Common – “U.M.C. (Universal Mind Control)“
from Invisible Summer (Interscope, 2008)

Predicting a long hot summer of ecstasy popping, European trend jocking and fuzzy kazoos, Invisible Summer is sure to be Common’s first bad idea since his last one. And hopefully the greatest trainwreck since 1918.

The lead single, “UMC” finds the man of little sense reunited with Pharrel for the first time since faux-psych-rap brain fart Electric Circus, but both have seemingly lowered their ambitions. Here they aim for something closer to Ice-T’s vision of Saturn than Sun Ra’s. It’s a dramatic departure from his recent coffee shop classics, but one constant remains – Common is still completely unconcerned with rapping well. (Fans of FInding Forever can breathe a sigh of relief). I’m pretty sure Pow Wow put greater effort in crafting his “Zuh”s than Lonnie did in thinking of words that rhyme with “charismatic”.

Still, in channelling Bam n em, Com slips a sly middle finger to every hater who called him a crocheted pants wearing, Starbucks guzzling fairy. Because hip hop’s been gay. And European. And caffeinated. You ain’t know?