It’s been just a shade over two years since Common blessed the substance free rap game with his critically acclaimed last album Be. Over that period of time the Chi-Town MC has been anything but sleeping; surprisingly he’s managed to juggle between modeling for The Gap, playing a key role in his activist endeavors which include PETA (animal rights) and Knowing Is Beautiful (aids awareness), plus he locked down a solid role in Smokin Aces, and is anticipating the premier of another role in American Gangsters alongside Denzel Washington, TI, Russell Crowe, and The RZA. With so many priorities and only 168 hours in the week one has to wonder how he expects to top the acclaim he received from his last album with his seventh release Finding Forever.

On the opening track “Start The Show” Common verbally rips the intellect or lack of from some of today’s rap superstars. Kanye experiments with a few new sounds on the album’s first single, the uplifting ode those really going through the struggle “The People”. Producer Will.I.Am borrows elements from Bob James’ “Feel Like Makin Love” to craft the mesmerizing love tune “I Want You”. Common and Kanye, two of Chicago’s finest collaborate to show the rough side of Chi-Town some love on “Southside”. On the boom bap inspired “The Game” Kanye uses a strictly horn heavy method to form the backdrop for the track. The late producer extraordinaire Dilla laces a deep breather for D’Angelo and Common on “So Far To Go” then Kanye laces another breathing loop on the emotionally adverse “Break My Heart”. The album’s highlight comes when Devo Springsteen laces Common with “Misunderstood”, an epic where Common makes a solid connection with people in underprivileged circumstances.

All in all Common continues to pace himself steps ahead of the rest of the game by penning some of his deepest inner thoughts on Finding Forever. Instead of focusing strictly on his own personal issues the Chi-town Mc chooses to vent about several of society’s ills in a more political fashion. With producer extraordinaire Kanye West by his side it will definitely prove to be no different next time around as the two have managed to find an aesthetically pleasing formula for conscious rap music. Hopefully the dynamic duo will continue to put it down on wax and beats forever.

VERDICT – 14 / 20
LYRICS: 4 
PRODUCTION: 3
DELIVERY: 3
CONSISTENCY: 4