Common
Finding Forever
Geffen Records
What can I say about Common that hasn’t already been said? He is one of the most respected and best MCs in rap and has been creating top-notch music for well over a decade. His breakout came in 2000 with Like Water For Chocolate and the breakthrough hit single, “The Light”. Common’s success continued straight through to the sprawling Electric Circus and the four-time Grammy-nominated Be.
Now Common’s latest, Finding Forever, proves once again that he is not only one of the best artists this millennium, but one of the best rappers in history.
With big collaborator Will.i.am producing, Common spits adulterous venom (and its consequences) on the seductive “I Want You”, but the highlight of the album is the Lily Allen-aided “Driving Me Wild”. The beat is instantly thumping and Lily Allen’s voice perfectly complements Common’s flow. The lyrics are dynamite, perfectly outlining fake personalities and urging those to be who they are. Common goes through a woman obsessing about a lover who’s “driving herself crazy like the astronaut lady” and a young man who “would’ve gotten [respect] if you never would’ve stressed it.” Allen smoothly croons the point home, “There’s this thing now/it’s driving me wild/I gotta see what’s up/before it gets me down.”
The smooth “So Far to Go” featuring the reclusive D’Angelo and the harder “Southside” featuring Kanye West solidify this album as a hip-hop classic. Common is a legend who just keeps getting better. “Finding Forever” is just another fantastic album in a career that is becoming more and more influential.
Common: http://www.common-music.com
