Especially when compared to Mos' other solo albums. But my follow up question is: how did Black Star fail at that? In other words, it was a "duet" album so I don't know that those kinds of albums, by nature, *allow* the time for both artists to display their full artistry. But again, I do totally get what you're trying to say in the context of Mos' career specifically. And maybe your point re: Black Star *was* about Mos, in which case I agree with you. But like I said I just don't know that we can look to a collaboration-style album to give both artists enough room to display everything they got. If that makes sense.

Re: LWFC, I hear you about The Questions (a blatant attempt to grab at The Roots' sound at the time, musically), Payback is a Grandmother (I liked the One Day...trilogy but it didn't need to be revisited, the story wasn't that compelling, and the beat is meh like you said) and Funky for You (I love that beat but agree as a total song it's a bit sloppy...and lyrically it's...not lyrical). But while I don't really find myself listening to it all that often myself, I will admit that Common, as a storyteller, grabbed me with how he told the story on Song for Assata. I loved his rhyme style on that song. It was one of the few examples from that album where his old style showed thru.

But yea - I like the whole album but think it could've done even better as a cohesive album by cutting 2 songs.