Customer Reviews

Common Market

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I don't know what's going on in Seattle, but I pray they keep dropping albums that sound like this. I don't know much about Ra Scion, but when I saw Sabzi on the cover, I knew it was a must have. I figured if the beats were anything like the Blue Scholars LP, then it had to be dope. I mean, come on, even Hulk Hogan would sound dope on a Sabzi beat (not taking anything away from Ra Scion). Common Market is as funky and melodic as it is intelligent and it exceeded my expectations. Ra Scion kicks knowledge to Sabzi's beats and the results are definitely super tight. Standouts like "Love One", "Push", "Connect For" show Ra Scion gettin' busy over some of Sabzi's best production. "Trinity" is a song that I keep on repeat and would definitely label as THE standout song. The album finishes strong with bangers like "Keep Tracks", "Doors", and My Pathology". Ra Scion's rhymes have a message and his flow is definitely on point. And Sabzi is one of my favorite producers right now (along with Nicolay).

There are a few tracks on the album that tend to mismatch. What I mean is that Ra Scion doesn't seem comfortable on one ore two tracks while one or two beats don't seem to compliment him that well either. A perfect example would be tracks like "G'Dang Diggy", "Crossblow", and "Poison". While the subject matter and flow are good and the beats are good, they just don't seem to mesh well. Don't get me wrong though, there are no wack songs on this album....just a few skippable ones.

Common Market is an album that I think everyone should hear at least once. I'd never heard of Ra Scion before, but I'll be checking for him from now on. The sound of the album is unique, yet totally familiar. If the hip hop scene there is this dope, then I gotta move to Seattle and be a part of it. Go out and support these guys, they're bringing quality to the table and definitely deserve the attention. I highly recommend adding this to your music library.

If any of you Seattle MC's are reading this, keep those dope albums comin'.

Standout Tracks: Connect For, Keep Track, Trinity (My Favorite), Love One, My Pathology, Push, Every Last One, and Kampo

Not long ago Blue Scholars started blowing up the spot here in Seattle, then this side project from Sabzi comes out and... BAAAAMMMMMM!!! This LP brings back the boom bap vibe that Seattle's hip-hop sceene was in the mid to late 90s. Memories of Jeru, Artifacts and Common's "Ressurection" LP all float to the surface when listening to this LP. (It doesn't hurt that blastmaster KRS endorses the album!)

In my opinion I think this LP was better than both releases from Blue Scholars "Blue Scholars" & "The Long March EP." Reguardless, all three releases are dope and worth checking out. I have a feeling that these releases will ring the alarm and people will take notice to the Seattle Hip-Hop sceene.

I saw these guys recently and was so impressed I had to pick up their album right away. The album does not dissappoint at all. Great beats, great lyrics. Every song is a gem and the production quality is great. The standout songs for me are Connect For, Every Last One, and Trinity but there's not a skipper on the album. My favorite Seattle hip hop but if you like this you should also check out The Blue Scholars and Cancer Rising.

I rarely post reviews of products on amazon, but this album is just too outstanding. Common Market hits amazing points on every track with some of the most intelligent, profound, and unique lyrics I have heard in a while. This album is in itself a hip-hop renaissance. This album is progressive, honest, and addicting.

This is truly a glimpse of the future of hip-hop, Sabzi and RA bring out the best of both worlds. Together their chemistry is influencial and inspiring to another level.

Check them out online at www.commonmarketmusic.com or www.myspace.com/commonmarket

Here's some early reviews of Common Market's first album -

"RA Scion spits in the Tradition of the conscious Hiphop movement...a true soldier for the preservation of Hiphop Kulture." - KRS-ONE

"Common Market showcases positive political messages over seamless production. Emcee Ra Scion and producer Sabzi have put together a truly impressive album." - Patrick Morales-Doyle, Okayplayer.com

"The best Northwest release of 2005 and the most exciting thing happening in Seattle Music." -John Richards, KEXP 90.3 FM

"...[a] landmark collaboration between RA Scion and the Blue Scholar's gifted beatmaster Sabzi...an extremely dope album..."
-Larry Mizell Jr., The Stranger

"Common Market killed it once again last night, every song more powerful and positive than the last, giving an enthusiastic (packed) house songs with a message and the music to make you feel like everything's just right in the world." - Jennifer Maerz, The Stranger

Ra Scion and Blue Scholars beat smith Sabzi team up to create more homegrown Seattle Hip Hop. Saba moves in a different direction from the original Scholars beats and makes some instrumentals that are a little more soulful and much more produced. This probably has just as much to do with the fact that he is maturing as a beat maker as it does that he is working with an emcee whose style is rooted in the original boom bap. Ra is a nice emcee who has suffered in the past form not having the right beats. This time he gets to flex his lyrics about love, life, and the greatness of hip hop (KRS-One anyone?) over 13 mellow and fun beats. The sticker on the front has a quote from KRS himself saying that this is "real hip hop" and that fact is played upon continually. Scion likes to speak about unifying hip hop and supporting all the elements. He likes to use hip hop as a way to create a peaceful and nice world. But most importantly he likes to talk about hip hop in general. Whether he is shouting out the South Bronx (?) or every Seattle emcee he is truly a lover of this culture. While this is dope to hear and he has dope beats to rock his knowledge over it gets a little tedious and repetitive after multiple listens. If you want something different and fun, pick this up and be ready for and education cause Common Market shows that fun hip hop with meaning can be made and enjoyed; you just got to give it a chance.