Com-un

Common Sense from the city of wind is a Chicago-born rapper who focuses on messages of social injustice and love rather than pickin up hoes and droppin dimes. A vegan, Com’s liberal senses shine through in his music. He refuses to conform to the stale mold of mainstream hip-hop and does his own thing. Around since the mid 90’s, Common has worked with many great producers: J Dilla, ?uestlove, and more recently, Kanye West. Although his latest album, Finding Forever is stellar, Common’s masterpiece is 2005’s Be.

 Be begins with an upright bass line and ends with poetry. See that very often in the rap game? Throughout the CD, Common manages to flow about everything from fatherhood and drug dealing to God and Love. The X factor on this album has got to be producer Kanye West who throws in tons of great soul samples(Gaye’s “God Is Love”, Ahmad Jamal’s “Ghetto Child”) along with hot beats that make each track very unique. One of the biggest problems I have with the rap of today is the lost concept of an “album.” Rappers seem to work with every producer in the world and throw together a sprawling, disjunct collection of tracks with one standout track and 17 others that are pretty whack. This is not the case with Be. There isn’t a weak track to be found, and at 42 minutes and 11 tracks, it is very immediate and commanding.

Be also features a very interesting collection of collaborations. John Mayer sings the hook on “Go”, John Legend plays piano and sings on “Faithful” and “They Say”, The Last Poets do their thing on “The Corner”, and Kanye West contributes his flow on many tracks. The album also ends, like every Common album, with Com’s father Lonnie Lynn(former ABA basketball player) reciting a poem.

I have had the very fortunate opportunity to check out Common twice since the release of Be. Let me tell you, the dude can put on a show. From bustin out his b-boy moves to freestyling for a good 10 minutes, Common and his amazing 3 piece band(drums, DJ, keys) blaze through hits without lettin' up. If you ever get a chance, check this guy out, you won’t be sorry.

You also may know Common from his recent endeavor in the acting world. Appearing in Smoking Aces and American Gangster, Com is a fairly decent actor that has a few cool films on track for the new year. Dude also used to date Erykah Badu and is currently with She-Beast Serena Williams.

My favorite track on the album has got to be the title track, “Be.” It is so refreshing to hear a modern day poet at the mic. The way rap is supposed to be:

 

                                I want to be as free as the spirits of those who left

I'm talking Malcom, Coltrane, my man Yusef

Through death grew conception

New breath grew resurrection

For moms, new steps in her direction

In the right way

Told inside is where the fight lay

And everything a nigga do may not be what he might say

Chicago nights stay, stay on the mind

But I write many lives and lay on these lines

Wave the signs of the times

Many say the grind's on the mind

Shorties blunted-eyed and everyone wanta rhyme

Bush pushing lies, killers immortalized

We got arms but won't reach for the skies

Waiting for the Lord to rise

I look into my daughter's eyes

And realize that I'ma learn through her

The Messiah, might even return through her

If I'ma do it, I gotta change the world through her

Furs and a Benz, gramps wantin 'em

Demons and old friends, pops they hauntin' him

The chosen one from the land of the frozen sun

When drunk nights get remembered more than sober ones

Walk like warriors, we were never told to run

Explored the world to return to where my soul begun

Never looking back or too far in front of me

The present is a gift

                                                  and I just wanna BE, BE, BE

If somebody ever asks you, “Yo man, why you listen to that rap crap? It's ust demeaning to women and ain’t original. That stuff ain’t music.” You let them listen to this track, it can speak for you.

We need more cats like Common in the rap game.

Until whenever,

BD