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Dilla Tribute Week: One Day Common Makes Sense

(from left; Dilla, Common, Karriem Riggins)

My feelings on Com, as an artist, are 50/50. He's done some things I like. He's done some things that I don't like. I copped the Can I Borrow a Dollar album. The singles, from that album, "Take It EZ" and "Soul By The Pound" (more so the remix) were dope. No question. The Resurrection album is a classic. That album probably catches Common at his most lyrical. So yeah...I've supported. Around the time he got to the Be album.....eh......meh.....I guess. Not that Be wasn't a good album, from his press rounds, I got the impression that he was trying to distance himself from Electric Circus (his experimental, yet dope album) in an effort to sell Be (the more mainstream, Kanye produced album). He talked down about the album (Circus). References were made to his dating Badu as the reasons for the album's eclectic sound and his wardrobe choices at the time. Crocheted sweater vest anyone?

The sad thing about the PR knocking of E.C.? Electric Circus is actually one of Com's best albums. It's spiritual. It's Hip-Hop. It's Rock and Roll. It's pretty f*cking brilliant. For real.

There were other things that raised question.

* Criticizing Diddy and others as being "commercial", but yet Common did a Gap commercial. The last time I checked he was actually ghost writing for the Puffster. [See: Diddy's Press Play album]

* Or what about those 2006 guest appearances on The Roots tour, where he just kinda sat on a barstool and did the GQ Man-Of-The-Year photo shoot poses?

* There was a serious effort to distance himself from Electric Circus but then he co-sign's Universal Mind Control. Wasn't that album "experimental" too?

Yeah, Com...I know. We all know. You don't burn the incense anymore. You don't make abstract albums that alienate people. You buy all of your clothes from Banana Republic. You're an actor on the come-up. You ghost-write for Sean John. The babes love you. Dude, I'm happy for you...honestly. Artists go through phases. I know that. C'mon son...I'm a Miles Davis fan. I think that says it all. 


I understand re-invention.

It's not that I don't appreciate your growth, It's just seems like you don't own the earlier phases that made you---you.

By the way, Universal Mind Control? Dope in theory. Not so much in execution. I think Chad and Pharrell are geniuses. For that to be your "dance album", it just lacked something. Let me go back and re-listen in 3 years. My mind grows every so often. I may need to listen with fresh ears. You know I love Bambaataa, Com. But it takes more than "Planet Rock" tributes/Kraftwerk to win me over.

But I digress.

I kinda cooled on Common. Somewhere, I just got off that boat. Really wasn't interested in anything he had to say...until today.

Dilla gave Common some heaters. No question. Outside of No I.D., Dilla and Com have probably had the best chemistry. In this clip from HardKnock TV, Com gives Dilla his due.

And for the record, Common is probably one of the illest emcee's alive. Hands down. When they make these Hip-Hop lists and DON'T include dudes like Com, Black Thought, GZA and Ras Kass, I shake my head with equal parts disgust and comedy. Lyrically, Common has proved countless times that his emcee skills are often without peer.

Damn, Com-ster. I may have to go back through your catalog and give it another listen.

Dilla Tribute Week. It makes everything okay again.

Props to HardKnock TV.