop can go beyond brags and disses. Even Kanye's production, which I'm usually not a fan of, is absolutely spot-on here. In addition, it's a lean album that goes straight to the point without putting you through a dozen useless skits. However, my tastes seem to have somewhat changed. This time around, it felt almost too upbeat, too polite and too clean... and I found myself wishing for something a bit rougher. Or maybe I'm just getting pickier with age. While I'd subjectively rate it a 3* or a 3,5* now, I must admit that it's still a very well-crafted album, and probably Common's best. It certainly deserves a 4*. 7/10

"It's your world" ... I fully agree ! but that's not the music I like listening to

This one hits me more than Like Water for Chocolate which we had earlier on the list. The flow feels more fluid and emotional, and the samples lean heavier into soul. It stays organic, never really aggressive, and it reminds me of Nas in the way it steps back to look at the streets and at hip-hop, it’s honest, uncompromising, but never overly dramatic. “We write songs about wrong ’cause it’s hard to see right.” Chi-City ou Real people drops you straight back into the 90s. There’s a real nostalgic vibe running through the whole album. It is a real joy to listen to.

I discovered Common back in 2007 . I love his flow and the instrumentals he picks up. However, to be totally honest since I really struggle understanding the lyrics and I have no time reading them somewhere my fool appreciation is quite limited ha ha ha ha.

C'est certainement un album de rap des années 2000, oui

Smooth listen, very Kanye coded. Has made me curious enough to search out older Common albums to see if there's a difference.

It’s good but I’ve got better Common albums. Kanye’s production is also good, but the vintage soul sides idea was hardly as revolutionary as many have claimed.

Went in with low expectations and was blown away in first listen. Great lyrics, great flow and beats, beautiful voice, slightly self deprecating at points. Would listen to again.

Solid flow and good beats make this a very enjoyable and pretty chill album. I didn’t connect to all of the lyrics, but the beat and Common’s vocals made it an overall enjoyable experience.

It Be OK, but nothing really grabbed hold of me apart from the monologue at the very end and Go!

Feels 3ish, but per the bylaws, anything featuring Kanye gets an automatic one-star deduction, as does anything produced by Kanye. For the purposes of calculating a final rating, each type of offence must be separately considered and assessed. Hey, I don't make the rules.

This is realistically a 3. But I enjoyed the experience of reading these reviews while listening this. Giving this a bump strictly because I was amused.

"be the owner of more land than is set aside for wildlife" 1 star. You lost me at this random and unnecessary greediness.

Just absolutely beautiful and uplifting. No skips.

Cool album

I'm not a hip hop person but this was a decent listen

Not really into his music. I would not know good rap from bad.

Great album, very lyrically impressive. Feels nice.

I liked it pretty good, but I don’t have a PhD in Maths, so maybe that’s why. 3.7/5

Обычный рэп, с уклоном в попсу

Shit

Tasapainonen hiphoplevy! 4/5

Minkä sille voi: Kanye on erinomainen tuottaja! 4/5

This was okay, started out pretty strong, I liked Be and Real People, maybe there was a third that had the more jazzy feel. Honestly though the rest of the album felt pretty much the same. 2.5 rounded to 3 only because I feel like the lyricism might feel stronger after a couple listens.

It was fine. Beats were ok (mostly Kanye, with two J Dilla tracks). For me it felt mostly the same. Same tempo, same flow, same attitude, same rehashed points from song to song. Was hoping for more and never really got there.

This was pretty ok, just an average 2.5-3 star hip-hop album for me. I understand why people like Common and I don't dislike his music, it just doesn't draw and keep my attention like other, similar, artists....

Bangin

No. 34 This is a solid album. Like, legitimately great.

I liked some songs better than others - enjoyed it more than I thought it would - nothing felt amazing but was catchy - between a 3 and 4

Pretty good. Strong 3 or weak 4 for me.

...Or not to be? That is the question.

This album is warm and smooth but didn’t wow me, nothing really jumps out or hits especially hard. It’s like the easy listening version of rap/hip hop. Common is thoughtful and steady throughout and I like the laid back vibe, but not something I’d go back to.

These rap tracks are clean and deliberate. The music is funky, soulful, and intoxicating. The backup vocals provide a medium that Common builds-on to tell his stories. I had never listened to Common before today, but I will be looking for more of his albums to explore.

The church youth pastor’s favorite rapper. Never quite got the hype around Common. This is basic, clean unadorned rap. At least the Grammy Awards will always have a mainstream rap act to feature and honor without needing to dig too deeply below the surface.

I've never listened to a Common album before, this was really good. Old school rap cadence paired with smooth jazz beats. Has a hipster coffee house feel. I liked it. But not something I'll revisit.

Common deserves his reputation as a good rapper.

Meh, pas trop mon style mais pas pire

It's cool. The album starts very strong, it can't sustain that but it's a good hip hop album.

Maybe one day I will enjoy a hip-hop album but, to be fair, the more I listen to this genre the more I think I won't. This album is a little bit better than other hip-hop albums I've listened to. But it feels bland and repetitive. The samples are very well put in this album, they merge really well with the other elements of the songs. But, well, I've tried this album, it's just not of my taste.

Very good Go! is peak

I don't listen to hiphop

It was fine. I've heard better, I've heard worse. Not my typical style of music but I have to give it points for great production and instrumentation. Some cornball lyrics throughout, but "The Corner" was really good.

Fantastic gem

Loved this style of rap. The brightness of the background soul pared with the hard political message make a surprising but enjoyable mix.

4/5

Moving, especially the final song

Would not buy

l'effet d'un bâton de pluie dans le corps

4.5 il est super cet album, pour dessiner ecouter tranquillement en pensant a la revolution, beaux messages superbe casquette que demander de plus si ce n'est 10 tracks de plus ??

Kanye is my favorite hip hop producer. To some that would sound like a controversial statement. To me it’s so uncontroversial that I think second place (RZA? Q-Tip?) wouldn’t even touch Ye at first. That being said, I’ve never listened to this album and am prepared to love it.

Common is a good way of describing it.

It’s Common, the best conscious rapper. This is not my favorite album though so wondering what else is included in the list.

5/10

passingly familiar with this album..."GO!" takes me back testify is great, i like chi-city, the food album reminds me very much of the blueprint and the black album (jay-z, 2001 & 2003 respectively)

Not bad, could take a few more listens to really appreciate it.

Definitely could hear Kanye’s incredible production work on this one. Hadn’t ever listened to Common before though, plenty of soul and sweet and smooth as honey. Great album.

It was OK I guess. Not that great, but i've heard far worse.

? Common, wiki ah Keney, ok endlich mal was anderes, meine HipHop sozialisation war ja tatsächlich ziemlich whitey - beasty boys&Eminem geprägt, finde ich hier nochmal einen Zugang zum souligen...? c

Pretty good, I enjoyed this. Love, a hipster with a humanities degree.

Easy to listen to, a solid album.

Is this the dude from Silo? Hip Hop not my thing, find constant rapping a bit claustrophobic, but this was well nice. Really cool backing grooves, feels proper New York, vocals decent all around & very very soulful. Did not like the live version - weird choice. Would really like to know if that child achieved his goal of being a duck 7 / 10 Best track/s: Faithful, It's Your World Part 1 & 2, They Say

Um trabalho inteligente ao mesmo tempo que acessível. Ainda que bastante mainstream, influência de Kanye West, não perde a identidade. Mas, não supera a força e o impacto a Like Water for Chocolate

9/10 Favorites: Be (Intro) The Corner GO! Testify

Common strikes me as a guy who thinks he's much better than he actually is.

Very good hip hop album. Thought provoking lyrics without being pretentious and top quality production.

What Kanye and J Dilla did on this album needs to be studied in textbooks.

what a great album. some lyrics that are a bit of an eye roll nowadays but most are Real Shit. and those mid 2000s Kanye beats are undeniable. a faint record of a time when he was fun to root for. and it avoids cd era bloat somehow! nice and tight. no wasted time. Chi-City was the 10000th liked song on my spotify btw. deserves to be one of the 1001? absolutely and i'm a stem major that did decently well at math competitions in high school

Meh

nice melodies, for ringtones too

GOOD music.

Generally, not a fan of hip hop (no I don’t have a maths phd) but I actually quite enjoyed this melodic album.

Rap is not my thing, but that's ok. I do like the music and the production, even if the actual rapping part just doesn't send me. 3 stars.

Besser als ich gedacht hätte

look, all due respect to common. but kanye's production on this takes it next level

wow it's a hip hop record that is not unlistenable, finally

Tired

Quiet and ominous guitar plucking at the start, speeding up to make a riff Sort of chill rap over the top Like calm lyrics but it fits well on the synth stuff and the continuous riff underneath Not a rap fan but this is musically sound and lyrically complex

Common's bars are not always as clever as he thinks they are. But I still love his sound.

Kanye and Dilla threw some amazing beats on this. Common's still very good for me; the beginning and end of this have some amazing songs, but the middle lacks Best songs: Be, The Food, It’s Your World

Quite good! Some real gems here (especially the title track), but many songs are held back by sparse instrumentation and production.

One of the best rap albums I have reviewed off this list so far. Every song had his own thing going for it. It was also my type of rap with it's symbolic lyrics, great rhythms and type of voice. I am not a big aficionado of rap so I didn't even know who Common was before I listened to is. I am a big fan of his work now.

I love this. Goes from dance-y and upbeat to serious and back again. Lots of mentions of Chicago, one of my favorite places in the world. Common has been around for a long time, and he has it all: looks, wit, the voice, and acting. An all around star.

First listen and I liked it. Kanye production shines through. 3.5/5. Raising to 4.

After so much mediocre 70s rock, it was a relief to get a classic Hip Hop album. This came out when I was in college and immediately takes my back to chill afternoons in the sun and house parties. The intro track, "Intro", is iconic, in my memory at least. And the f'ing gorgeous groove continues into The Corner, perhaps the best track of the album. If the rest of the album sustained this fresh low-key yet powerful vibe, this would be a five star album no question. But this album was always a source for mixtapes or dance mixes more than it was a full-play listen. Intro - have always loved the way the bass drops into this track, a classic intro The Corner - maybe the track of the album, nice laid back textured vibe and Common's rapping on this moves across the beat in a way he doesn't usually Go - I never loved this song, but it's good for a chill-out song in a dance mix Faithful - not bad/not great. Neither production nor his rapping shine on this, feels more like a spoken word piece. Testify - close-second for song of the album. Love Is - perhaps the weakest track on the album. Chi-City - meh The Food - why is Dave Chapelle on this? Recorded version of this might have been better. Would love to have seen what Kanye would do in the studio with this. Real People - one of the weakest tracks on the album They Say - almost a great track, but doesn't quite come together It's Your World - meh

Goddamn I miss this era. Take me *back* — not because I want to be 24 again. I don't, really. Take me to this liminal moment in rap when jazz and poetry seemed like an endless tap for creativity and groove. When the Soulquarians were active and brilliant and prolific; when there was a list of brilliant heads to follow; when it felt like being part of a movement. That said: Hearing that The Roots were down with 50-Cent's music in the mid-aughts was a little "Dylan goes electric" moment for me. A sadness, but also a reminder that I didn't necessarily understand this movement, and just as likely, that the movement wasn't really for me. The latter point, probably technically true. And at any rate, became true as the proliferation of Southern & trap made me feel old and disconnected, like my father complaining of Grunge that he couldn't hear the lyrics. And all THAT said: my recollection is that at some point, Chris had dissuaded me of listening to Common, so I kind of ignored his music. But his flow and beats feel so of a piece to that moment where I was obsessed with every Roots album, it feels like I've heard most of it before. I don't even dislike the Kanye collaborations. Subtract a star because while I love it in general, it doesn't feel like an instant classic like The Tipping Point or Black on Both Sides.

I really like this album, one of my favorites we’ve had in a while. I think the only thing holding me back from giving it a 5 is common is just kinda boring to listen to. It’s like Kanye is he wasn’t charismatic and it’s kind of jarring to listen to after a while. If this was a Kanye album it would probably be remembered as one of his best. But it’s not, it’s common and it he sounds like every other common rapper out there imo. Still a really strong 4

Great album, although everything I loved about it would be attributed to Kanye, not to Common. Will be returning though.

Listenable but not my thing.

De fundal

It's certainly not bad. I kinda like hiphop. But it didn't sound particularly unique. A solid 3/5.

lets gooooo. this is great.

i could smell the kanye on this album wayy before i heard him being mentioned. quite liked this, especially the bits with the female vocalists, but lowkey felt a bit too familiar (even though i have never heard this album before)

Not thrilled about the presence of Kanye West and Dave Chappelle on this album. Otherwise it's fine

I wish the beats were a little more distinct, flows as well all just a little too similar but for what it is it’s great. It does feel like Common kinda just coasted off this for the rest of his career though.

Great album liked kanyes part

For sure one to come back to soon

Not my thing.

3.5 stars

It doesn't really slap. It's kind of slow and dated, but it's more thoughtful than most of today's music.

4.5. Топовий продакшн від Каньє (та трошки від Ділли). Власне продакшн тут об'єктивно на передньому плані. Один з кращих альбомів нульових в цьому компоненті. Коммон хороший МС, з непоганою кар'єрою, але в мене немає такого, що я хочу рандомно послухати якийсь куплет Коммона, як часто буває з іншими виконавцями. Він тут точно нічого не псує в жодному разі, але прям вище голови теж не випрингув щоб можна було ставити 5.

Я не великий прихільник хіп-хопу нульових, втім цей альбом має якусь позитивну енергетику. Слухати були приємно. 3.5

15/1089 хороший, насыщенный и позитивный альбом заканчивается так же отлично, как и начинается

хороший, добрый, черный

So good. Not a single bad song. Love the pivot into R&B with 'Testify'. SUCH a good ending song too.

Really enjoyed the positivity and sincerity of this album. It's refreshing when so many albums of the genre seem more materialistic, sexual, or violent. And he's very affirming of femininity and monogamy (except for that one song). Overall, I really appreciate the approach he takes, with the message that people can escape their lives and reach for something better. Also really like the collabs with Kanye West and John Legend. That said, his rapping style gets monotonous at times (complains the guy who doesn't really like rap). It's 3.5 rounded up to 4 for me.

Common has always been one of the more underrated rappers out there, he's a fantastic and cerebral lyricist with a smooth flow. This is the best album ive heard from him, with lush production from vintage Kanye (only production misfire is maybe Testify, with the distracting vocal sample, but the rich samples and mixing on almost every other track makes up for that one). On Be, Common channels progressive hip hop from the greats like Talib Kweli and Mos Def, very effectively

iPod nostalgia

Tedious and annoying.

Too much Kanye.

Good album.

I really liked this album. The rap mixed with Jazz really worked for me and I enjoyed it more as it kept going. My favorite song was Real People

Super enjoyable!! I love the jazz backing the rap...theology is questionable, but I'll let it slide this once. The perfect album to have in the background while cruising the city streets. "Real People" is my favourite track on this one.

"Easy-listening" rap. I enjoyed the soul elements and I thought Kanye's feature was great. Common has a nice flow, but he doesn't compel me to much further listening. I enjoyed "Real People," which I think Kanye produced.

I knew what to expect going into this having listened to a decent amount of Common’s other stuff. I liked this album a lot, but there wasn’t anything truly iconic, and the Ye collab has aged poorly unfortunately

An okay 2000s rap album from the guy who's now better known for those Microsoft commercials. Nothing bad about it just doesn't stand out.

uplifting, varied and elegant. Favorite songs: Chi City & the Food

Not a rap fan, but the music was nice and his voice pleasant.

i found this to be very uninteresting

Like a lot of hip hop, this would be better as an instrumental album.

A few pretty good tracks but overall not an amazing album

Not really my thing, so not the best way to start this challenge. "It's Your World" probably the best track that stood out.

Really solid album, great execution and beats, Common is a professional. Captures the early 2000s perfectly.

One of my favorite produced albums. Be(intro) is such a beautiful song I’d give it a 9/10.

An enjoyable album - good beats and a nice tempo with a smooth lyrical delivery and content that you could almost play to the kids. Kanye unfortunately makes an appearance - but no marks deducted for this as it was a good few years pre Nazi. Ultimately tho there are no real stand out tracks and nothing that really resonated.

Be I didn’t know Kanye produced this until after I’d listened for the first time, even though his voice is prominent throughout. Listening through again, though, it’s clear that it's his production. It's very mid-2000s Kanye a la The College Dropout but with a greater jazz and soul touch. Samples and interpolations are skillfully deployed, and the glossy, polished sheen is great, exemplified by the superb sound and feel of Be (Intro) However I find Common to be a slightly dichotic presence, on the one hand I like his restrained and calm delivery, echoing the thoughtfulness of the words and themes (even though does slip into rather trite earnestness at times), but on the other hand I don’t find him particularly compelling, it often seems a bit flat, missing a bit of flair and zip. The production and those two sides to him combine to make a very listenable album that I will likely listen to again, even though I never quite felt like I fully engaged with it, and there are better examples of this type of album. All that together makes it a 3 🌳🌳🌳 Playlist submission: Testify

Here we go, another hip hop album 'Intro'. But this isn't meaningless repartee about guns n pussay. A double bass with piano, gliding strings, and Isley brothers guitar (might be a synth). Indeed Mr Common even namechecks Coltrane here, a nod to that jazzy bassline. It's a great start. It's a clear precursor to Kendrick Lamar, lyrically and musically, and if nothing else deserves credit for that. But there is not nothing else. There's also the excellent vintage soul pacing, tight sampling and raps with stories to tell. It's very consistent to the point of being samey, but the lack of surprises is made up for by the smooth grooves.

Be

Common isn't my favourite rapper from this era but this album is good! I like.

Favourite Track: They Say

I never thought I would say this about a hip hop album, but if it were just the first 5 tracks, this album would get a 5/5 rating. Those first 5 tracks all hit different. I was really feeling it. The rest of the album didn't come anywhere close to that bar.

I honestly really did not like this album. There were definitely times where I was vibing, but other times I wondered why this is rated highly. I don't necessarily dislike the album, but I wouldn't really come back to any of these songs.

Any album that starts with a double bass is good in my eyes

Great Chicago hip hop album and Kanye’s contribution makes this album become excellent

Unbelievable vibe, this is probably my favorite from this generator so far. I'll definitely be listening to more Common. This did make me really sad that Kanye has become who he's become. I understand the whole "I miss the old Kanye" thing now

Not my thing

With a handful of interesting backing track elements across the first half of the album, Be becomes less inventive and more lightweight the deeper you get. That said, it is still fairly solid hip-hop fare - nothing groundbreaking but more uplifting an experience than most 2000s rap tends to be, while I enjoyed it for the most part, but won't necessarily be returning to this album in a hurry.

I like common (casually). I thought I would like this album. It’s ok! It’s lovely just not for me. Love “Go” ofc and “Real People” “They Say” is absolutely the standout.

2.5

2.5

Standouts Be Chi-City Real People

Excellent album with a great flow. Listened twice. From Love is... (one of my favorite tracks) through the end is where it got really good for me. My playlist choice is Real People: "I wonder is the spirits of Bob Marley and Haile Selassie / Watch me as the cops be tryna pop and lock me / They cocky, plus they mentality is Nazi / The way they treat Blacks I wanna snap like paparazzi"

I’m probably not the audience Common had in mind for this album, but I still really enjoyed it. Before listening to Be, I had never heard of Common, but his rhythm, flow, and lyricism immediately stood out. He’s often described as an “intelligent rapper,” and that comes through clearly here — his storytelling feels purposeful, powerful, and genuinely engaging. The album blends sharp production with thoughtful writing, and it’s made me want to explore more of his back catalogue. Favourite track: Testify – an outstanding track. Least favourite track: Everything on the album is worth a listen. Album artwork: A simple, standard cover.

4 stars

Love

I really liked Be and i thought it is a very good hip-hop album. I've never really been aware of Common prior to doing this project but i'm glad i am because the majority of this album is filled with some really good songs. It definitely does give a lot of the same vibes that a lot of Kanye West's albums did which makes sense since he was one of this album's producers. And because of that, the production is very good with some cool beats and nice R&B melodies. I also think that the lyrics are definitely some of the better lyrics i have heard in hip-hop music. I honestly can't really find a lot of negative things to say so i will just say it's a great album. Best Song: The Corner Worst Song: Chi-City

Common has a lot better albums but this a fun listen.

4

Great beats, great flow, A+ production.

Pretty chill for a rap album. Would probably weirdly work as background music while you’re doing something else

Powerful lyrics, great variety, some spoken word with music but overall very enjoyable

just call it an exhibition of Kanye West’s beat making and production— he stole the spotlight whether it was his beats or bars. Kanye really carried here while Dilla’s holding it down. it’s just hard to take yourself out of the thought that this album is an early display of Kanye’s experimental work. it added a whole other dimension to Common’s flows… which i liked at times. felt out of place and forced other times. i kept having to pause and really get a feel for their choices because even today, it’s so refreshing!

One of the very few hip hop artists I can appreciate (at times), but I never listened to this or any of his albums before. But as it always is, with hip hop and me, I can't enjoy it for more than 15 minutes. Honestly, I'm not someone who listens to lyrics that much, I'm mostly engaged with melody and song structures, which most hip hop tends to lack. Even so, although still not my cup of tea, this hiphop album is quite melodic, and Common's rapping is comforting rather than confronting (unlike his lyrics, which is a compliment too), so 3/5

First off gotta say, that STEM freak can kick rocks; doesn't know what they are missing with this album. Am completely aware of this album, bought it in the 10th Grade and the CD magically disappeared and never revisited it since. So when it popped up, I knew immediately I was in for a treat. Fantastic record that's full of soulful jazzy productions by two of the greatest hip hop producers, J Dilla and his laid back beats and Kanye West with his vision. This album is Kanye's "Donuts" Album kicks off with a huge bang with Be, great conscience hip hop with some boom bap. Backpack rap died and Kanye rose from the ashes. Fantastic sample, great verses and a catchy hook. How can the song not put you in a good mood?? The Corner has some of the smoothest performances on the album. Like a hot knife cutting through butter. Faithful, Chi-City and the first part of It's Your World are some highlights on the album that show soul, a great mind, killer flow and wordplay, dope rhyme schemes and some killer beats by J Dilla and Kareem Riggins Easy 4/5 stars

Bro is speaking at me and I don’t like it most of the time. Great production, just not my thing.

Ah yes, I love this Kanye album feat J Dilla and that guy named Common who talks the whole time. Maybe I’m being a little too harsh, I actually enjoy listening to this album. 3/5

Really immersive listen, playful but smooth

i liked it, shocked how much kanye was in it

So fucking good. Common is a great rapper. The religious tone can be a bit much, but still fits within the lyrical context.

Fuck me this is good.

I want to like this album but I just think it’s corny!!

good groovy retro vibes

Favorite tracks: Be I found most of this album to be a bit of a drag, which was a big disappointment with how much I enjoyed the instruments on Be. The only thing that set some of the songs apart from others are the featured guests, and having my ears perk up when someone else starts singing/rapping doesn't bode well for the album's artist itself. As far as the lyrics go it felt like he was trying to be deep but never really got there. My top example is Faithful, where he talks about his relationship with God only to come to the conclusion that maybe cheating is bad - this right on the heels of GO! which is basically soft porn. Overall not a bad album, but feels a bit generic.

Common’s a very good rapper. Pacey bumps of rhythm generated by stabbed trochees and bounced dactyls. He’s a knack for leaving a little pause between thoughts in his flow; and the enviable gravitas to not just sustain your attention but have those beats feel like a moment of shared understanding. “Be (Intro)” is so totally edifying that it brings a tear to my eye; “GO!” is naughties horny in the most charming way; “Love is…” is quintessential Dilla; “The Food - Live” is a phenomenal rush of energy; “It’s Your World…” challenges and then finishes the thought begun in “Be…” in a confronting, clever and then sweetly disarming way. The sound of Kanye really grabbing hold of the moment is equally exhilarating – I get the sense that we’re hearing more than a couple of the hallmarks of his production style being refined into a cohesive, soon to become era-defining aesthetic across this album. There’s a lot to love about this record. Big themes, big production, big talent, big album. More than anything else, it’s that feeling that we should all want better for each other, that’s what I get from Common. There’s a lot of love in this record.

That opening track is excellent, drops down to a 4 for some annoying lyrics on Faithful and Go. But overall very nice production and pre mentalist Kanye is a good mix.

10/17/25. Very soulful and uplifting! This album gives more context to the Chicago style of the era; I think this album and The College Droput go very well together. Love the messaging to make you think and ask questions, but also instead of painting the world as negative, you still have hope.

It's always a great day to listen to Common & J Dilla & (old) Kanye!! This album is absolutely amazing from start to finish. Will never skip a track. Common shines on every track but Kanye is also a standout, makes you miss the old Kanye 😫 Production is so immaculate on every single track that i would even listen if it was an instrumental album. Much love

Solid

It could be that this is Common's best album, tho Resurrection is his most classic and Like Water for Chocolate his most essential. An authentic folk experience, Be is artfully produced, boasts a variety of flows, commands memorable choruses, and has enuf off-key rhyming to offset Common's cliché moments. The Chi-town native is like Simon & Garfunkel in that he gets away w/ corniness b/c he's never pretentious and he's not corny all of the time. For every 'The present is a gift and I just wanna be' there's a 'We talk shit, play lotto, and buy German beers / It's so black packed w/ action that's affirmative.' For the rap skeptic, Be is a brilliant place to start - if not only for its brevity - but it also convinces hip-hop elites and rhyme-junkies.

It's pretty good. -1 for K*nye

Tämä oli täysin tuntematon artisti. Piti hammasta purren kuunnella albumi. Musat ja lähinnä biitti oli parasta antia. En ole mikään puhelaulun, eli räpin ystävä. Liikaa sanoja liian lyhyessä ajassa. Arvosana jäi pieneksi omien rajoitteiden takia. Ei riittänyt kuulijan ymmärrys tämän koukkuihin ja hienouteen.

Just insane. Kanye and J Dilla has the producers for the project is a crazy duo, which leads to this albums insanely good production. This is a great album, but i have to say, i dont currently understand the hype of "Be (Intro)". Not that its a bad song its just i dont see why its the highest rated track here. Regardless, this album is top tier. Go! Go! Go! Go!

Even though i’m not a mathematician, hip hop isn’t my genre. In fact, I’m probably what the PhD maths guy would describe as a hipster with a humanities degree, and I didn’t much care for it. It’s very smooth, and a wee bit shiny but it’s too jazzy for me, and I found it quite annoying. I have no idea if it is technically good or not, but it sounds like it probably is. It just doesn’t speak to me.

Smoooooooth. Groovy and just a good time overall. Kanye shows up a couple times and kills it. Favorite Track: The Food

Perfect hooks, perfect style, perfect samples, no bullshit

Bit too slow and not aggressive enough for my tastes in hip hop, but not a bad album.

I was familiar with multiple songs on this album but hadn’t ever dug into it in its entirety. The samples used and Common’s unique approach to rapping made it standout for me.

Generic, personality-free rapping about mundane, overdone subject matter.

Not heard before, really immediate lyrical hip hop with some jazz-y beats. Starts off strong and lags a little, feels very 2000s but I still enjoyed a lot.

Enjoyed it! Intro was sick as fuck.

A classic. Common is smooth and has substance. The old Kanye production shines through. A solid album from a solid artist.

Felt like having a new Kanye album. Have never listened to him but instantly see the hype. Excited to listen again, very leisurely but infectious flow. And only 42 minutes a lot of hip hop albums are far too long this was perfect.

I think there might be something wrong with me - i just can’t make sense of records like this. It might be amazing, I just can’t tell. It’s like I can’t hear it. The problem is all mine. Give me three chords, a middle eight and some shouting and I’m all over it. Sorry Common, I bet you’re great, you’re just not what I’m looking for.

Off the cuff remark: I am sure that it says more about me than anything else that I have never heard of Common before - there said it. However that also meant I paid close attention to this album... is it deserving of its' place on this list..? My answer is a fairly resounding no. I can't hear anything different, innovative or even remotely interesting. It's not a genre I am huge familiar with, I'll admit, but this doesn't make me want to be either. Pretty dull overall.

Sumptuously produced, brilliantly delivered, really loved this one

Is this supposed to be some groundbreaking R&B album? I must be ignorant.

Ktoś napisał o tym albumie, że nie jest w żaden sposób przełomowy, ale to kawał solidnej muzyki. I to chyba najlepiej go opisuje. To nie jest muzyka odkrywcza, ani w żaden sposób zmieniająca świat, ale tego się zwyczajnie dobrze słucha. Lubię taki smooth rap, który czerpie z soulu i jazzu. Pozytywny, ale nie pusty. Słuchając tego albumu miałem skojarzenia z Marvibem Gaye i zdaje się, że nie byłem w tym jedyny, czytałem gdzieś potem podobne porównania. "Testify" najbardziej zapadło mi w pamięci, zarówno muzycznie jak i tekstowo. "Faithful", czy "Chi-City" też super. Plus ta końcówka, jak dzieci mówią, kim chcą zostać w przyszłości, fajne zakończenie albumu.

It’s a good album, but it feel haunted by Kanye, not only does the production throughout have a ton of his chipmunk soul but then he has vocals on half the songs too. I’d probably like it more if it felt like Common could actually stand out on his own

What the hell, sure. 3.5

3.5/5

I was familiar with Common the actor/celebrity more than the rapper growing up. I knew Chicagoans always hyped him up. And I think I had listend to this album once in college and didnt think much of it at the time. Amazing what a few years can change. This is an album from a time when hip-hop was rapping. The lyrics and flow carry the album with production that compliments and elevates them. Stand outs: Faithful, Love Is, Chi-City

it was ok. I dont know what makes this stand out to put it on the list though. I won't remember this next week. 2.5 stars

Neither do I listen to a lot of hip-hop in general nor do I have a PhD in Mathematics, but man, this is good. Incredible production and great rapping. Made my day

When I first listened to this, I hadn't really had any serious exposure to Kanye's discography. Now that I'm coming back to this after that, the production is almost instantly recognisable. I'm going to assume this album has high ratings because of the Kanye production, but I'm coming to this as someone who listened to most of Common's early discography before Kanye's. I find Common really toes the time with the "lyrical spiritual miracle" type rhymes. Not that the lyrical content is like that all, but his flow comes across too try-hard if that makes sense. The emphasis on the rhymes in his songs is almost like he's looking for validation at being a technically good lyricist. It's particularly present on The Corner. I think upon second listen, I agree with my initial rating. Kanye is a great producer and I think Common is a good rapper (even if he's not my choice). While it might come across as a Kanye side project, I don't think it would be as good without Common. For example, Go! and Faithful wouldn't have been out-of-place on College Dropout. It does make me wonder what Kanye is like in the studio, if he's domineering or if his production style is so distinct that it's just hard to downplay his role on a project. Not a release that I'll come back to but it's a good entry point to Common and I think an enjoyable listen for any fan of Kanye's early work.

Another great find from the list. Fun hiphop with good production chops Favorite track: Testify other picks: corner, faithful, go, they say

I may not be a big fan of hip-hop, but I'm not going to argue that smart people don't listen to hip-hop and prefer prog instead, mkay? Common is a storyteller, better than most, and his pride of place shows through this album. This is modern Chicago Soul music.

Spoko, od czasu do czasu fajnie posłuchać takiej muzyki

Always avoided Common because his aesthetic seemed kind of corny to me. I've been sleeping on this it's great! Solid production from early era Kanye West on this. And Common is a more than capable MC. Crazy that Common got to work with peak era J Dilla and Peak Era Kanye West.

Classic

Well here's another Common album. This is only the second record I've heard from him, the other being Like Water for Chocolate (which I hated), and I was expecting to hate this too. Honestly? A lot better than that one. This made a lot of sense when I realized Kanye was deeply involved with this record. Makes sense! Still not for me though.

Not my usual genre of music at all. Pretty easy listening hip hop with a jazz feel and laid back grooves and decent lyrics. Pleasant.

Common was essentially told to go find another label. So when he did he brought some friends (Kanye & JDilla) in to help. What it turned out was something pretty spectacular.

This is a perfect example of a rapper doing exactly what his beats required. Common's performance on this is not incredible. It's very good! But his lyrics are pretty standard conscious rap stuff, despite some great rhymes and a very good flow. It doesn't matter, because these beats are incredible, and Common putting on a good but not otherworldly performance on top of them lets you soak them in. The opener may be one of the best hip hop beats ever, and that's just the intro! The entire thing is incredibly smooth, with hooks and earworms everywhere. It's also a very joyful album, for the most part, both because of the lyrics and the lush beats. And the incredibly optimistic and heartwarming closer ties a nice bow on it at the end.

Nice, I guess. A bit slick, but well produced.

Right up my alley. Gets a bit monotonous at times, but Common is a master. 7/10

I tried to listen to the album and give it a chance but honestly, It wasn't engaging enough for me. Maybe it's for another time, another me.

Back when Kayne wasn't insane. Great and listenable album. A great inspirational album.

Used to like it a lot more when I was younger. Still a classic tho.

Good, but I like his earlier stuff better

Fine

I'm a sucker for 'conscious rap' or whatever this would be classified as, but even then - 'Be' definitely stands out. The performances are top notch, but good lord, the producing is something else. Hearing Kanye at the top of his game, before he lost his mind, with Dilla is special.

Pas nul mais bon toujours un peu répétitif ce genre de musique et j'ai pas la motivation d'ecouter en profondeur les paroles pour juger de la qualité donc bon ça sort pas franchement du lot en termes de musicalité et j'aurai oublié d'ici 2 jours.

Vraiment cool J’ai l’impression d’avoir déjà écouté mais je ne suis pas sûr

J'ai vraiment beaucoup aimé !! Avec ce projet je découvre l'univers hip hop, je pensais pas être sensible à ce style mais quand c'est bien travaillé avec des sonorités jazz ou soul comme cet album, vraiment top. 4/5

I don't think I'd ever get to this album on my own, so I'm really glad this project gave me the opportunity to listen to it. Great, great!

Go! One of my favourite songs atm

You know that meme of the woman pulling a face after trying kombucha for the first time? When I saw that Kanye West was involved as a producer on this, I initially pulled the sour face, but then I saw that J Dilla was also credited on a couple of tracks so, well, maybe face? This is straight forward hip-hop/rap, but the usual barrage of mf’ing n-words is refreshingly low, and the backing music has a sort of 70s soul feel to it. As expected, the two J Dilla tracks are excellent (‘Love Is’ and ‘It’s Your World’), the latter featuring a chorus of kids saying what they want to be when they grow up, from astronaut to obstetrician including duck and first African American female president, something that could have been sappy but is actually quite sweet in context.

Pretty solid hip-hop album, chill enough, good background music, good lyrics. My diplomas are not really relevant here, as none of them is related to music, and despite having a PhD in science, I still listen to music with my heart and my gut.

¿Qué mierda es esto? ¿Un disco con colaboraciones y el subnormal de Kanye West? Pero de verdad, vamos a tener un poco de gusto...

Holy. This album is nothing short of immaculate. This is my first project involving Kanye West and man, he was such a musical genius. I'm not too religious but Common shares his beliefs in such an amazing way. Definitely a new favourite for me.

Alright

все тут есть в этом альбоме, но по мне чуть задушнил старина, включил канье веста хотя ты не канье вест , ты как бы круче (как эмси по крайней мере)

Really like this style of hip-hop. Upbeat with lush, soul infused arrangements and beats. Socially conscious but trying to provide a more upbeat, hopeful message rather than an angry one. Be is an incredible opener, the album maintains a very high quality throughout. Unsurprising given it was produced by Kanye with a few entries by J Dilla. Good stuff, will listen to more Common.

Cool and funky old school melodic hip hop with some amazing guest vocalists.

so well made, i miss the old kanye

Some good grooves throughout the album, and the rapping/vocals grab attention super well. To be honest, during my listening, I wasn't focusing much on its lyrics due to schoolwork, but judging by the general sound of the album, I enjoyed the experience.

A short but very sweet rap & hip-hop record, that feels exceptionally well produced and written. It somehow feels warm throughout with no fillers or inconsistencies. Be (Intro) is a 10/10 intro track and it then flows through the rest of the album as if it's a story full of soulful energy.

I'm really ready for this album to be over, but it isn't. Wait... oh, nope. Still isn't.

This album was smooth but in like a "I have nothing to grab onto" sort of way

Ben Shapiro would hate this. 4/5

I enjoyed the rapping, but the background music being smooth-jazz-ish mostly ruined it for me.

The makers of this list certainly love their hip-hop, it seems like it's half of the albums I am getting these days. This one starts really well with a great double bass groove (it's nicked, erm, sampled though). The second song is alright. Is this going to be a 4* hip-hop album? Unfortunately, it then goes downhill for me - GO! being too smooth "soul" like and there's more like that. Didn't enjoy apart from that bass groove so I'm going to listen to some 1970's jazz now, which has all that jazzy goodness but none of the annoying "yeah" talking over it.

Lowkey decent.

I will never forget the mean tweet Common read on Jimmy Kimmel: “Common is the Pottery Barn of rappers.” It was hard not to bring that sentiment to my listening experience, as I’ve never listened to a full album by Common. I enjoyed the features and samples on the album much more than I enjoyed Common himself. It’s not that his flow is bad; it’s just bland. The lyrical content is actually great, but it’s entirely uninspiring to me due to Common’s flow. Looking back, I think I could’ve been the author of the aforementioned mean tweet, as I feel it’s the perfect description for Common.

I generally don’t enjoy hip hop but this album by Common has some great tracks to have pleasantly playing in the background

Enjoyed. More Kanye than I bargained for. Didn’t have a fav.