Never listened to Common but was excited because of the Common I perceive today...but this was 25 years ago...sooooo First off the music...The jazz and afrobeats were unique and appreciated it. It wasn't overwhelming bass or samples that were mixed together and overpowering to the lyrics. How he delivered the lyrcis was also good...he wasn't yelling or growling the lyrics in a way that made them hard to hear. He can sing, rap quick, rap slow creating a good unique delivery. Now the actual lyrics...I did not grow up in the same culture so I tried to look at it through his lens, some were trying to make a point of hypocrisy in the culture (end of the 6th Sense and A film Called) but then other times he really incorporates the misogyny into the lyrics without apology or a point, he really means. Then there is the homophobic lyrics, there isn't any point he is trying to make there, except homophobia. I want to believe he is better today...so I will try to not let the last two taint the album too much. Overall its different, good but not great.