Common’s Album BE Is 16 Now
It’s hard to fathom that this great album is 16 years old now. It feels more like 6 years than 16. If The College Dropout never existed, this could arguably be my favorite album of all time. It’s flawless from beginning to the ending that closes the album on such an uplifting note.
I remember when I first saw the album cover for it, I was using my dad’s computer trying to keep up with the NBA Playoffs on games I couldn’t watch because our apartment didn’t have cable at the time. But that image of a guy smiling around the light green color stuck with me for some reason, it was one of the pop-up images that were shown to advertise something.
A classmate from high school allowed me to listen to his burnt CDs. I’m grateful for that guy, he put me on some great hip-hop albums such as Lil John’s Crunk Juice, Snoop Dogg’s Rhythm & Gangsta just to name some. But, nothing could have prepared me for the album that would have an everlasting impact on me, and that album was The College Dropout by Kanye West.
Around this time, I had heard Jesus Walks (powerful song!) and seen the video on the BET channel on a show called 106 & Park at my stepmom’s house. One day, I was flipping through channels still getting used to having cable TV. Somehow, that day I went to BET and 106 & Park was on and this guy (in a red jacket with blue jeans & boots) was speaking to the hosts of the show AJ & Free about his song.
He sounded very sincere, so I kept listening, eventually, the video came on. The first video was very powerful with its imagery and Kanye being surrounded by fire. The second video I remember was with Kanye as a preacher and three other main characters finding their way to the church where Kanye preaches.
So Jesus Walks really stuck with me. But when I heard the whole College Dropout Album? It’s was like I went through an entertaining & uplifting journey listening to Kanye’s sincerity. The first song on the album We Don’t Care was so great that I must have played it ten times before I got to the next track. Every song stands out! Spaceship, Through The Wire, School Spirit, All Falls Down, Never Let Me Down, Family Business…every song!
So after I heard the CD, I was on a Kanye high (for the next four years!). Fast forward two months later, my stepmom & dad reconcile after a nasty breakup, and my younger brother and I move back in with her again. On the very first day of being back in her house, I immediately go to the BET channel because I had missed it! This catchy song & video is on with this bald-headed MC with a lot of nice-looking women.
The hook has me hooked! I constantly hear Go-Go throughout the video. I like this song! I don't understand the lyrics but the melody has me addicted. I hear another guy on the song. Is that Kanye? I ask myself, it sounds like him. Nevertheless, I love the GO song.
Fast forward a few weeks later, I go to this mall with my stepmom and I find an electronic store where you can find movies & music there. I was really getting into more hip-hop music, so I find this little music plaything where you can listen to small doses of songs. Somehow, I find Common’s new album called BE.
At this time, I still didn’t know much about Common beside the GO song. I clicked on one of the songs, the beat in this song that started listening to was hitting me hard! Plus the hook has me hypnotized. It went ‘’I wish I could give you this feeling...I wish I could give you this feeling..on the corner @@@@@ robbing, killing..dying just to make a living huh…huh!’’
That was it! I was sold, I needed this album! So I used the money my stepmom gave me and bought BE. I was so excited to get back home and listening to the whole thing. As my stepmom drives me back home, I’m looking at the back cover of the CD and I see it’s heavily produced by Kanye West! I was really thrilled now! If this album is anything like the College Dropout, this could be a great album.
And it was! Every song on this album is a heavy hitter!
1.Be (Intro)
This first song is a smooth jazzy track with a great piano to listen to. Common drops some nice rhymes that make you go ‘’hmmm, I like to listen to more of this guy’’. The only problem with this song is that IT’S TOO SHORT! It needs to be two minutes longer, but that’s just my take. It’s a great short track.
2. The Corner
From the beginning, the track grabs you and never lets you go with a powerful beat & the addictive sample that makes you want to hear it again and again. Common snaps with his raps and gives you a nice picture of things that happen on the corner. If the first song didn’t reel you in, this one should do the trick with a locked-in Common & a great Kanye beat.
3. GO
Honestly, when I heard the whole album, this one doesn’t stand out as much because there are other songs that have a heavier or uplifting punch than this one. But this track is still very good, it’s just a testament to how great this album really is.
Common rhymes are really catchy on this one. The hook and Kanye’s beat are really catchy too. ‘’On a count of three, everyone run back to your fantasy’’.
4. Faithful
This song is breathtakingly good! It made me feel like I was in a church listening to Common rapped about being faithful to the end with John Legend assisting him in this song. I would soon discover more of John Legend’s music after listening to this album.
The beat to this song is brilliant and uplifting. It gives you hope that anything is truly possible. It wouldn’t be the last song to make me feel that way. Another classic Kanye beat to assist Common’s powerful rapping.
5.Testify
When I first heard this, I had to play it about ten times afterward. This song is mesmerizing! The hook alone is flawless with the sample lady singing ‘’Before you lock my love away’’ with a breathtaking piano sound backing her up. Kanye really outdid himself with this beat. Common’s storytelling is flawless. He makes you engaged in this story with a shocking twist at the end of the song.
The music video is awesome also with well-known actors such as Taraji P. Henson, Wood Harris & GOAT Bill Duke. I’m glad this song was a single. It was too great not to be one.
6.Love Is
This is a great melody done by J Dilla (RIP). It’s sad that J Dilla died so young because he was a great producer like Kanye. I’m grateful for the music he got to share with the world before he could stay any longer. This great song is an example of his talents with Common humility in his rapping. The hook is awesome as well. How beautiful love could be? It feels like we lack love in society these days.
7.Chi-City
I LOVE THIS SONG! The horns and the sample are sublime. I wouldn’t see the Chi until later in life, but at the time, this track made me feel like I was there watching Common fire out these aggressive & engaging raps. The beat once again pulls you and won’t let you stop listening to it. Can you say Chi-City? Yes, I can!
8. The Food
This is a great and fun song. I love the sound clip at the beginning of Dave Chappelle introducing Common and Kanye West on his show. It would be a year before I got to see the Chappelle Show. This was a special time in my life.
The melody is brilliant. Common’s rapping is fun to listen to and Kanye doing the hook with other guys backing him up is awesome. It’s a great listen.
9. Real People
This would be my favorite song on the album if it wasn’t for another track that I equally love (more on that soon). The sound alone is breathtaking. I love the jazzy sound, plus it makes you feel like you’re taking a tour through Chicago as you listen to Common. The horns (I’m guessing sampled) are phenomenal! I play this song once out of every month. It’s so uplifting, inspiring and makes me feel good about life again.
Just an amazing track that I never get tired of.
10. They Say
This is a beautiful song with a great melody. John Legend on the hook is a brilliant choice. It sounds like someone else is singing it with him, I’m not sure if it’s him or Kanye singing, they sound really well in the background. Common once again slays with his commanding rapping.
At this point, I was already a Common fan. I like how positive he sounds in his raps. Kanye also has another brilliant beat on his hands. I remember feeling kind of sad because the album was almost over with one more song to go.
11. It’s Your World
And what a song this was! When I heard the horns come on, something came over me. I felt many emotions listening to this song. Happy, sad, prideful, hopeful, optimistic & many more I’m sure. The beat is just…it’s hard to put into words, it’s a song I honestly wish the whole world would hear. It’s that great!
Common with another outstanding rapping performance describing various things while the soulful beat continues on. J Dilla’s creation is the real star of this song. Although he’s not here with us, I have to say thank you for making this emotional beat. I’ve heard this beat many times over the years by itself and it’s just as powerful alone as it is with Common rapping over it.
I love the ending with the kids saying what they want to be when they grow up. After the kids speak, a final guest finishes the song. That guest is Common’s dad Lonnie Lynn. His spoken word goes through your heart. There is one line he said that has stayed with me to this day which is a great reminder from time to time. ‘’Be great for life, be grateful to life’’.
This is my favorite song on the album. I wish it was a single. It would have done well.
This is a great album that’s fun to listen to & insightful. Kanye has never been better when collaborating with another artist (besides John Legend on Get Lifted). I have good memories just listening to this album during the summer of 2005 before Hurricane Katrina happened.
If you need a pick me up, this album can help you with that.
