The Greatest 50 Hip-hop Albums Ever - #42...

[Twentytwofifty]

Common Sense - Resurrection (1994)

 
    Although Chicago is often praised for its blues, jazz, and house music, the city has failed to be successful when it comes to rap. One of the few Chicago MCs who has enjoyed any type of national attention is Common Sense.  The album opens up with the title track, and the scratches by Mista Sinista blend harmoniously with the jazzy melody. Common opens it up by spittin out how he is literally immersed in his music. All he does it to "bathe in basslines, rinse in riffs" and "dry in drums."  Boasting some fantastic production, "I Used To Love H.E.R." is a metaphor of a lifetime long relationship between Common and a woman; aptly named hip-hop. Not only does this cut give us a history lesson into how hip-hop changed from where just "a few New York niggaz, had did her in the park," to the glamour and glitz of Hype Williams-directed videos, it also conveys Common's passion and reliance for the artform for self-expression: "I met this girl, when I was ten years old/ And what I loved most she had so much soul/ She was old school, when I was just a shorty/ Never knew throughout my life she would be there for me." The song also sparked his feud with Ice Cube.  From this point on, Common displays his wit and creativity with the laid back groove, "Watermelon." This is where he showcases the same lyrical charm from his first LP.

    "Book of Life" follows and takes one on another headtrip. An autobiographical tale, Common relays his trials and tribulations over the years, and puts a few things in perspective. If you thought that this LP was gonna be full of hilarious punchlines and ill metaphors only, then you are in for a bit of surprise. What made this LP so resonating is that a jarring amount of realism breaks through some of the tracks. One line sums up the underlying message. "It itself life is an obstacle/ As I maneuver through the manure I try to be responsible."  "In My Own World (Check the Method)" is done with fellow crewmate and producer, No ID. Here, he waxes lyrical about the economic hardships of MCing. Track 6 is a throwaway insert about a macking session gone wrong, and "Nuthin' to Do" highlights the 'ample' ways to wile away the time in the South of Chi-Town. "Communism" epitomizes what Common Sense can do as an artist; combine extremely clever, insightful yet thought-provoking words over an intoxicatingly-hypnotic, jazzy beat.

    The same can be said of "Orange Pineapple Juice" and "This Is Me." The other track, "Chapter 13 (Rich Man vs. Poor Man)" is a collabo with Y-Not, and offers a humorous anecdote. "Maintainin" and "Sum Shit I Wrote" are yet more showcases of Common's penmanship. His supreme lyrical ability is on display like Entemann's doughnuts. Finally, the LP closes out with Lonnie Rashid Lynn's father philosophizin' about the current state of affairs. At the time, I found that a first amongst the image-driven hip hop. Common opened the door into his world, and was not afraid to say to the hip hop community, "I was born in Chicago raised on Planet Rock." Despite all the thuggin going on at that time, Common refrained from hiding behind an image to sell records. He was an artist who just wanted to say that "I love my music, I love my momma."


50. Dr. Dre – 2001 (1999)
49. Outkast – Southernplayalisticaddicmuzik (1994)
48. Jay-Z – Reasonable Doubt (1996)
47. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo – Wanted: Dead Or Alive (1990)
46. Redman – Whut? Thee Album (1992)
45. De La Soul - De La Soul Is Dead (1991)
44. Fugees – The Score (1996)
43. The D.O.C. – No One Can Do It Better (1989)
42. Common Sense - Resurrection (1994)

[Throwback]

dope read, as always.

[On The Edge of Insanity]

Extremely dope album, the improvement Common made between "Can I Borrow A Dollar" and this album was amazing, seemed like a different person on Resurrection, and of course No ID's beats were banging throughout this album. The title track is probably my pick from the album.

[PLANT]

dope read, as always.

Thanks for that....I have "LWFC", "One Day..." and now "Be" and havnt heard much from this album...Looking forward to hearing it.

[Machiavelli]

Good read like always...Common Sense is a Great album but it seems like every album is getting worse as the list goes down IMO.

[Ðøšïå]

ha! i was looking for this album yesterday and here you are posting it. thanks and good review.

[Minkaveli]

Orange Pineapple Juice is a sick track.  "Put your nipple to the bottle, I bust rhymes like breatsts, I can get dddd down like a pecimist".

Man oh man.  Eargasms galore!

[Lord Funk]

Extremely dope album, the improvement Common made between "Can I Borrow A Dollar" and this album was amazing, seemed like a different person on Resurrection, and of course No ID's beats were banging throughout this album. The title track is probably my pick from the album.

^^ What he said.

[Like A N!gga Say Do]

I would give you props if I could. I don't know what everybodys saying that the albums are getting worser but I would find difficult to class all theses albums in a Top 50. It's a very hard task classing them to the perfect order since theyre all great albums. You've been doing a great job so far by uploading them.

[Kill]

great album. I don´t like "I Used To Love H.E.R.", but that´s a different story. good read once again, keep them coming

[eS El Duque]

Props...i love this album...good choice..can't wait for #41

[Leggy Hendrix]

great album. I don´t like "I Used To Love H.E.R.", but that´s a different story. good read once again, keep them coming

damn, expand on this please? im just curious why...I Used To Love HER and Resurrection are probably my faves from this album...dope shit

[Elevz]

Props once again...

Props...i love this album...good choice..can't wait for #41

So true, because #41 was gonna have us shocked? 

[white Boy]

SNOOP DOGG.. nah i think he will make top 30

[eS El Duque]

Props once again...

Props...i love this album...good choice..can't wait for #41

So true, because #41 was gonna have us shocked? 

and im ready for it