Monday 04/07/05 Common, Leela James @ Shepherds Bush Empire, London

His career dates all the way back to 1992 when he dropped his first album ‘Can I Borrow A Dollar?’ on Relativity Records. Thinking about it in a more reflective light, he’s lived through the rise and fall of Death Row Records, the explosive introduction of the Wu and the deaths of both Biggie and ‘Pac. So to still be relevant in this commercially-biased industry is something that needs to be admired when talking about this consciously advanced MC. Common is and always will be one of the greatest lyricists to have ever walked this planet, so his presence at the Shepherds Bush Empire tonight is not just a blessing but a god-send.

Today is a very special day in the American calendar. Common’s home city (Chicago) just like the rest of the U.S. is celebrating the fact that it’s July 4^th, known more commonly to us as Independence Day. Before our own celebratory proceedings can start properly (with the man everybody came out to see) we are graced with the astonishing vocal talents of rising neo-soul star Leela James. The first thing noticed when stepping on to the stage is her enormously elevated hair, but her hair isn’t the only thing that’s noticeably big. As soon as she opens her mouth an air of certainty is catapulted from it in a vocally charged form. Her set is a non-stop funk fest that seems to impress an audience who are only really present to find out where the real hip-hop lives. The way she conducts herself while on stage is a joy to see. Mainly because there are only a handful of artists in today’s game that have the same type of drive that Leela James showcases tonight. Before the main event she belts out one more soul-swamped joint and thanks the audience for allowing her the opportunity to express herself. Judging from the cries of appreciation and huge smiles on the audience’s faces, no thanks were needed. In fact the audience were the ones who needed to say thank you for such a great performance.  

The time had come for the eagerly awaiting fans to hear the real hip-hop that Common has been spitting for over a decade, and as soon as he stepped on to the darkened stage in a white jacket and white Kangol they knew that they were going to get exactly that. Opening with the intro from his new album ‘Be’, Common’s energetic movement from one end of the stage to the other indicates that this dude is really ready to play ball. Once the intro comes to a close he rips in to probably one of the strongest cuts from his latest project, ‘Chi-City’ (changing the Chi part of the title to London). With lines like, “So many raps about rims, surprised ****z ain’t become tyres” and, “The game needs a makeover/My man retired, I’ma takeover” (in reference to the recent retirement of Jay-Z) Common rips through every verse as if he’s only got 24hrs to live and the only thing that’s going to save him is a ten out of ten rated performance.