<P>>sometimes "hard shit" as you put it <BR>>has to take a back seat. <BR>>if shit is dope shit is <BR>>dope. i consider "afrodisiac" "hard" because <BR>>the beat is tight and the <BR>>rhymes are tight. that is "hard" <BR>>to me. a song don't have <BR>>to make you wanna beat someone <BR>>down just to be hard. <P>I guess "hard shit" is a wrong choice of words. Yes I do like MOP very much so, but I don't expect Common to come "hard" in the same context. "Payback" doesn't make me want to fight but it does get me hyped. If that is steriod rap, then I am fuckin Lyle Alzado. I agree that "Afrodeziak", "Dooinit" and "Thelonius" all fit the above description. I overlooked those in the previous post. A proper example of "hard shit" I like would esvee fantastik 1. Dirty beats and raps. Like I said I have no problem with the album, I just would have preferred songs more along those aforementioned stylings.<BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>> Can't complain <BR>>>the album is putting the dopest <BR>>>rapper and producer (Jay Dee) together <BR>>>of the moment.<P>>damn the others can't get a shout? <BR>>james, d', and myself worked on <BR>>the same ish that jay worked <BR>>on too. it wasn't a solo <BR>>effort. <P>I don't have the credits to know who did what. These days it is getting harder to tell (shit I thought Jay Dee produced a lot of "Vooodu"). My guess would be Jay Dee did the following:<P>"Dooinit" (obviously)<BR>"Payback"<BR>"Thelonius"<BR>"Afrodesiak" (maybe, probably a stretch)<BR>"Hot Shit"<BR>"Cold Blooded" (with ? on drums?)<P>> i bet you <BR>>like outkast too and there shit <BR>>be singin 24/7. you won't be <BR>>considered soft if you like singin'. <BR>>the only problem i have with <BR>>singin is in hip-hop singin is <BR>>used as a way to get <BR>>on radio. but here, the reason <BR>>we used bilal so friggin much <BR>>is that we are truly in <BR>>love with the sound of his <BR>>voice. we are so honored that <BR>>this jazz cat got down with <BR>>us (and we blessed his record <BR>>the same way) <P>For the record I thought Outkasts last album was wack, not because of the singing though. The point being Common's first three albums were pretty much devoid of singing (barring the few cuts from One Day). "Res" had some of the dopest scratched choruses that I have ever heard in a album. I understand it is a new sound, and a new record, but you would have to admit is a drastik change.<P><P> that "badu" crowd <BR>>is that sayin that you are <BR>>"too hard" to appreciate this? all <BR>>you listen to is steroids rap? <BR>>ok so if we woulda scratched <BR>>the chorus in.....it wouldn't have fit <BR>>the songs at all. sorry dude, <BR>>go get a copy of the <BR>>real record and see me in <BR>>one year then tell me whussup? <BR>>you got cats thinkin this is <BR>>an album of "reminding me of <BR>>sef's". hell no we ain't goin <BR>>out like that. <P><BR>I don't think Common is selling out or anything. It is obvious that he wants to be appreciated by more common folk (no pun intended). Listen to the "Backsmack em with a skateboard" line on "Cold Blooded". You can't tell that aint a dis towards the "Backpack" nation (which I am not a member of). By me saying he will appeal to the Badu crowd, it doesn't mean he will lose the hip hop crowd (at least I hope he wouldn't). The album just has the ability to broaden his appeal. He has never had a single like "Funky for You" which can make people dance. (not to mention be the first club record without a loud obnoxious hi-hat in awhile). Obviously this stylistic change was heartfelt and not forced. Common didn't try to tone down the raps or anything for mass consumption (see Ras Kass, Souls of Mischief and many others)<P>I appreciate the fuck out of this album. I think it was well thought out and put together. I just don't look at it in the same light as "Res" because it is a totally different work. Not to say that either is better, just different.<P>got to get back to work I'm getting tired of responding to outrage at all of my posts.<P><BR>> THE SOULQUARIANS chewy (quest).....jan luke (d)........feb <BR>> lando (jaydee)......feb cp30 (james poyser).....jan <BR>>r2d2 (jazzy jeff)......jan hans (chaos)........jan anakin <BR>>(lil mike)......feb <BR>>honorary members: kelo- soulacorn.......jan common- soulcies......march erykah- <BR>>soulcies......feb <P><BR>