A smooth MC with a philosopher's heart, Common has buried some of his most contemplative lyrics deep in his catalog. The scratchy boom bap of “Book of Life” engages with the desperation of being a young man in the ghetto, the bluesy keys of “Tekzilla” soundtrack a brutal story of being attacked by a rival, and the ragged beat of the J Dilla-assisted “Heat” provides a funky platform for some ferocious chest-beating.