Common - "Finding Forever"...

He has definitely found forever with this one!! With Kanye West producing 8 out of the 12 tracks on the album. I was asked as I'm listening and doing the review on this album, "Do I like this album?"...now prior to doing this review, I tried (Repeat) tried to do a review for Plies "The Real Testament" (Album review coming shortly, or what I gathered from it anyway.) Common has a way with words...and when he flows, it's always words of wisdom or something that has you "in your mental".

6 months ago the phrase floating around was "Hip Hop is Dead." Most people including myself disagreed with the statement but concurred that it's dying slowly. However there were a few Hip Hop artists who kept the artform alive, and when naming the list of true Hip Hop contributors, Common was one of the few that still held the title. Now on his seventh LP, Chitown's legend is back at a time when the culture is at a state of emergency with Finding Forever. After the success of his previous work "Be" (his most successful album to date) Common is now in his comfort zone to make.....well G.O.O.D. music.

The album starts off eerie, with a peaceful wurlitzer, smooth basslines, and harp that just creeps in, as if the search for forever has just begun. "Start The Show" makes it official what he's come to do. Common without hesitation shuts these new cats down with hard lyrics "You was betta as a drug dealer", and at the same time puts you (the listener) in check "You sing along to it, but inside you knowing it's wack."

Kanye West, the overseer does a great job with the production (as usual). He was smart enough to not breathe all over the LP except for one song. Ye and Com spit ridiculous on the tag teaming "Southside", with a free and fun flow as if they were best friends showing off each others skills with the record button in effect. The "New Primo" pays homage to legend with his Gang Starr like track "The Game", while Premier contributes the scratches. Common still delivers with metaphors "My favorite was Kane, now I'm dope with weight in the game" (Blows breath).

And what would a Common album be without knowledge. "Drivin Me Wild" featuring British singer Lily Allen, reminds us that we don't have to go too hard to reach our destiny "Losing yourself, your mind.....for diamond cuffs", while "Black Maybe"reinforces the struggle for (ahem) minorities to progress through the obstacles of life. But the prize goes to "Misunderstood", produced by Devo Springsteen. A 3 story opus about judging a book by it's cover too soon that it affects many lives. I SUGGEST YALL LISTEN REAL CLOSE TO THIS ONE.

Finding Forever is......FLAWLESS! I use that F word very sparingly. In this new generation where hot is "Throwing D's" or "Ay Bay Baying", consider this album to be a Hip Hop "Resurrection!" (No pun intended)