With his previous records (released under the name Common Sense),
Common demonstrated that he was one of the few Midwestern rappers to have a unique vision, but
One Day It'll All Make Sense is where his talents come into focus. Blending hip-hop with jazz is a '90s cliché, but
Common relies on bebop rhythms and street poetry, resulting in an album that has a loose, organic flow. The grooves have deep roots and the rhymes have humor, heart, and intelligence -- few of contemporaries could achieve the emotional impact of "Retrospect for Life" or the gospel-tinged "G.O.D. (Gaining One's Definition)." And that extra layer of emotional involvement gives
One Day It'll All Make Sense a weight and spirituality that makes the record special. Certainly few of his peers have made an album as musically and lyrically rich as this, and it's about time others follow his lead. ~ Leo Stanley