FiyaStarter.com - Fiya on the Brownstone with Malik Sinsear

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“I'm completely wrong.”
-Steve Smith
Panthers receiver, rumored character
in next Punisher film.

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Brooklynite spitting flames on the current state of his first love, Hip-Hop from his stoop in Bedstuy. He may be from NY, but his love for the culture is first and foremost, so don't expect your typical east-coast bias, on this block. Malik is simply here to kick knowledge and wisdom for your understanding.

FiyaStarter RATING =

(4 1/2) Fiyaballs

Album Review

Common - Finding Forever
Another W For The 'Go.
by: Malik Sinsear, for Entertainment

From 1992’s Can I Borrow A Dollar through the 2005 Be, Common Sense or Common, as he’s now known, has probably shown Hip-Hop fans the most growth of an artist, within the genre, ever. From aimless witty punch lines to mature and introspective records, Common has progressed into one of the best, no disrespect to DJ Khalid.

Finding Forever marks weird territory for Common though, oddly through familiarity. Throughout his career, Chi-town’s most dependable MC has prided himself on making a “different” album every time out, which makes Forever feel a tad bizarre, because you’re searching for something new, but this plays more like an old acquaintance. It’s a gift and the curse of sorts, because while it feels a lot like the aforementioned Be, it feels a lot more like the 2000 masterpiece Like Water For Chocolate. It’s probably unfair to compare the two, but I just can’t ignore the 800 pound Monique in the room. Sorry.

With help from Kanye, Will.i.am and the late great, but lately coat-tailed J Dilla on production, Forever is fine tailored for Common. The lead single, The People is almost a sequel to Like Water’s, The 6th Sense on some “Rise up black people” shit, but not quite as edgy. Black Maybe featuring Prince’s best imitator, Bilal, just may be the best record on the album as it depicts a few scenarios of society bringing a few of their own down. The unwell-wishers end up being the very people you’d least expect (well, perhaps you, I knew a nigga was behind all of these people getting fucked over…oh, my bad **SPOILERS**).

Todays new cutesy IT girl, Lily Allen on a KanYe assisted rhythmic drum track entitled Driving Me Wild, injects Forever with just the offbeat track Common can go apeshit on. Speaking of apeshit, Com disses 50 on Start The Show.

With 12 monkeys on stage, it’s hard to see whose a gorilla/
You was better as a drug dealer.

Aye, he can say whatever he wants, but just like the rabid punch at Nas, last album and the few shots he took at Jay and DMX among others a few albums ago, this was a shot, clearly.

Whatever. His business.

The jury may still be out on whether he’s the new Primo, but the chemistry between Common and his bud, KanYe is some of the best going, today. On the pair's Ode to Chicago, Southside, Common kills it while Ye hits you with the most predictable stuntarific line that I’m still dumbfounded by, because nobody had said it before.

Where niggas mashed up like Phantom of the Opera,
Dreamin’ of the day to push a Phantom to the Opera.

How the hell did Jadakiss miss this one? Amazing.

Play Your Cards Right featuring Bilal, a bonus on the UK version of the album is feel good/finish line/victory music. I’m gonna play that when I train, run and win my first marathon...well, either there or at my nephew’s house next time I beat his ass in Madden.