'The Dreamer, The Believer' drops: Ranking Common's record releases

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When Common said on 2007’s Finding Forever that he had his “SAG card,” most chuckled. But in 2011, Common’s starring in movies, a cable show and is a successful author.

theGrio: Common says he has ‘no regrets’ on N-word track with Maya Angelou

His latest release, The Dreamer, The Believer, is his ninth, nearly 20 years after his first release Can I Borrow A Dollar?. It features collaborations from Nas, John Legend and production from No I.D., who has been with Com since the beginning.

Common, whose real name is Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr., has put Chicago on the map and has built a career known for both its longevity and creativity.

To commemorate the release of Common’s new album today, theGrio set out to rank each of Common’s nine major studio releases. We break down each record and why it stands as a classic or why even Common needed a new direction.

So why did Jay-Z say he wish he could rhyme like Common Sense on 2003’s “Moment of Clarity”? Click through our slideshow to find out…