This album brought me back into hip hop after becoming jaded by all the BS that came out when I was about to graduate from college. Too many songs bragging about this and that. This album is like a story. It's uplifting, funny, and always intelligent. Common sounds like he is having a conversation with you in some of the songs, while at other times narrating the plight of an African American man of his generation. One of the things that I look for in an album is would I rather just listen to a few songs, or listen to it all the way through. This is the latter. So take time, grab your favorite beverage, sit back, hit play, and remember, "the present is a gift, and I just want to be."