To commemorate the ten-year anniversary of his Be album, XXL recently spoke to Common.
Since its release on May 24, 2005, Be has reached gold status selling over 800,000 copies. The rapper-turned-actor tells the Hip Hop publication that the album “might’ve been one of the highest points” in his career as a musician.
“I felt like, creatively, I hit that moment with Kanye where things were just flowing very naturally and the result came out really good,” he says. “People enjoyed it and it was at the right time.You have those moments in your career where that can happen and it happens more than one time in your career.”
The response to the album was quite favorable for Common. Be received a perfect rating from XXL and to date, Common says people still approach him and say, “That was a classic album.”
“[It’s] definitely one of the most important albums in my career,” he says. “I’ve had 20-year-olds come up and say Be was one of their favorite albums…I felt like, ‘Man, this is a classic album.’ I felt the power of it, the soul of it and the heart of it. From the first note that the bass player Derrick Hodge played on the beginning of “Be” and just hearing the end, the mixes and the mastered version of it along with the album cover, I felt like it was the first time I immediately felt like I can say, ‘Man… This is a classic.’
“When XXL gave it a classic rating I was waiting on it, I ain’t gonna lie. I remember me and Kanye both were excited about that, because you know we fans of hip-hop and we love the music and you want to make an album that’s great. Especially me and Kanye, we want to make something that goes down as a classic.”
For more Common coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
Im to ol skool cuz “Be” was so-so for me. In my opinion, his “One Day It’ll all make sense” album was the best. That was fire front to back. Common is my guy though all day just for that album. The ” like water for chocolate ” would be next in line.
“Be” was dope but I rode with that “Finding Forever” tough. That’s the album that made me a fan of Common’s work.
“might’ve been one of the highest points”???? It absolutely was THE highest point of his career musically without question. His best album to date and a classic one at that. Kanye was on such a role at the time too just churning out great project after great project
What a boring ass album. It’s not wack but its boring AF
he has better albums.
Klassic Hip Hop Album
Like Water For Chocolate, to me, is way better
If you dont realize be was his best album you shouldn’t be talking about hip hop as if you know what you’re talking about.
There are opinions, and then there are facts. Be was Common’s best album. No argument.
I was about so write the same thing. Like water for chocolate hands down is his best project to date
It was probably the best way possible to make a “comeback”. 100% classic.
Finding forever and electric circus is the one listen too the most even though like water for chocolate made me a fan.
In a related story, Jerry Seinfeld calls “Bee Movie” one of the least important of his career.
He’s had 3 classics (Resurrection, Like Water For Chocolate & Be). Finding Forever, Electric Circus & Nobody’s Smiling were solid albums too.