B. Cox reviews Common's classic sixth album Be as it turns 20. In light of the commercial failure and mixed critical reviews, Common found some common ground in aligning with fellow Chicago hip-hop royalty Kanye West and his GOOD Music imprint on Geffen Record. A former pupil of No. ID, who produced the majority of Common's second and third albums (Resurrection and One Day It'll All Make Sense, respectively), West proved to be a good match to get Common back on tracks and back to his hip-hop roots in the Windy City.

Largely solely produced by West (with minor assists from J. Dilla, James Poyser and Karriem Riggins), Common showcased in depth lyricism marked by poignant stories about life in Chicago and themes of the streets, love, feminism, ambition and knowledge of self. Joined by collaborators such as The Last Poets, John Mayer along with label mate John Legend and West himself, the album was a well layered effort that served towards Common's strengths.

The album featured many singles, highlighted by "The Corner", "Go!" and "Testify". The album was Common's 2nd album to be certified gold and is often thought to be his "comeback album". It is also regarded along with Like Water For Chocolate as his best work.

Visit The Vault Classic Music Reviews Online

www.vaultclassicpod.com

Buy Exclusive The Vault Podcast Merchandise!

www.vaultclassicpod.com/store

Support The Vault Classic Music Reviews on Buy Me A Coffee

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/vaultclassicpod

Build Your Own Amazing Podcast Website In Less Than 5 Minutes!

https://www.podpage.com/?via=ivecre8

Show Notes

OkayPlayer: Common's 'Be' Getting 20th Anniversary Re-Release with 11 New Tracks

https://www.okayplayer.com/common-be-20th-anniversary

B. Cox returns with a look back at Common's landmark fourth album, Like Water For Chocolate as it turns 25.

After his breakthrough sophomore album 1994's Resurrection and his acclaimed third album 1997's One Day It'll All Make Sense, the Chicago emcee picked up his roots and moved to New York City and linked up with Questlove, The Roots and other creatives who were working within the Electric Lady Studios. There he collaborated with the aforementioned, D'Angelo, super producer DJ Premier, musicians such as keyboardist James Poyser, famed bass player Pino Palladino and horn legend Roy Hargrove among others. The catalyst for this collaboration, however, came from producer Jay Dee (bka J Dilla) who produced the lion's share of the album's tracks.

The album was widely acclaimed up on release. It is has been RIAA certified gold and is considered along with 2005's BE as is his best work.

Visit The Vault Classic Music Reviews Online

www.vaultclassicpod.com

Buy Exclusive The Vault Podcast Merchandise!

www.vaultclassicpod.com/store

Support The Vault Classic Music Reviews on Buy Me A Coffee

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/vaultclassicpod

Build Your Own Amazing Podcast Website In Less Than 5 Minutes!

https://www.podpage.com/?via=ivecre8

Show Notes

Albumism: Common's "Like Water For Chocolate" Turns 25 | Album Anniversary

https://albumism.com/features/common-like-water-for-chocolate-album-anniversary#google_vignette

Stereogum: 'Like Water For Chocolate' Turns 20

https://www.stereogum.com/2077724/common-like-water-for-chocolate-review/reviews/the-anniversary/

Grammy | Q&A: Common Tells Stories Behind 'Like Water For Chocolate'

https://www.grammy.com/news/qa-common-tells-stories-behind-water-chocolate-its-20th-anniversary

As we open 2025 to continue Season 7, B. Cox reviews The Game's debut album The Documentary as it turns 20. After coming up with a rough upbringing which led him to gang life, the drug game and shooting that left him in a coma, the Compton native embarked on a journey to become a rap star, studying the classic albums of his youth and adolescence as a blueprint to pattern himself after. After he got started and released mixtapes on Get Low Records with Bay area star, JT the Bigga Figga, he was discovered by Dr. Dre who signed him to Aftermath and he was placed with G-Unit Records and partnered with 50 Cent.

His debut album was a costly experiement, but one that was destined to make a mark. An all-star cast of producers (Dre, Timbaland, Just Blaze, Scott Storch, Kanye West, Hi-Tek, Eminem, Mark Elizondo and more) laced his freshman effort with a fresh sound for a West Coast Emcee. Paired with Game's flow and reality rap bars that spoke of his hard knock life, ambitions and dreams, it made for a true soundtrack of what the new West Coast hip-hop scene would like in this era.

The album was boosted several successal chart topping signals, most notably "How We Do", "Hate It Or Love It" (both featuring 50 Cent) and the Kanye West produced "Dreams". In total 5 singles all saw at least some success with the best charging the album towards a double platinum effort within two years. It has sold over 5 million copies worldwide and is recognized by many as The Game's best work and a notable album in the 21st century West Coast hip-hop scene.

In the long awaited premiere of Season 7, B. Cox kicks things off by going "Back To the Vault" and looking back 25 and 30 years to four original album reviews covered in the first season: 1994's Notorious B.I.G.'s debut classic Ready to Die and Scarface's classic third album The Diary as well as 1999's Mos Def's (nka Yasiin Bey) Black On Both Sides and Pharoahe Monch's Internal Affairs. He looks to see what, if anything has changed his opinion about these albums and how their standing in the game is now as opposed to our first look five years ago.

Visit The Vault Classic Music Reviews Online

www.vaultclassicpod.com

Buy Exclusive The Vault Podcast Merchandise!

www.vaultclassicpod.com/store

Support The Vault Classic Music Reviews on Buy Me A Coffee

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/vaultclassicpod

Build Your Own Amazing Podcast Website In Less Than 5 Minutes!

https://www.podpage.com/?via=ivecre8

In our Season 6 finale, B. Cox is joined by Mac from MacTasticTV to review Chicago lady emcee Da Brat's debut album Funkdafied as it turns 30. Hailing from the west side of "The Chi", Da Brat got her chance at a deal when she won a Chicago rap contest and met the teen group Kriss Kross, who were signed to Jermaine Dupri's So So Def record label based in Atlanta. At the urging of the group, Dupri listened to her music and signed her to a deal.

The debut album, produced entirely by Dupri, is packed with funk based beats driven by heavy bass lines and punctuated by Da Brat's sharp witted rhymes and barbs on record. The short album was carried by two popular radio singles: The title track "Funkdafied" featuring Dupri and "Give It To You".

The public took to Da Brat and what she had to offer. The album went platinum making her the first solo female emcee to achieve that feat, setting the stage for the rest of the decade and other female counterparts who would follow in her footsteps. It is also the first major rap album from a rap artist from Chicago that broke into mainstream success.

Follow MacTasticTV on Youtube

Follow MacTasticTV on IG

MacTasticTV LinkTree

Visit The Vault Classic Music Reviews Online

www.vaultclassicpod.com

Buy Exclusive The Vault Podcast Merchandise!

www.vaultclassicpod.com/store

Support The Vault Classic Music Reviews on Buy Me A Coffee

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/vaultclassicpod

Build Your Own Amazing Podcast Website In Less Than 5 Minutes!

https://www.podpage.com/?via=ivecre8

Show Notes

Medium: Revisiting Da Brat's Groundbreaking 'Funkdafied'

https://medium.com/micro-chop/revisiting-da-brats-groundbreaking-funkdafied-3d618b603dcb

Albumism: Celebrating 30 Years of Da Brat's Debut Album 'Funkdafied'

https://albumism.com/anniversaries/da-brat-funkdafied

B. Cox is joined by Mac of MactasticTV to review Bone Thugs N Harmony's debut EP Creepin On Ah Come Up as it turns 30.

Follow MacTasticTV on Youtube

Follow MacTasticTV on IG

MacTasticTV LinkTree

Visit The Vault Classic Music Reviews Online

www.vaultclassicpod.com

Buy Exclusive The Vault Podcast Merchandise!

www.vaultclassicpod.com/store

Support The Vault Classic Music Reviews on Buy Me A Coffee

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/vaultclassicpod

Build Your Own Amazing Podcast Website In Less Than 5 Minutes!

https://www.podpage.com/?via=ivecre8

B Cox reviews Jeru The Damaja's classic debut album The Sun Rises In The East As It Turns 30.

Visit The Vault Classic Music Reviews Online

www.vaultclassicpod.com

Buy Exclusive The Vault Podcast Merchandise!

www.vaultclassicpod.com/store

Support The Vault Classic Music Reviews on Buy Me A Coffee

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/vaultclassicpod

Build Your Own Amazing Podcast Website In Less Than 5 Minutes!

https://www.podpage.com/?via=ivecre8

B. Cox reflects on OutKast's classic debut album Southernplayaisticadillacmuzik turning 30 in the aftermath of the passing of Rico Wade, Dungeon Family leader and 1/3 of the production trio Organized Noize, which produced the album in full. He also examines how OutKast's emergence in the Atlanta rap changed the scene of the city and the region forever and also how the industry and the audience nationwide would pay attention to what "the South had to say"

Visit The Vault Classic Music Reviews Online

www.vaultclassicpod.com

Buy Exclusive The Vault Podcast Merchandise!

www.vaultclassicpod.com/store

Support The Vault Classic Music Reviews on Buy Me A Coffee

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/vaultclassicpod

Build Your Own Amazing Podcast Website In Less Than 5 Minutes!

https://www.podpage.com/?via=ivecre8