Common and Kanye could've done so much more

[Inspect Her Deck]

The Common x Kanye collab was amazing but out of Common's prime anyway.

Lyrically, Common was dominant from like 1994-1997, probably extending to 2000. His best work is Like Water for Chocolate, produced by Soulquarians.

As @Ziggiy stated, Black America Again was the album of 2016.

Common top 5 DOA.

 

[Paper Boi]

kanye seems to be the problem here more than common

 

[bordeaux]

I love be. A lot of people throw around the term classic but that album is a modern day one. FF is a dope album but it's the beginning of common falling off. See, he is an example of when your plate gets full and u don't hav "help" writing your albums. Even tho eventually he admitted he sought some out.

 

[BmoreGorilla]

Kanye made that nikka listenable what more do you want?

Common had dope music long before we knew who Kanye was

 

[brownsugah]

I love be. A lot of people throw around the term classic but that album is a modern day one. FF is a dope album but it's the beginning of common falling off. See, he is an example of when your plate gets full and u don't hav "help" writing your albums. Even tho eventually he admitted he sought some out.

Agreed. Common and Kanye's work on BE was untouchable. And it’s definitely a modern day classic. Believe it or not, I haven’t listened to Finding Foever in fill aside from a few songs.. but it does seem like Common began to fall off musically after BE.

 

[BmoreGorilla]

Y'all STAY forcing "Be" as some sort of epic collaboration. Which is hilarious because a) Com was already washed and Ye sped up that process and b) Dilla ended up having the best songs on that album.

I liked "The Food" (Chappelle version) like everyone else, but it's not even a top 5 Common song. Which summarizes Ye. He'll get you that hipster buzz you need, but nothing he produces will be in the upper echelon of greatness. I remember telling people that "Go" was the best Kanye beat on the entire album and people laughed. Anytime a song is focused on a woman your typical hip hop nerd freezes and dismisses the record.

Then years later, this happens:

Common was much more focused on Be than LWFC. LWFC had too many collaborators on it. But everybody loved The Light tho so your theory is on songs about women doesn't hold up

 

[brownsugah]

Common was much more focused on Be than LWFC. LWFC had too many collaborators on it. But everybody loved The Light tho so your theory is on songs about women doesn't hold up

Sure it had a lot of collaborators, but the music was great nonetheless. It’s still my favorite Common album. I love the organic feel in terms of the vibe and production. And Common’s lyricism is top notch as well.

 

[BmoreGorilla]

Sure it had a lot of collaborators, but the music was great nonetheless. It’s still my favorite Common album. I love the organic feel in terms of the vibe and production. And Common’s lyricism is top notch as well.

Don't get me wrong I love LWFC but it was kind of all over the place imo. It prolly my second favorite album from him. But to me it seems like with Be Kanye tapped into something in Common's soul. Most likely since they are both from Chicago

 

[brownsugah]

Don't get me wrong I love LWFC but it was kind of all over the place imo. It prolly my second favorite album from him. But to me it seems like with Be Kanye tapped into something in Common's soul. Most likely since they are both from Chicago

All over the place? Care to elaborate?

I can definitely feel what you’re saying about BE. Honestly I’ve been going back and forth between which album I like the most, but as a fan of the Soulquarians era I gravitate more towards LWFC. But it’s close between the two and you can’t go wrong with either or.

 

[CrimsonTider]

Common had dope music long before we knew who Kanye was

A song or two here and there, sure. Kanye made Common listenable for an entire album

 

[BmoreGorilla]

All over the place? Care to elaborate?

I can definitely feel what you’re saying about BE. Honestly I’ve been going back and forth between which album I like the most, but as a fan of the Soulquarians era I gravitate more towards LWFC. But it’s close between the two and you can’t go wrong with either or.

During that whole Soulquarians era it seemed like Common was just trying to fit in imo. Electric Circus was evidence of that. I remember seeing the Roots perform in early 99 when Things Fall Apart first dropped and Common performed with them like he was a member.

He wasn't even on the billing. Black Moon performed to and they had a bigger headline then him

I just think it took him a while to find himself as an artist and Be was that album. LWFC is still a dope album but songs like Cold Blooded, the song with MC Lyte, and the song about his grandmother just didn't fit imo

 

[BmoreGorilla]

A song or two here and there, sure. Kanye made Common listenable for an entire album

So you gonna pretend in this thread like you ever even listened to a Common album from the 90s to make this judgement?

 

[brownsugah]

During that whole Soulquarians era it seemed like Common was just trying to fit in imo. Electric Circus was evidence of that. I remember seeing the Roots perform in early 99 when Things Fall Apart first dropped and Common performed with them like he was a member.

He wasn't even on the billing. Black Moon performed to and they had a bigger headline then him

I just think it took him a while to find himself as an artist and Be was that album. LWFC is still a dope album but songs like Cold Blooded, the song with MC Lyte, and the song about his grandmother just didn't fit imo

Hey, I like “Cold Blooded” and “A Film Called (PIMP)” is cool too. I will say that “Payback Is A Grandmother” is my least favorite song on the album... I see what you’re saying though. Lol.

 

[CrimsonTider]

So you gonna pretend in this thread like you ever even listened to a Common album from the 90s to make this judgement?

I tried after liking Be and FF, they were all awful

Boring production and Common’s choppy flow and weak delivery doesn’t mix

 

[BmoreGorilla]

I tried after liking Be and FF, they were all awful

Boring production and Common’s choppy flow and weak delivery doesn’t mix

We already know your biased when it comes to "east coast" sounding production from the 90s which basically is what his first 3 albums were like. Of course you weren't gonna like them. Plus by the time Be and FF dropped hip hop had changed drastically like 2-3 different times since his earlier work