Track Listing

1. Time Travelin' (A Tribute to Fela)
2. Heat
3. Cold Blooded - Black Thought, Common, Roy Hargrove, Rahzel
4. Dooinit
5. Light
6. Funky for You
7. Questions - Common, Mos Def
8. Time Travelin' Reprise
9. 6th Sense
10. Film Called (Pimp) - Bilal, Common, MC Lyte
11. Nag Champa (Afrodisiac for the World)
12. Thelonius - Common, Slum Village
13. Payback Is a Grandmother
14. Geto Heaven, Pt. 2 - Common, Macy Gray
15. Song For Assata, A - (featuring Cee-Lo)
16. Pops Rap III...All My Children - Common,

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #37871 in Music
• Brand: MCA
• Released on: 2000-03-28
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Amazon.com's Best of 2000
It's no coincidence that most top 40 rappers are under 25: rap revels in misspent youth. Which makes Common's adventures in adulthood so interesting. He's an astounding lyricist, always has been. But with Like Water for Chocolate he's made the tricky transition from b-boy to b-man without losing the magic. Chocolate may be a mature album, but it ain't stern: hilarious, poetic, musical, and intensely personal, this is Common at his finest. --Lizz Mendez Berry

Amazon.com
How can such a self-righteous rapper be so much fun to hear? Common, like so many carrying the banner for alternative hip-hop, casts himself as the enemy of all things commercial ("That jiggy shit is over / The war is on, I only wanna be a soldier / I'm holdin' on to a culture"), yet he also insists on getting paid. Like Water for Chocolate is full of such contradictions: while often exciting, Common also maddens with his casual homophobia and sneers at those he sees as lesser artists. He doesn't lack a sense of humor, though, as witnessed by the likes of "A Film Called (Pimp)" (featuring MC Lyte) and titles such as "Payback Is a Grandmother." The latter track is something of a conceptual coup, expanding Common's pro-family message into the realm of a cinematic revenge fantasy against some thugs who rob one of his relatives. Such displays of imagination--and the thick, layered funk throughout--ultimately make this a superbly playable disc. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews

Common Makes His Triumphant Return
I remember anxiously awaiting this album after hearing the Primo-produced "6th Sense". I thought it would be more along the lines of his last CD. I was way off...but that's a good thing.

Common has grown up on "Like Water For Chocolate" and made a CD that is the complete opposite of DMX, Jay-Z, and similar MCs. Instead of using hitmakers to produce the CD he used the capable hands of ?uestlove of The Roots (who exec. produced it), D'Angelo, Jay-Dee of The Ummah (one of the most underrated producers) and DJ Premier (technically a hitmaker but not really). Instead of tired and played out cliches he discusses the story of Assata Shakur (Song for Assata), pretends to be a socially-conscious pimp (A film called pimp), goes a little meta-physical (Time Travellin), expresses frustration with current hip hop (6th Sense), and even does a song tributing incense (Nag Champa).

As always his lyrics are excellent. The beats are innovative. Like The Roots, live instruments are used with horns, pianos, and bass in full supply. The CD has many influences from soul to Jazz (Time Travellin is a tribute to Fela Kuti). Despite all this, it still has roots firmly in hip hop as tracks like Doonit remind you.

All in all, this is Common's best CD in a long time. Some people will write it off as soon as they hear it. If you as a listener do, just listen to it again because this is a CD that gets better and better with every listen.

A Soulful Expression Done Well
On Common's fourth record, 'Like Water For Chocolate' he shines thoroughly through the fabric of Soul, Jazz, and Funk-inspired Hip-Hop. The native Chicago lyricist shares his deep experiences and opinions, but at the same time personafies the meaning of Mic Skills on tracks like 'Heat' and 'Thelonious'.

The first two singles, 'The Sixth Sense' (a college radio single) and 'The Light' (the Grammy-nominated love song-turned radio hit) landed Common in the top rankings of spiritually inclined, mic skilled, Jazzy styled-and somewhat concious leauge of Hip-Hop MCs. While the album gives an inspiring tribute to the late African musician and revolutionairy Fela Kuti ('Time Travelin'), redenfined the definition of laidback smooth Hip-Hop ('Nag Champa') and attacks the utter mindlessness of current mainstream Hip-Hop ('Dooinit'), it still has its flaws.

Common's super-spiritual content often contradicts his every now-and-then sprinklings of homophobic, sexually charged, and occasionally politically INcorrect content on 'race' in America in the words of his lyrics. His 'One Day' found maturity hardly leaves room for a balance between mature, progressive music and fun-loving, laidback sounds within the same song. Not to mention the presense of Soul singer Bilal on way too many songs. Another fact is the Grammy nominee's stance on respect for women is sometimes overshadowed by male chauvinism and questionable themes. 'A Film Called (Pimp)' is a satrical ode to the hussle of "pimps N hoes". A duet with MC Lyte that may leave a bad taste in one's mouth after the first listen.

However, in essense, The Artist Formerly Known As Sense is merely channeling his different moods and attitudes towards life through various different tunes, showing he's as much human as anyone else (hence the name "Common"). Perhaps his less mature songs are merely meant to both stay connected with fans not on his level of spirituality and poeticism, and to serve purpose that there is a loose-skinned side of him which is not meant to be taken seriously (or at least not as much as his other material).

For all it's worth, Like Water For Chocolate is an excellent album. A witty, musical, and thoughful record full of compassion and unity with guest spots from everyone from contempoary Jazz trumpetor Roy Hargrove, to Jill Scott, Slum Village (who's lead member Jay Dee produced the majority of the album), DJ Premier, The Roots and Hip-Hop's beatboxing and soundeffect extradionare Rahzel. 'The Questions', 'Funky For You', 'Payback Is A Grandmother', and a couple others are rather lackluster, but after hearing all the Interludes and soulful vibes of songs such as 'Geto Heaven Part Two' (the original version), and 'A Song For Assata' (a tribute to black panther Assata Shakur who is in political assulyum in Cuba) it's all worth it.

In some ways, 'Like Water For Chocolate' could be the musical equalvilant to a typical day. Funky joyfilled moments ('Coldblooded') to times of receiving and benefiting from knowledge from elders ('Pops Rap III'), to a moment of response and reaction to situations ('Payback Is A Grandmother') which is trully a factor for determining what is or isn't true art--an imitation of life.

A Revolutionary Hip-Hop CD
Before I purchased "Like Water For Chocolate" the only song I had heard from Common was 1-9-9-9. What drew me to buy this CD was that Common delivered a message in his songs that separated him from other artists currently out.

"Like Water For Chocolate" is truly a hip-hop classic. Common includes Jazz, Rap, and a meaningful message in his CD to help him tell his story. In this album Common shows the transition from the African drums, to Jazz, and then to Hip-Hop in the cut "Time Travelin'". This album kind of flows like a play with it's insightful stories. "The 6th Sense" is one of the best beats that D.J. Premier has ever created, while over this beat Common raps about life and music.

I recommend this CD to anyone who likes Black Star, Mos Def, The Roots, and A Tribe Called Quest. In fact one of my favorite songs on this album features Mos Def, its title is "The Questions". This is a good song to listen to when you just want to mellow out, and listen to what Mos Def and Common are saying. Originally I was going to give this album a 4 star, however after writing this review and remembering the songs I gave it a 5 star.

If you buy this album you will not be disappointed.