Common

USA today gives Be ***1/2 out of 4

Common’s latest gem offers a shining reminder of the era when street credibility and consciousness went hand in hand for hip hop, as well as some of the old school themes and textures that prefigured it. Tracks such as the Marvin Gaye homage Love is… and Real People, an instant classic co written and produced by Kanye West address modern issues with a soulful grit rare among the rapper’s contemporaries.

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When Common is on, he's a fearless MC who can rhyme about anything from abortion (1997's "Retrospect for Life") to the sorry state of hip-hop (1994's "I Used to Love H.E.R.") and still make your head nod.  All of this has won him both admiration and a smirk from Jay-Z, who once said that "truthfully, I wanna rhyme like Common" but who also said that he wanted to sell some records.  Common may be able to do both, finally, with his sixth and best disc, Be. The not-so-secret weapon here is Kanye West, who produced nine of the tracks and appears on four.  The straight-ahead hip-hop songs -- "The Corner," "The Food" -- are the hardest-rocking tracks of Common's career.  "They Say" is the triumphant battle track:  As Legend sings the satiny hook, Common and Kanye celebrate a hip-hop world that has finally come to them.  Let's hope it stays here. - NATHAN BRACKETT

A-

Can Chicago compete with Atlanta and Houston as rap's new hot spot?  If Common has anything to say about it, you can Be sure. The hip-hopper's Chi-town compadre Kanye West produced a majority of his new album and even appears on four tracks. The result is a sprawling, varied disc that's as laid-back as a cool summer afternoon. Packed with storied rhyming skills and lush, almost soothing production, "Go" swings with a rich '70s feel and John Mayer on backing vocals. "Faithful" packs so much soul (and John Legend) that you'll pledge your undying love to both of them. And "The Corner" showcases Common's formidable delivery over one of the tighter beats the rapper has come across in years. C'mon, give it a spin.

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Rating A-

Rap ambition is so often manifested by bloated and mediocre double disc events that Common’s 11 track gem might seem positively meek in comparison. The Chicago MC’s sixth CD is bursting with street smart, warm hearted goodness. The marriage of the MC’s conscious rhymes to Kanye Wests’s gritty, boho-inflected production boasts more organic freshness than a Whole Foods Market. Common favors accessibility over abstract experimentation. As West’s label mate promises, this is simply GOOD music.

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XXL calls Be a "Classic" -