It's no coincidence that most top 40 rappers are under 25: rap revels in misspent youth. Which makes Common's adventures in adulthood so interesting. He's an astounding lyricist, always has been. But with Like Water for Chocolate he's made the tricky transition from b-boy to b-man without losing the magic. Chocolate may be a mature album, but it ain't stern: hilarious, poetic, musical, and intensely personal, this is Common at his finest. --Lizz Mendez Berry

How can such a self-righteous rapper be so much fun to hear? Common, like so many carrying the banner for alternative hip-hop, casts himself as the enemy of all things commercial ("That jiggy shit is over / The war is on, I only wanna be a soldier / I'm holdin' on to a culture"), yet he also insists on getting paid. Like Water for Chocolate is full of such contradictions: while often exciting, Common also maddens with his casual homophobia and sneers at those he sees as lesser artists. He doesn't lack a sense of humor, though, as witnessed by the likes of "A Film Called (Pimp)" (featuring MC Lyte) and titles such as "Payback Is a Grandmother." The latter track is something of a conceptual coup, expanding Common's pro-family message into the realm of a cinematic revenge fantasy against some thugs who rob one of his relatives. Such displays of imagination--and the thick, layered funk throughout--ultimately make this a superbly playable disc. --Rickey Wright