Although there were some who thought Electric Circus was groundbreaking, most were confused by the drastic departure from what we've come to expect from Common. Well I have since just chalked that album up to one of those ''artistic experiment'' albums artists like to do that leave there core fan base wondering ''What The F**k?'' For all those that were in that group Be will not disappoint.

What Common has managed to do over the years is to constantly elevate his game & consistently get better. Lyrically, Common is currently one of the best in the game with lyrics that tell a story, entertain & educate. They feel like they would be at home in a poetry book or recited by the likes of Sonia Sanchez or Amiri Baraka. Songs like ''Faithful'' inspire men who may have strayed to be true to there women while ''Love Is'' looks at the different aspects & interpretations of love.

Now although I felt that lyrically Electric Circus was great, its biggest fault was the production. First and foremost this is music, and without the right production any album suffers. Be doesn't have this problem. Production is top notch with soulful samples thanks in most part to fellow Chicago native Kanye West. What they have managed to put together is an album where each track fits perfectly with each other making for a seamless listening experience. The songs are both soulfull & jazzy with a 70's feel to them. They also complement Common's lyrics exceptionally well with a BMW like ''50/50'' balance.

The guests on the album also fit its sound & theme with such artists like John Legend, Bilal, The Last Poets, Kanye West & John Mayer making appearances. With most appearing on hooks or choruses they don't interfere with flow of the tracks to much.

Overall Be is just right. It's the right length, the right sound, & came out at the right time. It is an absolute joy to listen to & can be listened to from beginning to end without skipping a single track. Everyone from the hardcore fan to the casual hip hop listener should make it a point to add it to their library. It's albums like this that give me hope that hip hop music can come out of the materialistic hell it currently seems to reside in. Here's hoping 1 album can change the world, or at the very least, the state of hip hop.

SonicAmp Rating: 10/10