Be

“Be” is the sixth studio album by Common, released on May 24, 2005, through GOOD Music and Geffen Records.

The story

Coming after the commercial disappointment of the experimental “Electric Circus” (2002), the album marked Common’s move to Geffen and to fellow Chicagoan Kanye West’s GOOD Music imprint. Common described the title as being about living in the moment and being yourself without strain. The project stripped things back to rap fundamentals, and it was widely received as a comeback.

Sound and production

Kanye West served as executive producer and made most of the beats, with J Dilla producing additional tracks and contributions from James Poyser and Karriem Riggins. Guests include the Last Poets, John Legend and John Mayer. At a lean length, the record pairs soul-sample production with some of Common’s most focused writing. Some beats Common passed on later surfaced on West’s “Late Registration.”

Legacy

The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with about 185,000 copies sold and topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Rap Albums charts. Singles included “The Corner,” “Go!,” “Testify” and “Faithful.” It earned four nominations at the 48th Grammy Awards, including Best Rap Album, and XXL gave it its top rating. A 20th-anniversary deluxe edition appeared in 2025.