Common has been here before. You should know the routine; after dropping an album that doesn’t resonate with the public as expected (see: Electric Circus), the Chicago rhyme veteran returns triumphantly with, yeah, a classic (think: Be). While 2008’s Universal Mind Control was coolly received, the discerning masses will surely embrace Com’s latest project, The Dreamer/The Believer. Linking up once again with No I.D., who handles all the production, Common finds himself comfortably doing what he does: Hip Hop.
Let’s get it out the way; although “G.O.O.D Music” is still fam, Kanye West is not on the album. You’re not going to miss him, anyway. In case you are blissfully ignorant about an album called Resurrection, or contemporary rap joints from Big Sean (“My Last” 
) and The Throne (“Primetime”), you know No I.D. is a monster on the boards. The current Def Jam Record exec provides Common with a diverse medley of grooves to lay into with his rhymes. Shuffling drums hug a soulful groove on the reflective “Windows,” lush strings permeate the righteous ruminations of “Gold” and gentle keys anchor the happy go lucky “Celebrate.”
While No I.D.’s soundbeds hold him down, at many points it sounds like Common is spittin’ with an Everest sized chip on his shoulder. Particularly on “Sweet” where he takes shots at no one in particular, unless it applies, with pointed bars like “I’m the franchise so I rock my own chain/No I(D) said give ‘em that ’80s cocaine/Something raw something pure so I stayed in that vein.” The rhymes skills are also thoroughly on display on “Raw (How Ya Like It)” with a bluesy guitar riff assisting Com’s tales of a bachelor on the prowl: “She all couture, in her Tom Ford/Security guard let me in cause I’m lord/of finesse, the under, the rings, the dress/Code is to always stay fresh/Aware of her chest cause I stay abreast/she was extra cold, I’m here to decongest.”
Fresh rhymes are a given on Common albums and he also hits all his thematic hallmarks. There is the song about bungled love (“Lovin’ I Lost”), the ditty about hope (“The Dreamer”) and of course, Pops gets yet another album closer (“Pops Belief”). But working off a blueprint, no matter how tried and true, can lend to talk of complacency. However, the quality of the work—kept at a potent dozen tracks— relegates such a critique to nitpicking.
Every song on The Dreamer/The Believer succeeds off the strength of Common and No I.D.’s seasoned chemistry. Even the marquee features—limited to Nas (“Ghetto Dreams” ), John Legend (“The Believer” ) and Maya Angelou’s poetry on “The Dreamer”—are choice accents that bolster without getting in Common’s and No ID’s way. Also essential to the albums mix are vocals from James Fauntleroy of Cocaine 80s.
Being able to assert himself no matter who is riding shotgun is a major reason the former Common Sense is still a major Hip Hop player despite his debut, Can I Borrow a Dollar?, dropping before most college freshmen were born. As far as musical aesthetics, The Dreamer/The Believer falls somewhere between the ambitious topical themes of One Day It’ll All Make Sense and bumping beat orgy that is Be. That said, it’s best to never snooze on the talents of Lonnie Rashid Lynn.
right now I think its the best album of the yr
Thank you coming for saving hiphop. Im getting tired of these hustlers rappers with bullshit lyrics about money and guns.
Most rappers are not mature, being 40 and rapping about coke is for dumbasses.
Real hiphop.
Liquid hot magma!
with a light sprinkle of gun-powder
i say best hip-hop album of the year i have to get a buy copy of this i loved this album
This is a dope album. 5/5.
Saigon – The Greatest Story Never Told and Common’s – The Dreamer, The Believer are my albums of the year so far.
This is getting my $10.
^ YOU HAVE GOOD TASTE
Kendrick Lamar made best album this year. But Common and The Roots made me feel like it was 2002 again. I love it. Buying this week.
You are so right…
disagree because The Roots- Game Theory & How I Got Over were both as good as undun. Also Common’s Be & Finding Forever were better than Like Water for Chocolate.
IMHO,Like Water for Chocolate is Common’s most dynamic and musically complete album. Anytime you have Dilla,Questlove and D’angelo collaborate as a single unit to work on your album and also have an MC who is in their prime lyrically ,you’re pretty much guaranteed to have an album that’s second to none in quality.
this album is AMAZING!!!!! its refreshing to hear something other than the mainstream bullshit.cant wait to buy a copy tomorrow
Top 10 of the year
THIS ALBUM IS MUSICALLY PERFECT BUT I THINK THAT COMMON SOMETIMES SPEAKS ABOUT UNNECESSARILY TOPICS LIKE IN “SWEET” OR “RAW”
Music 5/5
Lyrics 3,5/5
Other 5/5
Most Complete album I’ve heard this year
Top 5 albums of 2011:
The Roots – undun
Common – The Dreamer / The Believer
Pharoahe Monch – W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)
Saigon – The Greatest Stroy Never Told
Evidence – Cats & Dogs
CunninLynguists – Oneirology
Top 6 albums of 2011:
The Roots – undun
Common – The Dreamer / The Believer
Pharoahe Monch – W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)
Saigon – The Greatest Stroy Never Told
Evidence – Cats & Dogs
CunninLynguists – Oneirology
Is that Helen Keller’s list…. you need to buy some better music
Nah, bitch. This is my list. What is your favorite? Hmm… Let me guess. The Carter 4 or Ferrari Boyz. Sucka.
Only Oneirology deserved to be in top 6 in your list
CunninLynguists- Oneirology is super overrated… Or just CunninLynguists themselves are overrated.
CunninLynguists- Oneirology is not better than Blu & Exile- Give Me My Flowers While I Can Smell Them, Skyzoo’s “The Great Debaters” or Kendrick Lamar’s Section .80
@Anonymous Really? How can you say that “CunninLynguists themselves are overrated”?
@Hod_Guy Yeah brother the albums that you say were good, but I think Oneirology is better.
This album is about as good as it ever could have been without being instantly classic. Still disagree with 5 star rating for Roots, I would say that and this are of the same quality along with Section. 80, Greatest Story Never Told and Charity Starts at Home. Great Year.
nigga yo boy musta subbed crack foe dat weed cause ‘undun’ is that classic album ain’t nobody able to fucks wit. not a carter foe, watch the thrown, the dreamer/the believer, not nothin else that came out this year. u figgity fucks’ll learn soon.
classic. album of the year alongside section 80. just cant picckk arghh lol
Album of the year..no doubt..simply classic
IF U DONT PURCHASE THIS ALBUM ALREADY ..U NEED TO SLAP URSELF ..THIS ALBUM IS NOTHING SHORT OF AN INCREDIBLE LISTENING EXPERIENCE
And that is pretty must the gist of it.
and that’s pretty much the JIZZ outta my COCK
O look at this nigga Common! Now you are rocking PYRAMIDS and SYMBOLS in your video! Are there ANY MC”S in the game that havent sold there soul? I am no longer a Common fan!
So there are pyramids and symbols in his videos. Guess you care more about speculating about whether he’s illuminati rather than listen to the lyrical content and themes of his music. What an idiot.
lol if you think those symbolize someone is Illuminati you should pick up a book… smh
For the first listening, I don’t really feel “Gold”, “Cloth” and “Windows”, plus “Pops Belief” not actually a song itself. But the rest of the album (8 songs out of 12) is undeniably dope, and I’m sure the forementioned songs will grow on me after a few more listening.
Not Common’s best (my pick is still “Be” over everything), but an amazing piece of work. Is it the album of the year? Not sure, but for the lovers of real hip-hop, I think its a must have.
5/5
K-Dot, Common, The Roots its was a good year for hip hop!
4.5 Stars for sure. No ID has seriously evolved and is taking over as the best producer in the game. No ID is killing Kanye in terms of heat. This album is super dope and is the second best of the year behind undun of course.
Raw is a sick track!!! love the hook
chhh chhh chh
ahh ahhh ahh nick-uh
4.5 stars ? really ? album of the year ? really ??? I can give you at least 15 albums that top that “masterpiece” this year…smh
Lets hear the 15 then
Lets hear the 15 then?!?!
honkey kong, heavy metal kings, your favorite mc, my brother’s keeper, sparta, guns oil and drugs, legendary weapons, well done, population control, dagger mouth, violence begets violence, monsters 2, oneirology, the family sign, the greatest story never told, undun, radioactive, REKS
Jack’s struggling now! hahaa
hahaha anonymous you obviously have ABSOLUTELY NO CLUE what you’re talkin about..violence begets violence?? really?? hahaha gtfoh, WORST jmt album ever, boring as fuck, REKS?? OVERrated, it was a good album, but can’t fuck with the dreamer, same goes for EVERY album you have listed (except for “undun” (which is undeniably dope) and “oneirology”).. you seem to prefer hardcore hip hop, but try to judge objectively on rhymes, lyrics, variety, and beats, and with a common sense (pun intended) you will realize that com’s album is certainly top 3 this year..
1
sorry I was Anonymous so this my answer…you can’t fuck with it
Reks cd is good but he wasted alot of good beatsbecause his flow isn’t versatile at all. Sparta is good but M.O.P. as always aren’t really saying anything. Only thing you listed that is better is Saigon & the Roots, don’t hate just to be hating.
pathetic LP
^u have pathetic taste
Superb and superior album. If people think its a classic, you really can’t fault them. 4.5 is suitable until we see the effect it has on music years later OR how people feel about it once they put the album back on.
You can catch me at best buy tomorrow.
me to
This album is crazy dope! All Killer, no filler. It just feels good to hear some real raw hip hop like this. I’m so sick of the 808/synth bullshit. There’s no soul in that crap whatsoever. This album is packed full of soul. If you don’t feel this album, 1 yourself!
One of the Albums of the Year.
Amazing!
The way this album was getting hyped up took me back to when he dropped Be, but in all honesty this album was abit of a letdown. It’s not terrible and it’s not bad at all, and he’s spitting on here, but there is NO ENERGY to the album at all and most of that has to do with the production! Alot of people love No I.D. but I don’t think dude is a classic producer. He’s a good producer, but there is nothing special on this album at all. Blue Sky is lazy drum programming/sampling at it’s finest along with Gold, Cloth & Celebrate. The songs with James Fauntleroy just don’t hit right either.
Best Songs:
The Dreamer
Sweet
Lovin I Lost
Raw
Ghetto Dreams
Still a good album, but far from a great album, and people won’t be playing this album a month from now.
Shut the fuck up Angelo!
I kinda agree with Angelo, I would have given this a 4/5, I think NO I.D. is a classic producer but not quite classic on this album but I guess they had to give 4.5 because they’ve dropped the ball on so many reviews like the Joel Ortiz, J. Cole & Big Sean Review. Can we please get a review of M.O.P.’S Sparta. And for the record I’m a big fan of common & NO I.D. and will be buying a physical copy tomorrow!
Hey Anonymous… Eat A Dick!
and ev-reh body shut what they call THE FUCK UP.. i agree widda lotta u mafuckaz…specially angelo. dis sh!t aiiight. it ain’t groundbreakin’ like ‘undun’. some uh the jawns he even sounds like he was forcin’ himself to sound like Common (Sense) circa 1992…but either way, its a very good, solid album, but nowhere near a classic. this was brought to you courtesy of a fuck moment. piece.
Angelo, of course I respect your opinion, but I have to disagree with the statement about “lazy drum programming/sampling”. No ID has been producing since the early 90s (maybe earlier?) so when you hear a beat from him, its exactly how he intended it to be. I was just telling my homie the other day… Hip-hop fans need to expand their ears and stop thinking that hip-hop is “supposed” to sound a certain way. Just cuz “Blue Sky” doesn’t have hard-hitting, boom bap drums doesn’t mean it ain’t good hip-hop.
U forget that somebody like No ID who’s a veteran in the game has been exposed to so many different sounds and genres. If we want to continue to move hip-hop forward, we have to be able to recognize innovation when we see it. That’s what this album respresents
Mu…Did you listen to the original sample for Blue Sky? No ID produced this very similarly to the way Otis was done for WTT. If thats what he went for in terms of the drum programming, I guess that’s on him, not necessarily what I like, but to each his own. But even besides the drums, the way he chopped the sample was poor too. Blue Sky “could have” been soo much better on the production side.
@Angelo I love the way u state an opinion and then use facts to back up your opinion & this entire post has turned into a great debate. Everybody agrees this is a good album the argument really is just how good is it well this for ranks #3 behind Resurrection & Be.
@Angelo I totally agree with you. No energy! Listen to a track like “Book of Life” on Resurrection and feel the energy! Nothing on Dreamer/Believer compares.
Album is good and nothing more for me. It’s without real highlights, the songs sound too much like. Just Blaze proved you can make a cohesive album while being diverse.
COMMON THE BEST!!
classic!
Common came through w/dis one, it’s one of da best of the year. I wish Kanye and some other features were on it but overrall it’s a top 5 albulm of 2011.
fav tracks:Celebrate,Ghetto Dreams,the believer
rating:4/5
Listening to “sweet” I actually said these phrases: “Holy shit”, “Oh my god”, “IS THIS Common?” On my moma I checked the credits lol.
I didn’t enjoy sweet as much because producer’s Double-O & Black Milk absolutely killed that sample already on Kidz in the Hall’s “The In Crowd” before NO I.D. killed it
C L A S S I C .
This right here is a classic no 1 can deny that Common an No ID did they tahng on this whole album. Very accurate rating DX i don’t think any1 could disagree with this……….
CHECK OUT THE MUSIC
http://soundcloud.com/inevitable-success/sets/taste-of-success/
classic
HOT FIRE GOD DAMN LIL WAYNE CAREER IS DEAD.
LOL, are you delusional??
^GEEZ THE MAN IS BUYING COPIES OF HIS OWN ALBUM LOL HUSTLING BACKWARDS AZZ NICCA
the roots , common , new nas album , & a new black starr album HIP HOP IS ALIVE!!!!!!!
Co-sign
word!
Hip Hop always been alive and well in the underground, but the real shit is coming back to the forefront now.
This is cool. But, WE WANT A REVIEW FOR M.O.P. & SNOWGOONS – SPARTA!
FIIIIYYYYAAA
Classic!
Like a lot of you probably have, I’ve listened to the free stream of the album and it is, without a doubt, dope as hell.
but for the love of Sweet Baby Jesus, can we STOP throwing around the “C” word(classic) please? Classics are not determined prior to an album’s release. We gotta let it marinate for a while before it gets that status
Great album! This album is so Chicago. Its good to see Com return to his inner B-Boy.
Classic! nothing more to say, Real Hip Hop!
Classic! 5 stars
Perfect album! The Roots and Common made the best albums of the year! Thank them for it!
REAL HIP HOP!!!
Hands down album of the year!!! Undun got destroyed with this one on lyrics alone… Watch The Throne Gets second place for album of the year!! Common is back with his best album to date!!!
” Undun got destroyed with this one on lyrics alone”…..Statement is a fallacy. However, “The Dreamer/The Believer” IS indeed incredible.
I wouldn’t say this is common’s best album son, you are returd
the only track I have a problem with is blue sky. seemed like I was waiting for the beat to drop for the entire song and it never did. Otherwise this is a classic.
Common is back. This Album is definitely Top 5 for him
How is this not a “5 Classic”? It’s slightly better than Undun. Undun had one bad track “Sleep”. Dreamer/Believer is dope from start to finish. A modern classic. 5/5
I Wouldnt call this a classic ..I call it a Masterpeice!! a Journey into Hiphop Sound… 2 notable tracks for me “Cloths” and “Gold” are jus INCREDIBLE RECORDS SONICALLY!!..I just cant describe the vibe I get from those two songs ..this album is GRAMMY worthy
great album
I like this almost better than “Be”
DOPE…when Common is on…that boy is ON!!!
Thank you Jesus!! We FINALLY have a album void of bullshit, cars, hoes, and money. Common is back to rap to us NOT at us. Great album.
Modern Classic!!!
I’ve never written a comment, but This album is a must buy. I listen to albums while playing video games and i could not skip one song n the believer, a masterpiece it is. Best album 2011.
I agree with you my young prince. Sorry for giving you the most brutal beatdown in DBZ history.
This cat is so fake… dude lives in Beverly Hills…. and now common is straight rocking the PYRAMIDS just like KANYE and JAY.. sad… another nigga selling they souls for money!!!!
Juggle on some elephant nuts you bastard. Then die slow.
Yo…did you listen to the album??? does it SOUND like hes selling his soul?? Nah its straight hip hop. If you wanna hear someone switching their style for money look at “Mr. Nice Watch” lol
man go bath in battery acid, common has always kept it real even when consumers may not like it
You can read the comments and tell who really hasn’t been up on their hip-hop this year.
This and The Roots, top commercial albums of the year…
It’s not his best album (That is hands down Resurrection) but is definitely one of them. A modern day classic. Common’s back to rap about what’s real, not all about money and hoes but takes his time to rap about what’s real. This is what you call true lyrical Hip-Hop and not many can attack a beat like Common with his lyrical quality. The dreamer at the beginning is one of those tracks that you listen to over and over again just to actually take in what magic Maya is talking about. This album was straight fire, but what would have made it better for me if Common had Nas, Lauryn Hill, Raekwon on a track; could you imagine how fucking complex and mind blowing a track like that could have been?!?!?! common has definitely taken us back to that 90’s flow that he had but lost on Electric Circus. It takes a real man to talk about what’s real amidst all these dumbass fools like Soulja Boy, Gucci Mane and Waka Floka who shout SWAG SWAG SWAG throughout their whole motherfucking songs.
Thank you! I keep trying to tell these youngins that Resurrection is the best Common album ever! This one is ok. Just wish it had more energy to it. Damn near every song has singing in it, but Com blasts Drake about his singing? They don’t make hip hop like they used to…even the great ones.
Some of the best music I’ve heard all year. Common is such a great writer and turns his shit into beautiful music. This is easily up there with Be. Dope review!
Yes this album is a masterpiece!
classic? masterpiece? five stars?
lmfao… niggas are crazy. swag
dis da worst album of da year. I dont get da lyrics. itz so wack & uncreative. I cant bump dis shit in my ride. Common an old ass nigguh. swag
Waynes Tha Carter IV wus mo hardcore den dis shit. Take Care wuz da mos creative album of da year. swag
1/5
haha the fact you said swag says it all you sheep.
Your comment is irrelevent cause you used the word “swag” in it.
your a fag. swag. this shit burys wayne’s n drizzy’s albums u young piece of shyt
You idiots really can’t understand sarcasm can you?
dont feed the troll people
Ice Boy (Better Yet Sweet Boy) You Dont know shit about REAL HipHop. That Lil Wayne Carter 4 is str8 garbage and Drake aint a Real dude. He aint even a niqqA. That Take Care Album isnt HipHop at ALL. So Please kid stay in school n learn ya history of hiphop. Cause its clear u dont know shit. Common is one of the last Realest Rappers out (And Eminem) you wanna history lesson Listen to Common’s n Eminem’s Albums ALL of them. Then get back to me
—/ Sweet Motherfucker
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Speechless
…
this is a classic album
Loving this album. Gotta give it 5, because 4 is way too low and 4.75 isn’t an option.
Cracks me up though how HHDX does nothing but talk Drake, Wayne, Nicki, and a bunch of other dogshit, but then when the real hip-hop artists release albums, they give them these great reviews. Look at the highest rated albums of the year. None of that garbage (besides Big Sean). How about HHDX give these artists coverage all the time? Instead they jam the popular bullshit down our throats for the sake of the almighty dollar. HHDX is part of the beast that people claim to hate so much.
faggots like: kanye, jayz, drake, lil wayne and 50 cent can learn from Common instead of making that bullshit rap about guns and money.
THANKS COMMON. You are probably the only rapper standing up for hiphop.
the funny thing is kanye and common are actually very good friends and common is signed to his label, so clearly he has. your comment just lost all credibility
you’re probably one of those queers who only listen to “underground & 90’s” Hip Hop huh? Smh, it’s people like you who also give hip hop listeners the reputation of being very close minded.
you’re an idiot bro. i agree with drake, wayne and 50. but kanye and jay. crossing the line.
queers listening to underground & 90s hiphop? were you even born during those years.
Classically Made
The chemistry is EVIDENT between these 2 and the result is a delight for our ears….
december been great for hip hop! undun and The Dreamer The Believer in particular, then you also got anthem inc., in none we trust ep. crazy
Best Common album I’ve heard since Resurrection. Seriously, I’d put this over Be, and that’s saying a LOT.
#Classic Common & NO I.D laced the tracks!!!!
Classic Music from Common & No I.D
PERFECT ALBUM!!!
outstanding album; im my humble opinion, this album should have gotten the 5.0 rating as opposed to the roots, even though that was a good album too
An excellent album from common. WELCOME BACK TO REAL HIP HOP! This is definitely a great chemistry record with an MC/Producer. 5/5
This is an incredible album, certainly worthy of classic status. It doesn’t get much better than this – hard hitting rhymes over dope beats. Personally, I think this is Com’s best album.
Resurrection will ALWAYS be his best album! Too bad a lot of these younger cats only know Common from the Be album.
Thanks Com, loving this album here! 5/5 CLASSIC!
classic album
HHDX, y’all be tripping, this here ablum is ‘5 Mics’. The streets have spoken, better get your shit in order… Peace Out!
3 stars its Highly overrated all the beats are just looped drums over 1 bar loop samples meh…
cuz thats what hip hop is my friend..samples with added drums and sick lyrics that mean something..not like maybachs and YM’s shitty beats with lyrics that are irrelevant to 99.9% of the fools that buy into it
This,Undun & Section.80 were the best albums of the year.All of them had impressive lyricism and amazing production.Anyone who can honestly say Carter 4 was better than any of those three are Sweet A$$ B!tch Muhfuckas who are so stuck up on YMCMB collective dicks that they can’t notice quality music.
carter 4 was trash but thats what i expected when i illegally down loaded it, haha
Amazing album. I really was surprised at how good it was; I strongly recommend buying it.
commmon?! hahahaha… illuminati shit … 0 stars bro! he’s not real
If you believe in that shit, the jokes on you fool.
yur prolly the type of nigga that believes wayne when he says hes the best rapper alive..people like you listen to music because other people are listening to it..why you gotta criticize people like me and common who make/like music not because it sells, but it makes us feel good
I feel like I’ve heard it all before.
The beats and the rhymes.
It’s soild but will I be bumping this in year?? We’ll see.
I brought two copies just encase it gorws on me!
After the debacle of Universal Mind Control, this album truly reintroduces Common back to the top where he belongs
This album is missing something…Kanye West. Common And Kanye go better together than Common and No ID. I hate to say it but it’s true
NO I.D. is kanye’s mentor, it’s feels the same to me, what kanye knows ID knows.
yo seriously Im sayin classic 5 of 5! No I.D. is perfect combo with Common!! Been banging this all day in my iPod!!!! Undun and 9th Wonder’s The Wonder Years as well… great hiphop music! I wish Drizzle Drake has something to say.. Common ‘ell eat that boy up!!
So icy boi = typical hood retard
funny but completely true
real hip-hop
COM!
The album is dope and Im giving it a 5 star off the strength that Common manned up and said that he was talking about “sweet” ass Drake. Hip-Hop has had a strong finish for the year with numerous great albums in the last few months. However no one has drawn the line in the sand to say this is Hip-Hop and Waka Flaka ass niggas are not. Common is doing that with “Sweet” instead of taking the Hip-Hop is dead approach. You go Common, kill these scrub ass young money, maybach movement clowns.
This be that real hip hop album of the year!
.
I’ve been ridin wit this MC since One day It’ll all make sense…..It’s makin sense now….He’s the Truth and all the Hip Hop world is seeing it….MUCH LUV RASHID!!!!!!
this deserved a 5 like undun, but i guess 41/2 is fair..excellent piece of work..
this recording is sick, classic
g
common diss:
you aint a real nigga bro
drake killed you wack hoe
mah rhymes like a skateboardin gangsta
Im da next Weezy type billboardin nigga
yo twitter followas equals da numbas of Canibus fans
da soical media rejected you just like da earthquace da japs
– So Icy Boi!
shut up dude. stop criticizing the man. he dropped a hot album without sellin out. drake cant drop a good album and hes the biggest sellout next to lil wayne..so fuck you icy boi go pop in yur soulja boi tape and stop talkin shit about canibus and common
lmao you rap like a retard kid, give it up
Did you just write a dis verse talking about Twitter followers? What kind of hip-hop gives a $hit aout someone’s Twitter followers? That alone shows what kind of hip-hop you are. What will you bring up next, ringtones?
Naah u did it the wrong way dude.This is how a Common fan writes rhymes:
You hatin on the Common album here-it’s suicidal,
with 1 verse i’ll fuck up you and your idol,
Common wack,what the fuck r u talkin about,
go back to Drake ass -crack and leave your shoe laces out
Album of the year and the next!
Man come on this album isnt a 4.5 album
Commons rhymes dont do anything for me on this album and his flow sounds kinda weak too .
i listen to it trust me .
3 stars is more like
the song with john legend is kinda wack
john legend is annoying to me , i never could listen to his music and singing . not my cup of tea
Shut up loser.
trust me lol. Maybe someone who makes a living off of reviewing albums and running a magazine should listen to you. OH! i guess he forgot John Legend’s annoying to you.
here’s a pretty thorough review of Common’s Album, which is easily one of the best of the year in my opinion. http://www.passedpresent.com/2011/12/album-review-dreamer-believer.html
Lovin’ i lost, best track. Just No I.D. Kanye doesn’t produce for anyone but himself now, still the best producer though; next to RZA and Jay d. Not common’s best but still very good. I was expecting him to act hard(which he obviously sucks at.) But he learned a lesson from maybe the worst album ever released, Universal Mind Control. Other than a couple gay tracks and 4 really gay hooks, phenomenal album. 5 stars
classic album, been a great year for hip hop…way to close out da yr with jeezy n common
classic
Anybody hating on this album automatically has no credibility in their taste of music. This album is a classic 5 stars!
My rating says 4 but I would give this 4.2459 hA!. This is Hip Hop and never will be played on tired ass radio. It’s classic beats and lyrics.
Dopeness
3 STARS MAYBE . not really feelin it
BE was better
You wack son
“Cloth” was an absolutely amazing song…this is one of the best releases this year.
like rah digga said, this ain’t no kiddie rap. this was smooth. i wouldn’t mind hearing common do more “sweet” songs, though.
……
This is hip hop!
3 stars at most
loser
Hip-Hop is not DEAD!!
album of the year
Definetly one of Commons Top 3 albums of his career but as we know it was 3 years ago when Common released the terrible and shocking U.M.C album thank god he redeemed himself once again and gave us the best hip hop album of 2011 Thank U Common your Top 5 Emcees of all time.
Classic Album Im putting in my top 5
After his embarrassing UMC album, Common redeems himself with his best album since Be. No ID supplies some hot beats and Com’s lyricism is top notch. Hip hop at its finest.
amazing
Instant classic album, grammy winner (will be) you’ll see. Common and the man No ID, who else could it be? nobody. illy. peace.
Mel-low feat Redman “BLAZT IT UP”
This video is a Def Jam classic!!! West meets east!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkBPl2MlEGM
Common said that he was trying to make a piece of art when he made this album. Common… mission accomplished.
in the words of jeezy this one here for u fuck nigga
Common proved that Drake is sweet because Common’s album got Universal Acclaim and is perhaps the best hip hop album next to Undun by The Roots Sure Drake sold more but the album sucked Ass
Take Care didnt suck man…it was just maaad RnB. He didnt come with what his audience wanted. We want verses like hes spitting on the new Rozay mixtape
AOTY
Great album. Start to finish. Lyrically great. The production phenomenal
Brilliant album! Particularly impressed with the featuring of an original Maya Angelou poem. Favourite song is “The Cloth”….
this album is pure bolivian Dope!!!!
rter
The fact that one of the tracks on this stellar album features a Maya Angelou poem speaks volumes. Common once again rhymes conscious with deep lyrics and dexterous word play. My favourite track is “The Cloth”. A definite hiphop five mic album!
Cosign
Cloth is my joint
wow this is one of the best albums ive ever heard wow. production is amazing and common kills the bests effortlessly. hip hop been needing an album like this holy shit man. this is inspiring… as fuck. common u did it again NIGGA
One of the Goats…fuck Drake…
Great album. Common dropped a classic for sure. Now I’m patiently waiting for Nas and Common’s – Nas.Com album.
Really amazing. Still need to buy.
Dope album. Top 5 of 2011. 4/5
Be and finding forever will remain common’s best albums that’s for sure. This one sometimes I was disapointed by the lyrics, I am mainly refering to Sweet, Ghetto dreams and blue sky in that order.
BE is a classic, Finding Forever is close. But no way are those two albums better than One Day It Will All Make Sense or Like Water For Chocolate. Common is at his absolute best on those albums. I believe those who think the former two are his best are new Common fans. Resurrection and BE can go either way, but it’s definitely better than Finding Forever also.
Finally listened to whole of it.Amazing one.5/5
Lovin’ the vibe of this album. Great album to end 2011 with, a year which I think was pretty weak compared to previous years. Comm’s catalogue is illy!
Yeah you’re right, 2011 had no where near as many hits as 2010
you guys r stupid 2011 was amazing. WTT, PHonte, MAc Miller, Common, Drizzy, 9th wonder, R.E.D…too many names to drop all made quality projects. if anything there was almost too much good music to keep up with this year. I think 2012 is gna be a bit slower. Only thing I’d say 2011 was missing was a game-changing classic like Kanyes MBDTF
this album is hella nice. its not clouded with a lot of guest appearances. pity Kanye aint in here tho…. common and No ID sure worked wonders. they must be hella proud.
Fuckin’ Genius!
great year for hip hop
good album didnt know it was going to be this good props to Common
second best album of the year still classic common sence u did it again love it favorite joint is window grown man shit peace
just perfect production and flow delivery
Best album of 2011. Followed by Evidence’s ‘Cats & Dogs’.
yeah it the best hip hop album and the second LP that gon be on the same level with it is Nas’s life is good LP
Sorry fan boys but this album is a disapointment and boring……
Youre probably a YMCMBitch,huh
i agree only 3 tracks i like,ghetto dreams,sweet,and raw. the rest of this album is real soft mushy boring!!!
nothing will ever beat his album ‘Be’.
This is very close to “BE”
how can i say this.. you’re not the greatest.
Common is one of the greatest, with pacca biggie nas and krs-one- fuck u nick-nicki
I listened to your album because you were dissing Drake. And let me tell you. Drizzy’s take care is sooo much better its not funny. You are not the greatest, you are so far from it. Yeah maybe your Be album is good but that was years ago. Ymcmb is taking over
i have a knife waiting to stab you with
you should be banned from listening to music for that statement
Canada dry
^how about you stop listening to rap altogether sir?
you need education, lame ass pussy
You ignorant mother fuckers…
Can I borrow a dollar = Great album
Resurrection = Amazing album
Be= Amazing album
Finding Forever= Great album
One day it will all make sense = Great album.
… you faggets should listen to common’s material before you through these young money is best shots. But, you niggas dont know nothing about hiphop classics so i expect nothing higher form your dumbed down hiphop mindset.
FUCK COMMON…
its sad to see how ppl look at music today. Common is definition of hip hop. the real emotion, real circumstance, food for thought. the man don’t put nothing in your ears that’s negative, he gives you classic albums. and this is what u guys think off him. you ppl would problably hate tupac and biggie for hating on all these non hip hop kats like drake(RnB nigga and the rest of YMCMB)…….
That line so black and white,tryna live a nigga’s life is a killa i want to see if drake going to live up to (d.r.a.k.e) Do. Right. And. Kill. Everything quote. i want to hear wat u got to say hit me up on facebook @ getsomebusiness@rocketmail.com
An absolutely stellar album from Common.
best album from the new era of rap. and all the dumbass youg money fans
YALL
MAD
COMMON
MUCH
BETTER
i know it didnt make that much sense but whatever raw album.
Best Common Albums
1. Resurrection
2. Be
3. The Dreamer, The Believer
4. One Day It’ll Make Sense
5. Finding Forever
6. Like Water for Chocolate
7. Can I Borrow A Dollar
8. Electric Circus
9. Universal Mind Control
How the fuck the user rating at least 4.9? SMFH This album is AMAZING Not one weak track Utterly brilliant. full of versatility and stunning production from No ID! EPIC!
FUCK YEAH! That’s what hip-hop should sound like! The track with Common and Nas (“The Believer)alone makes the album worthwhile…another heavyweight piece of work from multi-talented genious Common!
I meant “Ghetto Dreams”, Common feat. Nas!
What a great album, I cant stop listening
Despite the diss track that I like, Common’s one of my favorites.
Fire, fire, fire. Take out ‘Sweet’ and you’ve got a 4.5.
GREAT,4,8/5 . GOLD IS CLASSIC SONG, COMMON FLOWS TIGHT ON IT AND NO ID PRODUCTION…HANDS DOWN
GHETTO DREAMS? BEST RAP SONG ’12,NAS KILLED BUT COMMON GOES REAL HARD ON IT….CLASSIC SONG!
One of my top 10 albums of 2011
Favourite Songs
Ghetto Dreams feat. Nas
Blue Sky
Celebrate
The Believer feat. John Legend
Least Favourite Song
Windows
Hip-Hop at is best
5 stars
Amazing Album. Very Inspirational. Best of 2011 and 12 so far
expected much more
Best 0f 2011
4.5 stars yet no mention on top 25 albums???
cool
From hearing these tracks, they are harder and drawer than the lackluster kanye driven Finding Forever..and the commercial driven Wtf? Album, Universal Mind Control…This is Com’ Senses return to firm Lp…Prob his best album since Be….I still need to hear the rest of The Dreamer, The Believer…
This album was pure and is what defines hip-hop.