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Critic Reviews
80
Apart from his recent shift into movies, Common seems to be approaching his hip-hop career in a perversely roundabout manner.
5y
80
Tough and determinedly sexed-up, here you'll find talk of beefs, booty and bitches, rather than brotherhood. Producers Neptunes and OutKast's Mr DJ oversee this exercise in alluringly moderne hip hop.
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2y
80
Common seems keen to prove he is still an all-time rap great, a hip-hop intellectual - and a ladies' man. His eighth LP is most compelling where these themes collide.
8y
70
While we're used to Common in the role of poetic prophet or self-righteous rhyme slayer, Universal Mind Control is primarily a rhythmic celebration, paying tribute to Afrika Bambaataa and Jonzun Crew jams.
11y
66
The result is unashamedly hedonistic. Common has said, ‘I created this music for the summer; it’s about feeling good,’ and – seasonal anomaly aside – he’s bang on the button.
10y
60
We're approaching the dead of winter and are in the middle of a recession, and Universal Mind Control isn't helping.
7y
60
Huh? A Common album without a soul-jazz opener? Well, rap's deep thinker wanted to make club bangers. So he got the Neptunes to shape this sexed-up set.
11y
60
Ultimately, the quit-while-you’re-ahead approach helps rescue Common’s most experimental album since Electric Circus from becoming a musical freak show.
11y
58
"No pop, no pop, no pop," Common chants on "Everywhere," but it's hard to say what's more discouraging—that he only set out to make a libidinous, disposable pop record, or that he only succeeds intermittently.
11y
53
On Universal Mind Control, his eighth studio album, Common opts for a frustrating fusion of Daft Punk-lite electronica and sexually-charged fluff.
11y
50
Perhaps it was telling when Common began talking about his next project before Universal Mind Control even hit shelves – because after you hear it, you’ll probably move on to the next thing as well.
11y
50
Universal Mind Control seems to move Common backward instead of forward, which for a lyricist of his caliber is truly disappointing.
10y
50
Universal Mind Control does correctly point toward a lighter, less cerebral set relative to the MC's discography from The Resurrection onward.
11y
40
Although Universal Mind Control represents a serious step backward from the successes of his recent projects with Kanye, it would be remiss to say the album is the death knell for Common's career or that he has fallen off in any significant way.
11y
40
There’s no shortage of sick beats, but Common’s decision to dumb down his rhymes to a rude and rudimentary level comes off horribly crass at best and at worst downright embarrassing.
9y
30
Common should permanently stick to acting.
11y
30
Pharrell and his Neptunes exert a svengali-like control over the record helping Common release his most contrived and banal album to date.
11y
28
Universal Mind Control is a painful misstep from a talented rapper who's decided to be as nasty as he wants to be-- which turns out to be much, much nastier than we'd like.
11y
Me: Hold my hand while we cross the street, Lil Timmy, and don't talk to strangers.
LT: But look, there's a Common album that wants to say hello!
Me: Keep walking, Timmy.
LT: B-but don't you like Co-
Me: HIM AND PHARRELL ARE A BAD MIX, NOW KEEP FUCKING WALKING!
A deformed, decaying version of Common with three legs and a fungal infection rooting from his left nostril: Gucci rockin', coochies poppin', movie watchin', booties droppin'
Me: RUN TIMMY RUN
LT: AAAAAHHHHH
Decaying Common: ... read more
I know the bar was set pretty highly thanks to Common's previous masterpiece, but... this? This ain't it. Even at its best, UMC's just so un-Be-Common of him!
Highlights: Punch Drunk Love, Gladiator, Changes, Everywhere
While I would defend Electric Circus any day, I can't defend this album. Low quality production with Common clearly not trying on the mic. No tracks stood out, and this will always just live as Common's Nastradamus.
This is a really boring album and there are only a couple good songs and they aren’t on the level of his other great songs. The production is probably the best part about this album.
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Track List
| 1 | Intro/Universal Mind Control (UMC) 3:33 | 58 |
| 2 | Punch Drunk Love 4:14 feat. Kanye West | 46 |
| 3 | Make My Day 3:58 feat. Cee-Lo Green | 48 |
| 4 | Sex 4 Suga 4:02 | 15 |
| 5 | Announcement 3:56 feat. Pharrell Williams | 46 |
| 6 | Gladiator 4:07 | 54 |
| 7 | Changes 3:58 feat. Muhsinah | 61 |
| 8 | Inhale 3:11 | 57 |
| 9 | What a World 3:57 | 35 |
| 10 | Everywhere 3:14 feat. Martina Topley-Bird | 55 |
Total Length: 38 minutes
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1mo
i lowkey mess with punch drunk love's hook and beat but common should not have been on it
2mo
Why is this album so trash? Ad why was 2007-08 such a bad year for conscious rap? I mean, Graduation happened, but Lupe and Common released their worst albums.