Common - Be

Whether it's the one lone candle on the front of Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation or the cocky pose the boys from OutKast strike on Stankonia, album covers have always had an incredible way of conveying the music within. And in the same way that Iggy Pop's toothy grin on the cover of Lust for Life flawlessly illustrated his attitude toward life at the time, Common's smile on the cover of Be is the perfect setup for an album so full of street-smart optimism, Mr. Rogers would proud.

Common isn't exactly what the music industry has taught us to expect from a rap artist. He's humble and reserved. He relies on the jazzy, soulful style of production popularized in 90's East Coast rap rather than beats we see in much of today's top 40 music. It didn't hurt to have Kanye West and J Dilla produce the album, either. Be also prominently showcases a trait that many rap albums severely lack: brevity.

Clocking in at just over forty minutes, Be remains concise and consistent throughout, with no filler or wasted moments. It begins and ends beautifully, from the double bass that opens the title track to the passionate and sincere spoken word of Common's own father that plays over solemn piano to close out "It's Your World".

Be... eternal.