R&B singer Sammie recently shared with some of his counterparts for an interesting Versuz. While I was well above the age demographic when Sammie made his debut in 1999, he has always had a capable singing voice.
During my 2006 deployment, I picked up the singer’s second album and began to take him seriously, as his vocals had matured. Despite having positive critical feedback and production from the likes of Dallas Austin, Dre & Vidal, Bryan Michael Cox, and Daron Jones, the album went unnoticed by the masses.
Nevertheless, Sammie decided to go the indie route and has released five mixtapes, two additional albums, and six EPs in the last sixteen years. One of those EP’S, I’m Him is this week’s pick for Second Listen Sunday. Hitting streaming platforms on November 16, 2016, the project opens up with the track “Better,” which finds Sammie crooning about how’s he superior to a lady’s current man.
Despite some R&B thuggery in the lyrics, Sammie makes the song work with his vocal register. The cut-above vibe continues with the next track and the EP’S title song. Hearing the first two songs, I get the feeling that Sammie is not only calling out weak men but fellow singers who are not on his level vocally.
Sammie changes it up with “I Want You,” an infectious BOP that avoids vulgarity and allows the singer to express how he feels. “Sheets” will please nineties R&B fans with its angelic production and finger snaps. “The Wait” has an autobiographical vibe where Sammie sings about finally earning the love of a childhood crush as a man. Kudos to the singer for doing a Jodeci-inspired run in this song.
I’m Him closes out with the sensual slow jam “Bedroom Music,” where Sammie’s vocals deliver on the title. Sammie does have a few crass lyrics in the song, but he never goes into the corniness that some nineties singers did around the same time.
Sammie may have never reached the level of some of his peers from a sales point. However, I commend the singer for staying true to his vision and constantly releasing music his way. I’m Him is a stronger EP than some major label projects released in the same year and worth revisiting.
Final Grade: B+
I’m Him is available on all streaming platforms
One of the great things about buying a soundtrack when I was in my DJ prime was discovering a slow jam that I could put on my mix CDs. For this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I wanted to highlight one of the songs: Jagged Edge’s cover of Air Supply’s, “All Out of Love.”
After twenty-six years in the game, Atlanta-based quartet Jagged Edge is currently on the road celebrating the anniversary of their magnum opus sophomore album, “J.E. Heartbreak,” with a tour titled “An Intimate Evening With Jagged Edge.” To kick off our seventh wedding anniversary celebration, my wife and I will be the D.C. date on the tour this coming Wednesday.
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I wanted to travel back to 1999 and show some love to R&B group Amyth, which was initially signed to LL Cool J Rock the Bells Records. Hailing from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the group was formed in 1995 while the members were students at Southern University.