Be

Be is the sixth album from Chicago rapper Common. Released on May 25, 2005, through Geffen Records and Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Music, Be is the follow-up to the commercial failure that was the experimental Electric Circus. The sound of Be is more soulful, incorporating classic Soul samples and contributions from Neo-Soul artists such as John Legend and Bilal. The production on Be was handled mostly by Kanye West, who produced nine out of the 11 tracks, while the other two were produced by J Dilla.

The first song premiered from the album was “The Food,” which Common and Kanye performed in a kitchen on Chappelle’s Show in 2004. The album was supported by the singles “The Corner,” “Go!,” “Testify,” and “Faithful.” The album peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart, achieved gold status, and was awarded a perfect “XXL” rating from XXL magazine. Be was nominated for four Grammy Awards in 2006, including Best Rap Album. Common’s performance on the album led to him winning the Lyricist of the Year award at the BET Hip-Hop Awards in 2006.