We missed the actual 20 year anniversary by a couple months (September 30th) but ... 1997-2017. Wild.
This may not be the "best" Common album but it's got a special place in my heart for a lot of reasons and is likely my *favorite* Common album (depending on what day you ask me).
Anyway I think this album deserves a 20 year anniversary post. Respond with your thoughts, memories, favorite track(s), etc.
1. "My 3rd Favorite Common Album" In response to Reply # 0
and the first album where he was known as just Common. Only thing wrong with this album was the sequencing on the back half. Other than that, I love it. The stolen moments trilogy, great shit! Com, No ID and Dug Inf were a great team.
****************************************** Falcons, Braves, Bulldogs and Hawks
2. "Yea Dug Inf is unheralded" In response to Reply # 1
But that dude laced Comm with some really fun beats. Comm sounded really at home on those funky little numbers. "1,2 Many", then "Like They Used to Say", etc.
Anyway yea - you're right the album isn't perfect. That's kinda what I meant when I said it's clearly not his best, just my favorite. I like it cause while Common has always been introspective (no pun intended) and self-reflective, this is the album where that aspect of his persona matched his lyrical ability. In other words he had found a perfect balance between the double entendres and wordplay that made up the bulk of Resurrection, and the introspection and social commentary he would be better known for as his career continued to progress. This album was like the crossroads for those two.
3. "Lyrically it's still his best album, I think " In response to Reply # 0
he was super sharp and precise, and still his verses had an elasticity to them. But I'm glad he made it for other reasons, because if not for this album he wouldn't have made LWFC; he wanted to do an album that had a more live instrument sound, which explains why One Day had a more clean sound, but wanted to go further than he did on OD.
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4. "Yea I agree. He had presence on the mic on this album ..." In response to Reply # 3
that he didn't match before or since. It's hard to explain but "precise and sharp" is a good start. He was on a mission.
I always say the absolute apex of his prime was like, 96-99, from a lyrical standpoint. You can stretch his prime from say 94-05 but I think that 96-99 period was the best of that longer "prime" of his career.
9. "yeah he was on fire for that period, guest spots too" In response to Reply # 4
like if you were going to argue him being the best in the world, it was in that period.
__________________________________________ CHOP-THESE-BITCHES!!!! ------------------------------------ Garhart Ivanhoe Poppwell Un-OK'd moderator for The Lesson and Make The Music (yes, I do's work up in here, and in your asscrease if you run foul of this
18. "I still argue for Comm, too. For me it's Comm and Nas." In response to Reply # 15 Wed Dec-06-17 02:54 PM by Brew
For my top 2.
But yea - that period is what puts him "over the top" and I'd argue that he STILL, to this day, raps better than 90% of cats out there. Black America Again proved that, if you weren't convinced by the two prior albums.
The "low point" of his career was Finding Forever to UMC. He started his second ascent on TD/TB, found his social commentary groove again (despite some missteps) on Nobody Smiling, then tied everything together on the near-flawless BAA.
Honestly, 97 was all about Jewelz and One Day for me.
I started to get into the more conscious hip-hop at this point and Common really helped that for me with this album.
Yes, the sequence is suspect but outside of the terrible Stolen Moments interlude and Makin’ A Name, I can play this from top to bottom.
Always put this on in the Fall. Just has that vibe for me.
Easily Common’s best album lyrically in my opinion. From Invocation to Retrospect to GOD to Hungry to Stolen Moments...he was killing everything.
The album also has tracks with just a great hip-hop vibe like Real Quotes, Funk, and Reminding Me...
It’s an album that when I listen to it I think, this is my favorite Common album...but when I’m not listening it kind of get put on the back burner for LWFC for some reason.
6. "I listened to this album A LOT" In response to Reply # 0
It has my favorite Pop's Rap. Reminding me of Sef is one of my favorite Common singles. I get chills thinking about it. For me that song says everything I love about Chicago. I think Resurrection is my favorite Com album but this is a close fav as well. A ton of soul on this record. Wonder what his daughter thinks about the record with him and Ms. Hill. I'm gonna give this a listen this week.
8. "Reminding Me (of Sef) is amazing. So fucking soulful" In response to Reply # 6
It gives me chills, too and I'm not even from Chicago. It's just a beautiful beat and great storytelling/lyrics. His flow is great on that track too, really rides the beat.
Yea I had it on on vinyl over the weekend and nostalgia washed over me. This was before I realized we'd hit the 20 year anniversary, too. Just tossed it on on a whim.
Actually laughed out loud at Pops' Jesse Jackson rant.
17. "RE: One Day It'll All Make Sense - 20 years old" In response to Reply # 0
So dope...I remember around this time brother Com being discussed in my circles as a GOAT candidate. Just a fresh product, and he was saying something over incredible production. What a project, gotta rock it soon...
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