Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Memoirs Of A Skirt Chasing B-Boy (4 Stars), March 5, 2005
Many won't remember Common's first LP mainly because it wasn't heavily promoted. I bought the album after seeing the video for "Take It EZ" on The Box back in 1992 (that song and video are super tight). With production handled by Immenslope and Twilite Tone (The Beatnuts produce one track), a young Common (known as Common Sense at the time) rips track after track with a unique style and a charisma that wasn't really present in the hardcore climate of rap music at the time. Can I Borrow A Dollar wasn't exactly a landmark debut, but it was good enough to turn some heads. He wouldn't fully hit his stride until his second LP Ressurection (now THAT was a landmark LP). This album mostly revolves around hittin' skins, guzzling 40 oz's, and kicking flavor.
If I had to find a flaw in the album, it would have to be a lack of subject matter. "Heidi Hoe", "Puppy Chow", and "Tricks Up My Sleeve" (along with a few others) are all about hittin' skins and "Two Scoops Of Raisins" is skippable, but those songs have dope beats that will make you listen anyway (well, I know I did). Another problem I had was the fact that some of the singles released were remixes that were very hard to come by. The remixes for "Soul By The Pound" and "Breaker 1/9" are definitely tighter than the originals contained on the LP, but my complaints about the album are pretty minor.
This album shows a young, confident, and talented Common Sense kicking flavor. There's no filler, no fluff, and no b.s. There's just an ill MC getting busy over tight beats. Rap music from today could really use a return to the music of this era because raw skills have been replaced by marketability and it's truly saddening. If you want a taste of what cats like me were listening to when we were young (I was 15 at the time), then cop this disc; you won't be dissapointed. Highly reccomended.
Standout Tracks: Puppy Chow, Charms Alarm, No Defense, Soul By The Pound, Take It EZ (My Favorite), Breaker 1/9, Blows To The Temple, Pitchin' Pennies, and A Penny For My Thoughts
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Quite different than the current Common, July 25, 1999
From Usigned Hype winner to underground superstar, Common has changed quite a bit since this debut album. This album shows a more vocally animated Common using any and every clever metaphor to put a new slant on the ever popular style of battle rhyming. As you listen to his vocal and lyrical trickery, you can't help but see how much fun Common seems to be having while rhyming. While most of the album deals with destroying weak emcees's, the overall vibe is upbeat and happy. The downside is that Common's lyrics never surpass battling wack emcee's and dogging out women (on numerous mysognistic tracks like "Heidi Hoe" and "Puppy Chow") for the whole album. While the laid back, dusty jazz beats hold him musically, if the production is weak on a track, Common's freshman subject matter becomes more evident. On the upside, while his subjects are redundant, his lyrics are always unique. Some may be turned off by some of the over-sampled beats that Common's producers have included, such as Isley Brother's "Between The Sheets" and "For The Love Of You". Still, this is a good debut for Common, and it definatley shows a great deal of growth on his part from then til now. Don't expect any deep songs like "Retrospect For Life" or "G.O.D.", and you won't be disappointed.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
It's No Resurrection, But It's Still Solid., February 14, 2000
Common's first album Can I Borrow A Dollar? may surprise those who are looking for some of Common's mature/insightful lyrics. Instead, Common offers up some humorous lines and songs that are just meant not to be taken seriously. Tracks such as "Breaker 1/9" show Common's humorous side while "Take It EZ" and "Penny For My Thoughts" have Common displaying his amazing lyrical skills. The production is mostly solid (especially the Beatnuts' beat for "Heidi Hoe"), but it still can't compare to the jazzy and diverse beats used on Resurrection. Some may also find it disappointing that "Soul By The Pound" isn't in its famous remix form, although the original is still very good. If you are looking for something just to sit back and nod your head to, Can I Borrow A Dollar? might be what you are looking for.
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