Common – Be: On May 24, 2005, Common released his sixth album. This MC has one of the best catologs of albums in Hip Hop. But after the negative criticisms he got from Electric Circus, Common dropped arguably his best album to date. With Kanye West doing most of the producing and Common doing what he does best… the combination is flawless. It is an absolutely “NO SKIP” album. From track one to eleven, the whole album flows to perfection.
Production: Kanye West and J Dilla.
Guest Appearances: Kanye West, The Last Poets, Jonh Legend, John Meyer, and Bilal.
This album has one of my favorite intros of all time with the BE (intro)… Faithful, Go, They Say, Real People, and Love Is were great… Testify was a good story with a twist… Chi City was also great, but my FAVORITE TRACK is
Hey fella’s peep this….SHREWD look MILLS putting Chi-City UP.Most overlook the depth of this joint.(I think lp’s produced by 1 contained vision,or 1 prod. eg-for first would be ILLMATIC,….2nd eg-would be,BE) Also everyone i know (or know that have discussed this LP in detail.) HATES the no effort to even make effortlessly dope!….Without a doubt the worst Artwork *lack of thereof,it’d be a non-issue.But i can’t think of any other LP i felt this way about.*
Chi-City my fav track.With Food & the INTRO (another bit of nice-spotting,propinas)FOOD,had left an indelible imporession on Chappelle Show almost a year before the lp release.I had dvd’d it to a Cass.So i had that great nostalgic feeling , of knowing lyricals in fool when it dropped.Case of that great show.Acting as a Stretch & Bob , or an Underground Railroad.
Also mid-90’s or ’03-‘early’06 was hiphop’s imo weakest musical point EVER.i don’t think anyone wants or could debate me on this.That was Nas’ whole point of HHID.
That in itself.Makes this LP imo.One of only 3 truly classic LP’s in those 3-4 years.We learned.Now were better than ever for it.GOOD music’s being made all over the world.
Lastly,i think CHI-CITY’s whole vibe.Kanye whether intentional or not i don’t care i f’n love it.The trk. serves as a RESSURECTION (LP’rmx part 2 by KW.)It’s hiphop how it should sound from 1st to last breath & note.
-peace,one-Ethex…..
Ethex, I still have this album in heavy rotation. I remember hearing the casio-ish intro and being like wtf? Then Kanye dropped that sample and it was on! Great fuc#!$ album!
Those moments that Kanye dropped that sample & as what you said is money.Also, hiphop needed an LP that walked that ever so fine line.Of serious & fun.To me hiphop’s only thing we need to CHECK is “the i’m too hard to have fun”*pauz* seriously, cuz the real-ballers are havin’-fun.Who these cats emulatin’.MastaAce one of my fav quotables from BrooklynBattles Off his summer ’89 debut Take a Look….“While you sit home,with a frowned-up-grill / talkin’ bout’ who ya gonna-kill.”Hopefully noone which lends props to this LP.When i say it was “MATURE”.That’s no bs.These LP’s and what i’ve been clockin’ lately.Leaves me with an entirely SUNNY (Corleone) type summer.Only prediction.Nas’ next LP will do thee impossible.Using,the sum of ILLMATIC’s original parts.Nas’ & his seperated @ birth fabulous 5 prod. plus ALC & Havoc for the lucky7.Does the unthinkable.Topping ILLMATIC.and thus becoming the BEST BOOM-BAP LP EVER!!!!