It happens every time to be honest. I leave town for a week or so – and Epinions changes its layout… again. And it still looks butt-a**-ugly. Oh well. I guess some things don’t always change. So, as you read this, I am probably struggling to get to grips with this seemingly increasingly complex (or stupid.. whichever way you look at it) layout. But enough of the moaning.

If you ever want a really fun sight to see – ask any hip-hop backpacker of true fan about Common Sense - and the chances are you will see something close to an Internet orgasm. But with good reason…

Common Sense blew onto the scene in 1992 with “Can I Borrow A Dollar?” - an underground, raw album from a young and hungry Chicago emcee. However, it wasn’t until 1994 that Common really started making gigantic splashes. He released “Resurrection”, put forward by many, many people as one of rap’s greatest ever albums. It’s unsurprising that “Resurrection” was a truly stunning sophomore release – featuring a jazzy, mature sound falling in somewhere between De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest, and Common’s eccentric, witty, intellectual lyrics with his off-beat rapping style. Including one of hip-hop’s all-time CLASSIC songs, “I used to love H.E.R.”, and Common’s fierce, vocal opposition to the materialistic and violent world of mainstream mid-90’s hip-hop, he was immediately championed. So, when it came to releasing his follow-up to such a great album it had to be pretty good. Take a bow, “One Day It’ll All Make Sense”, one of 1997 and hip-hop’s standout albums.

Track Listing

1. Introspective. (****)
2. Invocation. (****)
3. Real N----a Quotes. (*****)
4. Retrospect for Life. Feat. Lauryn Hill. (*****)
5. Getting Down at the Amphitheatre. Feat. De La Soul. (*****)
6. Food For Funk. (****)
7. G.O.D. (Gaining One’s Definition). Feat. Cee-Lo. (*****)
8. My City. (***)
9. Hungry. (*****)
10. All Night Long. Feat. Erykah Badu. (****)
11. Stolen Moments Part 1. (*****)
12. Stolen Moments Part 2. Feat. Black Thought. (*****)
13. 1, 2 Many. (*****)
14. Stolen Moments Part 3. Feat. Q-Tip. (*****)
15. Making A Name of Ourselves. Feat. Canibus. (*****)
16. Reminding Me (Of Self). (*****)
17. Pop’s Rap Part 2. (****(

It’s rare that you say this about a rap artist, but Common is a really, really special artist. What “Resurection” exposed in large quantities, “One Day It’ll All Make Sense” expands further on. “Introspective” offers a glimpse into what the listener will hear. This is a spoken intro to the album – where the emcee simply offers his thoughts on his career, his life, the rap game, and his album. It’s a simple and low-key beginning, but very effective.

The title “One Day It’ll All Make Sense” reveals a lot about the album. It’s well known that Common is disillusioned with the rap game – with gangsta and commercial rap culture. He lets his thoughts be known in no uncertain terms on tracks like 1,2 Many”. Over a sparkly percussion-led Dug Infinite beat, Common denounces gangsta rap culture and takes shots at artists who stoop to this level. He also rams home the point that he doesn’t fall into these traps: “ One day, I was tryin to be myself/ The same day this thug say, "You gotta come hard"/ Ni--a, times is hard, I'm tryin hard to make it/ It ain't hard to tell, it's hard for me to fake it/ Plus, it's hard to be me, it's hard to stop drinkin/ I guess it's hard for you hard ni----z to start thinking”. “Real N-----a Quotes” mixes inventive braggadocio with further shots at, this time, the modern R&B world. Common shows he can spit with the very best of them – combining poetic, original wordplay with a good flow and delivery. A scorching trumpet coupled with a brassy horn and thumping drums sets the urgent, pressing tone of the track.

“Getting Down at the Amphitheatre” has an old-skool sound in direct contrast to the soulful, jazzy beats found elsewhere, and has an impressive guest in the forms of old-skool pioneers De La Soul. “Making A Name For Ourselves” finds possibly the best battle rapper of the last decade, Canibus, stepping into the ring with Common and they trade a barrage of venomous battle rhymes over a pounding, dark drum-based battle beat. Canibus drops some sizzling lines throughout: “ The Earth got one sun but I walk with three shadows/ With Allah, my supernatural bodyguard/ N----z couldn't touch me if they gave me a massage/ MCs will compete with lyrics and beats get crushed/ I'll hit you in your chest so hard, your shoulders will touch”.

Common is a different emcee to many others. His lyrics are on a planet different to any other emcee, and he relies on his lyrics rather than his occasionally choppy and off-beat flow. He gets labelled as a ‘conscious’ rapper – but with good reason. The two standout tracks on “One Day It’ll All Make Sense” demonstrate fully why Common is one of the most original, creative, intellectual and best rap artists of all-time. “Retrospect For Life” jumps straight into the mind of Common and millions others like him. A melancholy, slow piano-led beat supports a moving tale about the mental struggle whether to have an abortion or not – and all the problems this brings with it. Guest star Lauryn Hill provides the opposing view with a truly wonderful chorus. This is the deepest, and best, song on the album. However, “G.O.D. (Gaining One’s Definition)” is not far behind. This time a truly sublime piano melody and a slow bassline provides the thoughtful background for a track that moves into a spiritual and religious vein: guest Cee-Lo of Goodie Mob and Common explain how religion helps with finding your own inner self and being happy with yourself.

These are two really, really standout tracks in Common’s CAREER let alone on “One Day It’ll All Make Sense”. They showcase the incredible live instruments - and jazzy/soulful vibes of the beats. Common's literate rhyming is the icing on the cake.

Other strong tracks includes the ultra-creative trilogy of tracks“Stolen Moments Part I,II & III”, where Common flexes his story-telling skills and narrates a tale about a man’s attempts to find out who robbed his house. He uses classic skills like cliffhangers to actually make you want to hear what happens next. Classy guests Black Thought of The Roots and Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest pop up here as well. “Reminding Me (Of Self)” is a warm, feel-good “trip down memory lane” session with a stirringly engaging beat and rhymes reminiscing on high school days. My favourite track.

“One Day It’ll All Make Sense” is a truly shining moment for this Chicago native. A stunningly rich and jazzy musical backdrop, guests from urban music’s highest echelon, and Common’s uber intelligent, introspective and poetic rhymes all combine with consistently standout results. It’s hip-hop that deliberately avoids ALL the stereotypes – and as a result any music fan can pick it up and enjoy.

So do just that.


Recommended: Yes