*** Common

ONE DAY IT'LL ALL MAKE SENSE

(Relativity)

Since his 1992 debut as Common Sense (a California band sued the "Sense" away), this Chicago-based MC has established himself as a top-notch wordsmith with a soft spot for family and an increasingly socially conscious bent. The nonconfrontational words, plus the spottiness of his early beats, were one-time commercial handicaps. But on One Day It'll All Make Sense, the rapper's third CD, the musical backdrop has been improved with jazz-flavored live instrumentation and fuller production on numbers like "Stolen Moments," which adroitly bounces from scratches to strings. The list of guest vocalists reflects Common's diversity, including soulful crooning from Erykah Badu and Fugee Lauryn Hill, poetry from Malik Yusef, and smooth rap from De La Soul and the ubiquitous Q-Tip. The best cameo, however, belongs to Lonnie Lynn (a/k/a Common's dad), who reprises his role from 1994's Resurrection. His appearance marks a touching finale to a smart album rooted in family affairs.

-- Jay Ruttenberg