Sam Sneed may just be one of the forces in rap music that has been slept on over the course of the last few decades. On “Street Scholars”, Sneed looks to come out from behind the curtain. Despite bringing out the big guns on “U Better Recognize”, Sneed’s goal with “Street Scholars” is to give some up and coming rappers, R&B artists, and other musicians a chance to shine. What results in this 15-track disc is something that pops from the opening track (“Cold World” featuring Ramaj and Meshun Fuller) all the way to the end “Kingdom Come”.
When one looks into the back story of “Street Scholars”, it showcases Sneed’s drive and determination. The album was originally supposed to come out in 1995, but Sneed’s desire to help out Dr. Dre in eir own career forced the disc to gather dust for a number of years. A further setback occurred in 1999 after Sneed’s cancer revelation, but a clean bill of health allowed Sneed to clean up some of the best tracks from the original album and to place those alongside efforts from members of eir new company, Nustarz Entertainment.
Most rap tracks from the mid nineties sound dated, in my opinion. This is not to say that something like “Murder Was The Case” or “Natural Born Killaz” are weak or otherwise forgettable compared to current music, but that listeners can hear a different set of influences and styles present. Rather than create a looking-back type of album, Sneed weaves a narrative that bangs throughout. “I Keep a Check”, Sneed’s track with Money Ink, will undoubtedly garner some serious airplay on mixtape shows and podcasts alike. With tracks like “The Exodus” (featuring LJ and Jasz), an entirely new generation will hear how ill Sneed is. Check this disc out.
Top Tracks: Cold World, U Better Recognize
Rating: 8.2/10
Sam Sneed – Street Scholars (CD) / 2011 Death Row Records / 15 Tracks / http://www.deathrowmusic.com / http://www.myspace.com/deathrowrecords