Common - Finding Forever - Album Review

4.5 ninjastars out of 5

"Ladies And Gentlemen
It's the C-O double M-O-N
synonym for fresh"
you should all remember him.

With this opening salvo (save the last line which I added) the Chi-city legend returns with Finding Forever his 7th album and second produced by Kanye West. Although I loved Be and was excited about the first two singles "The People" and "The Game" (Where have you been Premier?!?) I was afraid that he would continue to move away from his vocal (such as "Funky for You" off Like Water For Chocolate) and thematic (ie I Used to Love H.E.R off Resurrection) experimentation of his illustrious career.

To me Common represents all that hip-hop could and should be about. And although he has almost completely abandoned the almost spoken word or open mike poetry-style elements of his flow he still addresses subject matter that every rapper with lil' or young in front of his name wouldn't touch with the cliche ten-foot-pole. Such as the traps of materialism ("Drivin' Me Wild"), racial self-hatred ("Black Maybe"), and conversations with your maker ("Misunderstood").

Some people would say this makes him a sensitive MC. I would say that complete is a more fitting term because while Common has a large range of topics and emotions to draw inspiration from the average rapper is so afraid of appearing emotionally insecure that he not only reveals that he his but makes it hard to appreciate more than the rare single let alone call his work art. Whether or not Common ever reaches true commercial success who knows. He's like the rap Derrick Jeter. Whether or not he hits the most home runs or makes the most money the man is a champion.

Further listening - essential tracks from Common's career -
I Used to Love H.E.R
Nuthin' To Do
Communism
Reminding Me of Self
Retrospective For Life
Invocation
The Light
Funky For You
6th Sense
A Song For Assata
1-9-9-9
Respiration (Black Star feat. Common)
I Am Music
Go
Chi City