Like Water for Chocolate [Explicit Lyrics]

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. Question - 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 - C-Lo, , Common

16. Pops Rap III...All My Children - Common,

Editorial Reviews

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

Tracks:

Time Traveling (A Tribute To Fela)
Heat
Cold Blooded
Dooinit
The Light
Funky For You
The Questions
Time Travelin' Reprise
The 6th Sense
A Film Called (Pimp)
Nag Champa (Afrodisiac For The World)
Thelonius
Payback Is A Grandmother
Geto Heaven Part Two
Song For Assata, A - (featuring Cee-Lo)
Pops Rap III...All My Children

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:

Almost..........2007-02-15

Isn't Common supposed to be the "thinking man's MC"? Maybe I simply expect too much, then. More articulate than your average rapper, Common still gets his carefree homophobic jabs in when he can ("In a circle of faggots, your name is mentioned"), and manages to begin his Grammy-nominated love song "The Light" with a couplet ("I never knew a love like this / Gotta be something for me to write this") which, in effect, says that his beloved is wonderful because, and to the extent that, she inspires him -- not the other way around. Two lines in, the song is already more about his love for his own lyrical gift than for his beloved -- which wouldn't be a problem, necessarily, if it weren't for the song's heartbreaking tenderness and would-be-earnestness suggesting that this wasn't what was intended at all. Apparently he's cleaned up his anti-gay act on subsequent albums, but he still keeps coming just close enough to true lyrical brilliance to disappoint time and again: two records later, on "Be", he laments the current social and political situation in America, but can't help including whack MC's among his list of otherwise profound societal ills. It's a shame that the words and music, on both of these records, are so almost-consistently excellent that the weaknesses really glare.

Classic.......2007-02-07

This album never left the CD player in my car for a month. This by far one of my favorite albums.

Common+J Dilla = Perfection.......2006-12-19

When I first listened to this album I knew I was in for a treat. Not only is one of the coolest Hip-Hoppers in the game spittin'(Common), but the freshest producer in the game(J Dilla aka Jay Dee RIP) on the beats.

This has to be one of my favorite albums of all-time. Ive got all of J Dilla's stuff and all of Commons stuff and nothing hits me like this. All the beats are just flowing and Common's voice flows. This is the way Hip-Hop should be...

Track Ratings:
1- Time Travelin' - Smooth Introduction with some Nigerian Flare 10/10 (Produced by Jay Dee and others)
2- Heat - Another kickin' beat with Common on key 8/10 (Produced by Jay Dee)
3- Cold Blooded - Love the transition on this from the intro to the main beat, and Common spits some fire on this track with an appearence from Rahzel and Black Thought 10/10 (Produced by D'Angelo, ?uestlove, Kelo and The Roots)
4- Dooinit - Nice hook on this track, Dilla puts on one of his nicest beats of the album. Common delivers a stong lyrical performance once again. 10/10 (Produced by Jay Dee)
5- The Light - One of Commons best lyrical performances on the album, "I never call you my b**** or even my boo
-There's so much in a name and so much more in you" 10/10 (Produced by Jay Dee)
6- Funky For You - Bilal and Jill Scott are featured on this track, smooth beat. 10/10 (Produced by Jay Dee and James Poyser)
7- The Questions - Nice lyrics, repetitive hook. 8/10 (Produced by Jay Dee and James Poyser)
8- Time Travelin' Reprise - Interlude track here that is very chilled out with a cool snare. (Produced by Jay Dee and others) 10/10
9- The 6th Sense - DJ Premier of Gang Starr comes up on the beat here and Bilal on the hook. A very real song tellin' it like it is. 10/10 (Produced by DJ Premier)
10- A Film Called (Pimp) - The great MC Lyte spitting here, great beat. 10/10 (Produced by Jay Dee)
11- Nag Champa (Afrodisiac For The World) - Real smooth laidback beat with Common spitting cool as ice. 10/10 (Produced by Jay Dee)
12- Thelonius - Slum Village appears on this track. Dope Beat 10/10 (Produced by Jay Dee)
13- Payback is a Grandmother - Good story from Common on this track on another tight Dilla beat. 10/10 (Produced by Jay Dee)
14- Geto Heaven - Laidback beat with a tight piano. 10/10 (Produced by D'Angelo, ?uestlove and James Poyser)
15- A Song for Assata - Deep song about Assata Shakur here. Cee-Lo performs on the track. 10/10 (Produced by James Poyser)
16- Pop's Rap III... All My Children - Something that Common does on some of his albums, His dad tells it like it is over a jazzy beat. 10/10 (Produced by Karriem Riggins)

Real breath of fresh air here from all the mainstream radio southern junk. If your a fan of real hip hop you should get this and even if your not this is one album everyone should have.

Water & Chocolate...An Awesome Mixture! (Rating: 9 out of 10- - 4.5 stars).......2006-11-17

Common's "Like Water For Chocolate" was in my opinion his second best album he came out with. This was my first album I bought by him. When he came out with "The Light" somewhere in 2000, I really kept a close watch on him, because his rhymes really made my head nod. Listening to "Like Water For Chocolate" most of the production was very soulful, something that Common fans were starting to get used to hearing from him after the previous "One Day It'll All Make Sense" album.

Common's rhymes on this album are excellent. Listening to him on the song "Doonit", Common can really spit some flames. On the song "A Song For Assata", Common tells a short bio of a black panther named Assata Shakur, with a nice sounding beat that works perfectly.

Guest wise is awesome. This was the first time I gotten into Jay-Dee (R.I.P.) production which is on some of this album. Jay Dilla would also help Common with the chorus on the song "Heat". Roots' members Black Thought and Rahzel would do the chorus to "Coldblooded". Mos Def would come and spit some rhymes for the song "Questions". DJ Premier produces the best song on here "The 6th Sense" which is one of the best songs I've heard from Common. MC Lyte and Common would play the pimp & prostitute roles by swaping verses on the song "A Film Called Pimp". Bilal would song the chorus to two songs "Nag Champa" and "Funky For You". The latter song would also have Jill Scott as well. Macy Gray (or D'Angelo...depending on when you bought this) would hook up for the third single "Geto Heaven". And Slum Village comes in for the song "Thelonious". Some of the guests were not on point (i.e. Slum Village), but they make a great addition to the album. Oh, I can't forget his pops Lonnie Lynn on the song "Pap's Rap III". I actually enjoy those tracks, if you ask me.

As I said before Common dropped a dope album in 2000. People say this is the best album he's made. I agree so, in his mature state, but it would be hard to top the classic "Ressurection" which dropped back in 1994. Although if you want to hear some soulful hip hop, as well as being a fan of Common music, this is one album you cannot pass up. Soulful production, and some nice rhymes, it's hard to go wrong with this one.

Lyrics: A+
Production: A
Guest Appearances: B+
Musical Vibes: A
Overall: A

Favorite Tracks: Time Travelin (Both the original and reprise), Coldblooded, Doonit, The Light, Funky For You, The Questions, The 6th Sense, A Film Called Pimp, Nag Champa, Thelonious, Geto Heaven, A Song For Assata

Honorable Mention Track: Pop's Rap III

Favorite Common Albums From Best To Worst:
1. Ressurection
2. Like Water For Chocolate
3. Be
4. One Day It'll All Make Sense
5. Can I Borrow A Dollar
6. Electric Circus

Peace Everyone!!

Classic Hip-hop.......2006-09-28

This is about as pure as hip-hop gets. Real, unadulterated beats, eloquent verses, and fresh hooks make this album an instant classic. The fact that this album flies under the radar shows how misguided pop culture is.

"It's the questions. It's the questions, girl. It's the questions. It's the questions, come on.."

Average customer rating:

One of the GREATEST slept on CDs EVER
BUY IT
One Of the BEST Ever
the light
Message understood

Like Water for Chocolate
Common
Manufacturer: Mca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Experimental Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Electric Circus
Be
FutureSex/LoveSounds
Late Registration
Once Again

ASIN: B00004VWB1
Release Date: 2000-07-25

Tracks:

Time Travelin' (A Tribute To Fela)
Heat
Cold Blooded
Dooinit
The Light
Funky For You
The Questions
Time Travelin' Reprise
The 6th Sense
A Film Called (Pimp)
Nag Champa (Afrodisiac For The World)
Thelonious
Payback Is A Grandmother
Get To Heaven Part Two
A Song For Assata
Pops Rap III...All My Children

Customer Reviews:

One of the GREATEST slept on CDs EVER.......2006-07-01

I liken "Like Water for Chocolate" to be one of the best CDs ever. All though "BE" is Common's best album, Like water for chocolate is not to be slept on. If you like real hip hop, at its finest I would suggest you buy this album ASAP. Believe me, you will not be disappointed.

BUY IT.......2000-09-13

This is definately a must-have...It's rap with meaning and if you like rap, but sometimes find swearing offfensive, this is for you. Common has smart lyrics and awesome beats. It's sort of a cross between A Tribe Called Quest and Timbaland and Magoo. This is mellow but upbeat at the same time.

One Of the BEST Ever.......2000-09-07

okay. bottom line. if you're thinking about buying this cd - go for it. it rules. common's beats are awesome, and it about time we had a rapper rappin about somethin' real. i know common is not the only rapper out there with lyrics that make good sense (mos def, dead prez, talib kweli come to mind), but common's songs are something truly special. i know you're probably getting tired of "the light", but if you listen to that song carefully you can't tell me its not a true work of art. i could go on for hours about this masterpiece, but i will stop at this: this is the YEARS BEST cd. GO BUY IT.

oh and if you like it,check out "black on both sides" by mos def as well.

the light.......2000-08-21

you really need to buy the cd it is the bomb...................

Message understood.......2000-08-04

This is a hip hop album in its own category! The lyrics that Common spits are phnominal and have an in-depth message. I think that many other rappers in the industry can learn a line or two from him!