It’s definitely tough making it in the mainstream rap scene, and in his fourth album, Common finds himself torn between his artistic ideals and his need to present the image of a hard-core rapper to sell CDs.
In “Like Water for Chocolate,” Common attempts to straddle the line between being a rapper with a heart and principles, and being tough enough to convince people that he’s no softy.
To that end, he’s recorded some raw raps and laced the CD with guest artists by the likes of D’Angelo, MC Lyte and Mos Def.
On this album, he has mixed results.
In “Dooinit,” for example, Common takes a swipe at the rap music industry, which he views as having lost its creativity and selling out, recording albums that all sound the same just to make more money. Other rappers are “scared to take a chance in the game/ you used to breakdance/ it’s a shame,” he says.
But it’s hypocritical of him to criticize the rap industry for not producing fresh music, when he’s following in their footsteps: sampling from other artists, using as much profanity as possible and compromising his personal goals as an artist by modeling himself after other hard-core rappers.
Despite his criticism of the industry, Common pats himself on the back for offering his latest album, “a brainstorm that will make [people] dance in the rain.” The end of “Dooinit” is marred by some annoying mixing, but overall, the song is catchy.
Other notable tracks include “The Light,” which Common describes as “an open love letter” to an as-yet-unnamed girl. The lyrics are romantic, and the song is memorable despite its chorus, which is vaguely reminiscent of a sitcom theme song.
“There are times when I’m lost, I try to find you/ you know to give me space when it’s time to/ my heart’s dictionary defines you as love and happiness,” are typical lyrics from the track, which also deals with tough topics like abstinence and equality between the sexes.
And in “Song to Assata,” Common lends his voice to the movement to free Assata Shakur, a former Black Panther and U.S. political refugee living in Cuba.
Common’s graphic descriptions of violence, which paint a vivid picture in the listener’s mind, are coupled with a soaring harmony in the chorus to make this track one of the strongest on the album.
Certain tracks on the album do have some racist or homophobic lyrics, but noticeably absent are the usual misogynist lines. In “The Light,” for example, he raps, “I never call you my bitch/ or even my boo/ there’s so much in a name/ and so much more in you.”
Hearing a rapper who demonstrates actual respect for women is a nice change, to say the least.
“Like Water for Chocolate” does leave Common some room to grow as an artist, but it is nonetheless a valiant effort. It’s refreshing to hear a rapper who actually has a message, beyond telling the world what a thug he is.