This took a couple of listens for me. I found the production underwhelming at first, but by the second and third listen more of it clicked. I still think the beats could be better, but Cormega's flow and rhymes are what you're really listening to this for. 3.5-4/5 Beats: ★★★ Rapping/Bars: ★★★★☆ Hooks: ★★★☆ Best Tracks: Verbal Graffiti, Endangered Species

I love a number of Apollo Brown projects. I've been into him since 2010 when he dropped 'The Reset'. I came away from this without much though. Che' Noir comes with a lot of the same kind of raps/flows we've all heard before on independent/underground hip hop and some of the things she says are ridiculous such as all cops won't be satisfied until all blacks are dead. Unlike other rappers, like Z-Ro, who do have content seeing it from different sides, there is no ownership for anything from her. That kind of rhetoric is boring and dangerous. They are still hot, but if the beats were Apollo's best, I wouldn't care about the vocals too much, but I don't think they are here. Apollo's worst album for a minute. Best Tracks: Anti-Social, Freedom

"Sometimes I feel like all I ever do is find different ways to word the same, old song" - Eminem. If it hadn't been for a while already, it's definitely feeling like that for Ro on this. He has done the same kind of singing/rapping for a while now, with similar production, and spat about the same kind of topics for even longer. A little like my favourite rapper, T-Rock, I don't mind too much because vocally he is often brilliant, but it's probably time for something different. Like his last album, Sadism, which has 18 songs and runs almost 70 minutes, it takes a listen or two to get into this long project as well. It's probably of similar quality to Sadism, although, the best here aren't quite as great. Somewhere between a 3/5 and 3.5/5. Best Tracks: Goin Up, Right Here, Stop the Rain

The first song isn't bad, it kind of bangs. 'Undeniable' uses the same sample that Nas would use a couple of years later on 'You Can't Stop Us Now' and it's hard not to compare it to that much better extra layered song. 'A Ha' has some funk. Mos Def sounds a little bored on 'Dollar Day'. Overall the first half of the album is decent at best. From 'There Is a Way' this is consistent to the end though. I like the backend. I think it picks up the quality. If this was by a no-name rapper it would have a better reputation than it does. Best Tracks: There Is a Way

It was hard to do much wrong from '92 - '94 in hip hop. There are just so many good albums where artists were borrowing and building on the great music that was constantly being created. I've heard most Common albums and they've been a mixed bag. At times I've found them boring, other times there have been a few dope tracks to put into a playlist, and once or twice they've been a consistent, near amazing album, and this fits closest to being in the final group. There is no absolutely amazing track, but for consistently enjoyable songs, this is in his top few. The rapping is a lot different than what he does these days. It's faster with more intricate rhyming. If you like early '90s jazzy beats with a bit of a pop feel to 'em you'll enjoy this. Best Tracks: A Penny for My Thoughts, Charms Alarm, Take It EZ, Breaker 1/9, Puppy Chow, Soul by the Pound