Yeah I know that now but I didn't know that back then. I was 10 in 1994. I liked Hammer as a kid but grew out of it by 96/97. I've always wondered why the vitriol for Hammer, because he wasn't always wack. In the early stages he was somewhat respected, then went on to sell the fukk out before trying to come back to his roots. You have cats that sell out and never come back. And also, Hammer was fluff rap just like Tag Team and 69 Boyz. I don't see anyone actively hating on them, despite the fact that they never made 'cultural rap' and I never go out of my way to hear their shyt.
I'm not defending Hammer's catalogue as something respectable. I'm just saying I think he catches a little too much hate, especially in hindsight of how hip hop turned out e.g. rappers selling the fukk out by the dozen.
I appreciate you dropping the knowledge though and schooling a young breh like myself. That's the thing about older cats - they can provide invaluable context. Thanks for posting the track too.
This "Hammer" was the one I liked.
I'm from NYC, but went to the south yearly, and outside of NYC, Hammer was the man. After his first shyt though, I couldn't fukk with him, for the most part. "Can't touch this" was nice, and some other joints but by then NYC was going through a changing of the guards with A tribe called quest, Kool G rap, Main Source,etc. So the Hammer type stuff was soft, and old. I respect Hammer, now that I'm older, and understand what he was doing. He was feeding so much people, and creating jobs, it was unheard of in rap. That is the shyt to me, so Hammer will always get my respect.
But my man is right about Hammer losing respect after his first shyt. Ice Cube's "true to the game" did a verse about Hammer. Even played him in the video.
