Common Celebrates 20 Years of "Be" With 5 New Tracks

Sat, May 24, 2025 at 10:40 PM

It's been 20 years since Common signed with Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music and released the label's first hip-hop album in Be. To celebrate, the Chicago entertainer re-released the album with five new songs and an instrumental side.

The album was a huge commercial success for Common Sense and Kanye West. It included hit songs "The Corner," "Go!," and "Testify." It featured stellar production from Ye and the late J. Dilla. Dilla would pass away a year after the album was released in 2006.

Be would be the first collaboration between Ye and Common after the two were rivals for years, freestyling battling each other on the radio. Common was the bigger star at the time with his early 90 success. Kanye was the most-sought-after producer in 2005.

Common took to social media on Thursday evening (May 23) thank the fans for their continued support and reflect on the album 20 years later. He tweets:

"It's hard to grasp that it was 20 years ago. What Ye was doing was super special, what J Dilla was doing was super special and I am forever grateful to them and everyone who contributed to this album. Be means so much to me because I have had so many different types of people tell me what it means to them. And there is no greater feeling than to have your music mean something. Thank you GOD you are the greatest."

More: The Making Of Common's "Kingdom