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Sam Sneed – “Street Scholars” – @@@ (Review)

D.T. Swinga — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 16:20:38 +0000

The legendary Sam Sneed has had a rough career, despite the cult success of his debut single, “U Better Recognize” with Dr. Dre, from the Murder Was The Case soundtrack. While Sneed, along with partner J-Flexx, were integral to helping craft some of the early Death Row classics, shake-ups at the label (which you may have heard about) kept his completed 1995 debut album, Street Scholars, from ever seeing the light of day. With the 2011 release of the album of the same name, Sneed unearths some of those unreleased classics, along with ten newly recorded tracks.

“U Better Recognize” is included here, as is the familiar “Lady Heroin”, which was remixed in 1996 with J-Flexx and Lady of Rage for the Gridlock’d soundtrack, with this earlier version sounding almost like a track ghostwritten for Dre. We do get other fleeting moments of brilliance from the classic Death Row era, such as the G’d up Eric B. & Rakim rip, “Goin’ Hollywood” or the ominous “Drug Related” where he threatens “Suge and Dre don’t play / cross ‘em and hang by a rope / packaged and distributed dope by Interscope”. The album’s best moment though is right at the beginning with “Cold World”, something that sounds new, but calls back to his early, sinister style.

But most of Sneed’s newer material doesn’t fare quite as well. None of it is particularly bad, but more like the generic production of today’s rap world and less like the sound he helped pioneer. The drippy R&B stylings of “Marriage” and “Weather Man” are easily interchangeable with today’s radio drivel, which might be good for his career, but won’t win over his longtime followers. The aforementioned tracks both spotlight Money Ink, who also appears on the murky “I Keep A Check”, that reeks badly of YMCMB cloning.

Sneed’s most honest moment is “The Survivor”, where he recounts his battle with a cancerous brain tumor, which acted as a turning point in his life. Here, he alludes to being given “another chance” and positive change in his musical direction, as heard on this LP.

While we are thankful to have Sneed with us, like Dr. Dre’s similar change of heart on Dr. Dre Presents The Aftermath, he was at his best during those pioneering years. While his newer material might not be our cup of tea, we only wish him the best.

Sam Sneed – “Lady Heroin” (Video)

Pizzo — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 11:45:58 +0000

Vaulted material from Sam Sneed, which will appear on his forthcoming LP, Street Scholars , hitting this month on Death Row. Yes, really.

Death Row Records To Release Long Overdue Sam Sneed LP

Pizzo — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:35:40 +0000

Oooooooh, word? Yeah, Death Row is about to release an LP of classic Sam Sneed tracks, along with some new material. Full press release below. U better recognize.

After nearly 14 years, the long-awaited Death Row Records album by one-time Dr. Dre protégé Sam Sneed is finally being released. WIDEawake Entertainment Group Inc., the company who purchased the Death Row Records catalog, is releasing Sneed’s Street Schoalrs project on January 25th, 2011 through E1 Entertainment.

Sam Sneed became well-known for his catchphrase “My name is Sam Sneed, you better recognize!”, which originally appeared in the song “Pump, Pump” off the Snoop Doggy Dogg debut album, Doggystyle. He also appeared in the Death Row movie, Murder Was the Case, which also spawned Sam Sneed’s “U Better Recognize” single, featuring Dr. Dre, included in the movie’s soundtrack. The soundtrack single peaked at #16 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart, #18 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart and #48 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.

Sam Sneed also co-produced “Keep Their Heads Ringin’” and “Natural Born Killaz” with Dr. Dre. The original, alternate version “Natural Born Killaz” with Sam Sneed rapping a verse was released on the Ultimate Death Row Collection on November 24, 2009.

Following his time on Death Row, after surviving a brain tumor, Sam Sneed has produced for Jay-Z (“Anything”), G-Unit (“I Smell Pussy”), Scarface (“Fuck’n With Face”), and others like Capne-N-Noreaga, Beanie Sigel and former Posion Clan emcee JT Money.

John Payne, of WIDEawake/Death Row Records, had this to say, “Sam has stayed true to the game. His production was brilliant back in the nineties; he has somehow managed to improve and take his brilliance to another level! This collection of music is completely put together by Sam and his team. Sam reached into the vault and pulled out some heat from his Death Row days and added some new fire from an arsenal of recently completed tracks. All tracks have been produced, mixed and conceptualized by SAM SNEED, to quote Sam, ‘U BETTER RECOGNIZE!’

Street Scholars will feature “U Better Recognize”, “Lady Heroine”, “Goin’ Hollywood”, “Drug Related”, as well as 10 brand-new tracks that Sam Sneed has recorded for the project. The project is set to feature Dr. Dre, Nu Starz Entertainment (Sneed’s new group of talent), J. Flexx and others.