West Coast Connection Forum
DUBCC - Tha Connection => Outbound Connection => Topic started by: Twentytwofifty on May 09, 2005, 01:44:10 PM
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Common Sense - Resurrection (1994)
(http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd700/d739/d73971i06s5.jpg) (http://s20.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3BGRYSPU57OUE1XTFVFO29EACF)
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." (http://s5.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0KHY09MLNMJT51GN78SJAKIPFG) 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) (http://www.dubcnn.com/connect/index.php?topic=73625.0)
49. Outkast Southernplayalisticaddicmuzik (1994) (http://www.dubcnn.com/connect/index.php?topic=73777.0)
48. Jay-Z Reasonable Doubt (1996) (http://www.dubcnn.com/connect/index.php?topic=74040.0)
47. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo Wanted: Dead Or Alive (1990) (http://www.dubcnn.com/connect/index.php?topic=74218.0)
46. Redman Whut? Thee Album (1992) (http://www.dubcnn.com/connect/index.php?topic=74531.0)
45. De La Soul - De La Soul Is Dead (1991) (http://www.dubcnn.com/connect/index.php?topic=74834.0)
44. Fugees The Score (1996) (http://www.dubcnn.com/connect/index.php?topic=75061.0)
43. The D.O.C. No One Can Do It Better (1989) (http://www.dubcnn.com/connect/index.php?topic=75381.0)
42. Common Sense - Resurrection (1994)
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dope read, as always.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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ha! i was looking for this album yesterday and here you are posting it. thanks and good review.
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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!
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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. :)
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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.
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great album. I donīt like "I Used To Love H.E.R.", but thatīs a different story. good read once again, keep them coming
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Props...i love this album...good choice..can't wait for #41
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great album. I donīt like "I Used To Love H.E.R.", but thatīs 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
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Props once again...
Props...i love this album...good choice..can't wait for #41
So true, because #41 was gonna have us shocked? ;D
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SNOOP DOGG.. nah i think he will make top 30
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Props once again...
Props...i love this album...good choice..can't wait for #41
So true, because #41 was gonna have us shocked? ;D
and im ready for it 8)
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I don't think it's really shocking but there will definetely be some people that think it's way too low.
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I don't think it's really shocking but there will definetely be some people that think it's way too low.
That's because it's your opinion that put that album #41 ;D
Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle
Raekwon - Only built 4 cuban linx
Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
N.W.A - EFIL4ZAGGIN
2Pac - All eyez on me
2Pac - Me against the world
Notorious B.I.G. - Life after death
Tha Dogg Pound - Dogg food
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - E. 1999 Eternal
De La Soul - 3 Feet high and rising
Eazy-E - Eazy-duz-it
Has to be one of those imo... I'll put my money on the Snoop and Tha Dogg Pound albums. Just wondering if Dead Prez will be on the list with Lets Get Free?
Bring on #41!
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good read man..u writing this shit up?
Oi, post the album up :P
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great album. I donīt like "I Used To Love H.E.R.", but thatīs 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
well, iīm not saying itīs wack, beautiful beat, nice rapping, technically. BUT...I donīt like how people act like Common is kicking the most profound and sophisticated of knowledge when all he really does is demonize and simplify the development of hiphop at the time, sounding pretty lachrymose. Iīm not saying there is no truth to it, but itīs a whiny and not very differentiated statement IMO, but since it takes the words right out of the mouths of half a generation of hiphop heads preoccupied about "not selling out" and "keeping it real", it has made its way to "classic" status. Again, OF COURSE itīs not mere bullshit, OF COURSE Common does have some points, but neither is it very original, nor overly analytical. The message itself is simple and banal and does not impress me at all
the lyrical/poetic side to this track is overrated too. Music as a woman/girl is the oldest metaphor on earth, yet many cats act like it was geniusly creative of Common to come up with that. The way he does it is not bad, yet there are also lines that seem weak in the context of this metaphor...eg "doin her in the park", doesnīt sound like deep love, "now sheīs a gangsta rollin with gangsta bitches", suddenly suggests sheīs male etc...and finally, what i find the overall clumsiest line Common has ever spit is "what Iīm talkin bout yīall is hiphop". DUUUUH. The worst move he could make was explaining a metaphor that was quite fucking obvious as if it were a revelation...that has a bad effect on the whole song.
there is a lot of more universal stuff that i could write pages about based on its relation to this song, but i hope i gave you a basic idea of my opinion and why i have it. and if i donīt like it i donīt like it, that donīt mean that iīm hatin ;) (i do listen to it from time to time too, cause aesthetically itīs very nice)....peace
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Well SAID^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
overrated ::)
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good song, but he does ruin it with the 'revelation' at the end
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Well SAID^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
overrated ::)
iīm not sure if those roll-eyes were supposed to indicate sarcasm.
if yes: please elaborate on you disagreeing
if no: sorry and thank you
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great album. I donīt like "I Used To Love H.E.R.", but thatīs 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
well, iīm not saying itīs wack, beautiful beat, nice rapping, technically. BUT...I donīt like how people act like Common is kicking the most profound and sophisticated of knowledge when all he really does is demonize and simplify the development of hiphop at the time, sounding pretty lachrymose. Iīm not saying there is no truth to it, but itīs a whiny and not very differentiated statement IMO, but since it takes the words right out of the mouths of half a generation of hiphop heads preoccupied about "not selling out" and "keeping it real", it has made its way to "classic" status. Again, OF COURSE itīs not mere bullshit, OF COURSE Common does have some points, but neither is it very original, nor overly analytical. The message itself is simple and banal and does not impress me at all
the lyrical/poetic side to this track is overrated too. Music as a woman/girl is the oldest metaphor on earth, yet many cats act like it was geniusly creative of Common to come up with that. The way he does it is not bad, yet there are also lines that seem weak in the context of this metaphor...eg "doin her in the park", doesnīt sound like deep love, "now sheīs a gangsta rollin with gangsta bitches", suddenly suggests sheīs male etc...and finally, what i find the overall clumsiest line Common has ever spit is "what Iīm talkin bout yīall is hiphop". DUUUUH. The worst move he could make was explaining a metaphor that was quite fucking obvious as if it were a revelation...that has a bad effect on the whole song.
there is a lot of more universal stuff that i could write pages about based on its relation to this song, but i hope i gave you a basic idea of my opinion and why i have it. and if i donīt like it i donīt like it, that donīt mean that iīm hatin ;) (i do listen to it from time to time too, cause aesthetically itīs very nice)....peace
i don't totally agree with you but that was well put, props, peace.
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good read man..u writing this shit up?
BTW, I'm not writing all these "reviews". Some I'll write, some I'll copy and paste points I agree with from difference sources and others like this one from Blaze's "The 10 Defining CD's Of The '90s" I'll just straight copy.
This review here is mostly and copy and paste job and I cut some things out and added some points in.
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i don't totally agree with you but that was well put, props, peace.
thanks, but out of interest and since i know itīs my subjective view on it and differs alot from the general consensus, what particularly do you disagree with and why?