While Common Sense is undeniably one of the few rappers left from the heyday of conscious hip-hop who still has a degree of relevance, his latest efforts, most notably “Electric Circus,” have fallen on deaf ears. Many fans of Common’s earlier work were put off by “Electric Circus'” abandonment of the sound that made him a household name with his release of such classics as “Resurrection” and “Like Water For Chocolate.”

Following the disdain his fans expressed for “Electric Circus,” Common promised to return to his hip-hop roots. On his sixth and latest release, “Be,” Common he does come back to his signature sound based around catchy drums, soulful hooks and hip-hop truisms mixed with rap catchphrases.

This time around Common works with a fellow Chicago native, Kanye West, on production, making this an easy target for slogans such as “The definitive Chicago hip-hop sound.” It is hard to justify such superlatives considering both Kanye and Common are known for being different. More likely, this record will be remembered for its timely connection of Common, Chicago’s most renowned rapper, and West, Chicago’s most prolific producer.

West produced all tracks except two on “Be,” both of which were handled by J Dilla, the man behind most of Common’s previous two albums. While West delivers several standout tracks, such as “The Corner” and “Be,” his efforts will no doubt be held up against No I.D.’s classic beats on “Resurrection.” While there is no match for Resurrection’s timeless ambiance, West goes a long way toward evoking the emotion that moved Common’s earliest efforts.

From the album’s opening track – a jazzy piece that perfectly collides standup bass with a popping synth – listeners are reminded that Common has what most rappers can only wish for. On this track Common effortlessly delivers hip-hop lyrics such as, “The chosen one, from the land of the frozen sun, where drunk nights get remembered more then sober ones.” 

Common continues his sojourn back to his underground roots with “The Corner” and “The Food,” both featuring sparse beats reminiscent of the popular mid-90’s sound. After initially releasing a different version of “The Food” and receiving negative feedback, Common decided to include the live version he had performed on Chappelle’s Show. The live version loses nothing in translation and will no doubt be remembered as a standout track. 

“Faithful” and “Testify” find Common once again exploring past relationships in the form of a disarming third person narrative. Common is honest, letting listeners in on his seemingly endless love-induced tribulations. Common’s efforts on both of these tracks are reminiscent of the days when he recorded with hip-hop luminary Lauryn Hill.

On “Chi City,” Common continues to keep the pace, delivering sharp lines atop a lilting Kanye number that at times sounds faded. Common seems undeterred as he drops fire onto otherwise cold numbers such as “They Say” and “It’s Your World,” leaving them sounding genuinely hot.

While some purist detractors will say Common succeeds on this album in spite of Kanye, most discerning observers will agree that Kanye’s production leaves Common with what is his most accessible work to date. Though unlikely to convert those who are not a fan of either, for those even mildly into them, “Be” perhaps will be heralded as one of the best hip-hop records to be released this year.