>let me preface it by saying Im a Comm fan..always have been
>
>wheras many unjustly credit the Roots involvment for his
>demise on LWFC I thought that was just a mature-boys to man
>record
>
>his Electric Circus phase was weird but to me Be is when he
>started to get a little too mushy for my tastes

I love Be but I think this was kinda the beginning of the end in terms of him having that "it" factor on his albums. I hate the word but even as a "conscious" rapper he still always had "swag" on albums like LWFC/One Day, where he was rhyming socially aware shit while at the same time having that "don't fuck with me" edge to it.

On Be, he had it to a certain degree but it was clear he was softening up a bit. I still love it but I agree with what you're saying.