Common Market - Common Market (2006)

This album may be a little difficult to track down - unless you are lucky enough to live in the Pacific Northwest - however, it would be well worth your time (I ordered the CD from http://cdbaby.com/). I am well aware that hiphop is not everybody's cup of tea, however, Common Market have crafted fourteen tracks of back-to-basics (one DJ, one MC), old-skool, positive vibe hip-hop that beg to be listened, and bounced, to. To describe Common Market as 'back-to-basics' may be somewhat unjust, however, as the production on this album is second to none, as are the samples that have been used to construct this gem. Furthermore, the rhyme skills of Ra Scion (Sabzi works production and DJ duties) are up there with the best in the business. The lyrical content focusses more-or-less on telling it how it is, whether it is the state of hiphop in 2006, the state of politics and the need for change, or the state of male-female relations. This album does not have any pretension. It is basically two extremely talented hiphop heads pooling their talent to create something that is not only both musically and lyrically upbeat, but with tracks such as Connect For and Every Last One, is also carries a message of empowerment. It may seem somewhat preachy in parts, but if this is what goes down at church, I know where I'll be this Sunday. Definitely one of the stand-out hiphop albums of 2006 - the best sounds are coming up from the underground.

Check Out: www.myspace.com/commonmarket