BE all you can

So I got a copy of Common’s ‘BE’ on Friday from a source that will remain nameless. But rest assured Geffen Records the album will remain on my hard drive only. I know how you big boys hate this digital world we live in. Although I wonder if these leaks weren’t around would the buzz be so huge on Comm.

I am not gonna bore you with a standard review, you are going to get bombarded with them thanks to Kim :_0
Instead I am gonna give you my initial reaction from a listen and a half.

The Electric Circus has left the building.
The progressive, experimental Common is no more. So you all got your wish. Common may say he is not trying to go back to ’94, but he sure is trying to get away from the last album. What is really unfortunate is that there was some heat on EC that got buried by the Andre 3000 / Cody Chestnutt (I thought he was the next big thing – oh well) version of Lonnie Lynn. What is unfortunate is that this work is so predictable whereas ever since his masterpiece, ‘Resurrection’ Common has always moved the art up a step a two. This is a fastball right down the middle or rather a T-Ball. There is no way you are gonna be able to miss this one. It is packaged perfectly for the Kanye, Native Tongue fan. Unfortunately almost too much so. I wouldn’t have minded Common bugging out a little bit.

Common no longer resides in the 11238 zip code
For the past couple of albums Common has been splitting his time between Brooklyn and the Chi. His music had taken on a much more bohemian NY vibe (thanks to the contribution of a Philly drummer and Detroit beatsmith – go figure). But ‘BE’ has many more verbal references to the Chi than I can remember. I am not mad, just an observation, but it probably has a lot to do with…

The student has become the teacher
I was always under the impression that the story went that Common begat No ID who begat Kanye. So there would be no Kanyeezy without Common. On ‘BE’ the power dynamic has clearly switched. Kanye is the executive producer and Common follows his lead. If my protégé was 2X platinum I would probably listen very closely to his direction. What we get is Common filtered through another artist very differently that when Questlove was at the wheels. I always thought Kanye was a more materialistic, arrogant Common who was not in the same league lyrically. So ‘BE’ should have reached heights ‘College Dropout’ couldn’t see. As a whole it doesn’t and I don’t know why exactly. They are however brilliant collabs like “Go” and “Food” but over all it misses my expectations, I also wish my favorite J-Dilla was a little more involved.

Common will be one of the best no matter what.
Don’t get me wrong the album is hot because Common is one of the best MC’s in the post Rakim era along with Black Thought, Ghost, Doom and Kweli. I think he needs to fully realize that. I know he hates when people compare his albums but the last time I believe he truly believed that was on ‘Resurrection.’ On ‘Be’ like Kweli on ‘Struggle’ Common tries too hard to live up to the accolades of Jay Z. He clearly wants to cash in creatively on all his hard work, but I think he just needs to relax and do his thing,

We are thirsty and with all the bellyaching it will satisfy
The scene is so bereft of quality music that ‘BE’ will benefit from some great timing. It is the only record of the short year that will satisfy the post Native Tongue, purist crowd. It is extremely musical and rich unlike the weak synthesizer crap out now. So go out and buy it. It will be your best purchase of the yet.

As always this is only my opinion and welcome to debate. I am just a Hip-Hop fan like J-Smoov

In other news

The George Foreman Grill is the move. Believe the hype. Made some trout tonight that would blow your socks off.