▪ HITMAN SAMMY SAM "KNUCKLE UP" REVIEW

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▪ HITMAN SAMMY SAM "KNUCKLE UP" REVIEW

Hitman Sammy Sam "Knuckle Up"

Reviewer:	3aby Iceberg
Rating:
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Many of you may know this man from his underground GA work on club anthems like "Ride Wit Some Killas", "Down South Slums", and more laid back street tracks like "Mr. Unknown". This is his second full length album with Big Oomp, and he is indeed proving that "Big Oomp Run Down South". His first album "Last Man Standing" did an extremely well in the south selling close to 20,000 units. On "Last Man Standing" he also stressed the fact that the bass game is not dead, and he was out to prove all the doubters wrong, and he definatly did that with his fellow label mates, and the production from none other than the Big Oomp Foundation. A year, and a half later he is back with his second album "Knuckle Up". This album is a impressing display of beats and lyrics and versitality by Sammy Sam. This album doesn't sound like the same material that Big Oomp has been working with. It's not changed, but it comes across as more updated. Let's take a look and see how leading man from the Big Oomp click held it down.

Have you ever got tired of folks talking behind closed doors? People always flexin' on yo' name, trying to down your click? Thats the case with the creative intro. On the intro Sammy Sam is on lockdown in prison, and one of his boys called to check up on a young villian. Well apparently since he is on lockdown niggaz think they can run thier mouths about Sam, and his folks. Sam stated "When I get out, Imma make them boyz knuckle up", and then the intro goes into "Big Oomp Run Down South" a nice laid back cut with a nice silky chours. The chorus sings "Niggaz always talking bout/Shit that they don't know about/If ya don't know ya betta find out/Big Oomp Records Run the south". Basically the chourus says it all. A good song couldn't be finished without the fiya ass beat. They hold nothing back, and drop the bass on this one. On the title track "Knukle Up" Sam incourages niggaz to put down the guns, and throw them thangs. This song is a fiya club track with a message "Ya can't fight manne/Ya gotta knife manne/you tha type that like to take another brothas life manne/It aint right manne/Put down the knife manne/Gone head and lose the fight, and you can fight another night manne". Finally something tight with a positive message. I feel ya Sam. Shawty Beezle, and Dollar assist him on this track, and Shawty B puts it down with his throwed A-Town swang. The next song "Who U Be?" Sam lets people know what he's about in a creative way. He lets people know know what he's about, and he's not to be fugged wit. The beat is very nice, and made especially for them clubs, but not for bootay shakin'. Something different than before. Big Oomp messed around with the different sounds, and got versitile with it. The track was sounding like a Neptune produced cut. Hmmmm.

"I'm That Type of Nigga" they are semi repeating thier message from "Who U Be". Basically they are showing them lames, what the lames are about, and what them Big Oomp niggaz about. The paino in the back plays the Unsolved Mysteries intro. Which makes it a very creative. They chill on the bass, and focus on making just a tight beat with not too much in it. This is a laid back cut also. "Dope Boy" they crank it back up for that club scene. They explain the situations a trap boy has to go through in the streets of ATL, with a uptempoed bouncy track playing in the back. Sam brings along Loko, and Naudi Shawty and new comer Shadid. They put it down rather nicely. Something that Loko always does though. The next track is "Untitiled". Don't ask me why. It should have a name, becuase this is my favorite track on the album. It has the old Big Oomp feel to it. Real crunk, something real buc to bounce of off. Sam waste no time on ripping the song. Loko is also on there with him, so yall should know the situations. On the next song "Drama" they return with the man who laid down the silky chours on the first song. This song they express thier feelings on thier views of the world. This song has a mid-tempoed beat, real smoothed, something to ride out to, but at the same time to bounce off of. I was real impressed with this one.

"Im Coming" is another bouncy track for the clubs. Something you can all break to the floor and chant out with ya folks at a club. Sam sounds like a vet on this one. This is probably the most average sounding track on the album. "We Too Deep" warns all the people that wanna hate that Big Oomp is too deep to be messed with. They this track has heavy bass lines, and nice violins in the back doing thier thing to bring that mob effect. This is a nice one. "Roll With the Big Boys" a mid-uptempoed track with plenty of bass for that gut, explains to that you can either be down with em, or you can get rolled over. Also on this song he was explaining a situation about himself and Pastor Troy. I think he was trying to get across that someone was dissing them or something to that. I'm not sure, and I aint trying to get no rumors started so... "We Hard" a signature bass track with none other than Raheem the Dream puts the stamp on it. This is a bassed out song for them strip clubs. They, well no, SAM delivers a message on this song. He is trying to say that we bout that mess, but we aint looking for none, so don't test us. Raheem delivers the worst verse I ever heard him spit on this song. "Half Gorilla" a nice conducted track with special hidden highs and lows is one of my favorite tracks on the album, because everyone on the albums provides thier lyrical talents as well thier getting buck side. This is something to bounce to when you bout 4 deep off in a Cutlass or summin. Very nice track. The last song "Life of an OG" Sam tries to make people visualise what he goes through in everyday life. He explains the situations that come along with being an OG. The paino's in the back smooths the song out so its extra smooth.

All in All: For a follow up album he did a great job. The production was fairly tight. The only thing I can say about it is I wish he could had a more supporting cast other than Loko. Loko put it down every opportunity he had on the album. I wish that more people could have lended a hand and put it down harder. Its okay though, because Sam played his part in making this album a success.