Friday was my last actual day of college (I still have a couple of exams left), and you know what that means - I might consider actually getting consistent with this blog again! Fingers crossed, touch wood, etc.
More importantly, however, yesterday was the 20th anniversary of what in my opinion is one of the greatest hip-hop records ever created, Common's 6th studio album Be. I've already reviewed this album on the blog, so if you'd like to check that out you might consider heading over here. However, to commemorate the original project, Common decided to unleash even more material onto the public - that being a blatant cash grab aside (similar to all the Expanded Editions Eminem has been putting out recently, filled with nothing but instrumentals and live recordings, rather than something anyone outside of the most obsessive Stan would actually care about), I was excited to hear about this release, but ended up being disappointed anyway when on the re-release there was a total one completely new song that I had never heard before.
Still, given how much this album means to me, and how I still want to support Common given his strong work ethic into the current decade, I figured I'd give this release a review anyway. And I am excited to hear that one new song.
1. The Corner - Remix (feat. Mos Def & Scarface) (prod. Kanye West)
I've already heard this one, since I picked up a generic sleeve vinyl single for it a while ago (I'm somewhat of a completist). While on it's own the song sounds fantastic, I can't help but think I actually do prefer the original. It makes sense, since Lonnie is my favourite rapper of the three here, but even then I think his three verses on the OG are better than the new one he kicks on this star studded remix. The instrumental, chorus, and Last Poets parts are all exactly the same here - in other words absolute perfection - but with a True Magic era Yasiin and a My Homies Part 1 era Scarface, you aren't necessarily getting these guys in their primes, and it shows here, as neither verse particularly stands out as fantastic. I especially dislike the second half of Scarface's verse, where he begins to end every bar with the same word - like that has ever sounded good. Still, I do like how Common got some other big names on this remix, and I have to say I am a fan of his verse here, which does have some impressive rhyme schemes. This is good - just doesn't stand to the original in my opinion.
2. The Corner - Last Poet Reprise (feat. The Last Poets) (prod. Kanye West)
Basically just an instrumental version of the song with some extra words from The Last Poets (not that I expected more from the title). Still, the chances of me choosing to listen to this again are about as high as the chances of 50 Cent releasing another good album.
3. GO! - Jazzanova Remix (feat. Joy Denalane & Jazzanova) (prod. Kanye West)
Unexpectedly, I actually kind of... prefer this to the original? Granted barely anything has changed, but I was never the hugest fan of the Kanye West chanting on the chorus of the OG, and to have that replaced with some frankly beautiful female vocals that fit perfectly over this instrumental can only have been a good thing - and it really was. If you like the original but find Kanye's part to be a little too repetitive like me, then please check this out - it's brilliant.
4. The Food (prod. Kanye West)
Many were head over heels to see that the studio version of this track originally only widely available in live form was finally getting a release on streaming, which was odd to me, since a lot of people seemed to think that the track being live helped give it a certain energy to give Be a more hyped up feel. Still, I guess this version of the song is cool, even though the live version was definitely the better choice for Be - this studio version would be kind of a mood killer after the aggressive "Chi-City". But on here it works - I really like this.
5. So Cool (feat. Sa-Ra) (prod. Sa-Ra)
So I already wrote about this on my original review for Be, since it's a hidden track on my disc, but I will say here that I do like it a lot, despite it's overwhelmingly different atmosphere to the Be album. Yes, Common's verses on this song are kind of goofy, but my god is the chorus good. Check it out.
6. The Movement (prod. J Dilla)
Here we are - the main reason why I actually decided to review this re-release in the first place. This is the only completely new song to me, although according to Genius it had been previously released as part of the NBA 2K6 soundtrack. Unfortunately, this doesn't sound anything like either of the J Dilla produced tracks on Be, nor does it sound like a Common song at all. This shit sounds like an outtake from Universal Mind Control if anything. On this cut, Com handles a more electronic Dilla instrumental, kind of like some of what he produced for Busta Rhymes on Genesis, and I have to say it hasn't aged massively well. It's not a bad beat by any means - it's just that some of the sound effects in here are a little too bleep-bloopy, and do sound straight out of 2005. The thing is, Common's album Be aged timelessly, while this song sounds like an attempt at a club banger by someone who just isn't suited to them - kind of like that weird "The Jump Off" track that Mos Def had with Ludacris. Also, the chorus sucks balls. I don't think this song is bad - it just really isn't what I or anyone else is looking for with Common's music.
You know what, I'll let this one down easy. Yes, some of these weren't very good, or anything I would want to return to, but with anniversary editions it's difficult for an artist. The fans want to hear new shit that you recorded for the album but didn't release, but the problem is that there's an expectation for that stuff to be almost as good as the album stuff - when in reality there's probably a reason the tracks were left off of it. That's why, while "The Movement" was a bit of a disappointment, I won't blame Common for it. As for the rest of this, it's okay. The versions of "The Corner" aren't anything special, but please do check out the remix for "GO!", as it is kind of superior to the original in my opinion. And as for "The Food" and "So Cool", they're both pretty great too.
Perhaps the worst outcome of this post is that it has reminded me what I'm reviewing next in the Common discography - 2008's Universal Mind Control. Wish me luck, everyone. I'll need it.
My rating: 7/10
Catch up on a ton more Common over here!
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