Nas - Street's Disciple

Settle in, folks. This might be a long one. 

2002 was a pretty bloody great year for Nas musically, even if his personal life probably makes it one he doesn't enjoy the memory of too much (R.I.P. to Ann Jones). During the 12 months, he put out his second excellent full length LP in a row God's Son, which retained the highs of Stillmatic despite being admittedly quite a bit more inconsistent, and also released what's often regarded as the greatest compilation album in hip-hop, The Lost Tapes, which is made even more impressive by the fact that there are zero features on the entire thing. And to top that off, his rival at the time Jay-Z pretty much made a fool of himself all year, dropping some terrible freestyle disses, a godawful collaborative album with R. Kelly of all people, and a reasonably okay studio album which was held back from being "good" by the fact that it was a rotting whale of double album, something that hip-hop artists very rarely pull off (unless they're name is Tech N9ne, 2Pac or The Notorious B.I.G.). Nas had gone from being the laughing stock of the hip-hop community to retaining his throne as king of New York in the span of just three years, and even though I wasn't alive at the time, I can imagine for any Nas fan it would have been a great thing to see. 

So, to capitalise on this success, Nas decided he could either record some terrible radio freestyles, release a terrible R&B collaboration, or go the full monty and put out a double album. Y'know, because why not take the piss out of his rival who most level headed fans would agree was defeated in this diss battle? And that's what led to the release of Nas' seventh studio album, named after a line from his first ever guest appearance on "Live at the Barbecue". Street's Disciple. A motherfucking double album. Nice one, Nasir. Nice one. 

(Obviously that's not actually why he released a double album, but it's funny to imagine anyway)

Street's Disciple was the first Nas album I listened to out of order when going through his catalogue for the first time - I am the only teenager in the world who has to get the CD before listening to an album for the first time, and while Hip Hop Is Dead and Untitled were readily available on Amazon at the time, I had to wait quite a while before this CD (or should I say, two CDs) showed up under the Christmas tree, almost exactly two years ago. Yes, I'm young, so what. And upon first glance, I was pretty intrigued by the tracklist of this project. First of all, a lot of these guest appearances are weirdly obscure. Scarlett, Quan, Emily (what the fuck sort of stage name is that??), Maxwell, Keon Bryce - I mean, who the hell are these people, and why are they good enough to deserve a spot on this Nas album? Still, at least Busta Rhymes and Ludacris are invited to the party. That can only be a good thing. And secondly, the producer list - I like it. I like it a lot. Salaam Remi (who produced some masterclasses on the last album) is back, as are L.E.S. and Chucky Thompson, and Buckwild and Q-Tip also produce one song each, which is exciting to see. But the thing that's even better than the list itself is that even though there's a lot of songs, most of them are handled by the same three people, which is great, as it means the project can have a more cohesive sound. It's just a bonus that I happen to be a big fan of all the contributors here. 

Still, there's that inherent problem of Street's Disciple being a double disc album with a total of 25 tracks - exactly the same as Jay-Z's The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse (hmm... suspicious). People who saw that Jay-Z review I did would know that while there were enough stellar songs on there to make for a genuinely great album, it was padded with weak filler cuts that made it a slog to get through by the time we were getting into disc two. Yes, Nas is less likely to include as many radio friendly cuts as Jay would, but the abundance of solo tracks on here, and assumed lack of catchy singles (this thing has nothing in the way of a "Made You Look" or "Got Ur Self A...", that's for sure) might make it even more drab of a listen. Still, it's a Nas album. Even if the overall product doesn't end up being great, you're bound to leave with some classic joints. Even Nastradamus had "Come Get Me", and do you remember how half-arsed that album sounded? 

You may notice that I'm building this one up as something quite weak - this is definitely one of my less optimistic opening sections. But that's less to soften the blow of a negative outcome, and more just to add to the effect of surprise and satisfaction I had upon first listen, and continue to have when I listen to this thing today. Because, ladies and gentlemen, this double album... 

It's really good. 

Disc 1

1. Intro 

I wonder how many people heard this intro for the first time, and assumed it was Nas coming out as gay in the often homophobic world of early 2000s hip-hop (see "how you gon' explain fuckin' a man?!?"). I mean, it certainly sounds like that's what's happening. The fact that Nas spends two songs later on in this album pretending to be a woman only adds to this theory. Maybe disc one is the gay disc and disc two (full of sex songs) is the straight one? Whatever, I'm getting off topic - but do listen to this intro if you want to hear Nas unintentionally sounding like a man secretly meeting with his boyfriend after dinner with his family from Alabama. 

2. A Message to the Feds, Sincerely, We the People (prod. Chucky Thompson, Salaam Remi & L.E.S.)

All three of the main producers on this album have a hand in cooking up this one, which must explain why it sounds so damn good. The piano music building up throughout the intro is turned into a very slow paced and quite dramatic instrumental to start things off here, only for it to change up halfway through into something more up-tempo and choppy, which was definitely needed to keep up the momentum in my opinion. Nas helps to make this track one of his better openers too, with two great verses, the first of which contains the immortal line "and we don't give a flying 747 fuck though", which often makes its way into my texts and whatnot. The second verse is worth mentioning too, though, as Nas' attempts at a choppier flow work much better than the almost incomprehensible performance on "Big Things". Aside from the underwhelming way it ends, and the incredibly pretentious title, this was a brilliant song to kick off the album. It's creative, engaging, and contains legitimate classic lyrics. I love it. 

3. Nazareth Savage (prod. Salaam Remi)

Aside from a horrible attempt to re-create his iconic "don't say the car's topless; say the titties is out" line with the shameful "I squeeze nipples like pimples to get the puss........ get it?", this song is a straight banger all the way. The instrumental is intense and the perfect backdrop for Nas to flex his lyrical abilities, and the breaks between verses are also perfectly inserted, like the spicy relish in a succulent beef burger (fuck, now I'm hungry). I mean, I suppose "Nazareth Savage" is a pretty crass and tacky nickname, but then again he's been calling himself "Nasty Nas" for years, so apparently having pseudonyms that make him sound like a 1980s blow up sex doll is something we can all look past. Fuck it. This song is seriously good, and certainly deserves more praise from Nas' fanbase. Maybe if it didn't open with the lines "I had bad chicks that blow cum bubbles like bubblegum, plus they ass lick", that would be an easier task. Take notes, Nas.

4. American Way (feat. Kelis) (prod. Q Tip)

Continuing some of the more political tones that were explored on the first song here, this one deals with some of the negative traits that the people of America exhibit in Nas' eyes - namely misogyny, racism, police brutality and the poor conditions of the hood. Sure, these topics aren't anything new to the genre, but at least Nas prefaces that with the news reporter sample in the intro to the song. Q-Tip's instrumental isn't as creative as one might hope, since it's basically just a sample of "Atomic Dog" with harder drums, but that doesn't mean it's not good - in fact, it carries the perfect energy for Nas' politically charged rhymes, helping his flow during the first verse to be one of the smoothest on the whole album. Unfortunately, this is one of only a few songs on the album to be kind of ruined by the hook - Kelis really does fuck this chorus up as if it were a sleazy 70 year old flirting with her on the tube. Her singing towards the very end is good, and I like her lyrics on here, but her vocal delivery is just plain annoying. I know you're marrying her, Nas, but did you really think her performance here was up to par? Still, I like the song as a whole. Sue me. 

5. These Are Our Heroes (prod. Buckwild)

On this song, Nas acts like a "cocky motherfucker" according to the bloke at the end, talking about black people in the media who don't rep for where they came from, and instead act like they're "acceptable" and "well bred". It's not exactly material that makes for a song to be bumped around your friends, especially given some of the derogatory terms Nas drops in the hook with no regard whatsoever for the consequences, but within context of the album it works - Nas is very clearly acting the more mature rapper on this album in comparison with his past few, but it's a style that really works for him, especially with his deep and commanding tone throughout this thing. This song isn't one of my favourites here, but it still does have an interesting message, and Buckwild's bouncy production is great. It's a dope cut. 

6. Disciple (prod. L.E.S.)

For some (stupid) reason, there's a song on here called "Disciple", and a song called "Street's Disciple". This isn't Wuthering Heights, Nas - no need to confuse us like that. Still, if the music's good that's all that matters, and God is that the case here. L.E.S. provides a banging beat along with some vocals on the chorus, and it helps Nas to drop the serious tone of some of the previous songs, and get his braggadocio on. This song is notable not only because it name-drops a bunch of his old songs at the beginning, but also because it's the first and only mention of Jay-Z on the album - Nas doesn't exactly diss him, but does put him alongside some decidedly very poppy rappers, 50 Cent and Puff Daddy (I wonder how 50 would feel about this comparison now). He also effectively calls his music "pretty", but given the scathing shots on "Ether" and "Last Real Nigga Alive", it really isn't much of a killer blow here. Still, as a whole this is a big time banger. Classic joint.

7. Sekou Story (feat. Scarlett) (prod. Salaam Remi)

The first of two songs on here where Nas raps as himself, and also as Scarlett, with a voice synthesiser to make him sound like a woman. Yep, he actually does that. And what makes it more surprising is that this song is actually great. The instrumental begins as something fairly entertaining, whilst Nas tells the story of a drug kingpin who gets killed, leaving behind a wife who now has no-one to quote on quote "hold her down". Nas uses the second verse on here to play the wife, and while his flow and lyrics are great, and the beat gets even better in this portion, the whole voice synthesiser thing is really distracting. Like, couldn't he just have gotten an actual woman to recite these lyrics? Still, the scratching at the end of the song makes me forgive it all - that shit sounds so nice. Overall, a very entertaining, if a little weird, tune. 

8. Live Now (feat. Scarlett) (prod. Chucky Thompson & Bernardo "Nardo" Williams)

Possibly the best song yet, which is crazy since Nas once again utilises the Scarlett gimmick on here. But this song is just great. Yes, the instrumental is a bit melodramatic, as is the way the song ends with the flat heart monitor, but the verses absolutely make up for it. Nas' verse talks about his fear of being on his deathbed, and imagines how he'll look back on his life now (or rather, his life back when this album came out - I should hope 50-odd year old Nas doesn't have "freaks licking on it" regularly) when he's inches from the grim reaper's wrath. It's a good effort, and the chorus is great, but Nas outraps himself under the guise of Scarlett, who helps to tie this song in with the previous one, with a twist in the tale which probably would have been more effective if the whole Sekou tale was longer and therefore made time for the listener to care about the story. Her verse is still very powerful, and sounds more genuine than what was done with her on the last track. This song is an impressive feat, and I'm glad Scarlett worked so well - Nas truly is a mastermind with words. 

9. Rest Of My Life (prod. L.E.S. & Chucky Thompson)

Unfortunately a very mid song to ruin the pretty much perfect streak this album's had so far - I mean, they're not all 10s or anything, but every song so far has been very enjoyable. This one, however... it's not it. I love Amerie's chorus, despite the fact that it goes uncredited on the back cover, and the beat sounds nice enough, but Nas' incredibly staticky flow on here makes the song very difficult to enjoy, and also makes it impossible to focus on the lyrics. The flow is so repetitive too, and I don't even get to the end of the first verse before I'm jumping on the skip button - it's just too much for me. This song is mediocre at best. 

10. Just a Moment (feat. Quan) (prod. L.E.S.)

Look, it's no "Nas Is Like" or "Made You Look", but this is still an incredible single in my opinion, and one of the most memorable in Nas' catalogue, at least from this point on. This song is the shit, and the crazy thing is that it doesn't even need Nas to be good. Sure, his verse is fine, but it's guest star Quan who's the main attraction here, providing two verses and the chorus. And while I wouldn't be sure about a whole album of this guy's exaggerated delivery, I think it's absolutely perfect for an emotional and passionate song like this. The dude kills his two verses over one of L.E.S.' best beats, and I have to say that this might just be my most played song from this album, it's that beautiful. Replacing the terrible Bravehearts with this guy is definitely one of Nas' best career moves, no lie, even if the dude didn't get any more showing after this album. If you can't be bothered to go through the whole two discs of this thing, at least check out this song here. It's for your own good. 

11. Reason (feat. Emily) (prod. L.E.S. & Chucky Thompson)

Over a melancholy yet strangely bouncy instrumental that sounds a little too bubblegum for my liking, but whatever, Nas speaks on everything that's fucked up in life, with help from Emily in the chorus, who does a great job, despite her having the least interesting stage name in the history of music. Nas' lyrics seem to state that it's the people you think are supposed to be good that are actually bad, meanwhile the people that look dangerous are good hearted on the inside. The song approaches this from a very negative point though, speaking on how the inner city black children are always going to be looked down upon as "hoodlums" or whatever, despite them being good people, meanwhile the police and the priests are committing atrocious acts and no-one does anything. And man is that third verse hard to listen to. Despite the slightly underwhelming beat, this song is one of the strongest on here, and is a good way of ending off this first disc, as it leaves Nas with room to bring back a positive energy with disc 2. 

But wait... apparently it's not the end. "Reason" is followed by a bonus track on the first disc, which I believe is hidden on American pressings of the album. 

12. You Know My Style (prod. Salaam Remi)

This weird attempt at a club banger features Nas acting like a sexual pervert throughout, and coming across about as likeable as Ben from the Peep Show (and if you don't know Peep Show, then you need to sort that out. Now.). The instrumental from Salaam is bangin', though, and some of Nas' lyrics are pretty funny. It's just a shame that the overall tone of this song completely distracts from the power of the last two songs. Couldn't this have just been a B-Side, Nas? Why the fuck did you put it here??

Right. Onto the next one. 

Disc 2

1. Suicide Bounce (feat. Busta Rhymes) (prod. Nas)

Having watched the professionals do it throughout the first disc, Nas tries his hand at producing a song himself here, and manages to surprise us all by creating a great instrumental for this track that makes me feel like I'm entering the colosseum about to fight a raging bull, motherfucker. This beat is seriously good. Nas graces it with some pretty nice rhymes as well, if he doesn't really have any timeless quotes in here, and I really like his flow throughout. Busta being relegated to hook duties and not getting a verse is very disappointing, what with the guy being one of my favourites of all time, but still, at least his performance on said hook is energetic and as exciting as always. And as a nice surprise at the end, Quan comes back for some dope vocals. This is such a bloody good way of reintroducing Nas after the first disc. Great song. 

2. Street's Disciple (feat. Olu Dara) (prod. Salaam Remi)

Salaam Remi... how, man? This beat is so, so good. It sounds like something straight out of a film, and yet equally sounds like something straight out of a mid-'90s hip-hop album. It's so goddamn good. As for Nas, his lyrics are much more focused on here, with some reminiscent rhymes punctuated by the inclusion of his father's vocals during the chorus. Said chorus also has some nice record scratching from some previous Nas songs where "disciples" were mentioned. Shit, I ain't even got anything more to say. This is one of the best songs on the record, and I have no criticisms. 

3. U.B.R. (Unauthorized Biography of Rakim) (prod. Nas)

I assume Nas had to produce this one himself because no-one else wanted to be involved in this slightly unnerving tribute song which, it turned out, Rakim himself didn't actually like. The song itself is kind of interesting, and the creative beat fits Nas well, but then again there's only so much that can be said about what is basically a short diatribe about key points of Rakim's career, that just happens to have rhymes in it. Still, at least Nas didn't do anything weirder than this, like, I don't know, name his daughter after Rakim's....

4. Virgo (feat. Ludacris & Doug E. Fresh) (prod. Salaam Remi)

Notable because it appears on both this album and Ludacris' The Red Light District, released one week after. Also notable for being one of the sleaziest songs in the entire Nas catalogue, but also one that's surprisingly smooth. The chorus on here is goofy but fun, and Nas kills the first verse with some hilarious lines and an overall fun delivery which is in contrast to what he usually does, but works well. Ludacris also does a nice job, and the beatboxing from Doug is a nice touch that very much differentiates this song from what appears elsewhere on this album (the beats on this thing are typically more melodic and rich than this stripped back affair). I love the opening lines too - "she says her life is too hard / she says that she wanna come and build with the God!". This is a fun one, I won't lie. 

5. Remember the Times (Intro)

I'm trying to think of a time where someone, somewhere has come across as more annoying than Kelis does in this skit, but I simply can't do it. Why is this here again?

6. Remember the Times (prod. L.E.S.)

Ahh, I see - to set up an incredibly vulgar sex song where Nas reminisces on some very dirty and disgusting experiences in the bedroom that I'm sure literally none of Nas' listeners wanted to hear about. I'm too disgusted to even quote any of them here, so if you don't know the song just go and look the lyrics up yourself. Despite the first two verses being utterly horrific, however, I don't entirely despise this song - it shows Nas admitting that in the past he's had some lovers, but how now he's ready to settle down and get married, and this is discussed in the third verse, which I actually like. The beat also does a good job with creating a reminiscent atmosphere. Yes, it's got some very disgusting lyrics, but overall this definitely isn't the worst song in the Nas catalogue. 

7. The Makings of a Perfect Bitch (prod. L.E.S., T. Black & Nut (seriously? "Nut" is your producer name??))

So... on this song, Nas takes an intense and slightly haunting instrumental that does sound pretty great, and spends the entirety of the first two verses taking on the persona of a serial killer who kidnaps a nerd,  a stripper and a chef, and then sews them all together, Tusk style, to make "the perfect bitch". And then in the third verse he just... forgets about this idea entirely? The structure of this song is confusing as fuck, but not as much as the questioning behind why the hell Nas chose to write this in the first place. I mean, this is the type of thing Relapse Eminem would have left off because it was too misogynistic. I mean, come on. This is fucking ridiculous!!

8. Getting Married (prod. Chucky Thompson)

Please for the love of God, Nas, never attempt to make a song like that last one ever again. Jesus. 

This song is summed up very quickly and easily by it's title - it's a description of Nas' dream wedding day, while simultaneously a curiosity piece showing just how excited this man was to hook up with Kelis. If only he knew what was to come. Anyway, the track itself is pretty good in my opinion. Nas has a great flow on here, and some of his lyrics combined with the delivery are really strong - especially in the second verse when he's talking to all of his friends, imagining himself at the actual wedding. It's almost heartbreaking. Of course the chorus kind of takes away from that as Nas effectively admits that he's a gigolo, but still. Heartbreaking and all that. The fake out at the end was also nicely executed, and I'm sure got a few laughs from the recording engineers with Nas in the studio that day. I like this song.

9. No One Else In the Room (feat. Maxwell) (prod. Salaam Remi & Chucky Thompson)

Every Nas song has at least one redeemable value, even if they are generally utter trash. The beat on "The Makings Of a Perfect Bitch". The flow on "Big Girl". The zaniness of "Zone Out". Every Nas song, that is, but this one. Fuck this radio pandering bullshit straight to hell. I can't even be bothered to finish it. Next!

10. Bridging the Gap (feat. Olu Dara) (prod. Salaam Remi)

Kind of a weird song, but still a really touching collaboration between father and son that is a lot more up front about being so than "Street's Disciple" from earlier, which also happened to feature Olu. In fact, he'd even appeared on older Nas joints, like "Life's a Bitch" and "Dance", but this is the first one where him and Nas share pretty much equal screen time. And is it successful? Well yes, although it might take a few listens to get used to this abrasive beat, which Nas obviously has to try very hard to keep in time with. He does it well though, and I also love Olu's performance on the hook, which is catchy and reminiscent. I'm also glad this was pushed as a single to help spread the father-son love. I'm a fan of this overall. 

11. War (feat. Keon Bryce) (prod. Salaam Remi)

Even though the title of this song is "War", it's not really about that at all - instead it's about Nas' relationships with different women through his life. His baby's mother, and then his current wife, and a bit about his daughter too. Nas' performance on here is very powerful, and I'm a huge fan of his efforts, and Keon Bryce also provides a really nice and relaxing chorus that makes me feel like I'm sat in front of the fire on Christmas Day. The instrumental adds to this feeling too, so props to Salaam on that. I really appreciate as well how this song brings back the more somber feeling of the first disc, after some of the weirder tracks we've just been through on CD two. This song is without doubt a highlight on this album for me, and the nice little instrumental bit at the end is just the cherry on the cake. I really love this one. 

12. Me & You (Dedicated to Destiny) (prod. L.E.S. & Herb "Staff" Middleton)

Despite the fact that this feels like a blatant copy of Eminem's "Hailie's Song" from two years earlier, given that Nas takes to singing over rapping here, I still find this an enjoyable, if slightly uncomfortable listen. Yes, Nas has a better song about his daughter, and yes, Nas is not the best singer in the world. But still, I'd be lying if I said this was bad musically. Because it just isn't. Nas' melodies are nice, the lyrics are fine (besides the cringe of "you think that I'm old school", exacerbated by the broken up delivery), and the pianos are absolutely beautiful. This is nowhere near the worst song on this album. Not even close. 

Like with the first disc, the second one finishes things off with a bonus track.

13. Thief's Theme (prod. Salaam Remi)

Just a banger. This was the lead single for this album, and one more famous because Nas swiped the same sample for his next lead single, "Hip Hop Is Dead" than because of the song itself. And that's a shame, because this shit fuckin' rocks. The beat is grimy and hard edged, and the rapping from Nas is slicker than anything else on this album, which, if you'll remember, has been pretty bloody great all in all. The chorus sampled from "The World is Yours" is perfect on this track too, and the line "I take summers off 'cause I love winter beef" is the perfect way to explain why "Ether" took so long to drop after "Takeover". This song is a fantastic way to finish the album, and a fantastic Nas single at that. Great stuff. 

In conclusion, Nas managed to do what Jay-Z failed at with this album - make a double discer that's consistent, cohesive, and rarely ever gets boring, even if some songs are admittedly pretty terrible. Street's Disciple is sprawling, thematic and pretty varied in sound and style, just like The Blueprint 2, but unlike The Blueprint 2, it keeps its themes, and doesn't spend half it's time going on and on about being in the club picking up chicks and/or flashing around expensive items. Instead, Nas finds the time to be political, personal, disgusting, and always a great rapper, whatever the hell he's talking about. I mean, Nas sure does sound motivated on most of these cuts, which tells me he actually wanted to make a double disc, and wasn't forced into it by the label to put him on the level of other "greats". Nas actually had something he wanted to say with this thing, and it's very clear to me that he split it into two discs for a reason - the first disc is a socially conscious record, talking about the state of America and some of society's ills, as well as paying respect to the dead. Then, the second disc gets very personal, talking about Nas' marriage, his daughter, his past and his relationship with his father. There are also some songs about sex, because this is a major label rap album. I mean, obviously there was going to be sex. Looking at the discs in this way certainly helps me to understand them more, and it also further helps me to separate the two CDs - not that that was really needed, since the sounds are so different either side anyway. And look - I'm not some Nas meat rider who can't admit when the man has a failure. I think Nastradamus is very phoned in, "Oochie Wally" is one of the worst songs of all time, and The Firm was a huge fucking disappointment for everyone in the community. And yes, Nas does drop the ball on here a few times - "No One Else In the Room" is a completely rubbish attempt at a sexy disco song, and don't ask me what the fuck Nas thought he was doing with "The Makings Of a Perfect Bitch". But overall, I legitimately think this is a good album, a great one in fact, and if it were released as two different albums I think both would have been more well-recieved - especially disc 1. Unfortunately, while the critics at the time clearly praised this thing, the streaming era means that people nowadays listen to double albums as if they were one long thing, and inevitably like them less - that explains why this is one of Nas' more hated albums to me. Because, really, I love this thing. It's varied, it's interesting, and it has some of my favourite Nas quotes ever on it. Street's Disciple is a great addition to the Nas catalogue, and also to me marks the end of the younger, less mature Nas, as he would fully transition into an old man rapper on his next two LPs. And what about those next two LPs? Well, I'll be dissecting Nas' two most blatant attempts at concept albums in the future (which could mean a month, or could mean three years, I don't know). So I'm sure ya'll will look forward to that. Peace!

Best Tracks: A Message to the Feds..., Nazareth Savage, Disciple, Sekou Story, Live Now, Just a Moment, Reason, Suicide Bounce, Street's Disciple, War, Thief's Theme

Worst Tracks: Rest of My Life, The Makings of a Perfect Bitch, No One Else In the Room

Catch up on previous Nas related reviews over here!

Common - Finding Forever

Firstly, I thought I'd mention that I went to see GZA live in London last week, and it was an excellent experience - props to the DJ and MC that went up before him too, that was also great!

More importantly, I want to warn readers not to expect to much from me in the next five weeks - I've got a lot of college work to focus on, and I have to make that my priority now so that I can do this journalism thing in the future full time. Hopefully new readers can go through my backlog in the meantime. And thanks for all the views I've been getting! - shout out to everyone who's read my blog or shown support, I appreciate you. But yeah, expect this one to be the last for a short while - I blame my little time on myself for choosing graphics design as an A Level! 

Anyhow, enjoy the review. 

In 2005, Common teamed up with Kanye West (and J Dilla) to release Be, one of the greatest albums ever created. The LP was perfect from start to finish in my opinion, with incredible production from Kanye throughout that showcased the absolute best of the man's production work at the time (yes, even better than what he had on The College Dropout and Late Registration), and some of the best lyrics, flows and vocal deliveries we'd yet had from the man who had already given us multiple classics with such projects as Resurrection and Like Water For Chocolate. I find it crazy how Common had already cemented a strong legacy as one of the best to ever do it, only to then top all of his previous work, just because he could. I mean, can you see Kendrick topping To Pimp a Butterfly in the near future? Because that's the modern equivalent of what Common did with Be. It was a true masterpiece, and served to continue one of the greatest album runs the genre had had the fortune to see. 

There was only one problem - what would Common do to follow that up?

Well, for starters he had to team up with Kanye again - he had never worked with one producer or group for just one album so far (No I.D.had produced his first three, and The Soulquarians the two after that), and he wasn't about to start that with his most successful project yet. No, Kanye was to stay behind the boards, but this time he did enlist the help of a few others - J Dilla got one production credit (one less than on Be), but so did will.i.am (great), Derrick Hodge and Devo Springsteen, and Karriem Riggins too if you count the UK bonus track (which I do, for obvious reasons). Still, despite this the overwhelming majority was handled by West, but he had something different in mind for the sonics of Com's new album this time around. 2006 was the year of J Dilla's tragic passing, and in his memory Ye attempted to channel the sound of Dilla for the new LP, rather than his own chipmunk soul style. From what I see, this was the case... sometimes. Anyhow, the producers were all set then, and as for features Common enlisted Lily Allen, D'Angelo and Kanye, but also a bunch of singers who go completely uncredited - this is sadly the norm with a lot of rap releases around this time. He named the new effort Finding Forever, and made the album cover as ridiculous as he possibly could in order to juxtapose the simplicity of the art for Be (well, this wasn't the actual reason, but given the artwork presented to us on this CD that could well have been the thinking behind it). And there we had it. The much fabled follow-up to Be, released just two years later. 

And shit, the hype was high. Kanye himself was gearing up for release of his own solo effort Graduation around the time Finding Forever came out, and with that the sales battle with a certain Curtis Jackson that became one of the most important musical events of the 2000s decade. Meanwhile, Common was coming off the tails of one of the most highly regarded hip-hop albums ever released - it's no wonder this thing charted at no. 1 on the Billboard 200, although it is a shame that this is his only project to do so. Well, I guess there are consequences to pay when you release something like Universal Mind Control. 

Still, no self respecting hip-hop fan actually cares about the charts. The real question is - is the music any good? And would Common be able to create a worthy follow up to the timeless Be without completely copying its formula? Well, I guess there's only one way to find out...

What do you mean "what way is that"? By reading this review, silly!

1. Intro (prod. Derrick Hodge)

Common gets things going with a beautiful instrumental intro which has so many great moments in it I can't even count. This is seriously one of the best instrumental tracks on a rap album ever. Jesus. 

2. Start the Show (prod. Kanye West)

After a sick transition culminating in Kanye jump-scaring us for the beginning of the chorus, the first actual song comes in, and it's one that musically sounds very different to the stuff we heard on Be. While that album was filled to the brim with chipmunk soul, old-school drums and beautiful instrumentation, this instrumental is a culmination of some electronic sound effects that actually comes together far more smoothly than you might expect. It also helps that the beat is exactly the kind of music that you would expect to hear based on this space-themed cover art. The instrumental also changes into something more menacing for the chorus (provided by Kanye), and it's arguably even better than what we get to hear in the verses. As for Common, he's pretty bloody good too - I mean, most of the rhymes are pretty much just braggadocios or referential, but I enjoy his delivery and flow a lot, and there are some nice lines throughout too ("I been a Master since P was no limitin'"). This song is a fantastic way to start this album. 

3. The People (prod. Kanye West)

Classic Common. This was one of the singles released for this project, and features Kanye creating an admittedly Dilla-esque beat that sounds like absolute Heaven for the ears - I mean, the sampling throughout this thing is absolutely perfect, and the instrumental switches around a lot throughout too, showcasing the creativity that the man had back then. Not that Common's producers have ever been drab, but still. As for our host, he delivers an absolutely heartfelt performance with great lyrics and a steady flow that aren't necessarily the absolute pinnacle of the man's work, but do showcase his style very strongly. If you're trying to get someone into Common, then this better be in the five songs you suggest for them (along with "I Used to Love H.E.R.", "Be (Intro)", "A Song For Assata" and "Invocation" if you ask me). Dwele also pops up for a hook here, which is very pleasant - why he doesn't get the credit, only the record executives know. Bastards. 

4. Drivin' Me Wild (feat. Lily Allen) (prod. Kanye West)

Another single for this album, this one actually surprisingly radio friendly - this might well be the most poppy tune in the entire Common catalogue. That's not to say it's bad, though - in fact, this percussion heavy instrumental is really great, and Lily Allen does a nice job with the chorus (even if the engineer did forget to cut out Kanye's reference vocals from the background). Common gets down to business with these verses too, which detail people just trying too hard to fit in and going crazy because of it. The subject matter is pretty interesting, and Common does a nice job tackling it. If this song weren't so bubblegum I'd probably be able to enjoy it even more, but as it is it's still definitely a nice, relaxing tune to appear on this album. Also, Common's moves in the video are funny as hell, you've gotta watch that. 

5. I Want You (prod. will.i.am)

On the back cover here Will isn't credited as a feature despite his vocals - oddly he is listed as a feature on the hype sticker though. I guess will.i.am's name was a tricky one back then - sure to throw as many people off as it did put on. This song right here is, as you could probably have predicted from the title, a love song, albeit one with a strangely creepy air about it thanks to will.i.am's instrumental, which is actually really bloody good if we're being honest here. His vocals on the hook are also nice, even if the trademark silly robot voice slightly takes us out of the experience. Common's lyrics on here are about a love he lost (Erykah Badu? Possibly), and they're also pretty good, with some strong lines - "I spent many years tryna be a heart throb / I guess it's only right that my heart got robbed". That alone makes up for rhyming "I need your warm" three times in a row. This is honestly one of the best of the mid-2000s will.i.am team ups with actual hip-hop artists (others include Nas' "Hip Hop Is Dead", Game's "Compton" and Murs' "Lookin' Fly"). It's a great track.

6. Southside (feat. Kanye West) (prod. Kanye West)

Technically the third vocal appearance from West on this album (if we count his subtle background contribution on "Drivin' Me Wild"), but the first and only that he actually gets the feature credit for. I guess it would look stupid if his name was plastered all over the track names here. This song is structured like a back and forth where each artist has eight bars to talk their shit before the other guy comes in - only difference is that there's a chorus after every eight bars where Common shouts "South!" and Kanye shouts "side!". Problem is that this chorus isn't entirely successful thanks to the latter, who wails his vocal like he's getting repeated smacks in the nutsack. The verses, however, are bloody sick, as both artists show great personality, and keep seriousness and humour in check throughout. Honestly there isn't a bad moment in these verses, and the relentless nature of the guitar-heavy instrumental on here helps keep things up. I also love the ending, which is quite drawn out and dramatic, and sounds just great. And if Ye's "la la la"'s don't get stuck in your head then I think you need your ears tested. This joint is scorching hot, man. 

7. The Game (prod. Kanye West)

So for this one, it seems that Kanye has stopped trying to sound like Dilla, and started trying to sound like DJ Premier - Preemo's presence in the studio providing scratches on this song may have helped with that. This song rocks, proving a theory that Common songs beginning with "The" are bound to be great - how can you possibly argue with "The Light", "The 6th Sense", "The Questions", "The Hustle" "The Corner", "The Food", "The People" and this?? Crazy stuff, man. This is definitely the most hardcore track on the album, and the more "aggressive" song that was noticeable for me on every Common album from Electric Circus to Let Love (prior to Electric Circus his aggressive cuts were more, err, common). The bars on here are nice as hell ("kickback records get kicked to the back", "five year olds walk by themselves in the street / the young die of cancer, I stop eating meat"), and Kanye's instrumental is fucking incredible. Easily one of the best tracks on an already stacked album. 

8. U, Black Maybe (prod. Kanye West)

Com teams up with Bilal for one of their many collaborations - although for some stupid reason even he doesn't get the credit on the back cover of this CD. And that's a huge shame, because Bilal's performance on this track is utterly phenomenal - not that any of the contributors here are slacking. This is one of the more underrated gems on this record - Kanye's instrumental on this one is beautifully soulful and yet still maintains the spacey atmosphere that this album goes for, and Common's verses are without doubt some of the absolute best on the whole record. I mean, that second verse contains some of the best storytelling of the man's career. Com also attempts a bit of his own spoken word at the end of this one, and even that part of the song is pretty damn enjoyable. This song is absolutely incredible, and easily one of the stronger cuts here. 

9. So Far To Go (feat. D'Angelo) (prod. DILLA)

Ooh, I'm going to get some stick for this one. See, contrary to most people, I'm really not the greatest fan of this song. In fact, I think it's the weakest cut here by some margin, which is pretty mental considering that it's the only cut here produced by the real J Dilla, rather than Kanye openly imitating him. First of all, I'm not the hugest fan of D'Angelo personally, or male falsetto R&B singers in general if I'm being honest - I didn't care too much for the man's work on "Geto Heaven Part Two", and I'm certainly not loving his efforts here either. Now, J Dilla's instrumental on this track is alright, but it seems overwhelmingly drab in comparison with the experimental, exciting nature of songs like "The People" and "Southside". It also fails to hit me right in the heart like the beat on "U, Black Maybe", which I think is what he was going for here. Common is the main focus though (well, he is here - this song originally appeared on Dilla's album The Shining), and even he doesn't do that well in my opinion. The opening lyrics "shorty, you know that you the most / important, at least on the west coast" are not only stupid, but also flow terribly, and the rest of the track doesn't do much better, with lyrics covering a similar topic to what we had in "I Want You", only it's less interesting because he hasn't lost the girl yet. I have no desire to disrespect the three artists on this song - we all know I love Common, Dilla is still one of my favourite producers, and D'Angelo is undeinably influential if not my cup of tea. Still, I'm not one to cover my opinion - this song really does nothing for me. 

10. Break My Heart (prod. Kanye West)

Kanye cooks up a soft and groovy instrumental for this one that Common should excel over, but truthfully our host never impresses me on this cut. His flow is very simplistic, yet still frequently disjointed throughout the track, and my God are some of these bars weak. "Get deep in love and then you needing some oxygen", or worse, "your clothes are tight, but you don't seem gay / I said nah, that's dude from NSYNC- ayy". I mean, that latter one just seems unreasonably spiteful, and adding the "ayy" on the end makes the listener think Common was just desperate to make a dig at the guy, since there's no real rhyme there. It's a shame, because the sampling in the chorus here sounds excellent, and I really enjoy the beat too - it's truly a sad day when Common of all people is the one to ruin a song like this.

11. Misunderstood (prod. Devo Springsteen)

After the silly love song that was "Break My Heart", Common gets serious again for a song about how some people from the areas he grew up in are misunderstood, and how their frowned upon lifestyles weren't chosen by choice. Kanye lets his cousin Devo Springsteen have a go at producing for this one, and he chops up a live version of Nina Simone's "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" to make for a surprisingly fantastic beat, that Common does his thing over, showcasing very strong storytelling abilities on his two verses, both of which are very well-written (even if he effectively calls himself talentless in the second verse, unintentionally that is). Bilal shows up at the end of the song too for a very creepy refrain before the sampled chorus kicks back in, and that might well be the track's best moment. This song is a much needed return to form after the iffy previous two cuts.

12. Forever Begins (prod. Kanye West)

Said return to form is short-lived however, as we are now on the final song of the album. Dammit! Still, I think we can all agree it's a pretty damn good way to end things. The instrumental from Kanye is incredibly powerful on here, with great and very unique percussion, and powerful instrumentation to create the perfect soundscape for Common to drop some esoteric verses with some pretty memorable lines like "no matter how high I elevate, I kiss the floor". Meanwhile, the choir on the chorus do a great job, and once again Common's dad pops in at the end for a long bit of spoken word that works very well. There isn't much else other to say than this song is probably the best way this album could possibly have been ended off. It's utterly fantastic. 

Unfortunately for me, "Forever Begins" doesn't end things off - instead, my pressing of the album finishes with the following bonus track. 

13. Play Your Cards Right (feat. Bilal) (prod. Karriem Riggins)

This song was originally featured on the soundtrack to the film Smokin' Aces, but I guess Common thought it was good enough to be included here too - and he was probably right, as this is indeed a very enjoyable song. The triumphant instrumental from Karriem Riggins sounds completely opposite to what we've heard on the rest of this album, sure, but it still sounds good, and Common's passionate performance really elevates this one to a new level during the verses. My main issue with this one is the hook - I think Bilal is a great singer, but the melody for this chorus is annoyingly catchy, meaning it gets stuck in your head without it actually being very good at all. It's not a huge issue, though - hell, I still enjoy the song a lot, and that's definitely enough for me. 

Finding Forever concludes what is surely one of the best album runs hip-hop has ever seen. From Resurrection way back in 1994 to this album I'm reviewing today, Common had reinvented his sound with every album without ever really being unsuccessful at doing so - I'm not saying that there weren't bad songs in there (Electric Circus definitely had a few clunkers), but for the most part each musical movement made by Common in this period was an absolute treat to experience. This was a fantastic run, and one I honestly think deserves a lot more praise from the hip-hop community. Still, I'll probably cover this run more in a later post - for now, let's do an overview of Finding Forever. Because man does it deserve one. While there are a couple of tracks in the second half that fall flat in my opinion, for the most part this album continues Common's creative streak, showcasing not only some fantastic writing, but also some of Kanye West's best production work of this era too. A lot of people are quick to claim that this is just a weak version of Be, but it's definitely not if you ask me - this album has a much different sound to that project, with only a couple of tracks following the formulas we saw on that effort. I'm not saying that this album is as good as Be, because it definitely isn't - but I do think it deserves more of a chance as it's own album, rather than the fabled follow up to (in my opinion) one of the greatest hip-hop albums ever released. The highs on here are monstrously good (I don't know where that came from, but I'll leave it in), with cuts like "The People" and "The Game" being among Common's strongest, and some of the songs towards the back half are beautiful too, such as "U, Black Maybe" and "Forever Begins". But another thing is that this album is so cohesive - yes it has phenomenal highs, but they don't take away from the other tracks on here, instead enhancing them as part of the body of work. Common and Kanye were on their a-games here, and even though nostalgia might be a factor in this, I'd still like to say that this is an excellent album and deserving of your time. It's not quite a classic, but for how bloody good Be is, I think they really did do their best with this one. This album is brilliant. 

Best Tracks: Start the Show, The People, Southside, The Game, U Black Maybe, Misunderstood, Forever Begins

Worst Tracks: So Far To Go

Any more Common, you ask? Why yes there is.