Common
Finding Forever
G.O.O.D. Music/Geffen
4.5/5

Having delivered six full length albums in a career spanning over fifteen
years, Chi-town’s most notable lyricist, Common, decided to record his
seventh LP with a certain goal in mind- Finding Forever. This aspiration, to
make timeless, memorable music, is one shared by many veteran artists hoping
to cement their place in music history. Common’s classic-esque Be (2005),
certainly displayed his eagerness to create music for the ages, and if not
thoroughly better, Finding Forever continues Common’s trend of making
genre-spanning music at a level rarely seen in hip-hop today.

Back on board to handle most of the production duties is Common’s fellow
Chi-town native, Kanye West, who duplicates his role from Be, producing
roughly 3/4 of the album. This in itself sets apart Common’s latest offering
from the batch of under-whelming music flooding hip-hop in 2007; West equals
the high standard of beat-making from Be, constantly pushing Common to
deliver high-quality bars to match the smooth production. The blasé
introduction and the subdued “Start The Show” make way for the album’s
current single “The People,” where West flips a previously used Tupac sample
(“All Bout U” from The Game’s “Wouldn’t Get Far”) to compliment Comm’s
introspective lyrics, “at the Grammys, yo they tried to India Arie me, got
backstage, and I bumped into Stevie, he said no matter what, the people
gonna see me//Can’t leave rap alone, the streets need me, hunger in they
eyes, is what seems to feed me.” The jazzy tones of “Black Maybe” are a
stark contrast from the funky synths on “I Want You,” where Common’s
seductive lyrics don’t quite do Will.I.Am‘s beat much justice with lines
like, “thoughts take me, to when we were close, addicted to your love, feel
I need another dose.”

The Lily Allen-assisted “Drivin’ Me Wild” is a surprise highlight, as the UK
vocalist meshes a dreamy hook with West’s piano-dripping production and
Common’s thoughtful commentary on individuality and relationships. However,
the sampled falsetto vocals and mediocre love-story-raps on “Break My Heart”
are somewhat under-whelming, but Common then launches into the hard-hitting “The Game,” which features the legendary DJ Premier providing cuts that help Kanye set the tone for the dark verbal assault: “They tried to back me in like Cassius, Clay, hey I’m like Mohammad when he fasted//opposing the
fascists, made cuts and got gashes, scratches over third eye-lashes//punchlines are like jab hits to rappers, who’s careers are now
ashes, they’re too many slashes, in his name.”

Kanye’s co-producer of “Diamonds From Sierra Leone,” Devo Springsteen,
smartly utilizes a Nina Simone sample on the moody “Misunderstood” before
Common effectively closes things out with the uplifting gem “Forever
Begins”. Here, West rehashes the gospel stylings of yester-year,
complimenting the reminiscing lyrics of Lonnie Lynn, the man behind the
rapper, “It was in the wind when she said Dilla was gone, that’s when I knew
he’d live forever through song.” The great effort with which Common and
Kanye West create music is crystal clear on Finding Forever, as they craft
an album that exemplifies just why they will be remembered for years,
perhaps even generations to come.

By Samir Siddiqui