Can I Borrow a Dollar?
1992 studio album by Common Sense
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Can I Borrow a Dollar? is the debut studio album by American rapper Common (then known as Common Sense). It was released on October 6, 1992, by Relativity Records. The album was produced by No I.D. (then called Immenslope) and the Twilite Tone, with additional production by the Beatnuts, and includes guest vocals from Immenslope, Miss Jones and Common's then-girlfriend Rayshel.
| Can I Borrow a Dollar? | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 6, 1992 | |||
| Recorded | 1991–92 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 49:34 | |||
| Label | Relativity | |||
| Producer |
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| Common Sense chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Can I Borrow a Dollar? | ||||
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Overview
Background
In 1991, a feature was written about Common in the Unsigned Hype section of The Source. Relativity Records soon signed Common, and prepared to release three singles for his debut album. The first and best-charting single was 1992's "Take It EZ". It reached #5 on the Hot Rap Singles chart while his next two singles, "Breaker 1/9" and "Soul by the Pound," reached #10 and #7 respectively. All of these singles combined to give Common a strong underground reputation prior to the album's release.[1]
Content
Can I Borrow A Dollar? shows Common's early style of rapping; namely a sing-songy and inflection-heavy vocal delivery, as well as lyrics packed with word play and popular culture allusions.[2][3] The album's production, utilizing samples, keyboards, and drum breaks prominently, tends to be minimalistic, jazzy and laid back.[2]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| RapReviews | 7/10[3] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide |  [4] |
| The Source | [5] |
The Source called the production top notch.[5] The Chicago Tribune deemed the album "playfully clever".[6]
Entertainment Weekly's Neil Drumming described Can I Borrow a Dollar? as "a clever but little-noticed first album".[7] Stanton Swihart of AllMusic considers it to have put Chicago hip hop on the map and to be an underrated debut album.[2]
Track listing
- All tracks produced by Immenslope & the Twilite Tone, except track 4 produced by the Beatnuts
| No. | Title | Performer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "A Penny for My Thoughts" | Common (rap vocals), Lenny Underwood (keyboards), Kenny Aaronson (bass guitar) | 4:23 |
| 2. | "Charms Alarm" | Common | 4:30 |
| 3. | "Take It EZ" | Common (rap vocals), Lenny Underwood (keyboards), Tony Orbach (saxophone) | 4:08 |
| 4. | "Heidi Hoe" | Common | 4:29 |
| 5. | "Breaker 1/9" | Common | 4:01 |
| 6. | "Two Scoops of Raisins" | Common, Immenslope (rap vocals), Kenny Aaronson (bass guitar) | 5:28 |
| 7. | "No Defense" | Common | 1:14 |
| 8. | "Blows to the Temple" | Common | 4:39 |
| 9. | "Just in the Nick of Rhyme" | Common | 2:30 |
| 10. | "Tricks Up My Sleeve" | Common, Rayshel (rap vocals), Lenny Underwood (keyboards), Kenny Aaronson (bass guitar) | 3:21 |
| 11. | "Puppy Chow" | Common (rap vocals), Tarsha Jones (background vocals) | 4:01 |
| 12. | "Soul by the Pound" | Common | 4:20 |
| 13. | "Pitchin' Pennies" | Common | 1:58 |
Chart positions
Album chart positions
| Year | Album | Chart positions | |
| Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums | |||
| 1993 | Can I Borrow a Dollar? | 70 | |
Singles chart positions
| Year | Song | Chart positions | |||
| Hot Rap Singles | |||||
| 1992 | "Take It EZ" | 5 | |||
| 1993 | "Breaker 1/9" | 10 | |||
| 1993 | "Soul by the Pound" | 7 | |||