Utopia For The Musically Conscious: Common Comes To Houston by : @niksofly

This dope pic is courtesy of my boy @fbaindmix

What if I told you that the music gods must be pleased with me? They bestowed a precious gift when Warehouse Live brought  Fly Union, Jay Electronica and the Mr. Conscious himself, Common, to Houston on December 2^nd . We went up on a Tuesday and there was no ILove Makonnen involved.  I do not know what was more pleasing, the sweet melody of substance that permeated the air waves or the fact all pretense was left at home. I didn’t see a hype-man, wandering females, gaudy jewelry, or props. I saw lyricism and talent.  I saw true Hip-Hop , not the diluted subcategory of rap that has now become a trend.  I witnessed music junkies alike rock out to the enchantment of  16 bars that actually made sense.  This would be one of few concerts I have attended where the line-up complimented the head-liner beautifully.

 I entered the wings during the Fly Union performance. It was nothing short of ill.  I felt a sense of pride that the blooming artists conveyed something authentic and unfiltered. Jay Electronica followed.  Exposing the depth’s of his soul, Electronica fed the audience that was starving for something real. Purposefully, his words danced from his lips into the mic enchanting his fans. It was one of many confirmations we received to let us know that real music was still alive.

Common answered to the beat that called his name. Welcoming Houston to his experience [the show], Common took the audience on a lyrical journey. He told us to “Go” and we did. He is a story teller. Pictures chronicling his life flashed as moments of dialogue transitioned into classic after classic.  To have a career that spans over two decades speaks volumes on the quality of his music. The chords of the keyboard and charismatic voice of  MuMu Fresh (Maimouna) laid the foundation for Common to deliver one of the most sincerest shows I have attended. “The People” ,“Be” and “Black Magik” championed the beginning of many moments of solidarity throughout the venue. The representation of generations spoke to his longevity. Substance sustains life . We rocked out to “Thelonious” and his bars from “Poker Face”  & “Get Em High”. “The Corner” proved to be a crowd favorite as I saw fans spit the lyrics verbatim.  Bringing a Texas pecan on stage, Common freestyled adoration for the Missouri City sweetheart as he transitioned into serenading the young lady with “Come Close”. Paying homage to the legends , Common brought on Willie D and Scarface to perform my “Mind Playing Tricks On Me”.  “The Light” was a feel good favorite . It took me back to my school days when music was my saving grace.  Delight tap danced on my musical palette as Maimouna made “Bag Lady” and “ You Don’t Know My Name”  her own.  She protected the integrity of those ballads while offering herself. Common freestyled once more as he transitioned into “Kingdom”- a powerful track.  Thanking his team and the fans, he gracefully bowed out. 

This was a show for the sapiosexual. It was Raw. It was pure. It was intelligent.

Be sure to check the show out. It is an astounding production.

-Niko Rose