The Corner (song)

Infobox Single
Name = The Corner


Artist = Common featuring Kanye West and The Last Poets
from Album = Be
B-side =
Released = March 1, 2005
Format = 12-inch single, CD, Digital download, Vinyl
Recorded = Sony Studios, New York, NY
Genre = Chicago hip hop
Length = 3:45
Label = G.O.O.D. Music/Geffen Records
Writer = Lonnie Lynn
Kanye West
Abiodun Oyewole
Umar Bin Hassan
Leon Moore
Producer = Kanye West
Misc = Extra chronology 2
Artist = Common singles
Type = singles
Last single = "The Food"
(2004)
This single = "The Corner"
(2005)
Next single = "Go!"
(2005)Extra chronology 2
Artist = Kanye West singles
Type = singles
Last single = "I Changed My Mind"
(2004)
This single = "The Corner"
(2005)
Next single = "Go!"
(2005)Extra chronology 2
Artist = The Last Poets singles
Type = singles
Last single = "Panthers"
(2002)
This single = "The Corner"
(2005)
Next single =

"The Corner" is the second single released by rapper Common on his sixth album, "Be". It features a chorus and production by Kanye West as well as spoken word lyrics by The Last Poets. The song's lyrics deal with street corners in poor neighborhoods. The song's beat contains a sample from "You Make the Sun Shine" by The Temprees. Because of the song's gritty sound, some fans considered it to be a return to Common's "Resurrection" days.cite web | last = Malcolm | first = Sean | url = http://www.allhiphop.com/reviews/index.asp?ID=585 | title = Be Review at AllHipHop.com | format = | work = | publisher = | accessdate = May 26 | accessyear = 2007] A music video directed by Kanye West was made for "The Corner."

Acclaim

"The Corner" attained some commercial success reaching #42 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, but was even more popular among critics. Amongst other accolades, it was nominated as the Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 48th Grammy Awards. Spence D. of IGN.com explains the basis for its success writing: cquote|"The Corner" [...] is the defacto bomb on the album. West's groove is sick and witty, piano and bass meshing together in a smoothly lumbering lope with a nice accentuated vocal sample on the chorus. The addition of the legendary Last Poets only elevates the tune to the next level. One of the best burners of the year, hands down.cite web | last = | first = Spence D. | url = http://music.ign.com/articles/634/634905p1.html | title = Be Review at IGN.com | format = | work = | publisher = | accessdate = May 26 | accessyear = 2007] In addition, Nathan Brackett of "Rolling Stone" states that it is one of the "hardest-rocking tracks of Common's career."cite web | last = Brackett | first = Nathan | url = http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/common/albums/album/7330979/review/7349116/be | title = Be Review at RollingStone.com | format = | work = | publisher = | accessdate = May 26 | accessyear = 2007] Pitchfork Media's Tom Breihan considers the beat to be "dusty" and heavenly."cite web | last = Breihan | first = Tom | url = http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/track_review/30526-the-corner-remix-ft-scarface-mos-def | title = The Corner (Remix) Review at PitchforkMedia.com | format = | work = | publisher = | accessdate = May 27 | accessyear = 2007] Steve Juon of RapReviews.com claims Common's lyrics to contain profound observations of urban life that show why hip hop is the "black man's CNN."cite web | last = Juom | first = Steve | url = http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2005_05F_be.html | title = Be Review at RapReviews.com | format = | work = | publisher = | accessdate = May 26 | accessyear = 2007] Common understands that critics consider "The Corner" to be a return from his "Electric Circus" style. As he says on "They Say" from his 2005 album "Be": "They say the crochet pants and the sweater was wack/Seen 'The Corner', now they say that nigga's back."

Remixes

*A remix featuring Scarface, Mos Def and a new Common verse can be found on Scarface's 2005 album "My Homies Part 2". It was also released by Common as a single.
*This song was covered with heavily-revised lyrics by Clipse on their "" mixtape.

Track listing

A-side

# "The Corner" (Radio) (3:46)
# "The Corner" (Instrumental) (3:46)
# "The Corner" (Radio A Capella) (3:34)

B-side

# "The Corner" (LP) (3:46)
# "The Corner" (LP A Capella) (3:46)
# "The Corner" (Last Poet Reprise) (3:46)

Chart positions

References

ee also

*List of Common songs