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). Also, this remaster includes a pretty tight remix for "Every Last One."

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.

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

This is my favorite album of 2006 next to Fishscale. This IS classic, no doubt about it; the production (Sabzi) is stellar and the emcee (Ra Scion) is a wordsmith (no pun intended). Here's one of the many excellent verses off his album (this is from My Pathology):





012 - MY PATHOLOGY

Aiyo - below the terra firma's the murmur of many men
Resonatin' the predication of RA's eponym
It requires a higher degree of thought to transmit
Elevate above the base and retrace the semantics
Incommensurately we've been held incommunicado
From commoner to commodore - they breed bravado
I exercise authority over the lesser ranks
We rally and tally up at the shores of the West Bank
The shottie lick the body politic - feel the kickback, son
Pardon the warden to remit that one
Sinkin' solemnly into the vein of my pathology
I maintain the etymology of "I" defy chronology
Copy me, cosmically I seek to be laconic and terse
The meek shall admonish the earth
While the merits of inheritance are gainfully pealed
They symbolism of nepotism is painfully real
The provisioners of policy are plottin' my demise
In addition, the aristocracy's blockin' the uprise
The commandant's callin' for change by any means
I've seen heaven and hell; it feels strange in between
Never settle - the medal pacifies rebel troops
But truth is the honor in the eyes of the resolute
Press on - employ the pen to postulate upon it
Verily I perform the pass summarily - you wonder why?

this is definitely one of my favorite purchases from 2 years ago, and it's a shame that these guys don't have any more reviews than this. I highly reccomend it.

best tracks:

Connect For
G'dang Diggy
Ever Last One
My Pathology
Re-Fresh
Poison
Push
Succor MCs
Love One

Incase you didn't notice, this is more than half the album. And the rest of the songs are great too. If you're looking for something new to add to your collection that has more going for it than being "slightly more articulate than the mainstream" you should check this out. Note that youtube has most of the songs uploaded incase you aren't satisfied by 30 second samples.

For many years I have dug hip hop that attempted to lift the listener with a message of political or social consciousness. This album delivers in ways that blows away the competition and inspires all who listen. Sometimes RA Scion's songs can be wordy but he lays it down with so much skill and rhythm that it works. And when you recognize the depth of his message you want to pay attention to each word.

Do not sleep on this gem people. Listened to this about 10 times all the way through and it just keeps getting better and better. Layers of well thought out lyrics paired with solid beats. Lots of solid MC influences here as well. I hope these guys tour the East Coast would love to see them live and show support.

Came onto Common Market because I was told if you like Blue Scholars these guys are for you. This best word to describe this album is refreshing, it gives me a a great feeling like few other albums do, it really gets me up. Only reservation would be the rapper is good not great I can only dream of a Sabzi and Phonte album it would be so good they might even play it on the radio :)

this album blew my mind, whenever i searched common this album kept popping up and i listened to some samples and bought it and that turned out to be the best decision i have ever made. It is a perfect album because you can listen to it straight through without skipping.
my favorite tracks
1.re-fresh
2.push
3.connect for
4.love one

If you want to hear a real opinion from a true hip hop fan...

Flat out, one of the best underground hip hop albums I've ever purchased. I'm a long time fan of Jurassic 5, Blackalicious, Atmosphere, Lyrics Born, etc. and I'm always looking for new acts that truly embrace the spirit of underground hip hop - lyrical poetry laid over infectuous beats. About a year ago, I got turned onto a "lesser known" Seattle act called Blue Scholars. I have to say, Geologic's flow is one of the best I've ever heard. When I heard about Common Market (and knew that DJ Sabzi had something to do with it) I looked into it. Fantastic. Runs cirlces around any of the junk you hear on the radio. Underground hip hop is what hip hop is meant to be. Poetry about the struggle and determination that applies to impoverished inner-city youth and well-to-do suburban kids alike. Hip hop has transcended race, gender, and socioeconomic class because it applies to everyone. Everyone struggles, everyone has something to beat, and everyone wants to find success in life through relationships and career. You won't hear anything about killing, misogany, drug deals, etc. in this music. And that's the way it's supposed to be. So just sit back, and let the Common Market tell you a story...

Fav. Tracks:

-G'Dang Diggy
-Connect Four
-Trinity
-My Pathology

They're all good, but that's my choice for the cream of the crop. Buy this album. Support Seattle hip hop, and keep hip hop the way it was originally supposed to be!

And P.S. for a great documentary, check out "Scratch" - the story of original hip hop.