Who is he? It depends on which Common you know, Common's ability is far from common but Common Sense, well he has that in abundance. A poet from Chicago's Southside, Common is a hip hop veteran who has pretty much seen and done it all - from getting amongst Chicago's streets to dating Serena Williams and Erykah Badu (praise be upon Common) to being one of the most respected rappers in the game to being one of Kanye West's homies. Common is someone who weaves in between displaying great insight in his rhymes and keeping it real throughout.

There aren't many people like Common. Chicago is in a straight up time of turmoil. Gang violence is at a pretty astronomical high with shootings happening nearly every day, in fact it's at the point where it rivals the other cases of stupid violence taking place around the world. So what does Common do? He gravitates towards Chi town. Nobody's Smiling is pretty much Chicago to it's core, it's an album that Chicago needs and it shows that there aren't too many people more legit than Common.

The title itself sets the tone. Nobody's Smiling takes the listener on a bit of a journey through Chicago both directly and indirectly. Some songs like 'The Neighborhood' featuring young Chicago rapper Lil Herb take you directly to the streets of the Southside from the perspective of someone like Common who is a bit older and Herb who is pretty much knee deep in the current activities. Common raps...

The concrete matrix, street organizations
They gave violations, hood public relations
It was the basics to get big faces
Stay away from cases, bad broads, good graces
The hustlers was the taste makers and trend setters
They the ones that fed us hopin' that the feds don't get us
The era of Reagan, the terror of Bush
Crack babies, momma's a push, we were the products of Bush

'No Fear' tells the journey of an upcoming hustler which when told by Common goes down like a cheeseburger after many beers. It seems kinda dumb to point out what Common's good at cos he's been doing it for 20 years or so, but the way he can switch up rhyme schemes, flows and topics all within the framework of a story is pretty cool and evident throughout the project.

'Real' with Elijah Blake and 'Blak Majik' with Jhene Aiko serve as a platform for Common to drop fire as most rappers tend to do, it's the nature of the sport. Common not only showcases his rapping ability, but also his nature which makes him an intriguing character - he's equal parts nice guy, great rapper and street cat.

'7 Deadly Sins' is perhaps where Common is at his best as he takes you through a street version of sinning. Definitely my favourite track on the album

Vince Staples makes two guest appearances on 'Kingdom' and 'Out on bond' and both appearances serves as a great first up impression for many listeners exposed to Staples for the first time. Staples is from Long Beach and is the type of character who has been in and around the streets but also shows a mindset and lyrical talent to make him standout.

Your mind gone, life don't seem much bigger
Than your time zone, broke as the rich get richer
Blunt burnt lips and a worn out liver
That's everyday livin', guns everywhere chillin'
Got you feelin' like this money comin' sooner than later
'Til then I'll be runnin' from the judge and the bailiff

Nobody's Smiling serves as a reunion of Common and NO I.D. which is super. The chemistry the two have means that Common can go to work on every track with the knowledge that the beat is gonna give him plenty to work with. The beats aren't your quintessential boom bap beat but neither are they too modern, it's a perfect medium and shows that both Common and NO I.D. are able to adapt and flex their muscle in any era.

The reunion also has a bit of a spin off as the album has been released off ARTium Recordings which is NO I.D.'s label. NO I.D. also has a high up position within Def Jam so ARTium is housed within Def Jam. Common is joined by ARTium label mates Jhene Aiko, Cocaine 80's and Elijah Blake who all contribute greatly to the project.

If you want a bit of a history lesson or want to learn a bit more about the story of Common which includes coming up with NO I.D., then falling out with his partner as well as enjoying his time with J Dilla, then 'Rewind That' is the song for you.

Nobody's Smiling has given my ears a fair amount of pleasure recently and I'm sure it will continue to do so. You're getting a fair amount of wisdom as well as the joy of listening to a master string a bunch of sentences together which are perfectly aligned to his homie's beat. While it may not stop the violence in Chicago, it might go some way towards helping it out. Props to Common.